Live from Texans-Bucs

We have our first news of the night. General manager Bruce Allen told Channel 8 in an interview before the game that Chris Simms will not play because of a hip injury. Now, it appears he is a candidate to go on the injured reserve list because of it.

We understand it occurred yesterday in practice. That workout, however, was a walkthrough. Tough to see how one could be injured playing touch football. We didn't have access to practice yesterday, so there's no way to know what's what beyond what we've been told.

We do know this, however: Simms is in uniform and warmed up before the game and showed no obvious signs of injury.

Elsewhere, if you're following tonight's game with us online, you're likely a die-hard.

These final preseason games can be difficult to watch given who is playing. But you educated fans understand the importance of even a game like this. You know that for guys like Mark Jones and Greg Peterson and Kalvin Pearson and many others, this game means everything. It will determine where their careers go from here. So, stick around and we'll try to tell you what the things you're seeing actually mean.

Chime in with your comments and I'll do my best to address your questions/concerns.

(Pictured: left, Chris Simms, Times photo - Brian Cassella; right, Buc fan, Carlos Mendez, Times photo - Carrie Pratt. Click to enlarge.)

Comments

[Daniel]

I read somewhere that Zemitis was on the bubble. Based on that drive where he was burned at least three times, the final burning for that touchdown, what are his chanes of making the team Stephen?

[Stephen_Holder]

I have a bad feeling about Zemaitis. I think he gets the ax

[Stephen_Holder]

That, my friends, is why I've been saying Gradkowski might still be your best option for the No. 2 quarterback. McCown fumbles after being hit from behind and the Texans return it for a score. McCown has done a poor job of getting rid of the ball all preseason.

[Mike]

Stephen, I know this is a little of topic, but are the Bucs going to sign Trotter or what?

[Stephen_Holder]

It's the Jerramy Stevens show. Mentioned in today's paper they wanted to take a good look at him. They've gone to him on consecutive plays for a pair of first downs. Hmm.

[Daniel]

Stephan, you are probably right about the QB's. While none of our QB's have gun's for arms execpt for the soon to be IR'ed Simms. McCown has less game experiance than Grads, who seems to have improved his recognition. It's close though.

[Stephen_Holder]

Mike, I'd love to be able to say, but I am not getting straight answers on that topic. I will say that I get the sense Trotter is dragging this out (maybe becuase of money?) based on conversations I've had with Gruden. He indicated the other day that Trotter was going to take a long look at his options. Sounds like code for 'he's holding out for more $$$$.'

[Stephen_Holder]

Nice showing by Paris Warren the past couple weeks. That's now two touchdowns in two weeks. Not sure if it's enough to get him on the final roster, though. Here's my problem: He's done well mostly against players who will be on the street soon, not against first or second-teamers. At least Michael Clayton has gotten some reps early in games and made a play or two against legitimate NFL players. Warren's success is kind of fool's gold.

[Stephen_Holder]

Bucs showing the no-huddle a little bit tonight. Might be something they're considering adding to the mix.

[Daniel]

Stephan, isn't today when the police were to release the rest of the results of Bostons urine test? Have you heard anything about it?

[Stephen_Holder]

Our news reporters are staying on top of the Boston case. I haven't heard anything from them, so the results aren't back yet far as I know.

[Ron]

All the so called pundits have the Bucs going 6 and 10 or 5 and 11. I know they have alot of questions,just like most teams this time of year,but are we buc fans really in for that kind of year again.

[Stephen_Holder]

How about B.J. Askew taking that pass and shaking a tackler before diving into the end zone for a 12-yard score. That's might be the most athletic play I've ever seen from a fullback. Who knew?

[Stephen_Holder]

Okay... Gruden just had a heart attack I believe. Gaines Adams gets cheap-shotted from behind by someone named Jordan Black. Fortunately, the report from the field is that he just had the wind knocked out of him. I suspect we'll see him on the sideline the rest of the night.

[Brent]

Stephen - enjoying the comments which are complementing NFL Game Center nicely. Its just before 11am Friday here in Brisbane, Australia - and I've got the office door closed while I enjoy the game! Go Bucs!

Re Simms - do you think the hip injury excuse is genuine, or are they (we) trying to pull a fast one??

