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Witness: "They are the best defense in the league in terms of transition, says Sporting News Radio and Fox analyst Brian Baldinger. They are a basketball team, the way they do it, going from defense to offense once they intercept a ball. With them, it s not just turning it over; it's how the defense turns it into touchdowns"

It is a defense so good that Gruden has spent much of the season molding his offense to complement it. "A great job of adapting to what he has" says Fox analyst Jimmy Johnson. With this defense, your offense plays for field position and you don't take big risks. That's why the Bucs tied for the league lead in turnover differential (plus 17).

The Eagles thought they knew this Bucs defense, at least enough to master it sufficiently to beat Tampa Bay yet again Sunday in the NFC championship game. But that crafty el' coot Kiffin tossed in a few new wrinkles, added a couple of blitzes, inserted some different line stunts, switched coverages occasionally and bamboozled McNabb into a pedestrian performance and the favored Eagles into a shocking 27-10 defeat that sent all of Philadelphia into a deep and lingering mourning.

"We never got into a rhythm," Eagles coach Andy Reid says. "I played poorly," admits McNabb. It might have been easier if Tampa Bay had given him time to think, to sort it all out, but Kiffin's guys don't.

But that is what the Raiders coaches will be seeking all week--time for Gannon.

More TSN expert picks

Chris Bahr, community editor: Tampa
Bay. The Bucs' dominating defense can
score ... and now so can the offense.

Brian Baldinger, Sporting News Radio:
Oakland. Rich Gannon will prove that a
great quarterback can beat a great defense.

Peter Brown, Sporting News Radio:
Oakland. The Raiders have beaten two teams
with a mouth. Now they'll beat the best.

Dennis Dillon, senior writer: Oakland. In an
intriguing matchup of the league's best offense
(Oakland) and defense (Tampa Bay), the Raiders
will prevail.

Gary Horton, The War Room: Oakland. The
Raiders not only are older and wiser but also
are a more complete team than the Bucs.

Vinnie Iyer, NFL projects editor: Tampa
Say. Getting Jon Gruden will pay off in a big
way as the Bucs will put it all together
against his old team.

Dan Pompei, senior writer: Tampa Bay.
Nobody knows how to beat the Raiders
better than Gruden.

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