Read More: Jeremy Trueblood (OT – TAM), Kellen Winslow (TE – TAM), Albert Haynesworth (DT – TAM), Arrelious Benn (WR – TAM), Atlanta Falcons, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers aren’t expected to put up much of a fight against the playoff-bound Atlanta Falcons in Week 17, but being without Kellen Winslow might make their chances of pulling an upset even more minuscule.

Winslow missed practice on Friday due to something that is not injury-related, and his status for Sunday’s game is unclear.

The rest of the Buccaneers injury report is relatively clean: Jeremy Trueblood is out with a concussion, and wide receiver Arrelious Benn and defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth are both questionable, but no other major name is worse than probable.

Here’s the rest of the Bucs injury report for Week 17:

OUT: T Jeremy Trueblood (concussion).

DOUBTFUL: none.

QUESTIONABLE: WR Arrelious Benn (neck), DE Michael Bennett (toe), DT Brian Price (ankle), DT Albert Haynesworth (knee).

PROBABLE: DE Adrian Clayborn (hamstring), LB Geno Hayes (finger), LB Adam Hayward (foot), DT Roy Miller (back), WR Preston Parker (concussion), WR Sammie Stroughter (knee).

For more on the Falcons, head to The Falcoholic; for more on the Buccaneers, visit Bucs Nation.

By Eddie Maisonet

– Newsdesk contributor

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Dec 28, 2011 – Injuries on a football team can tend to help create depth for the future. For the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have dealt with their fair share of injuries all season, and younger players have had to step up and play. Per the PewterReport.com, rookie defensive end Da’Quan Bowers has a good perspective on the experience gained this season what the future may hold for the defensive line:

“I think we all made great strides [with] myself starting the last couple of games and Adrian (Clayborn) being in the starting lineup the whole season along with Mason (Foster),” Bowers said. “You know it just goes to show you what this team is going to be capable of in the future. Got a young team and hopefully we can get everybody back in next year and make a decent run at what we need to be on like the Super Bowl and all those type of things. Been a tough year, but [with] us being so young it is not necessarily a bad thing. It gives you a time to grow as a team and as a unit.”

That defensive line’s goal on Sunday will be to take down Atlanta Falcons’ QB Matt Ryan, as the Bucs try to finish the season strong. Here is the full injury report for the Falcons in week 17:

WR Arrelious Benn (neck) DNP
DE Michael Bennett (toe) DNP
DT Adrian Clayborn (hamstring) LP
LB Geno Hayes (finger) LP
DT Albert Haynesworth (knee) DNP
LB Adam Hayward (foot) FP
DT Roy Miller (back) DNP
WR Preston Parker (concussion) DNP
DT Brian Price (ankle) DNP
WR Sammie Stroughter (knee) FP
T Jeremy Trueblood (concussion) DNP

Legend

LP: Limited participation in practice
FP: Full participation
DNP: Did not practice

For more on the Falcons check out The Falcoholic, SB Nation’s Atlanta Falcons blog. For more on the Bucs check out Bucs Nation, SB Nation’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers blog. For more on the NFL, check out the SB Nation NFL hub page.

Read More: Arrelious Benn (WR – TAM), Da’Quan Bowers (DE – TAM), Atlanta Falcons, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made sure nearly everyone got an official NFL football for Christmas.

LeGarrette Blount gave one to Carolina linebacker James Anderson, fumbling a handoff on the Bucs’ first offensive play Saturday. Josh Freeman tossed one to defensive back Jonathan Nelson for an interception to start the third quarter. Kellen Winslow presented one to defensive tackle Andre Neblett. Sammie Stroughter donated another to linebacker Jason Williams.

The Bucs (4-11) turned the ball over four times, gift-wrapping half of the Panthers’ points in a 48-16 loss at Bank of America Stadium, their ninth defeat in a row.

In fact, so charitable was the Bucs offense that Carolina got into the spirit after it reached the end zone.

Cam Newton, who broke Peyton Manning’s NFL rookie passing yardage record while throwing three touchdowns and running for another, handed a football to a young fan in the first row after his 91-yard touchdown pass to Brandon LaFell. Later, after Newton’s 49-yard scoring run, LaFell took the football and gave it to another fan.

“When one person does one thing, everybody else does it,” Newton said. “Brandon got on me because I took his touchdown ball and gave it away. So I gave him my touchdown ball and he gave it away. It’s just the added dimension of just the fun we have on the field.”

Unfortunately for the Bucs, when the obituary is written on the 2011 season, the cause of death will be turnovers. In its first six games, Tampa Bay went 4-2 and committed eight turnovers. During this nine-game losing streak, the Bucs have given away footballs 28 times.

“That’s exactly it. That’s the story of the season — turnovers,” Bucs coach Raheem Morris said. “You cannot expect to win games turning the football over. The four turnovers (Saturday) led to points. Those things can’t happen. That was the difference between this year and last year.