[Stephen_Holder]

Bucs just had a bad snap on that previous play here in the second quarter. That's Dan Buenning at center if you're keeping track. That's not going to get him any playing time there.

[Stephen_Holder]

Ron, as for your question about what kind of season you're in for, that's a tough question. If the Bucs get some breaks, they have a chance to win some games. But they NEVER seem to get any breaks. That's what I'd be worried about as a fan. They have to have everything go right. The quarterback play has to be solid. The offensive line has to get it together. Cadillac has to run well. The defense has to stand tall, etc. If they get the right combination of factors, they're a competitive team, particularly considering the fact that the division is weaker this season. Just as important, remember, the Bucs are counting on a lot of aging players to play well. That's a lot to ask.

[mike]

great to follow you stephen. living in south carolina, you give me the inside view of everything. THANKS!!!!

[Stephen_Holder]

Brent, glad you're here. Technology is a wonderful thing, huh? It's hard to say regarding that Smms injury, but it sure smells funny. They're not saying he's going on IR, but I had an interesting conversation with Gruden that was recounted in today's story by Rick Stroud in which Jon hinted very strongly that they didn't plan to just give up on Simms. Maybe this was the plan all along. Who knows? I'm very skeptical.

[Stephen_Holder]

This might have gotten lost in the shuffle, but on the first down play where McCown threw the ball away, he failed to see David Boston wide open for a touchdown. Boston made an unbelievable move on former first-round pick Jamar Fletcher and had two steps on him steaking down the right sideline. McCown was looking the other way never saw him.

[mike]

Clayton? how has he looked? will he stay or go??

[Brent]

Apart from failing to see Boston, McCown seems to be on fire. Is there really that big a difference in the NFL between 1st and 2nd (or 3rd) string defences? based on the stats Paris Warren also seems to be having an impressive game...?

[Carl]

All three Bucs QBs have played extremely well this preseason. Gruden has to be feeling good about the QB situation now.

[Stephen_Holder]

Sabby Piscitelli is having a solid night. He just unloaded on a ball carrier and that comes after his interception earlier in the night. The two rookie safties have been quite impressive this preseason. I think we'll see them in some capacity this season.

[Noel (Bahamas)]

Cathing the action online at Gamecenter from the Bahamas (not on TV here). Stephen, what is your take on the Pittman/Askew FB combination and do you think sets with Cadillac & Pittman/Askew will open up the secondary for our receivers?

[Stephen_Holder]

Regarding Clayton, I had a long chat with his agent last night, and I honestly get the sense he will stick. Here's my thinking: the Bucs are taking some chances with Boston. He has a case pending and his reputation around the league is horrible. Teams don't trust him to stay clean. Trust me. As far as Stovall, they still feel like he's unproven, even though he'll probably pan out just fine. So, given all that, if you cut Clayton and things don't work out well with one or both of the others, where does that leave you? He's looked good enough to secure a place on the team, considering all the money and time they've invested in him. Just one man's opinion, but that's an educated guess.

[Carl]

Is the guy running the NFL.com gamecenter drunk. The thing is going crazy, the score has been wrong most of the night. Ridiculous.

[Stephen_Holder]

Not sure if there are problems with NFL.com, but it's 24-14 Bucs with 1:40 left in the second quarter.

[Stephen_Holder]

By the way, I don't mean to sound like I'm down on McCown, because it probably sounds that way at times. He just has some intangibles that seem to be missing. Of course, as I write this, he throws one of the ugliest passes I've ever witnessed and Jamar Fletcher gets a pick. That ball seemed to be thrown end over end rather than as a spiral. Sheesh.

[Seth]

I'm watching the game on Gamecenter from Honolulu, thanks for caring enough to blog this game Stephen. I know you mentioned Boston being open in the end zone; did the receiver lineup give any hints as to the depth chart? I haven't heard Hilliard's name...

Also, the LSU Miss. St. game is much better than advertised, for those of you that can't watch the Bucs game live.

[bob]

Stephen:
season tix holder from Jersey, checking in on the game...Simms situation seems so obviously fake, does the league investigate "injuries' like this? With his salary, and no spot, it seems pretty clear what is going on here...

[Daniel]

Stephen, I know exactly what you talking about concerning McCown. Fumbled snaps and wounded duck passes will not earn you the love of die-hard fans. He also does'nt seem to sense the rush as well as a seasoned vet. The way Garcia was taking hits last game, our number two will probably see some action during the year.

