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NFL: Revamped Tampa Bay Buccaneers to face volatile Lions

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Detroit Lions combined to win seven games last season.

Assuming they don't draw when they meet in Detroit, they'll surpass that total tomorrow.

That's the nature of the National Football League. Except for the Patriots and Colts, what goes up usually comes down and vice versa. The vice versa part is the Bucs (4-2) and the Lions (3-2).

"I try not to compare this team to last year. It's not fair to these guys," says Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden, who has combined the old (Jeff Garcia, Derrick Brooks, Ronde Barber) with the new (rookie safety Tanard Jackson) to get his team to where it is. But it's mostly old: Garcia's favorite receivers are 35-year-old Joey Galloway and 31-year-old Ike Hilliard.

"We've got a whole new football team, honestly," Gruden said. "We've got a long way to go. But we do have enough grit, enough stuff inside our building to rise up, and I know we'll be there every Sunday and compete."

Gruden's Bucs are a lot more consistent than the Lions, who were awful in their two losses.

They allowed 56 points to the Eagles and were beaten 34-3 in Washington. But they can also be explosive, as they were in a 34-point fourth quarter against the Bears. And their receiving corps -- Roy Williams, Mike Furrey, Shaun McDonald and rookie Calvin Johnson -- is potentially as good as any in the NFL.

In other games tomorrow, Tennessee is at Houston; Atlanta at New Orleans; Arizona at Washington; New England at Miami; Baltimore at Buffalo; San Francisco at the New York Giants; Kansas City at Oakland; the New York Jets at Cincinnati; St. Louis at Seattle; Minnesota at Dallas; Chicago at Philadelphia; and Pittsburgh at Denver. Indianapolis is at Jacksonville on Monday. San Diego, Green Bay, Carolina and Cleveland are off.
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