No Hovan, no Haye for today's workout

This news certainly won't instill much confidence in the Bucs' run defense:

DTs Jovan Haye and Chris Hovan appear to be in jeopardy of missing Sunday's game at Atlanta based on their absences from today's practice.

The Bucs just got their workout underway and neither was in attendance, which likely means they are holed up in the building being treated for their respective knee injuries.

Hovan continues to downplay his injury, saying he expects to play. But Haye hasn't been heard from nor seen lately. His backup, Ryan Sims, indicated to reporters today that he expects to start a second straight game against the Falcons. Hovan was injured in the fourth quarter against Carolina and did not return.

To say the least, the running game is a point of emphasis this week with Atlanta's Michael Turner and Jerious Norwood forming a formidable 1-2 punch. In fact, defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin's first order of business this afternoon was to address run fits with his starting defensive front. For the record, Sims and Jimmy Wilkerson were lined up with the starting unit during that portion.

Comments

[Slamdunk]

I appreciate your work Stephen.

Atlanta's offensive coordinator is licking his chops thinking about more huge running lanes in the Bucs defense on Sunday. It will be interesting to see if Kiffin uses more run blitzes to compensate for the lack of bodies in the trenches.

[Stephen Blackehart]

I had actually been wondering about Jovan Haye lately, before Monday's game. He'd kind of disappeared this season...not been the disruptive force he had been before, and I wondered to myself if he'd been battling some sort of injury all year.

Even if that's the case, we can definitely see what it means to have him in there vs not. Man, we've got to do something fast, while we've still got a chance to regain the South.

The positive thing to take away from the game is that we've seen now that we can really torch opposing secondaries with the Garcia-to-Bryant combo. If he doesn't self-destruct here, we could have our first truly devastating receiver, ever, on this team!

[Jay]

Ok, I'm not as concerned about the injuries as I am the poor tackling. Gap discipline was absolutely TERRIBLE on MNF, and the tackling looked like something out of a Detroit Lions pre-season scrimmage. I counted at least 5 instances where DB's went for the hip with a ducked head and just got plowed over. I'm looking at you Brooks, Ruud, Barber, Philips, Jackson and Piscatelli. Each one of these guys showed me something ugly the other night, and they had better correct it before they even take the field on Sunday. I expect a lot better from such a good defense.

[Valrico Rick]

I agree Jay, there was a whole lot of shoulder throwing and not a lot of wrapping up. Players out of gaps, and a whole lot misplayed snaps. Barber got hung out to dry a couple of times, but a running back should never be able to break one tackle and turn the corner for big yards against a good defense. A whole lot of not swarming to the ball. I don't have to say it, it was said in the 4th quarter Monday Night!

[skp]

i was angry and drunk by the end of it all, so i may not have the best recall, but i remember most of the problems being outside runs where we are normally airtight....i think the DT injuries are being a little bit overemphasized as the cause, it was a fundamental breakdown by DBs and LBs as welll...

i hope the falcons try to attack us the same way the panthers did on the ground...those holes weren't there before monday night, and they won't be there come sunday.....

but please bucs, do us all a favor and start fast...get a lead, clamp down on roddy white, and break the falcons offense...don't give them a chance to test our run defense...just in case.

[Big Pat]

I live in Atlanta now, so I've been following the Falcons pretty close - and I have Michael Turner on my 1st place FF team. The man is twice the back of either J Stewart or D Williams of Carolina. He's runs like a bowling ball. We need to start fast, nullify the ground game, and bait Ryan in to throwing some pics. They barely lost to NOLA last week, so they will be motivated too. This game will not be a gimmie......

[Dylan]

Big pat Deangelo Williams and jonathan stewart combo is much better than turner. Dont get me wrong turner is a fantastic back but i think that 1 2 punch of stewart and williams is better. 2nd i think the bucs are a little bit more motivated. They got embaressed on primetime tv by a bunch of p*ssy cats.

[Dylan]

BREAKING NEWS:

no hovan, no haye... no monte kiffin. After his defense forgot everything he taught them about tackling he called lynch and sapp but lynch and sapp did not answer so he packed his stuff and moved to tennessee

I think monte needs to run them.. Watching them on tv i saw eleven players with their hands on their hips. Bucs d was tired. CONDITIONING!!!