The Baltimore Ravens were the classic example in Super Bowl XXXV. The touchdown catch by Brandon Stokley, the big reception by Qadry Ismail. When players make big plays like that, you don't need to be the No. 1 ranked offense.

But if you're the No. 1 offense after 16 weeks, you have the ability to move the football against everybody. The great thing is that a top-ranked offense is never going to be out of the game. If the other team scores 14 points, you still have the ability to generate offense. If you're just a defensive team and you get down by 14 points, you're screwed because you don't have the offensive ability to make plays.

	The Bucs' defense has the speed to go sideline to sideline and make plays. The best way to negate defensive speed is to run straight at it. So spread them out and run straight ahead, and the Raiders can also create big plays running.

That's why Oakland has an advantage on Sunday.

In Rich Gannon, the Raiders have an accurate quarterback with a great sense of where people are. If the ball is on the ground or up for grabs, the Bucs have to capitalize. Gannon is not going to give them many opportunities.

He has a number of options. Who does he go to? Charlie Garner is the big playmaker. Then the Raiders have Jerry Rice, Tim Brown and Jerry Porter. Which is the best matchup?

If they move Rice through the zones, will he be able to get open better than the Philadelphia receivers, whether it was Antonio Freeman or Todd Pinkston, or James Thrash or Chad Lewis? The Raiders' three receivers can get open against Tampa. But they can't drop passes. They can't have third-and-six and drop it and give it up, losing an opportunity to move the chains.

I'd spread the Bucs out and make them cover the field. By spreading out a zone, the Raiders are going to find holes and running lanes. The Bucs' defense has the speed to go sideline to sideline and make plays. The best way to negate defensive speed is to run straight at it. So spread them out and run straight ahead, and the Raiders can also create big plays running.

Now if they went to "Cover 2", the safeties are removed anyway. If they want to bring a safety up around the line and the Raiders have them spread out, that means they have Brown, Rice or Porter one-on-one with someone.

Up front, Oakland's offensive line can handle Tampa Bay's front four. The Raiders have the best line in football, and the best team in football with the league MVP. The line is very understated, but the linemen are the reason the Raiders are here.

The key guys are center Barret Robbins and guards Frank Middleton and Mo Collins. The interior of the line is Gannon's comfort zone. If Gannon has to move, he's moving out to the corner, where Simeon Rice and Greg Spires have a chance to make plays. The Raiders don't want him to get flushed out of the pocket.

Tampa Bay needs to get pressure. The Bucs may not get to Gannon, but they have to let him know that he can't just sit back in the pocket. The Bucs may try something early, possibly bringing someone up the middle or off the side just to let him know that he won't be able to sit all day. Needless to say, the Bucs need to pick their spots. In particular, they have to be good on first-and-10. The Bucs can't win the game if the Raiders are always looking at second-and-six or second-and-three. They can't win if their defense isn't creating blitz down opportunities.

Charlie Garner is good at picking up blitzes, but Tyrone Wheatley is not that good. But if the Raiders spread them out, the Bucs won't be able to blitz as much. It's really easy to see where the blitz is coming from. If everyone is bunched enough, the offense is not so sure.

Nonetheless, Tampa Bay can't sit back and play zone against Oakland. Defensive coordinato Monte Kiffin has to mix it up and come early. The Bucs can't keep the safeties away from the line of scrimmage. If John Lynch is playing 15 yards off the ball, the Raiders have accomplished a great feat offensively. They will have kept a major playmaker out of the way.

The Bucs need to make Oakland prove that it can go 12, 15 plays against them to score points. If they do, and prevail on Sunday, someone on defense will be the MVP. If the Raiders win, it will be someone on offense.

A game analyst for ESPN's Sunday Night Football, former NFL QB Joe Theismann won a Super Bowl and a league MVP award. He'll be writing a daily Cup o' Joe for ESPN.com during Super Bowl week.