Buccaneers at Lions
Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac, Mich.
Sunday, Sept. 17, 2000
AT A GLANCE: These two unbeaten rivals clash in a key NFC Central
battle. Tampa Bay hopes to make up for last season’s embarassing 20-3 loss in the
Silverdome.
|
| OVERVIEW: The Buccaneers are beginning to look every bit
the Super Bowl contender that they were made out to be during the offseason. After sacking
Patriots QB Drew Bledsoe six times and holding New England without a touchdown for nearly
57 minutes in a season-opening victory, the Buccaneers (2-0) looked even more dominant in
last week’s 41-0 shellacking of the Bears. On the other hand, the Lions have jumped
out to a surprising 2-0 start but have hardly looked dominant in doing so. Detroit eked
out a Week One win over the Saints before shocking the Redskins, the choice of many
experts to win it all this season. In those two wins, the Lions did not score an offensive
touchdown.
Last season when these teams met in the Silverdome, the Lions prevailed in a one-sided
20-3 decision. Over the last five years vs. the Bucs, the Lions have gone 8-2 straight up
and 7-3 vs. the spread.
WHEN THE BUCCANEERS HAVE THE BALL:
While all football fans know how stingy the Buccaneers’ defense is, there have
been many questions about the offense.
The Buccaneers have made some big changes to the offense since the start of the 1999
campaign. They signed OG Randall McDaniel and C Jeff Christy (both formerly of Minnesota)
in free agency, traded for ex-Jet WR Keyshawn Johnson and named second-year pro Shaun King
the starting quarterback. In addition, former Titans offensive coordinator Les Steckel was
hired in place of Mike Shula.
While the Buccaneers’ offense is not exactly flashy, it does feature more
imagination than its been given credit for — in Week One the Bucs scored a TD on a
pass play that began as a fake spike. That said, Steckel is sticking with a relatively
conservative run-first philosophy. The Bucs love to send FB Mike Alstott up the gut, and
they’re making a more concerted effort to run RB Warrick Dunn on the perimeter in
hopes of getting him out into space.
The offensive plans have paid off in the red zone this season. On six trips inside the
20, the Bucs have scored five TDs and one field goal.
This week the Bucs are facing an underrated Lions defense that features a very solid
front seven. In the middle, DTs Luther Ellis and James Jones will put up a good fight
against Alstott’s interior running. MLB Stephen Boyd is another key cog in the
Lions’ defensive wheel, but he strained his back in Week Two and his availability was
unknown at presstime. |
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|
| Pontiac Silverdome |
| Pontiac, Mich. |
| Date: Sunday, September 17, 2000 |
| 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time |
| Type Of Turf: Artificial |
| Meeting Of The Year: First |
| Season Record: |
| |
Tampa Bay |
2-0-0 |
| |
Detroit |
2-0-0 |
| Season Record Vs. Spread: |
| |
Tampa Bay |
2-0-0 |
| |
Detroit |
2-0-0 |
| Home/Road Record: |
| |
Tampa Bay (R) |
1-0-0 |
| |
Detroit (H) |
1-0-0 |
| Home/Road Record Vs. Spread: |
| |
Tampa Bay (R) |
1-0-0 |
| |
Detroit (H) |
1-0-0 |
| Record On Artificial Turf: |
| |
Tampa Bay |
0-0-0 |
| |
Detroit |
2-0-0 |
| Record On Artificial Turf Vs. Spread: |
| |
Tampa Bay |
0-0-0 |
| |
Detroit |
2-0-0 |
|
|
| Tampa Bay WRs Johnson and Jacquez Green will face an up-and-coming pair of corners in
Bryant Westbrook and Terry Fair. FS Kurt Schulz is also a physical presence in the
secondary. Tampa Bay’s most glaring weakness on offense is at left tackle. Last
year’s starter, Paul Gruber, retired, and his replacement, Jason Odom, is on injured
reserve. Pete Pierson and George Hegamin have been rotating at the spot.
WHEN THE LIONS HAVE THE BALL:
When the Lions’ offense has had the ball this season, it has generally had to turn
it over to PK Jason Hanson or P John Jett. Hanson has accounted for all but eight of the
Lions’ points so far this season.
If the Buccaneers have anything to say about it, that may not change this week. The
Tampa Bay "D" has allowed just one TD this season.
