But that's where the similarities end. Johnson is a big, tough guy who's a good decision-maker but doesn't run around a lot, whereas Gannon has a lot more mobility and poses a threat as a runner.

	They need to run the ball judiciously and effectively, but I'm not talking about rushing for 180 yards. If the Bucs can rush for about 120-130 yards, they'll be in good shape.

Until last week's game against the Eagles, Tampa Bay's Achilles' heel this season has been its offensive line. The Bucs played terrific in Philadelphia, picking up blitzes and doing everything possible to protect Johnson. They need to do the same this week because to beat the Raiders they need to control the ball and the clock as much as possible.

Mike Alstott will be the key offensive player for Tampa Bay. If the Bucs can run the ball effectively on first-and-10, particularly with Alstott, then they can control the tempo of the game. With all of the pressure up the middle from John Parrella and Sam Adams, the Bucs need to run at the edges and make safeties Rod Woodson and Anthony Dorsett run stoppers, as opposed to pass-cover guys. They need to force the secondary into playing run defense by running at the edges.

They need to run the ball judiciously and effectively, but I'm not talking about rushing for 180 yards. If the Bucs can rush for about 120-130 yards, they'll be in good shape. They don't need a ton of yards, only to stay committed to it. Then, allow Johnson to be the accurate passer that he is.

It will be difficult for Tampa Bay to get the big play against the Raiders' defense. You won't see the Raiders allowing a play like Joe Jurevicius' last week, crossing and cutting people off with no one there to tackle.

The Raiders play a lot more zone defense, and Charles Woodson and Tory James have a lot of time to make the tackle. A zone team won't be in a situation where it has to worry about chasing guys all over the field.

If the Bucs attack, they need to attack between the linebackers, which is where they run a lot of those little stop patterns 6-8 yards up the field. But they need to be careful of Charles Woodson because he's a gambler. Remember, he's a big-time player in big-time games.

The battle of the Raiders' No. 1 offense versus the Bucs' No. 1 defense could offset each other. When there are two strengths match up against each other, you have to look at possibly where the next matchup lies. If the Raiders' defense can make some plays against the Bucs offense, it will be huge. They're going to have to do their job to shut down and control Tampa's offense. The Bucs are going to want to have nine-, 10-, 11-play drives, so Oakland has to put pressure on them and get the ball away from them.

The key for the Raiders is to get a push up the middle from Adams and Parrella. They also need to tackle well; it is critical against this offense. With big receivers like Keyshawn Johnson and Jurevicius, linebackers may not be able to bring them down. The Bucs need to exploit that.

The Bucs' offense doesn't work matchups; it works areas -- anywhere under 12 yards. I'd be surprised if I saw four completions from Brad Johnson over 15 yards. If he does, then look for Tampa Bay to win Super Bowl XXXVII.

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.