The Bucs stop here

Like the Seahawks, the Buccaneers started the season strong and are now limping toward the finish line.

Seattle peaked early, beginning 4-2 before entering a 2-6 nosedive punctuated by numerous humiliating blowouts.

Tampa Bay demonstrated greater staying power, reaching 7-3 by late November. Over the last month, the the Bucs have been 1-3, though they have been competitive in every recent loss, unlike Seattle.

Their nadir came last week, when the Bucs lost at home in overtime to Detroit. There's nothing wrong to losing to the Lions--they are much better than their record indicates--but there is definitely something wrong with letting the Lions beat you at home. Detroit entered last week's game riding the longest road losing streak in NFL history: 26 games! That's more than 3 full seasons of road futility! Since October 2007, simply showing up had proven sufficient to defend one's house against the hapless Lions.

But Tampa Bay couldn't manage that last week.

There is a moral to this story. The Bucs have been a great road team this year (5-2), but they are merely average at home (3-4).

So, the Seahawks have a shot today, as two fading teams face one another today to determine, Who wants it less?

Of course, no one likes to lose at home. Tampa Bay let an inferior team sneak up on them last week, so they should be on high alert today. Motivation should not be a problem, as the Bucs remain in playoff contention. Moreover, today is their last home game of the season, and this matchup is certainly more winnable than their road finale next week against the mighty Saints.

Recent weeks have offered little reason to hope that Seattle is on the verge of getting anything together. We've been playing like a team that doesn't want its January vacation plans disrupted by the inconvenience of a division title and a playoff game.

Always ready with some snake oil sunshine, Coach Carroll claimed, "This is as healthy as we've been in a long time." I guess he's not counting the players lost for the season on injured reserve. Our defense hasn't approached competence since we lost Red Bryant in Oakland, and our D-Line got weaker again last week when Junior Siavii joined him on injured reserve. Also out for the season is Deon Butler, one of the less unreliable components of our depleted and enfeebled receiving corps.

I fear that St. Louis will render the game meaningless by beating San Francisco this morning. If the Rams win, Seattle could choke today and still claim a tarnished division crown by beating St. Louis at home next week. Of course, at 7-9, the Seahawks would be the losingest division champions in league history. The only way to avoid that fate (or an even more ignominious 6-10 finish) is to win today.

This is gut check time for Seattle's players and coaches.

One way or another, the Bucs stop here. Tampa Bay could stop its late-season slide and stay alive for the playoffs by burying us today. Or the Seahawks could take control of their own destiny, eliminate the Bucs from playoff contention, salvage some dignity, and regain some swagger.

I hope, but I do not believe.

Go, Seahawks!