Bucs Run into Problems
(October 8, 2007)

After the opening day loss at Seattle, some were quick to bury the 2007 Buccaneers. After three straight wins, some labeled them as serious contenders. After being routed yesterday at Indianapolis, few know what to think of this team. Brain Kelly admits, "We're still trying to figure out who we are." Kevin Carter says, "We don't know what our identity is right now. It seems right now that every game on our schedule is the biggest game of the year."

This is hard team to figure out. After losing the opener to Seattle 20-6, it looked like last year's 4-12 team all over again. Three dominate wins, 31-14 over the Saints, 24-3 over the Rams and 20-7 at Carolina, and the Bucs were on their way to becoming the toast of the town. Then, Tony Dungy's Colts totally dominate the Bucs and we don't know what to think.

About all we know is that Jeff Garcia is a gusty performer and the main reason Tampa Bay finds itself 3-2 and tied for first in the NFC South. He elevates everyone's play. The defense, until Sunday, has looked like its old self.

The running game looked solid, but injuries leave serious question marks. Cadillac Williams suffered a season ending injury last week and hopefully Michael Pittman did not have the same fate this week. Pittman will be out for weeks, so the Bucs will be looking for runners. Ernest Graham is the man right now and rookie Kenneth Darby will be activated.

Three wins in the first five game are a pleasant surprise. Yes, the teams they defeated are a combined 3-11, while the teams they've lost to are 8-2. The next four games, going into a mid-November bye, may help identify this club. Tennessee, Detroit, Jacksonville and Arizona are a combined 12-6.

Jon Gruden's take: "A lot of teams got their butt kicked. A lot of teams will get their butts kicked next week. We're 3-2, I think we're still in first place. There's still a lot to be decided. We have some serious injuries that are certainly going to cause us to make some adjustments, particularly on offense."

NFC South Division Standings (Thru Week 5)

Team	Won	Lost	Tied	Pct	Division
Tampa Bay	3	2	0	.600	2-0
Carolina	3	2	0	.600	2-1
Atlanta	1	4	0	.200	0-1
New Orleans	0	4	0	.000	0-2