TODAY'S PICKS.(SPORTS) - Albany Times Union (Albany, NY)

TIM FARKAS Sports editor (2-0, 156-108-1) The Raiders have experience and star power: league MVP Rich Gannon, the greatest receiver of all time in Jerry Rice, his not-too-shabby sidekick Tim Brown, and Super Bowl savvy linebacker Bill Romanowski. The Bucs have the NFL's best coach (Jon Gruden), a clutch fullback (Mike Alstott), and a loudmouth-but-talented defensive lineman (Warren Sapp). But experience and the Raiders' mystique will be the difference. Pick: Raiders STEVE CAMPBELL Columnist (1-1, 175-89-1) Cover your eyes, America. Raiders will cover the spread, sending the silver and black, the toothless and tattooed, into celebration. Don't believe all the things you've been hearing about parity in the NFL. The best teams in the NFC are no match for the best in the AFC. The Raiders are the best in the AFC, which makes them the best anywhere. Pick: Raiders PETE DOUGHERTY Columnist (1-1, 151-113-1) This has the feel of the Super Bowl from two years ago, when a one-dimensional Ravens team smashed the Giants. The Raiders appear to be the better team, but the Buccaneers are good where it counts -- on defense. Pick: Buccaneers LISA STEVENS Copy editor (1-1, 170-94-1) How to choose between the league's No. 1 offense (and MVP Rich Gannon) in Oakland and the No. 1 defense (and defensive MVP Derrick Brooks) in Tampa Bay? The Bucs have loads of ex-Giants -- a good thing in my True Blue mind. The Raiders have loads of experience -- a better thing. So, Gannon, Rice, Brown, Woodson, Romo ... Pick: Raiders DOUG SHERMAN WRGB, Ch. 6 (1-1, 162-102-1) The Raiders will win this year's Super Bowl. I think Tampa Bay has already achieved its goal. Where the Raiders, with their veteran cast of characters and future Hall of Famers, are primed to win it all. Plus, Oakland was the team I rooted for as a kid. How can I go against that? Pick: Raiders DAN MURPHY WTEN, Ch. 10 (1-1, 160-104-1) We had a disappointing season (being unable to defend last year's co-championship), but we'll finish with a bang. The Eagles made the Bucs look dominant last week. They aren't. Oakland is bigger and badder on both lines and has more than enough weapons to shred the Tampa ``D.'' The ``real'' Brad Johnson will stand up and get knocked down. MVP: Charlie Garner. Pick: Raiders RODGER WYLAND WNYT, Ch. 13 (1-1, 165-99-1) Tampa Bay's defense is clearly the best in the league, and in this game defense will beat the best offense. The Bucs will control the Raiders offense. Count on a low-scoring game. Pick: Buccaneers RICH BECKER WXXA, Ch. 23 (2-0, 157-107-1) After poring over stats comparing the interception-hungry Bucs' defense against the Raiders' passing game, the power attack of the Bucs vs. the Raiders' front four, and many other strategic areas usually reserved for NFL Films, I said the heck with it, scooped a bowl of ice cream and flipped a coin. Pick: Buccaneers