NFL Week One Preview - Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Seattle Seahawks

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will take on the Seattle Seahawks at Qwest Field on opening day in Seattle. Both teams are starting to feel the age they have accumulated in recent years. The Seahawks have had great success in the last couple of years with the playoffs but can not seem to get over the hump and make the Super Bowl again. Tampa has been on the decline in recent years in large part to poor quarterback play. Both teams have made adjustments to try to address concerns and hope to be in the playoff hunt this season.

Tampa Bay will not have to worry to much about the quarterback problem as they went out and signed veteran Jeff Garcia. Garcia has been fantastic every where he goes. Last season, he stepped in for the injured Donovan Mcnabb in Philadelphia, and drove that offense admirably. This is a fantastic pick up and the Bucs will see immediate dividends on the investment. The Bucs now can have a steady passing game to compliment a decent rushing attack. Cadillac Williams had a down season last year, but it was probably due to teams keying on him constantly as the only real threat. With Garcia under center, Williams will flourish again as Garcia can burn a defense with his arms and to a lesser extent his legs. The team is hurt by an injury to the veteran fullback Mike Alstott.

Seattle is beginning to look like a team that may have peaked. When guys are having career years all over your team, and you still do not win the title, then you might be short in the wrong areas. The Seahawks are a very good team on very shaky ground. Injuries could cripple this otherwise worthy opponent. Shaun Alexander should again be the focus of this team, and the Seahawks need to revive the passing game as well to succeed. Deion Branch was a bust this past season, and he needs to step up and be the number one receiver that his contract says he is. The revamped offensive line will be the key spot in the lineup. They have the potential to be very good if they gel as expected. Look for Seattle in the playoffs yet again.