Mission: Oakland Raiders

In the final game of the season, the Buccaneers will face off against the team that they beat in Super Bowl XXXVII. Ironically, the game will take place at the site of this year's Super Bowl. We all know what needs to go down. The Cowboys need to lose, and the Bucs need to win in order to get into the playoffs. The Bucs will play the early game, while the Cowboys play the late game. The Bucs will have to watch and see if Philadelphia can pull out a victory. If Dallas wins, it's over. This week's game is a seemingly sure-fire win, but not everything is as it seems. Aside from winning, there is really nothing else that the Bucs can do. Right now, they hold their fate in their hands. After their game, it will be Philadelphia who will hold the Bucs fate in their hands. The Oakland Raiders have turned themselves around from last season, and won't finish at the bottom of their division. They've lost 3 of their last 4 games, but they looked good in last weeks victory. Their team is led by second year man JaMarcus Russell, who ranks dead last (32nd) in passing. They have a pretty potent rushing game, which is ranked 10th in the nation, and is led by Justin Fargas and rookie Darren McFadden. Russell's top target is Zach Miller, who leads the team in receiving yards by over 400 yards. Combined, their offense ranks 30th in points per game, and 29th in total yards. Their defense is ranked 26th in points allowed per game, 27th in total yards, 31st in rushing yards per game, and 9th against the pass. Key Matchup:Buccaneers vs. CowboysOakland doesn't really have one standout player, one difference maker. Therefore, I believe that the one thing the Bucs have to watch out for is the Cowboys. Their season hinges on what the Cowboys can do. The Cowboys beat the Eagles earlier in the season, and the Eagles are coming off of a loss. The Cowboys haven't looked fantastic in recent weeks, as they've had their struggles and controversies. This week there has been more whining and complaining from the Cowboys and their management. The Eagles are a good team, but if anything is going to stop Dallas, it will be their own troubles. The controversy didn't keep them from winning a couple of weeks ago, but they lost this past week. The Bucs need to rely on the Cowboys to lose, and it appears a self-destruction would be the only way for the 'Boys to lose.The only thing the Bucs can do this week is win. They will have to rely on Philadelphia to do the rest, so that part is out of their hands. Oakland is not that good of a team, so the Bucs should really have no problem dispatching them. Of course, the team that they have to worry about first is Oakland. If they can't beat them, than the season is over. The outcome of the Dallas game is important, but Oakland comes first and foremost. The Bucs need to focus on what is ahead of them before worrying about what comes after that. This week could be the last week for a couple of Buccaneers, as they are going to become free agents at the end of the season. This could be the last game as a Buc for Jeff Garcia, Michael Clayton, Jerramy Stevens, and Antonio Bryant. If it is, than let's just hope they go out on top. The offense hasn't been looking great, and their rankings show it. They are ranked 18th in the league in points per game, 14th in total yards, 15th in rushing yards, and 12th in passing yards. They also rank 9th in total rushing plays, 6th in total passing plays, 6th in fourth down conversions, and 4th in total offensive plays. The defense was embarrassed last week, but they are still pretty strong. They are ranked 7th in the league in points allowed per game, 9th in total yards allowed, 18th in rushing yards allowed, and 5th in passing yards allowed. Their defense is ranked 4th in defensive touchdowns and 4th in interceptions. If the Bucs win tomorrow, they will improve on their 9-7 season last year. Even if they don't make the playoffs, this season will be considered an improvement. This could very well be the last game for Monte Kiffin, who will move on to Tennessee after the season. If the Bucs don't advance, this will be his last game. It was announced on Thursday that Raheem Morris, the defensive backs coach, will be his replacement next season. If this is Monte's last game, than nothing would be better than a 49-0 blowout. That would be nice either way, but especially if this is Kiffin's last game. The Bucs might also be keeping an eye on the Detroit Lions, who, if they lose, will join the 1976 Buccaneers as the only two teams in NFL history to go winless throughout an entire season. But most importantly, the Bucs will focus on a victory, and pray for a Dallas Cowboys loss.