I am taking the Raiders -3.5.
This is why...
1. Some Super Bowl experience on the Raiders...IMO this is very important...Rice, Romanowski, etc...
2. Coaching - I believe this factor has been neglected by many cappers, and many reviewers give an edge to Jon Gruden today. I disagee with their assessment. It is at worst, even...
The Raiders will NOT play into TB's hands, playing a conservative game, such as did the "Beagles" tried to do last week.
Gruden is familier with the personnel on the Raiders of course. But the game is played on the field, and the Raiders will game-plan against TB's weaknesses...and IMO - successfully...
3. Rich Gannon is a good scrambler - somewhat similar to Aaron Brooks at New Orleans, which, BTW, beat TB twice this year...Brad Johnson is less mobile, giving a distinct advantage to OAK in this area of the game...he will get 1 or 2 or 3 key first downs like this...
4. Neither team will run the ball too successfully...both favor the pass, and both can stop the run...but Garner is the more explosive...and versatile...huge size advantage on the Raiders Offensive line...
5. Home field advantage...goes to OAK, which does not have to worry about the time difference, and will certainly put a LOT more fans in the stands than the Bucs...
6. Strength of schedule...sure, TB is the #1 rated defense. Here is a list of the Bucs games, and probably WHY they are rated #1:
Week 1: NO 26 - TB 20 [OT]
Week 2: TB 25 - BAL 0
Week 3: TB 26 - STL 14
Week 4: TB 35 - CINCI 7
Week 5: TB 20 - ATL 6
Week 6: TB 17 - CLE 3
Week 7: PHY 20 - TB 10
Week 8: TB 12 - CAR 9
Week 9: TB 38 - MIN 24
Week 10: Off
Week 11: TB 23 - CAR 10
Week 12 TB 21 - GB 7
Week 13: NO 23 - TB 20
Week 14: TB 23 - ATL 10
Week 15: TB 23 - DET 20
Week 16: PIT 17 - TB 7
Week 17: TB 15 - CHI 0
Examining this schedule, one wonders why the BILLS should not have had a schedule this easy. They were 3-13 in 2001, and got the hardest schedule in the league this year.
TB has 12 wins, some admitedly against teams they SHOULD have beat. The wins include: 2 wins against Carolina; two against Atlanta; they also beat NFL powerhouses Detroit, Baltimore, Cincinati, Cleveland, and a last week of the season win at da Bears with 5 field goals...the only win against a "quality" team was the Green Bay win...ATL was improved with Michael Vick, but still is a year or two away. Bucs lost to the good teams, except GB...
Here is a list of the Raiders games:
Week 1: OAK 31 - SEA 17
Week 2. OAK 30 - PIT 17
Week 3. OFF
Week 4. OAK 52 - Titans 25 [pre-view of last weeks play-off]
Week 5 OAK 52 - Bills 31
Week 6: STL 28 - OAK 13
Week 7: SD 27 - OAK 21 [OT]
Week 8: KC 20 - OAK 10
Week 9: SF 23 - SF 20 [OT]
Week 10: OAK 34 - DEN 10
Week 11: OAK 27 - NE 20
Week 12: OAK 41 - AZ 20
Week 13: OAK 26 - NYJ 20 [Pre-view of the play-offs]
Week 14: OAK 27 - SD 7
Week 15: MIA 23 - OAK 17
Week 16: OAK 28 - DEN 16
Week 17: OAK 24 - KC 10
Examining this schedule, you can see the LEAST points scored was in the 4 game slide against KC [10] and STL [13]. Two of the losses in that 4 game losing streak were OT losses. Other than Seattle and Arizona, the Raiders played a very tough schedule, in a very tough division, where Denver and KC have tremendous home field advantages. Notable victories over New England, the Jets, Denver twice, and Pittsbburgh - which whipped TB, BTW.
A late season loss to Miami marred a spectacular second half of the season, which now includes second [easy] victories over the Jets and the Titans..
True - Raiders have lost 5 [2 in OT] games to Tampa Bay's 4 - but compare the schedules...and it is clear who played the tougher schedule...who won the tough games when they needed, especially the last half of the season...and who should win this game today...
Raiders 34 - Bucs 17
As for me, it is too cold to go golfing. So I have made a huge batch of my special chili, and will tip a few Rolling Rocks. Next year - BILLS vs. SAINTS...
