(Sports Network) - Brian Griese doesn't figure to get a friendly ovation at Invesco Field at Mile High on Sunday, when the Buccaneers quarterback and his team face the Denver Broncos in an intriguing Week 5 matchup.

Griese, a third-round pick of the Broncos in 1998, started 51 games as a member of the team from 1999 through 2002, twice throwing for more than 3,000 yards but never quite winning the hearts and minds of Denver's faithful.

Griese, a 2000 Pro Bowl selection, was saddled with the task of following the immortal John Elway at the signal-caller position for the Broncos, and the fact that he never won a playoff game (just after the team had won back-to- back Super Bowls with Elway) helped hasten his exit from town.

The son of Dolphins Hall of Famer Bob Griese was waived by the Broncos in June of 2003, and bounced from Miami (2003) to Tampa Bay (2004-05) to Chicago (2006-07) and back to the Buccaneers, where he will make the fourth start of his second stint on Sunday.

Griese is 3-0 since taking over for Jeff Garcia in the lineup, completing 71- of-128 passes for 716 yards with four touchdowns and six interceptions on the year. The veteran led a come-from-behind overtime win over the Bears (27-24) in Week 3, and followed that up by guiding the team to a 30-21 triumph over the Green Bay Packers last Sunday.

Though their former QB has won three straight in a different uniform, Broncos fans would hardly trade their present leader for their former one.

Despite presiding over a disappointing 33-19 loss in Kansas City last Sunday, Jay Cutler has been among the most prolific quarterbacks in the league during the first-place Broncos' 3-1 start.

Cutler has a glistening 98.6 passer rating with 1,275 yards and nine touchdown passes through his first four games, and has led Denver to the top of the NFL chart in total offense (435.5 yards per game). Cutler has been sacked just twice so far, and his No. 1 target, wideout Brandon Marshall, is tied for the league lead in receptions (31).

That said, the Broncos won't be considered a serious contender until they shore up one of the NFL's shakiest defenses.

The Broncos are 30th in the league in total defense (408.8 yards per game), 29th in scoring defense (29.2 points per game), next-to-last against the pass (276 yards per game) and 24th against the run (132.8 yards per game). They've forced just four turnovers in four games, and half of their meager total of six sacks came in a blowout of Oakland back in Week 1.

Despite last week's defeat, Mike Shanahan's club enters Sunday a game up on second-place San Diego (2-2) in the AFC West.

SERIES HISTORY

The Broncos lead the all-time series with the Buccaneers, 4-2, including a 16-13 road win when the teams last met, in 2004. Tampa Bay won the previous meeting, a 13-10 triumph at home in 1999. The Bucs are 1-2 in Denver all-time, with losses in 1976 and 1996 and their only win there coming in 1993.

Shanahan is 2-1 against the Buccaneers in his career, and is 8-1 all-time against Tampa Bay head man Jon Gruden. While coaching Oakland from 1998 to 2001, Gruden's only head-to-head win over Shanahan was a 38-28 home triumph during his final season with the Raiders.

WHEN THE BUCCANEERS HAVE THE BALL

Though Griese will grab the headlines for Tampa Bay, the focus of the Denver defense should be the attack's most reliable player - running back Earnest Graham (334 rushing yards, 2 TD, 5 receptions). Graham is quietly averaging an impressive 5.9 yards per carry, and has gone over 90 yards in three of the team's first four games. His play, and the team's ability to win, has helped overshadow Griese's poor 62.5 passer rating. The signal-caller will have things easier if top wideout Joey Galloway (8 receptions) is able to return from a foot injury this week, but Galloway is listed as questionable and hadn't practiced as of Wednesday. If he remains out, Griese's top targets will be wideouts Ike Hilliard (18 receptions, 2 TD), Michael Clayton (9 receptions) and Antonio Bryant (17 receptions) along with tight end Alex Smith (9 receptions, 1 TD). Smith caught Griese's lone touchdown pass against the Packers last Sunday. Tampa Bay has allowed just four sacks on the year to date.

