Buenning the latest casualty

Starting left guard Dan Buenning is the latest Buc to have his season ended by injury.

The initial fears after Buenning's knee injury in Thursday's game at Dallas were confirmed Monday when the team placed him on the injured reserve list, ending his season. Buenning missed the season's first two games with a high ankle sprain and was slowed by the injury upon his return. He had only recently returned to the form of his rookie season, 2005, when he started every game and had a significant impact on running back Cadillac Williams' emergence.

Now, Sean Mahan must finish the season at a position for which he is not ideally suited. The team prefers to use Mahan at center, but he is currently the best option at guard.

To increase the depth on the line, the Bucs added center Nick Mihlhauser to the active roster along with safety Donte Nicholson, who played for the Bucs last season.

Added to the practice squad were defensive tackle Darrell Campbell and cornerback Carlos Hendricks.

Simeon Rice is Done

Defensive end Simeon Rice's season is over.

As expected, the three-time Pro Bowl selection was placed on the injured reserve list Wednesday, from which he cannot be activated for the remainder of the season.

Rice told the Times for Monday's editions he planned to have surgery on his sore shoulder because doctors have told him it is the best way to resolve the pain from bone chips in the joint.

Rice missed the past two games, his first because of injury in his 11-year career.

Now, the question during the offseason is whether the Bucs will be willing to pay Rice the $7.25-million in base salary he is due for 2007. The team's ability to retain free-agent-to-be Dewayne White, who will play in Rice's place, could have a significant bearing on that decision.

Rice's age could be a factor, too. He will be 33 when the 2007 season begins and will be coming off the least productive season of his career. Rice finishes 2006 with 21 tackles, a career-low two sacks and four forced fumbles in eight games.

New Time for Pittsburgh Game

The Bucs' Dec. 3 game at Pittsburgh has been moved from 1 p.m. to 4:15, the NFL announced Monday.

The game was moved as part of the NFL's flex scheduling system that allows late-season games to be adjusted. Because Fox lost one of its anticipated 4:15 matchups -- the Seahawks-Broncos game moves to NBC on Sunday night -- a replacement was needed at that time slot.

The Bucs will play opposite the Cowboys-Giants game, which will also air on Fox.

Rice may need surgery

   The Bucs could lose their second defensive starter to surgery.

   Defensive end Simeon Rice, who missed his first game in six seasons with Tampa Bay last week, could need season-ending surgery on his left shoulder.

   Both Rice and coach Jon Gruden confirmed Thursday that surgery might be needed to repair Rice's shoulder. The NFL's sack leader the past four seasons could miss his second straight game Sunday against the Redskins.

   ""If I feel good, I'm going to play,''' Rice said. ""If I don't...I mean, they understand me, my passion for it. Unless they want me to get surgery and stuff like that.''

   When asked if he needed surgery, Rice said, ""I don't think so, but I'm not a doctor. But I feel like I'm getting better.

   ""I've got to get this right. I can't keep being the one-armed bandit out there.''

   If Rice is lost for the season, it could mean the end of his career with the Bucs. He has only two sacks this season and is scheduled to earn $6-million in base salary next season.
   Coach Jon Gruden also acknowledged the inevitable.

   ""I don't know for sure, but I think that could possibly be the case,'' Gruden said when asked if Rice needed surgery.

   

          

Bucs Hurting

The Bucs put out their first injury report of the week Wednesday, and it wasn't pretty.

A new injury was added to the long list of previous ones when starting left tackle Anthony Davis injured his ankle in practice and was unable to finish. He is now listed as questionable, meaning he has a 50 percent chance of playing Sunday against the Redskins. Backup Cornell Green, acquired late in the preseason, took Davis' place Wednesday.

There has been little progress with the three defensive starters who missed Monday's game at Carolina -- linebacker Shelton Quarles (knee/ankle), defensive end Simeon Rice (shoulder) and defensive tackle Ellis Wyms (ankle). All remain questionable.

Also injured are cornerback Juran Bolden (hip), running back Michael Pittman (shoulder) and tackle Donald Penn (foot). Each is questionable.

