Soap Opera Storylines For Bucs vs. WFT

Saturday night will bring familiarity, and a connection between two franchises that exists for many of the wrong reasons.

ASHBURN, Va. - The Washington Football Team is back in the playoffs for the first time since January of 2016. It's been a long five years. 

Last time? Jay Gruden was the coach, Kirk Cousins the QB and Bruce Allen was still in charge. 

And, as absurd as that seems, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in the playoffs for the first time Bruce Allen was running their football operations along with Jay's brother, Jon. 

January of 2008. Allen and the older Gruden would be in charge for one more year in Tampa, going 9-7, but failing to make the playoffs ... and they both were fired. 

Then one smartly went into TV and the other suckered Dan Snyder into well over $50 million to help make the organization ... well, as it turned out, worse. 

At one point, frustrated WFT fans were sickened by the thought of anyone being brought to D.C. from the Bucs organization. 

So here we are: One franchise that barely made it in a bad division against the greatest QB of all-time in Tom Brady, the cool and slick coach Bruce Arians and a very aggressive defense led by a former Washington defensive back who won a Super Bowl ... and who also chose to join Tampa over the WFT two years ago because he knew Jay Gruden was in danger and that despite their lack of on-field success, Tampa is and was viewed as a much more stable organization. 

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Todd Bowles had worked with Arians in Arizona so obviously that relationship was a key factor in the decision as well. 

On the stage we have Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski, who had so much success in New England, playing in their first season and playoff game with the Bucs ... while Bill Belichick and their former team sits at home. 

Then there's the Chase Young fun call-out of Brady after WFT's winning of the division Sunday night. 

READ MORE: Chase Young Taunts Tom Brady & Tampa

There's plenty of familiarity in other ways with both organizations. 

Peyton Barber, who plays a limited but somewhat important role for Washington's running back group, was with the Bucs until last year. He might have a chip on his shoulder.

Washington special-teams coordinator Nate Kaczor was with Tampa before being hired by Gruden and Washington to replace Ben Kotwica. 

Antwaan Randle-El, a former Washington receiver and returner is an assistant coach for the Bucs. 

Back in 2012, when Washington was on a magic carpet ride with Robert Griffin III and the Shanahans, Randle El and yours truly did a digital TV show for the team every week.

Off the field, there are multiple connections, too. 

Doug Williams - the current Washington SVP of player development,  is a legend for both organizations and worked in front-office roles for both. 

READ MORE: Doug Williams had nothing to do with keeping Dwayne Haskins

Brad Berlin, a former head equipment manager for Washington for 13 years, operates in that role for the Bucs. 

Michael Pehanich is the director of communications for Tampa and was in that same role long ago for Washington. 

In other words ... plenty of juicy sub-plots for this matchup Saturday night to add to the intrigue and drama that will play out on the field.