Can the Buccaneers cruise without a “Cadillac”?

By Dave Shepherd  |   Friday, October 07, 2005  |  Comments( 0 )

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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It's been whispered around Tampa Bay and sports stations everywhere, right up there with "Can the Patriots still win?" That question of course: Can the Buccaneers win if Carnell ‘Cadillac' Williams goes down? He's been such a big part of their offense, and one of the main reasons they're 4-0. But he's suffering from nagging injuries, which could slow him down and potentially keep him out of this week's game.

So can they win without him? Your instincts might say no, but the answer is yes, they can. People seem to forget that the rest of Tampa Bay's offense is playing pretty well too. QB Brian Griese's rating of 78.6, while not fantastic, it isn't bad either. He's doing enough to win. WR Joey Galloway has 316 yards and 3 touchdowns, putting him at 17th in the NFL for receiving yards. Michael Clayton isn't doing badly either, having nearly 200 yards himself.

However, the top two reasons the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will continue to win, even with ‘Cadillac' parked, is 1) Michael Pittman, and 2) their defense. Michael Pittman has been one of Tampa Bay's unsung heroes during the first quarter of the season. He has 79 yards on 13 carries (6.1 yard per carry) and that average is 2 yards higher than Carnell Williams's average. However, where Pittman really shines is in the passing game. So far he is the third leading receiver on the team with 116 yards and one touchdown. Carnell Williams on the other hand has only six receiving yards.

The main difference between the two backs is that Pittman has veteran experience, but he's not as physically talented as Cadillac Williams. If Williams is gone for any length of time, no, Pittman won't put up the same kind of numbers. But he will do enough to win. With the Buccaneers defense, they only need a running back that can help control the clock, and Pittman can do that.

This brings us to our second point. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense has been phenomenal under defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, as they usually are. A quarter of the way through the season, they lead the league in yards allowed with an amazing 220.6. The next closest teams are Baltimore, Jacksonville, and Chicago, all hovering around 265 to 270. The rest of the NFL comes in at around 300 yards per game. That means the Buccaneers defense is 40 yards per game better than the good defenses, and an incredible 80 yards a game better than the rest of the NFL.

With these two facts, and an offensive line that is gelling quicker than expected, the Bucs can win without Cadillac. They just won't dominate.
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