Gruden expects Trueblood to avoid fine

Bucs coach Jon Gruden doesn't expect Jeremy Trueblood to be disciplined in the wake of the right tackle's ejection late in Sunday's 17-10 victory over the Arizona Cardinals.

"I don't anticipate any fine,'' Gruden said during his news conference Monday at One Buc Place. "I just thought that was an ugly sequence of plays, and we will let the league handle it.''

Trueblood bumped into an official after a Cardinals player got rough with right guard Davin Joseph in the final minute of the game. Trueblood tried to intervene, and a Cardinals player, believed to be linebacker Calvin Pace, swung at him. When Trueblood tried to retaliate, he ran into an official, resulting in a 15-yard penalty and his ejection.

While Gruden liked the way Trueblood stood up for a teammate, he said the second-year lineman needs to be more in control, particularly during a critical stage of the game.

"What occurred late in that game was ugly,'' Gruden said. "I'm not going to be tolerant of us getting a 15-yard ejection penalty when we have a chance to ice the game. But we do appreciate loyalty, and guys believing in one another. But there comes a time where you have to settle those things outside the lines. That's just not good enough yesterday. We have to show more poise than that.''

Trueblood, who suffered a right shoulder stinger, was one of three Bucs players banged up in the game. Fullback B.J. Askew sustained an ankle injury, and tight end Alex Smith reaggravated a high ankle sprain that sidelined him for two games. Gruden said all three players are "going to be okay.''

Still, injuries have wreaked havoc with the Bucs' practice schedule. They forced the team to turn its Wednesday practice into a walk-through the past couple of weeks and will limit its time on the field heading into the bye week.

The Bucs will be off today and Tuesday and return to practice on Wednesday. If the players look sharp, in Gruden's estimation, he will give them Thursday through Sunday off to give them more time to recover from injuries and receive treatment.

"Our players are deserving of some time off,'' Gruden said. "They played hard, and I'm proud of them.''

(Times photo: Brian Cassella. Click to enlarge.)

Comments

[josh]

Im not shocked to see that Darnell Dockett was involved eiher. Hes been a dirty player since his FSU days, remember, he was the one that Ernest Graham accused of intentionally trying to injure him by twisting his knee at the bottom of a pile.

[Jim]

Tempers flare and I cam understand Dockett's frustration, but Pace took at cheap shot, almost a sucker punch,... then ran like puss... disgusting,... the crappiest part of it there were like 3 plays on that last drive where they could have called prsonal fouls on the Cards, but didn't...If they had intervened before, this may not have happened....

[George]

The refs let it get out of control. Also Earnest Graham did not accuse Dockett of anything rather Steve Spurrier accused him of it. If you have ever had the chance to work with Spurrier you realize that his accusations should be taken with a grain of salt.

[Tom]

You have your facts wrong Josh.

Ernest Graham never accused Darnell Dockett of anything, it was his whiny coach who did that. Ernest is a man who even as a college student had more integrity than his coach. Graham and Dockett both play the game the right way - aggressively, within the rules.

Jim, I assume you meant to say that Jeremy Trueblood lost his cool. I agree, but can't really agree with the "3 plays where they could've called personal fouls." NFL officials #1 job is to protect other players, they don't let guys get away with cheap shots. If Trueblood had let it go, pretty sure they would've flagged Pace.

[Jim]

I watched the whole game.. and at the time I kept watching the activity after the snap on 3 separate occasions... they actually picked up the flag on one call,... I DO NOT have my facts wrong, sorry you don't agree, but Trueblood reacted AFTER the 3 other incidences. By the way, let me sucker punch you and let see if you 'let it go' c'mon man.. watch it for real

[Jim]

Besides, if anything they both shoulda got flags and they shoulda offset, the one-way penalty was wrong.

[Daniel]

Jim, You are ABSOLUTLY correct in this, in fact, that bad snap at the end of the game was not a bad snap, but a Cards players hitting the ball away from our center. It was so blatant that a five year old could have seen it, yet the refs called nothing. Truebloood is a standup guy who won't back away from anyone, especially nonsense like that. Very bad calls or non calls at the end of the game.

[Kevin]

An almost scary "Turley" incident...Luckily, Alex Smith (I think) was there to tackle his hind end or else he would have for sure gotten suspended...By the way, Trueblood brushed the dang'um ref...The disqualification was a joke...Now that its over, I love Trueblood's attitude...We need some nasty lineman on our team with some balls to stick up for each other...Trueblood just needs to start being dominant, so he can be a pro bowler for years to come...

[Nick]

Trueblood would've won the fight anyway.. Hes like frekin 6'8. By the way, who thinks we can take the division title with the Saints(4-4) cathching up to the Bucs(5-4).

[nick]

that is stupid to give him a fine he was just deffendfing a player