One week after being cotton-soft against Larry Johnson and the Kansas City running game, the Broncos front seven should come in this contest with a little something to prove. The linebacking trio of Nate Webster (30 tackles) in the middle and D.J. Williams (34 tackles, 1 sack) and Boss Bailey (23 tackles) on the edges has been among the weakest in the league, and has gotten precious little help from a front four where tackles Marcus Thomas (6 tackles) and Kenny Peterson (7 tackles, 2 sacks) have been mostly invisible against the run. Peterson does lead the team in sacks, however, and ends Ebenezer Ekuban (5 tackles) and John Engelberger (14 tackles) have one each. The Denver secondary was supposed to be a strength this season, but cornerbacks Champ Bailey (16 tackles, 1 INT) and Dre' Bly (20 tackles) have been short on big plays and safeties Marlon McCree (15 tackles) and Marquand Manuel (25 tackles) have not distinguished themselves either.

WHEN THE BRONCOS HAVE THE BALL

Cutler threw for 361 yards with a touchdown against the Chiefs last week, but also tossed a pair of critical interceptions that helped to get Denver beat. On a brighter note, rookie wideout Eddie Royal (27 receptions, 2 TD) recaptured the magic of his Week 1 performance against the Raiders, hitting triple-digits for the first time since that date on a nine-catch, 104-yard day. Royal also lost a fumble in the defeat, as did running mate Brandon Marshall (31 receptions, 3 TD). Marshall, who is tied for the NFL lead in receptions heading into Week 5, caught seven balls for 77 yards and a score. Brandon Stokley (15 receptions) contributed seven catches of his own, and tight end Daniel Graham (6 receptions) added value with three grabs for 29 yards. Fellow TE Tony Scheffler (12 receptions, 2 TD) was quiet in Kansas City, managing just on reception. Denver's pass-heavy approach has caused their once-stout running game to drop to 14th in the league (121.2 yards per game), though starter Selvin Young (228 rushing yards, 1 TD) continues to average a healthy 6.2 yards per carry and ex-Buccaneer Michael Pittman (80 rushing yards, 3 receptions, 4 TD) had 81 yards on six total touches last Sunday.

The Buccaneers defense has long been known for its ability to cover and keep the team in games, but it has been some time since making big plays has been as prominent a calling card as it has in 2008. The Bucs have 11 sacks and have forced nine turnovers during their 3-1 start, and their harassment of Aaron Rodgers was instrumental in the win over Green Bay a week ago. Middle linebacker Barrett Ruud (30 tackles, 2 INT, 1 sack) had one of the team's three sacks in the win, and joined blossoming end Gaines Adams (12 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 INT) and fellow LB Derrick Brooks (13 tackles, 1 INT) in the interception column. For the year, Adams and fellow end Greg White (10 tackles, 3.5 sacks) have combined for exactly half of the club's 11 sacks. Dealing with Marshall and Royal this week will be the responsibility of Ronde Barber (18 tackles, 1 sack) and Phillip Buchanon (14 tackles, 1 INT), with safety Jermaine Phillips (16 tackles) among those lending support. The Bucs are 21st in NFL passing defense (216.5 yards per game).

FANTASY FOCUS

Griese is averaging almost 240 yards a game passing and is just two weeks removed from a 400-plus-yard effort against the Bears, but the fact that he's thrown six interceptions in his three outings is reason to stay away from him. With Galloway banged up, the Bucs don't have a legitimate starting option at wide receiver, and the fact that three different tight ends have caught a touchdown pass means you can't trust any of them. Running back Earnest Graham and kicker Matt Bryant are the most reliable fantasy starts on this team. The Bucs defense is worth owning, but they probably won't have a huge week against a prolific Denver attack.

Owners of Cutler, Marshall, Royal and Denver kicker Matt Prater have been quite pleased so far, but the Broncos don't have a lot of other natural starters. Scheffler has been inconsistent, Young hasn't put up the numbers offered up by previous Broncos running backs, and the defense, well, no need to even go there.

OVERALL ANALYSIS

Denver fans will enjoy rooting against Griese, and based on the way he's played in his three starts this year, he'll give them reason to both cheer and be a little nervous. The veteran has made mistakes in every game he's played in 2008, and he'll make a few more here, even against a Broncos defense that isn't known for its playmaking. Griese will also make some plays, but we bet he won't make nearly as many positive ones as the burgeoning Cutler. Cutler can't make the mistakes he did against the Chiefs, but if he finishes off drives, the Broncos should escape from Week 5 as a 4-1 team.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Broncos 27, Buccaneers 16