Isn’t This The Way We Ended 2006?

It took a while to get the stats updated for the new season, so all this is a little late. Not that it matters much. Despite the past nine months, not a lot has changed. Here's some stuff I took down while I was watching the game.

Let's see... Cadillac Williams lost a fumble on the fourth play of the game and then got nailed in the ribs and left for good in the third quarter. Now he's questionable for next week's game. Please don't let this be the second coming of Michael Clayton.

I don't want to totally shit on Cadillac yet because he seemed to find a few creases here and there. I also liked the run to end the half where he dragged a bunch of Seahawks with him for several yards. The yards were garbage yards because the Bucs were just trying to run out the clock for the half, but it's nice to see that Cadillac has that kind of power in his legs. Maybe if he can stay healthy he can get a rhythm going this year.

Speaking of fumbles, the one thing that Jon Gruden emphasized more than anything else is not fumbling the ball. Then Cadillac coughs it up. Then Jerramy Stevens drops the ball. He went from not being able to catch them to catching then fumbling. Nice. That play was called back on a penalty, but Earnest Graham made sure Seattle got the next one only two plays later. Mr. August, indeed.

And what the hell is Earnest Graham doing returning kickoffs? He's not exactly fast or shifty. Michael Pittman did relatively well at the position before. As if to show Graham doesn't belong there, he muffed a kickoff in the second quarter.

I don't blame Jeff Garcia for taking a couple series off to get his head straight. Pass protection broke down as the game went on and Garcia was left to scramble too often. The Seahawks hit him several times and a few of them were just brutal. The fact that he came back at all is a testament to that toughness people keep talking about.

Luke McCown may be the new Rob Johnson. He has all the physical tools to be a great quarterback, but he his hesitant and attracts sacks like Lindsey Lohan's chin. They say nothing replaces actual game experience, and maybe that's what he's missing. Or maybe he's just one of those guys who looks great in camp and then withers away during the season.

If teams keep double-teaming Joey Galloway, it's going to be a long season. Ike Hilliard showed up, but who else can Garcia trust to make clutch catches? Or even run the right routes! Clayton lost a lot of credibility with Garcia when he broke off a nice deep route down the left sideline and left Garcia to throw to no one.

Did anyone else care that Anthony Davis was inactive? I'm not sure if it had to do with an injury or what, but if Arron Sears had been hurt in the game, there was only Matt Lehr to back him up. Davis is the best swing guy they have on the offensive line and is a great insurance policy during the game. Activate him!

I don't care what Brian Baldinger said, Derrick Brooks need to work in spot duty or needs to be rotated with someone else. Matt Hasselbeck knew the matchup he had with Maurice Morris and exploited Brooks's failing speed for a touchdown. Is there any doubt Cato June makes a play on that ball? Also, did you see Brooks bounce off of Shaun Alexander in the second half instead of wrapping him up? He did make some nice tackles early on, but his stamina clearly won't carry him throughout the whole game at this stage in his career.

Greg Spires was clearly the best defensive lineman on Sunday. Sorry for that whole "they should cut Spires" thing last year. Gaines Adams was invisible against Walter Jones, just like Simeon Rice was before. Maybe it's just that Jones is that good.

Besides the play where Bobby Engram burned him for 49 yards, Barrett Ruud didn't look too bad. A forced fumble on top of 13 tackles is a good day. But, man, he needs to work on that deep coverage.

It's 2006 all over again. Jermaine Phillips sniffs out the flea-flicker and destroys Hasselbeck in the backfield on one play and then lets Nate Burleson get away on another. I'm pretty sure if Sabby Piscitelli had been on the field, the success of those plays would have been reversed.

Brian Kelly is questionable for next week's game. Remember how things were last year without Kelly? If Kelly misses a game, Phillip Buchanon will fill in for him and then we have Anthony Madison left. Who is Anthony Madison? Exactly.

Seriously, if that happens, they may ask Tanard Jackson to play some corner and have Will Allen fill in at free safety. I can't imagine they're going to take a cornerback who just joined the team last week and make him their nickel.

Hey, Josh Bidwell, thanks for the punts and all. They looked great. But for chrissakes, tackle if you get the chance. You looked like a Gramatica out there just trying to get in someone's way but looking more awkward than athletic.

In the end, this game was about not finishing drives. The Bucs could have been ahead 14-0 in the first quarter and completely changed the dynamic of the game.