Bet you didn't laugh at that. This comes from Jon Gruden's scheme and winning a world title.
By RICK STROUD
Published August 10, 2003
TAMPA - Jon Gruden never has been more excited watching the Bucs offense go three and out.
That's how many possessions the starting unit has enjoyed this preseason before replacing their helmets with baseball caps.
But those 22 plays have done more than produce 10 points, 114 yards and six first downs.
They have fired a shot over the bow that the Buccaneers will not just be known for defense anymore.
"That's the goal," Gruden said. "When you look at the film, we are making some first downs and moving the football and using all five eligibles and changing the launching spot. We're growing. Again, this is the preseason. We don't want to discount what we did in the first two games, but at the same time, you have to be realistic. And we're optimistic. We feel we have the nucleus of a good offensive club. Can we become great? That's our goal."
Though the Bucs offense has made a cameo appearance at best, it appears to have picked up where it left off during the run to the Super Bowl when Tampa Bay outscored opponents 106-37 in the postseason and averaged more than 26 points in its last 11 contests.
In their only try on offense in the preseason opener against the Jets, the Bucs drove 54 yards on 11 plays. Martin Gramatica kicked a 37-yard field goal after Charles Lee's apparent catch of an 20-yard touchdown from Brad Johnson was ruled out of bounds.
On Friday, Tampa Bay picked up one first down but punted in its initial try on offense against the Dolphins. But after Dwight Smith's recovery of a fumble by Dolphins tight end Randy McMichael, the Bucs took advantage of the short field, scoring on Michael Pittman's 6-yard run to cap a six-play, 45-yard drive.
"Well, it isn't a lot of football," Johnson said. "But I thought last week we came out and made a drive and had a chance to score. (Friday), we get a first down on the first possession, they made a good play to stop us on third down and then we come back with the short field and drive the ball. I think the most impressive play for us (against the Dolphins) was going for it on fourth down. We converted on fourth and 1, kept the drive alive in the red zone and score. The offensive line was very impressive and I think everyone has picked up their play from last year. I'm really proud of the way our guys are playing, especially up front."
Gruden is reluctant to heap praise on his offense. But it is clear the Bucs are better in the second year of his system. Johnson will start again Aug. 18 at St. Louis, but the bulk of the quarterback work will go to Shaun King and rookie Chris Simms.
"He's getting more work than you can imagine on the practice field," Gruden said of Johnson. "We take pride in the way we practice. It's a game speed. And again, he will not play a lot more than he's played in the first two preseason games. We want to use this preseason to get Shaun King and our rookie quarterback a lot of work and try to keep Brad short.
"So far, in the three drives he has had, (Johnson) has produced a touchdown and a field goal and the field goal in Tokyo arguably should've been a touchdown if we catch a football."
Perhaps even more encouraging is the success of the running game, especially after ranking 27th in rushing offense last season. On Friday, Tampa Bay produced 152 yards on the ground, including two touchdowns. Pittman's scoring run, helped by Mike Alstott's lead block, represented nearly flawless execution.
"It's a pretty good play," Gruden said. "Mike Alstott makes the key block early and there was some overpursuit on their part, probably. But that was a pretty good-looking play. We liked Thomas Jones' touchdown in the goal-line area as well. There was some good execution in the running game (Friday) night and there was some spotty execution as well.
"I don't know. The script is going to be written here shortly. We've just got to keep probing fronts and attacking each of them a little bit differently and settle on our corps five or six runs. And we have to do a better job on our double teams, our second-level blocks and backside cutoff blocks. Every detail in the running game is so important. The wide receivers blocking the right guys to force patterns, understanding them. Just keep hitting the holes physically and moving the pile and making some good yardage. That's going to be the key is our commitment to it. It's an 11-man show."
