Columns

Gimme 5

By JOHN ROMANO, Times Columnist
Published December 31, 2007

Talk of the town

Five topics suitable for inane debate on talk radio.

1. An "oh man" omen: It probably doesn't mean much because the Bucs essentially tanked the last two weeks, but teams that reach the playoffs at 9-7, or worse, typically don't go far. In the last 10 years, 19 of those teams have reached the postseason, and none have made it to the conference final. The last team to pull it off was Jacksonville in 1996.

2. The primary solution in the secondary: You have learned Phillip Buchanon was a big pickup last season. And you have discovered Tanard Jackson was an excellent draft choice this season. But you had no idea how valuable either was until you saw Sammy Davis and Will Allen get extended playing time.

3. Game breakers or party poopers? Cadillac Williams, Michael Pittman, Earnest Graham and Michael Bennett all had 50 or more carries. And Luke McCown's 31-yard scramble was Tampa Bay's longest run from scrimmage?

4. Karma is kind: No more complaining about the Bucs having to play most of 2006 with backup quarterbacks. The football gods repaid Tampa Bay this season. Carolina's Matt Moore was the eighth scrub-like quarterback the Bucs faced this year.

5. Shortening the field: Not everybody is griping about Tampa Bay's struggles in the red zone. He would never admit it, but kicker Matt Bryant has to be thankful for all the chip shots. Bryant had a career-high 28 field goals, and 19 were on kicks of 35 yards or less.

A list of five

Five perks of reaching the playoffs.

5. Pedicures for all the offensive linemen.

4. A parking pass for Chad Lucas.

3. Tampa PD can rest on New Year's Eve.

2. Watching those riotous Glazer boys boogie the night away.

1. Another chance to see Coughlin and anal in the same sentence.

Five Giant problems

1. The linebacker disguised as a running back: The 264-pound Brandon Jacobs is one of only three RBs to average at least 5.0 yards per carry with at least 200 carries. The Bucs generally do not do well with big running backs.

2. Protecting Jeff Garcia's fanny: The Giants have three defensive ends with nine sacks or more. It's not a question of if Garcia is going down, but whether he will be getting back up.

3. Running on empty: Maybe it was just because the Bucs were taking it easy, but their running backs only gained 110 yards on 42 carries the past two weeks. That ain't going to work.

4. Those dang Mannings: Since beating Archie in New Orleans for Tampa Bay's first-ever victory in 1977, the Bucs are 1-4 against Archie, Peyton and Eli.

5. Kickoff returns: For heaven's sake, it has been two weeks since the Bucs have returned one for a touchdown. Will it never end?

Five super picks

Checking out the best bets for Super Bowl XLII in Glendale, Ariz.

1. Patriots: Word is, Bill Belichick also cheats at canasta.

2. Cowboys: Answer: Tom Landry, Jimmy Johnson, Barry Switzer, Wade Phillips. Question: Who are Cowboys coaches with 12 or more wins in a regular season. Conclusion: Bill Parcells is overrated.

3. Packers: Brett Favre has averaged 10 victories a season for 16 years.

4. Colts: They've been sluggish, but going 4-4 in the second half of 2006 didn't keep them from winning the Super Bowl.

10. Bucs: Four years, 11 months and five days since their last postseason victory.

Final five words

So much for maintaining momentum.

[Last modified December 30, 2007, 22:32:33]