[Stephen_Holder]

Okay, folks. Got a little clarification here on the Simms issue. Seems these rumors about him going to IR have taken on a life of their own. Turns out, there are guidelines that likely prevent him from going on IR, namely a rule that requires injuries to be a minimum of six weeks old before the player is placed on IR. So, in other words, unless Simms has had a hip injuy since, oh, July, it ain't happening.

[Stephen_Holder]

And furthermore, I hear he may still play tonight. We'll see what the second half brings. I don't know about anyone else, but I'm ready for this saga to end!

[Brent]

Don't know what the weathers like there blokes, but I'm heading out for a swim as it's my lunch time! Keep up the good work - I'll be checking the result when I get back!

[Daniel]

Stephen, How did they place Alstot on IR the day after his neck injury?

[Stephen_Holder]

Noel, regarding your earlier question about the fullback position, I'd like to see what Pittman can do at fullback. And based on his touchdown from earlier tonight, I don't think Askew is a bad option, either. I think adding some athleticism to the position will only help. No offense to Alstott, but the options were limited when he was in the game. Both of these guys are athletic and capable receivers, too.

[Noel (Bahamas)]

Stephen, Did you miss my question earlier? Catching the action online at Gamecenter from the Bahamas (not on TV here). Stephen, what is your take on the Pittman/Askew FB combination and do you think sets with Cadillac & Pittman/Askew will open up the secondary for our receivers?

[Stephen_Holder]

Good point Daniel. My guess is that Mike's neck injury was considered a pre-existing condition, which it arguably was.

[Carl]

For the half, McCown completed 14 of 19 passes for 201 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. Has Rick Stroud taken over Stephen Holder's ID tonight? Give the guy a break, the ball slipped out of his hand at the end of the half.

[Stephen_Holder]

Noel, you just missed me. Look above your second question. Thanks.

[Daniel]

Stephen, two days ago Jeb Terry was placed on the IR with an ankle injury, didn't he play the previous week?

[Stephen_Holder]

I hear you. I have to admit that I don't fully understand all the rules regarding IR. This is unfolding as I write this stuff, so I'll try to sort this out as best as possible.

[Stephen_Holder]

The six-week rule didn't sound right to me, either. That's just what I was told. Either way, it would seem that other teams would protest if they tried to put Simms on IR. Maybe they're slick enough to pull it off. Who knows?

[mike]

wHAT draft picks will be let go? will graham and darby make the team? from what i read... darby is having a good night

[Stephen_Holder]

As for what draftd picks will make it, I think there are a number of guys in danger of being cut. Obviously, all the first-day picks are fine. In the 4th round, Tanard Jackson is a lock, as expected. Fifth round pick DT Greg Peterson is sort of on the bubble, though they seem to like his potential. In the sixth round, LB Adam Hayward unfortunately is playing at a position that has a lot of depth and is a long shot. Seventh rounders, OT Chris Denman, CB Marcus Hamilton and RB Ken Darby are definitely bubble guys. This could turn out to be another year where the late-round picks don't make much of a splash. Unfortunately, that's been a recurring theme around here.

[Daniel]

Stephen, will you be running a gameday blog during the regular season? I really enjoy your input and the questions from the other fans.

[Stephen_Holder]

This is completely selfish, but I sure hope someone scores here pretty soon. It's 24-24 with 5:00 to play. Overtime in a preseason game is a sportswriter's worst nightmare. We have deadlines to meet!

[Stephen_Holder]

Yes, we're definitely doing this during the regular season. The preseason was really a test to see if anyone would actually care about what I have to say. Much to my surprise, some actually do.

[Mr.T]

Maybe Gru will let Matt Bryant try a 70 yarder for you, Stephen!

On another note, I was surprised the Bucs didn't sign Singleton. I'm not sure which LB position he played in the D before and am too lazy to look right now!

[Stephen_Holder]

T, I looked it up. Singleton played the strong side. They actually have several guys who can play there (June, Nece, possibly Black). Didn't seem like the most pressing need I suppose.

[Brett]

Another Bucs fan here from Australia. Stephen your comments are really appreciated and I can't wait to the regular season starts.

[Clint]

It would be a safe bet if Warren made the team?? Also, would Trotter make a big difference to the defence?

