A Charlotte newspaper invested in a trip to NFL Films to give readers a meaty look inside tonight's Bucs-Panthers game

Here’s a major pat on the back to the Charlotte Observer, which coughed up cash to send a reporter to the NFL Films studios in New Jersey to sit alongside ESPN’s Ron Jaworski and Greg Cosell of NFL Films, as they dissected tapes of the Bucs and Panthers.

The result was a game preview story with enough meat in it to satisfy any football fan, even the hardest of the hardcores. That’s not something you really see in a newspaper anymore. And that’s partially why the Internet is clobbering newspapers into a painful death.

One of the first things Jaworski noticed about the first Carolina-Tampa game was how frequently the Buccaneers’ offense lined up in formations with receivers only a few feet to the right or left of the linemen, instead of spreading wide to the outside in a more conventional alignment.

“I’ve been watching the Bucs almost every week and that’s a constant,” Cosell told Jaworski. “They are heavy on tight splits.”

Cosell explained that the tight alignment helps Tampa’s running attack and short-yardage passing game by putting the wide receivers in good position to block down on defensive ends and linebackers.

A case in point was a short pass in the second quarter from quarterback Jeff Garcia to running back Earnest Graham that turned into a 24-yard completion.

“This is as good of an example as you’ll find of the tight formations,” Jaworski said as he reviewed the play. “This is what the clusters do. Gruden is a master of it. He won a Super Bowl title with it.”

Jaworski called the play a “fire protection.”

Graham, who is now out for the season, was playing fullback and initially made it look like he was going to block Panthers defensive end Charles Johnson, but then slipped into a short pass route to the right.

That meant tailback Warrick Dunn had to pick up Johnson. Because Johnson is a much bigger player than Dunn, the play was designed for Garcia to throw the ball quickly to Graham.

“That’s why it’s called fire protection because it’s got to come out fast,” said Jaworski.

What really made the play work was the fact that wide receiver Michael Clayton, lined up just right of the offensive line, ran an inside route and softly bumped into, or “rubbed,” Panthers linebacker Jon Beason. That was just enough to prevent Beason from getting to Graham, who went on to his 24 yards.

“A pick (requiring a harder hit) is illegal, but a rub is legal,” said Jaworski.

The tape showed Tampa ran the same play out of a slightly different formation in the second half and gained 23 yards.

Clearly, that’s something the Panthers have to stop tonight.

One of the first things Jaworski noticed about the first Carolina-Tampa game was how frequently the Buccaneers’ offense lined up in formations with receivers only a few feet to the right or left of the linemen, instead of spreading wide to the outside in a more conventional alignment.

“I’ve been watching the Bucs almost every week and that’s a constant,” Cosell told Jaworski. “They are heavy on tight splits.”

Cosell explained that the tight alignment helps Tampa’s running attack and short-yardage passing game by putting the wide receivers in good position to block down on defensive ends and linebackers.

A case in point was a short pass in the second quarter from quarterback Jeff Garcia to running back Earnest Graham that turned into a 24-yard completion.

“This is as good of an example as you’ll find of the tight formations,” Jaworski said as he reviewed the play. “This is what the clusters do. Gruden is a master of it. He won a Super Bowl title with it.”

Jaworski called the play a “fire protection.”

Graham, who is now out for the season, was playing fullback and initially made it look like he was going to block Panthers defensive end Charles Johnson, but then slipped into a short pass route to the right.

That meant tailback Warrick Dunn had to pick up Johnson. Because Johnson is a much bigger player than Dunn, the play was designed for Garcia to throw the ball quickly to Graham.

“That’s why it’s called fire protection because it’s got to come out fast,” said Jaworski.

What really made the play work was the fact that wide receiver Michael Clayton, lined up just right of the offensive line, ran an inside route and softly bumped into, or “rubbed,” Panthers linebacker Jon Beason. That was just enough to prevent Beason from getting to Graham, who went on to his 24 yards.

“A pick (requiring a harder hit) is illegal, but a rub is legal,” said Jaworski.

The tape showed Tampa ran the same play out of a slightly different formation in the second half and gained 23 yards.

Clearly, that’s something the Panthers have to stop tonight.

Joe wishes newspapers spent more time turning it out great stuff like this. They would sell a lot more papers on Sundays and Mondays.