Cowboys-Buccaneers: Why Tampa Bay Can Beat Dallas

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers can beat the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.

Yes, you read that right—you're not hallucinating, no need to rub your eyes.

The Bucs can win.

You've gotta be kidding, you say?

Well, not really, but here are a few thoughts, if you will.

First and foremost, NFL teams totally depend on having video of the opposing team. Hours and hours of watching video is what makes guys like Peyton and Eli Manning pretty good quarterbacks and great defensive coordinators great.

It's all on video—it never lies.

Only one problem.

There IS NO video on the 2009 Buccaneers. None, zip, nada.

Oh, you say there's preseason film. What did that show?

There is not one minute with Byron Leftwich (QB), Antonio Bryant (WR), Michael Clayton (WR), and Kellen Winslow Jr. (TE) all on the field together.  There's no game video with Cadillac Williams in the backfield either.

So who the heck knows how to game plan with all of those guys out there?

Oh, there's plenty of video on Leftwich, and yes, he's probably the guy that makes it easier to game plan. You sure don't have to worry about him running.

A lack of video is what allowed former Buc Bruce Gradkowski look good for one week.

A lack of video is what made Luke McCown look like an NFL starting quarterback for one week.

But once the film was out, so were they.

Which brings us back to the video, or lack thereof.

Does anyone out there think that the Buccaneers showed us any dynamic array of offensive plays in the preseason?

Don't think so.

There's a lot of film on this Dallas team. The 'Boys are still the 'Boys, with mostly the same cast of characters, minus T.O.

Sure, they have those running backs, and there's still Jason Witten.

That is one advantage for Tampa Bay. The Bucs do have game video on Dallas.

Which perhaps might leave Wade Phillips and his staff guessing.

Will Tampa Bay win this game?

Maybe, maybe not.

But one thing's for sure, it will be a lot tougher for Dallas to game plan these guys.