2008 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Season Preview

2008 Tampa Bay Buccaneers preview from MadduxSports.com. The NFC South is a very difficult division to forecast on a year to year basis and the NFL lines makers often put up some soft numbers that sharp nfl handicappers pounce on. In 2008 be on the right side of games with the help of Maddux Sports handicapping team.

2008 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Predictions
By Adam Barone

Rundown
The NFC South is one weird division. No one has ever won it two seasons in a row. In fact, the last place team from the previous season seems like the best bet from year to year.

With 38 year old Jeff Garcia running the show, the Buccaneers weren’t the most exciting team in the league a year ago, and this year’s squad isn’t much different. No big names departed, unless you count cornerback Brian Kelly.

John Gruden will have some shiny new players to work with, though, including receiver Antonio Bryant, running back Warrick Dunn, center Jeff Faine, quarterback Brian Griese, tight end Ben Troupe, and safety Eugene Wilson.

Obviously offense was a priority in the off season. The Bucs ranked 18th in the league last season with 326.8 yards per game, and will need the new additions to contribute.

Starting receivers Joey Galloway, 37, and Ike Hilliard, 32, are getting old, so Bryant and third year giant Maurice Stovall will need to step up.

Starting running back Cadillac Williams missed 12 games last season, but fourth year back Earnest Graham came out of nowhere and ran for 898 yards and 10 scores in 15 games. Williams has been disappointing his entire career, so don’t be surprised if Graham solidifies his role as the starter this season.

Tampa’s strength last season was its defense, finishing ranked 2nd overall behind Pittsburgh with 278.4 total yards allowed. With no significant losses, they should be able to repeat that, barring injury.

Draft Analysis
The loss of Brian Kelly via free agency allowed the Bucs to select Kansas cornerback Aqib Talib with the 20th pick. Talib has game-changing ability and is likely a step up from Kelly.

Dexter Jackson out of Appalachian St., the team’s second round pick, will add depth to the aging receiving corps. He may have been a stretch though, as many experts saw him as a fifth round talent.

In the fifth round Tampa selected San Diego State quarterback Josh Johnson. Gruden certainly needed a 28th quarterback on the roster.

After viewing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers preview read up on the rest of the NFL Southern Division division teams including the Saints, Falcons, and Panthers.

Related Pages:
Buccaneers Official Site
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