Quarterback Bruce Gradkowski, who injured his thumb against Carolina, was not on the injury report and practiced.

Game 9: Panthers 24, Bucs 10

For most of the first half, the Bucs had us fooled. A 7-0 lead. Stout defense. Then came a streak of three Bruce Gradkowski turnovers in seven plays.

The Panthers, appreciative of the Bucs' largesse, scored 17 points in the third quarter. And that would be plenty against the Bucs' all-thumbs offense.

The Bucs are 2-7. The grateful Panthers are 5-4 and a game behind Atlanta.

The Monday Night Football planners surely envisioned a marquee matchup when they looked to Nov. 13.

Carolina, a team on many preseason short lists for the Super Bowl.
Tampa Bay, the defending division champ with 21 of 22 starters returning.

Well, the Bucs have fallen off the marquee.

Here are some notable stories from Monday's St. Petersburg Times:

• Gary Shelton puts out an all-points bulletin for the Glazers. Where are they?
• Rick Stroud has a Q&A with general manager Bruce Allen.
• Stroud also says the Bucs' stressed offensive line, and rookie tackle Jeremy Trueblood in particular, faces a tall order in Julius Peppers, right.
• Stephen F. Holder provides a scouting report.

Here's one near-certainty: Barring an unlikely turnaround, the Bucs will not be playing on a Monday night next year.

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FIRST QUARTER

Our announcers are Mike Tirico, Joe Theismann and Tony Kornheiser.

• Now for something completely different: a Bucs first down on the first possession. Michael Clayton makes amends for a drop with a crisp catch-and-run on a quick slant.
• And another oddity: a Mike Alstott carry.
• Correction on Theismann: This is not Cadillac Williams' offense. (Remember that eight-carry game?) It's Jon Gruden's offense.
• Ratzinfratzit. One of those squandered opportunities where you feel there goes the Bucs' best chance. Two beautiful ball fakes, but Bruce Gradkowski misses Joey Galloway -- open by five yards, fer crissakes -- near the goal line.



• Oh boy. Steve Smith vs. Torrie Cox? That's not fair. On 3rd-and-long, though, with Cox isolated on Smith again, Carolina strangely calls draw play. The Panthers' offensive coordinator will get a Christmas card this year.
• Not throwing to Smith is the same as not giving Jimmy Chitwood the last shot in Hoosiers. (Coach Norman Dale thought about it, but Jimmy said, "I'll make it.")
• Add Keyshawn Johnson to that card list. Ronde Barber strips him. Bucs ball.

Bucs 7, Panthers 0. Whoa, Nellie! Gradkowski to Ike Hilliard. For only the second time this year, the Bucs take a first-quarter lead. (The other time? Bucs at Saints.)

• Despite the Bucs' 31st-ranked offense and its inadequacies, Gradkowski has seven TD passes to one interception. Also, this note: On the Bucs' official website, on Gradkowski's personal page, there is no mug shot. "Image not available," it says.

SECOND QUARTER

• Another one of those third-down throws short of the first-down marker. Criminy!
• Would mentioning that the Bucs defense looks pretty feisty be the same as talking about your pitcher's ongoing no-hitter? All right, I won't mention it.



• Ronde sees Steve Smith sitting near the first-down stick and leaves Keyshawn to come up and tackle Smith. A yard short. Nice.
• Three consecutive disruptions by Peppers. He's a beast. And "disruptions" should be an official statistic. Can't be any worse than a hurry.
• A beautiful Josh Bidwell punt, great coverage and Panthers penalty amount to a 60-yard kick. Panthers lose another chance at field position.
• Whoa, nice open-field tackle of Smith by Torrie Cox.
• Third-and-2. Barrett Ruud, playing for the injured Shelton Quarles, stuffs the run.
• Haven't seen the screen in a while. This one to Alstott is a beaut.
• Sweet third-down throw by Gradkowski, nice route and catch by Hilliard and then a heady move by Hilliard stepping between Clayton and Panthers DB Chris Gamble. No flags. First down Bucs at the Carolina 47.
• So much for prosperity. The bomb to Clayton is underthrown. Interception by Ken Lucas.
• Ronde ties Donnie Abraham for the franchise record with his 31st career interception.
• And Gradkowski responds with another brutal, unforced error. Another pick in the red zone. Gradkowski has left perhaps 14 points on the field.

