Rams Receive Ruud Awakening!

Make it two straight home games where Tampa Bay have shut out their opponent in the first half. They did it in week two against The New Orleans Saints and they did it last week three against The St. Louis Rams. The Tampa Bay defense is looking quite nice and a few of the younger guys are starting to step up their play. The stand out being Barrett Ruud, who in his first full season of starting, threw three games, has a team leading 35 tackles (27 solo, 8 assists) 1 int, 1 pass deflection, a few forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. Ruud has been impressive in his first three full starts this year and things look like they could only get better.

Tampa Bay gave up just its second 100 yard game of the year (first to Alexander) to Steven Jackson as he was able to net 115 yards on the ground on thirty carries and he suffered a partial groin tear in the fourth quarter. Jackson took some big hits from the defense and really earned those yards and it doesn’t sound as bad for the defense when you give up 100+ yards but the running back has to work for every inch. We did keep him out of the end zone. Bulger was under pressure from the get go and was picked off three different times (Phillips, Ruud, and Buchanon) and that’s something Marc Bulger doesn’t do very much, throw interceptions, so much credit goes to the defensive line and the buccaneer’s secondary for being in perfect coverage to get the picks.

Move over David Ortiz, make room for Senor September, Earnest Graham, the 4 year vet finally got a chance to carry the ball and he didn’t disappoint putting together 8 carries for 75 yards and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter and with that Tampa Bay now has three different type backs at their disposal in the backfield. Cadillac Williams got in the end zone again for his third touchdown of the season tripling his touchdowns from last season.

Jeff Garcia went 14 of 22 for 151 yards, throw in some passes that should have been caught and he could have had a 225+ yard day and most likely a touchdown, but in the end Tampa Bay won and that is all that matters.

This week Tampa Bay turns their attention to a team that they have had problems with for the last few years, The Carolina Panthers. This game is early for this season but it carries division title and most likely playoff implications. If Tampa Bay can get the win, on the road in Carolina, and then beat the Panthers at home in the last game of the regular season, they will win the division this year. Carolina and Tampa Bay don’t like each other, its no secret and when they meet this Sunday, its going to be a hell of a game. With the way Tampa’s defense has been playing, and the way Carolina’s offense is producing, you can say this one is going to come down to the line.

Tampa Bay are going to have their hands full as not only do they have to worry about Steve Smith, but DeAngelo Williams and DeShaun Foster are part of the second ranked rushing attack in the NFL. They key to this game is going to be to get into David Carr’s face from the get go as it looks like Jake Delhomme, much to the delight of Tampa Bay fans everywhere, is going to be out with an elbow injury. Carr takes a lot of sacks and if Tampa Bay can keep the pressure on him and force the Panthers to run the ball and keep the game out of Steve Smith’s hands and off his shoulders, Tampa Bay can go into Carolina and pound out a win and take the division lead.

My Prediction: Tampa Bay 24, Carolina 17.