Monday Morning QB - 11/7

The Bucs continue their slide, dropping their third game in four to the much better Carolina Panthers. The Bucs dropped out of first place with the 34-14 loss behind the Panthers and the Atlanta Falcons. It is probably the last time they will see first place this season.

The winning formula for the Bucs is simple. Third down conversion and turnovers... control those two things and they win. In order to have a high third down conversion rate you need to have an effective running game. In every loss this season, with either Griese or Simms at QB, we have not been able to run. When we've run, we've won. Without a running game, the third downs are usually for over 5 yards, which makes them tough to consistently get.

And turnovers. Cadillac fumbles early, turns into points. Simms interception for a touchdown, turns into points. After Anthony Davis went out with a sprained knee, Todd Steussie came in and, like the last time Steussie covered Simm's backside, he got beat, Simms was sacked and lost the ball. That turned into points.

If we can't win the third down conversion and turnover stats, we'll lose every time. We're not good enough of a team to win any other way.

My prediction: Panthers 23, Bucs 12

Score: Panthers 34, Bucs 14

Offense: C-. Passing game was okay, but no running game again. Gruden's dislike of Mike Alstott because Dungy drafted him is costing the Bucs games. Every time Alstott touches the ball, good things happen. But Gruden is too stuck on his own perception of Alstott to simply look at who can best perform and put him in there.

I know every coach has a system they are trying to employ, but at some point you have to adjust that system to best utilize the players currently on your team. No one on the team gets more yardage after impact than Alstott. Not using him as a halfback with a weak offensive line and a young QB is stubborn, stupid and short sighted.

I'll tell you this, putting Alstott in as halfback can't make the running game any worse. It can only make it better.

Defense: D. Good in spurts, bad in others. When the game counted, no pressure on the QB, no sacks and no turnovers.

Special Teams: C. Uneventful and the Bucs have still not returned a kickoff for a TD... ever.

Coaching: C. The team got out muscled, out hustled and out coached.

Outstanding Players: Galloway. His speed is amazing. Unfortunatley, Simms was rarely afforded enough time in the pocket to let Galloway's speed burn past the Carolina DBs deep.

Things That Drove Me Nuts: The O and D lines getting pushed around all over the place.

Bucs Record: 5-3.

Next Opponent: Simms showed improvement this week, but the running game has to materialize again, or we won't stand a chance against the tough Washington Redskin defense. The blitz from every where and if Simms is going to have to win the game for us, we'll lose. He's not good enough for that yet.

The rest of the season will only get tougher. This young offense has to show just how much they care about winning and turn this thing around. If not, we'll keep bringing our C game while the opponents bring their A game.