FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEKLY FEATURES

TB (0-2) vs OAK (1-1)

Game Prediction: TB 12, OAK 13

Here's a replay of the Super Bowl only a couple of years ago. Difference is that the teams are drastically different now. Sure, the Raiders still have Jerry Rice but when he doesn't catch a pass in a game - the times have changed. Gruden returns home so all the fans can finally dig out their old Chuckie dolls.

Pre-Game Notes - TB

Starting out 0-2 is enough to make Gruden snarl but not nearly enough to ask McCardell to come back. This is a trip home for both Gruden, Tim Brown and Charlie Garner. That might be motivation enough to shine but realistically, they're all sitting in the shade on the porch during the twilight of their careers anyway.

Running Backs: Charlie Garner had a much better outing last week, gaining 75 yards on 13 carries and adding 24 more yards on six catches. He was the only spark in an otherwise wet blanket game against the Seahawks last week. So far this season Mike Alstott has had six carries for 11 yards. Hoping to find something else that worked, Jamel White had four carries last week that netted a negative five yards.

Garner has a slight motivation here since he played for the Raiders last year but on the road in a stadium that no longer cheers him is not likely to see a big bump up.

Wide Receivers: The rookie Michael Clayton continues to provide the only true positive in the passing game, catching six passes for 61 yards last week and once again leading all receivers. Tim Brown had seven catches for 49 yards and the loss of Joey Galloway remains just that - a loss. Neither Bill Schroeder (1-4) or Charles Lee (1-35) have stepped up to make any difference.

Tight Ends: Ricky Dudley and Ken Dilger combined for only two catches last week. The Buccaneers have yet to turn in one big tight end game that makes people think they actually use the position.

Match Against the Defense: There are some slight sub-plots to this game with the return of Brown, Garner and Gruden to Oakland. However, the defense they will be facing is different than the one the left and so Gruden's inside knowledge is less likely to be an advantage here than back in the 2002 Super Bowl.

The Raiders held Travis Henry to only 67 yards on 21 carries last week and Henry is better than Garner though they are two different type of runners. Also Garner has not had more than 13 carries in any game this year so far so it's even less likely to produce a big game for the Buccaneer runners.

This should be a defensive game with a lower score. The Raiders have only surrendered one passing score so far this season to Eric Moulds so if any one receiver has a chance to score here it will be Clayton.

Pre-Game Notes - OAK

It was not a pretty effort last week, but the Raiders come off a 13-10 win over the visiting Bills in a defense dogfight much like what this week should produce. Jerry had as many catches last week as I did. I've been waiting a long time to say that.

Running Backs: This is hardly smash-mouth football as promised, unless it's like the scene in "The Fight Club" where Tyler Durden smacks himself in the face. Last week, Tyrone Wheatley gained 21 yards on ten carries, down from the 24 yards he had against the Steelers in week one. Justin Fargas was out last week and Amos Zereoue had nine carries for 24 yards but there is hope that the running game improves. The rookie OT Robert Gallery played well and the consensus of the offensive line is that they need to stop running laterally and just keep plays going north and south behind some beefy blockers.

Then again, against the Buccaneers this week it won't happen.

Justin Fargas missed last week with a turf toe injury but is expected back this week and may play against the Buccaneers. Updates if warranted but regardless the game will not produce big rushing numbers anyway.

Wide Receivers: There's a great chance things are not going greatly in the passing day when the biggest news is not who caught passes but who never caught one - Jerry Rice. He had a mini-tantrum on the sideline and threw his helmet, kicked a pylon and complained loudly. So much for playing for the team. Rice later softened his stance but at the age of 42 next month, he's mostly about burying records and not about being part of improving a team.

There was some expectation that Rice might retire this week but he dismissed it possibly since it would be a disastrous PR move on his part.

Ronald Curry was the best receiver against the Bills, scoring the only Raider touchdown and grabbing five catches for 89 yards including the 43-yard touchdown. Jerry Porter only had three catches for 45 yards and the passing game has evolved into mostly ball control passes with the occasional long bomb to Doug Gabriel or Ronald Curry.

Tight Ends: Doug Jolley had four catches for 31 yards which was higher than usual. Facing a tough defense again this week should keep similar production for Jolley.

Match Against the Defense: The Buccaneers are trying not to end up with a locker room split between a very good defense and a very bad offense.

While Clinton Portis had a big game in week one against Tampa Bay, that was mainly from one run that opened the game. Last week a hobbled Shaun Alexander only managed 45 yards on 17 carries and the Raiders rushing game is only a fraction as good as either Alexander or Portis. Look for what is becoming the standard poor rushing effort from Oakland.

This game will be low scoring and defensive - no doubt. The Bucs have not allowed more than 147 passing yards this season so far. Play the defenses in this game but outside of connecting on one long bomb, the Raider offense will again be lethargic against an 0-2 team that has a good defense.