HALFTIME

Some numbers:
Cadillac, 8 carries, 20 yards;
Allstott, 2 carries, 2 catches, 2 first downs;
Galloway, 2 catches, two huge missed opportunities;
Hilliard, 3 catches, touchdown;
Gradkowski, 11-of-20, 110 yards, touchdown, 2 interceptions;
Jake Delhomme, 9-of-14, 74 yards, interception;
Keyshawn, 3 catches, 18 yards, fumble.

THIRD QUARTER

• On a third down, Steve Smith leaves Juran Bolden flat-footed twice on a long gain.
• Jermaine Phillips' mediocre year continues with a missed interception that becomes a Keyshawn catch.

Bucs 7, Panthers 3. Bucs defense takes the Steve Smith haymaker and then shows resolve. What's the over-under on Smith fly patterns for the rest of the night? I say three. Well, wait a minute. The camera shows Smith politely barfing on the sideline. Yes, politely. He covered his head with a towel.

• From selfish to sieve. Fumble at midfield. Gradkowski gives away the football for the third time in seven plays. Positively Dilferish.
• Wonderful adjustment and catch by Keyshawn. But he's out of the end zone.
• Who's more dangerous than Steve Smith after catching that 3-yard stop? Ask the turf-eating Torrie Cox.

Panthers 10, Bucs 7. No pass rush and Delhomme finds Keyshawn in the back of the end zone.

• The positive spin? Another chance to return a kickoff for a touchdown. Ehhhhhhhhhhhh, no.
• Spotted a creamsicle Lee Roy Selmon jersey in the stands. I miss Lee Roy but not those jerseys.
• I feel like Gradkowski got suckered. Panthers show blitz. Gradkowski looks for quick slant. Panthers lineman knocks down ball at line.
• Great play by Dewayne White. He stays home on the reverse and gets Smith on the ground.
• Philip Buchanon's debut as a punt returner is a mess. Negative yards.
• Cadillac fumbles off Davin Joseph's butt. The fact is, the Panthers have no business winning this game. Gruden, pacing on the sideline like a man in a padded cell, just said, "Four (expletive deleted) turnovers." Well put.

Panthers 17, Bucs 7. You can taste the depression, can't you?

• Consecutive muffs by Cadillac. To paraphrase Keyshawn: Catch the damn ball. But no worries, his drop is nullified by Trueblood's tripping penalty.
• Panthers lineman pimp-slaps Joseph in front of the ref. Thank you, that's 15 yards.
• Say this for Cadillac: He never, ever runs easy. But he's stuffed on 3rd-and-short.

FOURTH QUARTER

• It's nowhere near as frustrating as the Bucs offense, but I believe Carolina has been penalized on each of its punt returns.
• What's that Godfather line about reeling you back in? Two completions to Galloway and the hopelessly lost Bucs are at the Carolina 12.
• Kornheiser points out that Bucs haven't won a game in which they trailed by 8 or more points since 2000. (I must have heard him wrong. Couldn't find it among 2000 victories.)
• Third-and-10 at Panthers 12: Ah, the underneath route for 2 yards.

Panthers 17, Bucs 10. Bryant's aim is true. Bucs need Jake to spit the bit.

• There's no two ways about it: The defense needs a stop, but that's two first downs.
• Three first downs, and the clock will be at 2 minutes before the Bucs offense might see the ball again.

Panthers 24, Bucs 10. Smith blows by Ronde. Was Ronde gambling or counting on help? Eight catches for Smith for 149 yards. Bucs are the ones puking now. Theismann suggests Jermaine Phillips missed an assignment. I hope not. After the Saints debacle, his career may be in jeopardy.

• Peppers ends it with his third sack.

Bucs promote Charles Bennett

According to a Bucs press release, the team promoted defensive end Charles Bennett from the practice squad to the active roster and released wide reciever Mark Jones.