QB Charlie Batch is back after missing the entire preseason and Week One while
recovering from a broken bone in his knee. While head coach Bobby Ross sometimes lets his
young QB take chances, this team’s primary goal is to ride RB James Stewart, who has
a huge offensive line working in front of him. However, massive OLG Stockar McDougle is
out with a knee injury. McDougle’s replacement, Tony Semple (check status), sprained
an ankle last week.
The Buccaneers’ front seven is one of the most dangerous in the NFL. The defensive
line features three former first-round picks in Warren Sapp, Marcus Jones and Anthony
McFarland.
If Stewart makes it past the fearsome foursome up front, he will have to contend with
OLB Derrick Brooks, who rarely misses a tackle. Hard-hitting SS John Lynch also helps
provide run support.
In Germane Crowell, Johnnie Morton and Herman Moore, Batch has a very talented trio of
receivers. But the Buccaneers have a pair of cornerbacks who are tough to beat in Ronde
Barber and Donnie Abraham.
All game previews and depth charts were compiled as of Sept. 10, 2000 |
|
OFFENSE |
| WR |
81 GREEN, 86 Williams |
| OLT |
69 PIERSON, 79 Hegamin |
| OLG |
64 McDANIEL, 65 Dogins, 60 Coleman* |
| C |
62 CHRISTY, 75 Washington, 68 Unutoa |
| ORG |
73 MIDDLETON, 60 Coleman* |
| ORT |
71 WUNSCH, 76 Curry |
| TE |
83 MOORE, 82 Hape, 84 Spence, 80 Yoder |
| WR |
19 JOHNSON, 85 Anthony, 88 Hastings |
| QB |
10 KING, 15 Zeier, 14 Hamilton* |
| RB |
28 DUNN, 27 Abdullah, 22 Stecker |
| FB |
40 ALSTOTT, 82 Hape |
DEFENSE |
| DLE |
72 AHANOTU, 78 Jones, 95 McLaughlin |
| NT |
92 McFARLAND, 98 Cannida |
| DT |
99 SAPP, 97 Jackson |
| DRE |
78 JONES, 94 White, 95 McLaughlin |
| SLB |
53 QUARLES, 51 Singleton |
| MLB |
59 DUNCAN, 52 Webster*, 58 Davis |
| WLB |
55 BROOKS, 50 Gooch |
| LCB |
21 ABRAHAM, 31 Young |
| RCB |
20 BARBER, 25 Kelly |
| SS |
47 LYNCH, 46 Gibson*, 33 Vance |
| FS |
24 ROBINSON, 34 D. Jackson |
SPECIALIST |
| P |
3 ROYALS |
| PK |
7 GRAMATICA |
| H |
3 ROYALS |
| PR |
86 WILLIAMS, 81 Green, 85 Anthony |
| KR |
86 WILLIAMS, 22 Stecker, 85 Anthony |
| KC |
68 UNUTOA |
* Rookie |
|
|
OFFENSE |
| WR |
87 MORTON, 83 Stablein, 80 Howard |
| OLT |
72 ROBERTS, 76 Brooks |
| OLG |
62 SEMPLE, 73 McDougle* |
| C |
77 COMPTON, 79 Beverly |
| ORG |
64 HARTINGS, 65 Blaise |
| ORT |
71 GIBSON, 74 Atkins |
| TE |
86 SLOAN, 89 Rasby, 81 Pupunu |
| WR |
82 CROWELL, 84 Moore |
| QB |
10 BATCH, 8 Case, 16 Sauter |
| RB |
34 STEWART, 31 Bates, 33 Irvin |
| FB |
30 SCHLESINGER, 26 Olivo |
DEFENSE |
| DLE |
91 PORCHER, 92 Pringley |
| NT |
98 JONES, 93 Pritchett |
| UT |
94 ELLISS, 67 Kirschke |
| DRE |
97 SCROGGINS, 95 DeVries, 63 Hall* |
| SLB |
55 ALDRIDGE, 58 Kriewaldt |
| MLB |
57 BOYD, 59 O'Neill |
| WLB |
50 CLAIBORNE, 52 Kowalkowski, 54 Green* |
| LCB |
32 WESTBROOK, 39 Campbell, 35 Wyrick* |
| RCB |
23 FAIR, 38 Walker |
| SS |
28 RICE, 44 Brown |
| FS |
45 SCHULZ, 29 Supernaw |
SPECIALIST |
| P |
19 JETT |
| PK |
4 HANSON |
| H |
19 JETT |
| PR |
80 HOWARD, 23 Fair |
| KR |
80 HOWARD, 22 Fair |
| KC |
77 COMPTON, 55 Aldridge, 86 Sloan |
* Rookie |
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