SAN DIEGO -- Super Bowl XXXVII was played on a beautiful day in San Diego on Sunday, and you couldn't have asked for anything better for the biggest game of the year. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers would probably agree with that. They beat the Oakland Raiders in a game that their defensive line controlled and won.

The game was set up as the No. 1 offense in the Raiders versus the No. 1 defense in the Bucs. Well, Tampa Bay sure as heck looked like they were the top defense in football, but Oakland didn't look like it was the top offense.

	Rich Gannon threw five interceptions.

The Bucs' defense really set the tone for this one. Simeon Rice raised havoc for four quarters, and big, ol' Warren Sapp and Greg Spires played well on the defensive line. The front four put a lot of pressure on Rich Gannon, this season's NFL MVP. He couldn't get set in the pocket. He's a rhythm passer, but he couldn't get into a rhythm, as Rice and his teammates on the line kept him off-balance. They put relentless pressure on him and they were all over him. That defense makes you hurry and they did that. He was feeling the pressure from the start of the game.

Defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin deserves a lot of credit; he did a great job with his guys against the Raiders' offense. The pressure that Kiffin's guys brought was evident in how Oakland's offensive line blocked. They had been a very good pass-protecting unit this season, but they weren't on Sunday. Although the unit had a change on game day, with Adam Treu starting at center in place of Barret Robbins, it wasn't like they were putting someone in there that had never played. Treu started 14 games last season for them. He's not as big or as strong as Robbins, but he's quicker. That didn't matter against Tampa Bay's defense, though.

At the outset of the game, both offenses were not really up to what they were trying to do. They were going at a fast pace, but that works as long as you get first downs. Neither team was doing that. Too many three-and-outs doesn't give your defense a chance to even get a drink of water on the sideline. Heck, as soon as they leave the field, they have to go back out there.

Midway through the second quarter, the Bucs got some running going, and that was big. That was something that was important to head coach Jon Gruden. He wanted balance on offense. Running back Michael Pittman, who played his high school football in San Diego, showed the speed and quickness that he has in the first half. Gruden went to him and then the offense started to flow. Once the running game got going, that opened up the play-pass and bootlegs and those kinds of things for quarterback Brad Johnson. When that happened, the receivers get wide open.

Both offenses had started the game in a funk, but Gruden got his team out of its funk first. He made the first and best adjustments, by going to the running game. That opened up some things for his offense.

Meanwhile, the Raiders' defense was just out on the field for too doggone long, because their offense wasn't doing anything for the first three quarters or so. They had too many possessions of running three plays and then punting the ball or turning the ball over. That was really hurting their defense, which looked lethargic and sluggish. And they were getting gashed by Pittman and Mike Alstott. The Bucs' offensive line, led by center Jeff Christy, did a nice job opening up holes for those two backs.

Tampa Bay's defense was all over the field and they smothered Oakland's offense. They were playing a 4-2-5 and they were very effective all game long. They were watching Gannon's eyes, and getting a good jump on the ball when he released it. It just seemed like complete frustration came to the Raiders' offense, and that Bucs' defense will do that to you.

The Tampa Bay defense and special teams brought their tackling with 'em for this game. They're as good a tacklers as any in football. They were especially tough in the open field, and they were hittin' hard all game long.

Oakland had a great season, but this just wasn't their day. They lost to their former head coach, Jon Gruden, and they never really got things going at Qualcomm Stadium. The Glazer family gave up two first-round and two second-round draft choices and $8 million to the Raiders to get Gruden last February, and it was worth every doggone penny.

Congratulations to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I know how it feels because my Oakland team won Super Bowl XI. The Bucs will have this game for the rest of their lives. They're champions of Super Bowl XXXVII and no one can ever take that away from 'em.