The day started on a mildly sad note for me personally as far as free agency was concerned.  I was emotionally invested in the Bucs acquiring DT Albert Haynesworth who signed the largest deal ever for a defensive player.  He got paid an enormous sum of money, a reported 41 mil gauranteed amidst so much speculation about his injury issues and his lack of production the first few years of his career.  I will say this though, there are 5 positions in the NFL that I believe change games: QB, LT, DT, DE, CB.  If you can acquire a player at one of those positions who is near the best in the league at said position, he is worth being paid like a top player in the league. 

On to other Bucs notes.  It appears we are very much interested in Saints LB Jonathan Vilma.  Vilma ressurected his career last season in New Orleans, after being forced to play out of position in “Mangina’s” first year in New York. He would most likely play the Will Linebacker position making a starting trio of Jonathan Vilma, Barrett Ruud and Quincy Black, something I would be very excited about.  

It also appears we have interest in two offensive  playmakers in RB Derrick Ward and WR Nate Washington.   Both would be perfect complements to the pieces we have in place.  Nate Washington’s downfield speed would be ideal with Antonio Bryant on the other side.  After the release of Warrick Dunn and the injury to Cadillac Williams, the Bucs must address the RB position as well, and the 29 year old Ward who averaged 5.6 yards a carry last year would seemingly complement Ernest Graham quite well .

                                Warrick Dunn – 186 CAR, 786 YDS, 2 TDS

                                Ernest Graham – 132 CAR, 563 YDS, 4 TDS

                                Cadillac Williams – 63 CAR, 233 YDS, 4 TDS

During game one of the season, it was obvious we would be employing a running back by committee approach, using mainly Warrick Dunn as the receiving/exterior running back and using Ernest Graham as the main smash mouth back and featured goal line back.  

Through the first 6 weeks of the season, sans the Chicago Bears game in Week 3, that tandem rushed for over 100 yards in every game.  Warrick Dunn rushed for over 100 yards once in Week 6 vs Carolina (115), and Ernest Graham rushed for over 100 yards twice, in Week 2 vs Atlanta (116) and in Week  4 vs Green Bay (111). 

I personally was quite excited how the combo was producing productive yards in just about every contest in the first half of the season.  Then Ernest Graham suffered a season ending injury in Week 11 and the dynamic of the running back situation drastically changed.  The irony was, the guy Ernest Graham originally replaced to receive his first real shot as an NFL running back, Cadillac Williams, was now back on the 53 man roster after his season ending injury in 2007. 

We got back to our 100 yard rushing status in Week 12 vs the awful Lions, with Warrick Dunn picking up 90 and Cadillac Williams getting his first real work of the season in garbage time of that game. 

After the Lions game, we didn’t rush for 100 yards as a team any more times throughout the season.  Warrick Dunn was experiencing an injury that was hindering him a bit, Ernest Graham was on the IR, even with Clifton Smith’s success returning the ball head coach Jon Gruden didn’t trust him because of a few of his fumbles on returns, and Cadillac was still rounding into game shape. 

In week 17 against the Raiders, a game that would have ultimately put the Bucs in the playoffs, Cadillac Williams was starting to show real signs of life, and the ability that made him a top 5 NFL draft pick.  At the end of a 27 yard run in the 4^th quarter, Cadillac Williams went down, and never got back up.  CBS was picking up the audio feed of what Caddy was saying, and it wasn’t pretty.  He had suffered a similar injury to his one in 2007, this time to his left knee as opposed to his right.  This injury killed the team, the crowd, and ultimately the game as we let the Raiders beat us on our home field, in a must win game (still very bitter about this). 

Personally I thought the unit as a whole was quite efficient, and it was just some untimely injuries to all three guys that prohibited the team from ever being able to use them all in a way that would have made us better than a 15^th ranked rushing team.   Warrick Dunn is a year older, and the early news on Caddy is that he won’t be ready until the 2^nd half of next season.  That leaves Ernest Graham, possibly Clifton Smith and whoever else we look at in Free Agency or the draft to fight for yardage next year behind our up and coming offensive line. 

Grade – B -

•  It was great to see Cadillac Williams back on the field.  The guy busted his ass with physical training, and made it back onto the field while a lot of pundits were speculating that he would never play again.  Surely was rust on the first play for Caddy in the game, as he caused a Jeff Garcia fumble that was subsequently taken to the house.   When you don’t play for 15 months though, some gaffes are to be expected.  His numbers were poor, but as I just said, he hasn’t played in 15 months. 
• Warrick Dunn continues to defy Father Time.  He had 14 runs for 90 yards, and honestly looks more talented and spry than he has at any point throughout his career.  He also contributed with 5 catches for 37 yards.  When he has been asked to step up this year, he has.  Another great addition by the Allen-Gruden regime that continues to get overlooked in the Bay Area. 
• Speaking of great additions, Antonio Bryant continued to look like Jeff Garcia’s first read throughout most of the game.  He only had 4 catches for 48 yards, but Garcia initially looked his way quite often. 
• Once again speaking of underated additions from the Allen-Gruden regime (the same regime that according to most radio people down here, has no idea how to assemble personell), Jimmy Wilkerson contributed two sacks.  That is three in two games for Jimmy, and he is quitely putting together a great season for the Bucs.  He can play 3 positions on the defensive line, can pressure the QB and can stop the run.  A great assett for this Bucs team. 
• Garcia was efficient in his 18 throws for the game.  He completed 13 of them for two touchdowns.  Only threw to 4 different receivers which was a season low, but with the ass kicking we were giving to the Lions at the time, and the effectiveness of our running game, we didn’t need to throw too often.   The two seam passes down the middle of the field to Ike Hilliard and to Jerramy Stevens were perfect passes.  Garcia has looked very good the last few weeks. 
• Ronde Barber finally had a big game for us.  I was even starting to doubt the effectiveness of the guy at many points this season, but seemingly every time I did so, he would make a big play.  Sunday he made two splash plays, one of which he took to the house.
• Aqib Talib had a nice shoulder block on Ronde’s INT return to the house, a unnoticeable play to most people, but one that caught my eye as if he had gone about  a little differently, it would have been a block in the back. 
• Clifton Smith with a punt return for a TD.  Oh, wait, is this another good find by the regime that can’t put together a good roster.  Yeah, I don’t mean to beat a dead horse, but this roster is stacked with great additions from Allen and Gruden.  Clifton Smith was an undrafted FA that has a punt return for a TD, and a kick return for a TD.  It’s unfortunate we drafted Dexter Jackson to be a return man, because it looks as though we found one already. 
• This was the third straight come from behind victory for the Buccaneers.  It seemed that in  years past, we were just unable to come from behind in any games.  Our offense looks a little more dynamic each week, and it shows in the scores.  We wouldn’t have been able to come back from 17 and 21 point deficits to the Lions and Chiefs and come back in the 2nd half vs a great Vikings D if it weren’t for the maturation of our offense. 
• Huge 3 game run vs all divisional opponents upcoming.  We truly control our own fate in the NFC South.  We win these three, or even 2 out of 3, and we have a great chance of capturing the division and a potential bye in round one of the playoffs. 
• WERE 8 AND 3 AND IN 2ND PLACE IN THE NFC!!!! GO TO HELL STEVE DUEMIG!!!!