[Ferenczy]

...wow, nasty leg break there for Paris, damned shame...

[Stephen_Holder]

For those of you who can't se the game, Paris Warren just suffered one of the ugliest knee injuries I've ever seen, and in the process of catching a touchdown, no less. He's down on the turf and is about to be taken off on a stretcher. What a shame. He was having a hell of a game. The whole team is out there encirling him. Quite the scene.

[Clint]

Did Paris really break his leg? I'm watching via Game Center.(no TV/radio coverage) (Canada)

[Daniel]

They just shown the replay on TV of that Paris Warren catch. That looked ugly. How unfortunate.

[Stephen_Holder]

I think before that play, Warren was still on the bubble just because of the numbers. But at the very least, he was going to have some very nice film to show other interested teams. Now, well...

[joe]

Looks like his ankle to me

[Wayne]

Did he sprain or break something? I am in the Army in Germany. Oh for Sirius satelite radio.

[Stephen_Holder]

Should have said leg injury on Paris, not knee. Looks like a break. My bad.

[Stephen_Holder]

Paris had one of those air casts on from his thigh to his ankle. Probably a lower leg break is my best guess. That's a real bummer. Paris is one of my favorite guys on the team. Real down to earth kid.

[Ferenczy]

...let's hope for him that it's a break and not a dislocation. Popped ankles/knees inevitably tear all kinds of ligaments and cartilage. Either way tho, bad break (no pun intended) for Paris...

[Stephen_Holder]

Looks like Bucs are gonna win. Just stopped the Texans on fourth down with 1:20 to go. I'm heading to the locker room and hopefully will have some news on a variety of topics when I return. Peace.

[Ferenczy]

GJ and thanks once again Stephen...

[Mr.T]

Thanks, Stephen. I bet we have another LB before the Seatle game....not sure who, but, we will!

[Keith]

Could Chris Simms be a candidate for the Physicaly Unable to Perform (PUP).

[C.J.]

You can't bring yourself to comment when Grads sucks, can you? You have exposed your bias. Thanks, will note. A+ on your other commentary, however.

[Mr.T]

CJ,

I think Stephen's one of the most objective writers we have in TB area. I don't think Grads "sucks" as you say. He can't throw a long ball, but, he moved the team in the last 3 games of the preseason. He's clearly gotten a better handle on the offense since last year and deserves to be on a NFL team as a backup. I can't figure out who should be 2 and who should be 3.

As for Simms, I want him to succeed, but, right now, he can't really play in the NFL (hope he gets the year to "rehab") and play in the NFl next year.

[Stephen_Holder]

No bias here. The backup quarterback is pretty low on my list of priorities in life. I can 'fess up tho. Grads was bad tonight. He showed his ugly side tonight after showing his good side last week. And that's the problem with Bruce: you never know what you're going to get.

[Stephen_Holder]

Okay, here's the deal from the locker room:
Gruden says Warren is done for the year. No shocker there. He's probably in surgery as we speak.

Now, on to less clear matters: this Simms stuff is getting weirder. He said tonight that he opted not to play because he hurt his hip in practice on Tuesday. He said it's nothing serious, but he just didn't think he could scramble if necessary. Now, when I asked Gruden about him, he got really irritated. He said he didn't know anything about any injury and was kind of miffed about the whole thing. Said I should ask Chris about it. I really don't know what to think about this whole series of events since the start of camp. It's one of the strangest stories I've covered and it makes no sense.

For his part, Chris says he doesn't want to go on injured reserve and thinks he is close to overcoming his physical issues. He even hinted that he might be ready to go at Seattle in the opener, if necessary. But if you put a gun to my head, I think they're going to cut Simms. However, I'll hedge that by saying I think there's some possible disagreement within the organization about the decision.

[Stephen_Holder]

By the way, Keith, no PUP for Simms. It's too late to go on that list. It's no longer an option.

[Stephen_Holder]

Because Daniel was sort of grilling me on the subject of IR last night :) I said I would try to clarify. Turns out, regarding the six weeks issue, it must an injury that is deemed to need six weeks or longer to heal. I phrased it incorrectly last night. That's why Jeb Terry, for example, went on IR right away.

[Daniel]

Thanks for the info Stephen. I always grill on labor day weekend :)