Bennett was selected in the seventh round (241st overall) by the Buccaneers in the 2006 NFL Draft. He was released prior to the regular season on September 2. He was subsequently signed to Tampa Bay's practice squad. Bennett will wear No. 93.

Jones played in four games this season, primarily on special teams, with 13 punt returns for 109 yards.

Rice, Quarles, Wyms stay home

   Ahoy, Bucs. Three men fell overboard.

   Tampa Bay's long season may have just gotten longer.

   Defensive end Simeon Rice, linebacker Shelton Quarles and defensive tackle Ellis Wyms all remained home in Tampa for treatment Sunday rather than accompany the team to Charlotte, N.C., for Monday night's game against the Panthers.

   All three players were unable to practice last week due to injuries. Rice, the league's sack leader over the past four seasons, will miss his first game in six seasons with the Bucs due to injury. Quarles has been hobbled by an assortment of ailments, including a knee injury. Wyms, the club's sack leader this season with four, has an ankle sprain.

   Dewayne White, Barrett Ruud and Jon Bradley will take the place of Rice, Quarles and Wyms, respectively.

   Facing the Panthers explosive offense was daunting enough, let alone trying to stop them without three of your best players.

   But rather than risk further injury, coach Jon Gruden is hopeful this way he might have all three players back for Sunday's game against the Redskins and then for the Thanksgiving Day contest at Dallas a few days later.

 

   

    

   

Game 8: Saints 31, Bucs 14

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First, some notable items in today's St. Petersburg Times:

• Derrick Brooks will break a tie with Paul Gruber and play in his 184th game, the most by any player in Bucs history. Rick Stroud writes: "His perseverance has been exceeded only by his performance."
• Jon Gruden, the mastermind behind behind the Bucs' 30th-ranked offense, Gary Shelton writes, "is charged with concealment of weapons, with abandonment of strategy, with destruction of a football team."
• In The Point After, John Romano asked: "How bad is this offensive line that we're pining for the days of Roman Oben?" Shelton's answer: "The Roman Empire, I think we called the old days."

We'll be looking at a few things today:

• Reggie Bush, yes, but what about Saints receiver Marques Colston (No. 12), who has six touchdowns (make that seven now) to Reggie's one (that punt return against the Bucs)?
• The Bucs running game.
• Obvious passing downs. How many times will the Bucs deploy four, let alone three, wide receivers? On the Bucs Report podcast, Stephen Holder said the Bucs have so little confidence in their pass blocking they often stick with their base two-tight-end alignment to help protect the quarterback. Fewer swift receivers running pass routes means fewer opportunities. Hence, a dropped ball for the Bucs is far more critical than a dropped ball for the Colts.

Let's watch some football.

FIRST QUARTER

• Our announcers are Dick Stockton, sideline behemoth Tony Siragusa and Darryl "No Longer a Moose" Johnston, who reports the first ugly statistic: The Bucs offense has failed to score a touchdown in four of seven games.
• First third-and-long for Bucs. Three wide receivers, whoa, but Bruce Gradkowski very quickly checks to tight end Alex Smith. Nothing doing.

Saints 7, Bucs 0. Drew Brees is 5-for-5 in a methodical drive. Bucs blitzed on at least three plays to no avail. Touchdown to . . . Marques Colston, your frontrunner for rookie of the year.

• Cadillac for minus-4, Gradkowski sacked for minus-3, Gradkowski throws it away on third-and-forever. Oh boy.

Saints 14, Bucs 0. Brees to Devery Henderson for 52 yards. Says No Longer Moose: "That's one thing I don't remember seeing in the past: people running wide open in the Bucs defense."

• Third-and-7 for Bucs. Another pass attempt well short of the first down.
• Sweet Brees throw to Colston, who looks huge.
• Some new numbers out there for the Bucs: 27 (Torrie Cox); 31 (Phillip Buchanon).
• End of the quarter: Brees, 11-for-11, 157 yards; Colston, five catches for 61 yards;  Gradkowski, 1-for-4, 5 yards.

SECOND QUARTER

• Brees' first miss. And the Saints fail to convert on third down for the first time.

Saints 17, Bucs 0. John Carney field goal. Remember when he played for the Bucs?

