(Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
2008 Summary:
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers entered the 2008 season as the defending NFC South Champions, but they brought this title with them into the season with a quarterback controversy swirling around the franchise.
Up in Green Bay, a once retired then un-retired quarterback by the name of Brett Favre was itching to return to the league and that immediately drew the interest of Bucs head coach Jon Gruden, who had long been a fan of the future Hall-of-Fame quarterback.
The Bucs would fail to offer the Packers enough to land Favre, and he would ultimately wind up a New York Jet, but what came about from Gruden's interest in the grizzled vet was a rift with his incumbent starting quarterback, Jeff Garcia.
That rift would extend all the way into the regular season, when Gruden suddenly benched Garcia for the re-acquired veteran quarterback Brian Griese following a season-opening loss at the hands of the Saints.
Griese would start the next three games for the Buccaneers, and win all three games, including a come-from-behind effort on the road against the Chicago Bears, in which he would throw a career-high 67 passes.
The Bucs would sit at 3-1 before a matchup against the Broncos in Denver when Griese would be knocked out of the game with an injured elbow.
Garcia filled in the rest of the way, and although he was unable to lead the Bucs to their fourth consecutive victory, he would not relinquish the starting job again until Week 15 when he would miss a game against the Falcons due to a calf injury.
Following the loss to the Broncos, the Garcia-led Bucs would go on an extensive hot streak and win six of their next seven games. Garcia's play and a stingy Buccaneer defense were paramount to the team's success.
Garcia would only turn the ball over one time during this stretch and complete over 70 percent of his passes in five of the seven games.
The season suddenly changed, though, after a date on Monday Night Football with their division rival Carolina Panthers.
Following the loss to the Broncos, the Garcia-led Bucs would go on an extensive hot streak and win six of their next seven games. Garcia's play and a stingy Buccaneer defense were paramount to the team's success.
Garcia would only turn the ball over one time during this stretch and complete over 70 percent of his passes in five of the seven games.
The season suddenly changed, though, after a date on Monday Night Football with their division rival Carolina Panthers.
With both teams entering the game at 9-3, many believed the victor of this game would wind up winning the division and possibly go on to clinch home-field advantage for the remainder of the playoffs.
What would happen however, would change the Bucs season for the rest of the way. The Panthers running back tandem of Deangelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart would run completely over the Buccaneer defense, as the duo combined for 301 yards rushing and four touchdowns.
What would happen however, would change the Bucs season for the rest of the way. The Panthers running back tandem of Deangelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart would run completely over the Buccaneer defense, as the duo combined for 301 yards rushing and four touchdowns.
The Panthers would claim first place as their own, while sending the Bucs crashing back to earth.
The next week, the same problems would arise, this time with Michael Turner rushing for 152 yards and a touchdown in an overtime victory for the young Falcons.
A week later, the Bucs would return home to close out the season against AFC West opponents San Diego and Oakland and a reeling Tampa Bay defense would be picked apart once more.
First the Chargers, led by Philip Rivers, would pick the Buccaneers defense apart left and right as behind Rivers' touchdown passes, the Chargers would defeat Tampa Bay 41-24.
The next week, the same problems would arise, this time with Michael Turner rushing for 152 yards and a touchdown in an overtime victory for the young Falcons.
A week later, the Bucs would return home to close out the season against AFC West opponents San Diego and Oakland and a reeling Tampa Bay defense would be picked apart once more.
First the Chargers, led by Philip Rivers, would pick the Buccaneers defense apart left and right as behind Rivers' touchdown passes, the Chargers would defeat Tampa Bay 41-24.
This sent the Bucs to their third straight defeat and on the brink of missing the postseason after once being 9-3 and widely seen as a possible Super Bowl contender.
It was almost fitting that ultimately the Jon Gruden era would end with a loss to his former Raider club after it began with a Super Bowl championship at the hands of that same team.
It was almost fitting that ultimately the Jon Gruden era would end with a loss to his former Raider club after it began with a Super Bowl championship at the hands of that same team.
Once again, with the Bucs simply needing a win to get into the playoffs, the Buccaneer defense could not make a stop when it absolutely had to have one, and the Raiders would stunningly end the Bucs season with a 31-24 victory.
Shortly thereafter, the rebuilding process began. Jon Gruden and General Manager Bruce Allen were both fired, Jeff Garcia was not retained, and Monte Kiffin left to the University of Tennessee to be the new defensive coordinator on his son's staff.
The once heir apparent to Kiffin, Raheem Morris, would become the team's head coach. The Jon Gruden era was officially laid to rest.
Shortly thereafter, the rebuilding process began. Jon Gruden and General Manager Bruce Allen were both fired, Jeff Garcia was not retained, and Monte Kiffin left to the University of Tennessee to be the new defensive coordinator on his son's staff.
The once heir apparent to Kiffin, Raheem Morris, would become the team's head coach. The Jon Gruden era was officially laid to rest.
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