SAN DIEGO — Left tackle Barry Sims, a former Park City High and University of Utah star, and Sims' pals in the Oakland Raiders' offensive line might be in a position to determine the outcome of Sunday's Super Bowl.
If NFL MVP Rich Gannon has time to throw, he'll generally pick apart a secondary — any secondary.
Should the Tampa Bay Buccaneers provide heavy pressure, like the Jason Taylor-led Miami Dolphins did Dec. 15, the Raiders could be in trouble.
"We need to be stout up front, let Rich have some time to find some open receivers," Sims said Thursday.
Sims will be up against Simeon Rice.
"He's quick, he's got real long arms, he's a playmaker, he can get off blocks," Sims said. "He has a lot of speed running off the ball. He can cover a lot of ground in a short period of time."
That's also a pretty good description of Taylor, who had three of Miami's five sacks in the Dolphins' 23-17 victory over the Raiders — Oakland's only loss in its last 10 games counting the playoffs.
"The most important thing for me is to stay disciplined," Sims said.
The two squared off during the 2001 season, when Rice played for the Arizona Cardinals, who beat the Raiders 34-31 in overtime.
OVER THE TOP: Karl Williams believes the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were headed in the right direction under Tony Dungy, but needed the offensive boost provided by Jon Gruden to get to the Super Bowl.
"I believe each year from 1996 we definitely made improvements," said Williams, a kick returner and backup wide receiver. "Dungy just couldn't help us on offense the way he helped us on defense. He's a defensive guy.
"This is definitely the best offense I've played on. It gives the defense a lot of different looks, a lot to think about. It's like night and day this year, to be honest with you."
Dungy was fired following last season and succeeded by Gruden, who coached in Oakland the previous four years.
"He sat down with players like myself who don't start and talked to us about the best way to learn the system," Williams said.
In his seventh season with the Bucs, Williams caught seven passes for 77 yards and one touchdown and averaged 9.5 yards on 43 punt returns.
DEALING IN REALITY: Before the Dallas Cowboys decide to relegate running back Emmitt Smith to a backup role, they might want to check with the NFL's all-time rushing leader.
"I deal in reality," Smith said. "I have not had any discussions with the Cowboys about that. I don't foresee myself as a backup. I still have a lot of football in me. I'm a 1,300-yard back on a year-to-year basis."
Appearing at the NFL Super Bowl MVP news conference Thursday, Smith was asked about his future.
"To play football," he said. "My job has not changed. My future lies in the hands of the Dallas Cowboys. I remain a Cowboy until something changes. I'm committed to the Cowboys. We'll work it out when we have those discussions."
TYRONE'S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE: Running back Tyrone Wheatley spent four troubled years with the New York Giants before being traded to the Oakland Raiders in 1998.
He is philosophical about it.
"Any ride is best enjoyed if it's a little rocky," he said. "If it's a steady climb, if everything is peachy and rosy and you walk through the rose garden, it's almost as if you have those coffee beans and sniff it and re-sniff it.
"I've been through some garbage, some sewage. Now I'm in the rose garden and this smells good. And it smells sweet."
Wheatley will be an unrestricted free agent after the Super Bowl.
COACH GRUDEN: Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden has the undivided attention of quarterback Brad Johnson.
"He's always teaching," Johnson said. "He's an unbelievable teacher on the chalkboard. He carries it over to the practice field."
Johnson recalled Gruden tipping him off on a little wrinkle in a formation against the Cincinnati Bengals. The quarterback took the advice and turned it into a touchdown.
"The first thing I said when I came over there was, 'That was a great coaching point you had,' " Johnson said. "The first thing I tell him is, 'I'm here to learn. Give me some more. Feed me. Feed me.'
"Jon will overload you with information constantly, and eventually you are going to learn it."