• Worst-case scenario: The Bucs play two tight ends much of the time to help with pass blocking, but how hard is it to rally with three or four receivers (two of whom are running backs or tight ends) going against seven faster defenders?
• All of which would explain why, as the announcers are saying, the Saints are swarming. Sure, it's seven against three.
• Third-and-10. Two wide receivers only and Gradkowski checks down to Michael Pittman. Case closed.
• Brees has missed his last three; whattabum.
• Can't catch a break. Big punt by Josh Bidwell, muff by Michael Lewis, but the ball trickles out of bounds.
• Small victory: four carries for Reggie Bush for minus-7 yards.
• Geez. Brees throws into Cox's chest, but no interception.
• Third-and-11, three wide receivers, and Gradkowski checks to Pittman for nothing. Gradkowski is 3-of-10 for nine yards. Cadillac has seven carries for 10 yards. No first downs.
• Did I hear an alarm clock? Gradkowski takes a big hit but delivers a 28-yard strike to Joey Galloway.

Saints 17, Bucs 7. Galloway, the fastest 34-year-old man in the world, for 44 yards, then a rare sight: Galloway's biceps.

• Bucs defense is stepping up or Saints offense is playing conservatively.

Saints 17, Bucs 14. Wow. Gradkowski is better with a lineman in his face. Threaded strike to Galloway. Saints have allowed touchdowns on each of opponents' past 11 trips inside 20-yard line.

HALFTIME
Some numbers:

• Gradkowski, 12-for-23, 141 yards, 2 TDs.
• Cadillac, 9 carries, 16 yards.
• Galloway, 4 catches, 97 yards, 2 TDs.
• Brees, 13-for-19, 168 yards, 2 TDs.
• Colston, 6 catches, 65 yards, TD (photo at right)
• Bucs offense: six possessions, no first downs; two possessions, 146 yards, two scores. Weird.

THIRD QUARTER

• Reggie Bush is scary on punt returns.
• Too easy. Brees recovers his touch as Saints go back to Deuce McAllister.

Saints 24, Bucs 14. Saints have only 25 yards rushing, but Deuce walks in from the 3.

• Another sack, long yardage on third down and Bucs punt.
• Interesting point by announcers that Bush's tendency is to bounce runs to outside. Not in this league, where everyone is fast. He has eight rushes for minus-5 yards.

Saints 31, Bucs 14. Brees and Henderson burn Torrie Cox for 45 yards. Game over?

• Henderson and Colston each over 100 yards receiving.
• Brees now 23-of-31, 308 yards.

FOURTH QUARTER

• Bucs defense has allowed some big numbers: Atlanta's 306 yards rushing; Philly's 506 yards of offense; today, Brees for 308 in three quarters.
• Fourth-and-3, Bucs pick up blitz, Gradkowski overthrows Michael Clayton.
• Saints have held ball for nine minutes.
• Who's next for Bucs? At Carolina.
• A grace note for the Saints, humility for the Bucs. Brees takes knee on four downs at Bucs 5.

Galloway Licking His Chops

Joey Galloway loves one-on-one coverage. The Saints play more one-on-one coverage than most teams. So, naturally, Galloway loves playing the Saints, who visit Tampa Bay on Sunday.

There is nothing a receiver loves more than the chance to make an impact play, and man-to-man coverage gives Galloway that opportunity. With his speed, Galloway must only beat one man to position himself for a big play. Though there often is help from the safety even in single coverage, that help often comes too late to prevent him from catching the ball.

"We've seen them two times a year since I've been here, and they always come up and play you man," Galloway said of the Saints. "I love playing the Saints. . . When a team comes up and shows you man-to-man coverage, that is a challenge for any  receiver. That's what we live for."

But here's another challenge for Galloway: catch the ball. He and his teammates did a poor job of that against the Giants last Sunday. And in this season's first meeting with the Saints, Galloway dropped a pass that could have positioned the Bucs for a come-from-behind win.

If nothing else, the opportunities should be there this Sunday.

"They take their chances," Galloway said. "When that happens, it gives us some opportunities. We just have to capitalize."

Times photo by Bill Serne; click to enlarge.