TT
This is why...
1. Some Super Bowl experience on the Raiders...IMO this is very important...Rice, Romanowski, etc...
2. Coaching - I believe this factor has been neglected by many cappers, and many reviewers give an edge to Jon Gruden today. I disagee with their assessment. It is at worst, even...
The Raiders will NOT play into TB's hands, playing a conservative game, such as did the "Beagles" tried to do last week.
Gruden is familier with the personnel on the Raiders of course. But the game is played on the field, and the Raiders will game-plan against TB's weaknesses...and IMO - successfully...
3. Rich Gannon is a good scrambler - somewhat similar to Aaron Brooks at New Orleans, which, BTW, beat TB twice this year...Brad Johnson is less mobile, giving a distinct advantage to OAK in this area of the game...he will get 1 or 2 or 3 key first downs like this...
4. Neither team will run the ball too successfully...both favor the pass, and both can stop the run...but Garner is the more explosive...and versatile...huge size advantage on the Raiders Offensive line...
5. Home field advantage...goes to OAK, which does not have to worry about the time difference, and will certainly put a LOT more fans in the stands than the Bucs...
6. Strength of schedule...sure, TB is the #1 rated defense. Here is a list of the Bucs games, and probably WHY they are rated #1:
Week 1: NO 26 - TB 20 [OT]
Week 2: TB 25 - BAL 0
Week 3: TB 26 - STL 14
Week 4: TB 35 - CINCI 7
Week 5: TB 20 - ATL 6
Week 6: TB 17 - CLE 3
Week 7: PHY 20 - TB 10
Week 8: TB 12 - CAR 9
Week 9: TB 38 - MIN 24
Week 10: Off
Week 11: TB 23 - CAR 10
Week 12 TB 21 - GB 7
Week 13: NO 23 - TB 20
Week 14: TB 23 - ATL 10
Week 15: TB 23 - DET 20
Week 16: PIT 17 - TB 7
Week 17: TB 15 - CHI 0
Examining this schedule, one wonders why the BILLS should not have had a schedule this easy. They were 3-13 in 2001, and got the hardest schedule in the league this year.
TB has 12 wins, some admitedly against teams they SHOULD have beat. The wins include: 2 wins against Carolina; two against Atlanta; they also beat NFL powerhouses Detroit, Baltimore, Cincinati, Cleveland, and a last week of the season win at da Bears with 5 field goals...the only win against a "quality" team was the Green Bay win...ATL was improved with Michael Vick, but still is a year or two away. Bucs lost to the good teams, except GB...
Here is a list of the Raiders games:
Week 1: OAK 31 - SEA 17
Week 2. OAK 30 - PIT 17
Week 3. OFF
Week 4. OAK 52 - Titans 25 [pre-view of last weeks play-off]
Week 5 OAK 52 - Bills 31
Week 6: STL 28 - OAK 13
Week 7: SD 27 - OAK 21 [OT]
Week 8: KC 20 - OAK 10
Week 9: SF 23 - SF 20 [OT]
Week 10: OAK 34 - DEN 10
Week 11: OAK 27 - NE 20
Week 12: OAK 41 - AZ 20
Week 13: OAK 26 - NYJ 20 [Pre-view of the play-offs]
Week 14: OAK 27 - SD 7
Week 15: MIA 23 - OAK 17
Week 16: OAK 28 - DEN 16
Week 17: OAK 24 - KC 10
Examining this schedule, you can see the LEAST points scored was in the 4 game slide against KC [10] and STL [13]. Two of the losses in that 4 game losing streak were OT losses. Other than Seattle and Arizona, the Raiders played a very tough schedule, in a very tough division, where Denver and KC have tremendous home field advantages. Notable victories over New England, the Jets, Denver twice, and Pittsbburgh - which whipped TB, BTW.
A late season loss to Miami marred a spectacular second half of the season, which now includes second [easy] victories over the Jets and the Titans..
True - Raiders have lost 5 [2 in OT] games to Tampa Bay's 4 - but compare the schedules...and it is clear who played the tougher schedule...who won the tough games when they needed, especially the last half of the season...and who should win this game today...
Raiders 34 - Bucs 17
As for me, it is too cold to go golfing. So I have made a huge batch of my special chili, and will tip a few Rolling Rocks. Next year - BILLS vs. SAINTS...
TT