“Last year, we didn’t turn the ball over. This year, we’re not able to maintain possession, we’re not able to keep people off the field, we’re not able to keep people on the field to wear them down. … That caused the lopsided margins. That’s making us look uncompetitive. That’s causing meltdowns. That’s causing poor (defense). That’s causing out-of-character offense. All these are happening because of turnovers. When those things happen, it’s a downhill spiral.”

Blount, who had fumbled four times (losing three) in his previous five games, was benched for the remainder of the first half after dropping the handoff from Freeman. Statistically, the fumble was credited to Freeman, but the quarterback and Morris put the blame squarely on Blount, who also said it was his fault.

“To not be able to execute the first play of the football game is unacceptable,” Morris said. “They’re obviously not ready to play. You’ve got to bring the other guys in. I’m not ready to quit on (Blount), but certainly (Saturday) wasn’t his day. You can’t let your team down that way.”

The Bucs defense also did its part. Newton and running backs Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams combined to rush 20 times for 219 yards. Even though they practiced stopping the Panthers’ spread option all week, the Bucs seemed helpless against it.

“It’s like college football,” cornerback Ronde Barber said. “You get ready for this week and you feel like you’re back at your alumni trying to get a big option guy down on the ground. (Newton’s) difficult.”

The first time Newton played the Bucs, he ran for three touchdowns and passed for another while breaking the NFL record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback with 13. On Saturday, he passed for three touchdowns and ran for another in breaking Manning’s rookie record of 3,739 passing yards.

“We go out and do this all … week,” Bucs defensive tackle Roy Miller said. “It’s like Rah says, ‘How can we do this in practice all week and come in a game and not do it?’ You’re sad, because you’re looking at Rah because he’s taking all this. You fumble the ball, you give up a 91-yard (pass). You can’t coach that. We’re coached every day to stop that. He’s taking all the blame and that’s bad, man. That’s bad.”

If there was a silver lining, it’s that the Bucs finally decided to spread the field on offense with three receivers and allow Freeman to increase the tempo out of the shotgun. Freeman completed 28 of 38 passes for 274 yards and a touchdown for a passer rating of 91.3. He also rushed for a score.

“I really like the offense we were in today, utilizing me as a quarterback to get into a rhythm and spread the ball around,” Freeman said. “I feel like it gets everybody involved.”

It also seemed every Bucs player was involved in the gift exchange program on Christmas Eve.

Good thing there’s only one game left. They’re about to run out of footballs.

Game time moved

The Tampa Bay at Atlanta game on Jan. 1 has been moved to 4:15 p.m. due to NFL flex scheduling.

Read More: Albert Haynesworth (DT – TAM), Adam Hayward (LB – TAM), Aqib Talib (CB – TAM), Josh Freeman (QB – TAM), Arrelious Benn (WR – TAM), Brian Price (DT – TAM), Larry Asante (S – TAM), Dallas Cowboys, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers hit the practice field today to get ready to take on the Dallas Cowboys. The Bucs are coming off a big loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars that also saw some players get banged up. The team was without four starters at practice today, including wide receiver Arrelious Benn who missed practice with a concussion.

DE Michael Bennett, DT Albert Haynesworth, DT Brian Price

The only other player who was limited in practice was wide receiver Sammie Stroughter with a knee injury. Quarterback Josh Freeman was listed on the injury report with a right shoulder injury, but he practiced in full without limitation. Safety Larry Asante, linebacker Adam Hayward, and cornerback Aqib Talib were also listed on the report but practice in full.

For more news, discussion, and analysis on the Buccaneers, visit SB Nation’s Buccaneers blog, Bucs Nation. For more on the Cowboys, please visit SB Nation Dallas and Blogging the Boys, SB Nation’s Cowboys blog. 

bucs Report

By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer

In Print: Saturday, October 22, 2011

In addition to punting, Michael Koenen (9) adds to the Bucs’ special teams with deep kickoffs. He has 14 touchbacks on 27 kickoffs in 2011.
	[CHRIS ZUPPA | Times]

BAGSHOT, England — Bucs DT Gerald McCoy wore a sweat suit Friday and did not participate in the team’s final practice at the Pennyhill resort and spa. But coach Raheem Morris said he will wait until before warmups Sunday to determine whether McCoy will play in London at Wembley Stadium against the Bears.

McCoy missed Sunday’s game against New Orleans with a sprained left ankle. He participated in limited practices Wednesday and Thursday.

“I feel good,” McCoy said. “We’ll just have to wait and see what the coach says” about playing Sunday.

Though he is listed as doubtful, RB LeGarrette Blount will miss his second straight game with a knee sprain.

“He didn’t practice this week, so we have a chance to see Earnest (Graham),” Morris said.

Graham rushed for 109 yards on 17 carries in the 26-20 win over the Saints.

The Bucs will also be without C Jeff Faine (biceps strain) and WR Sammie Stroughter (foot). Jeremy Zuttah will start at center, and Ted Larsen will take Zuttah’s spot at left guard.

TE Luke Stocker (ankle) is questionable but practiced all week. DE Michael Bennett (groin) is probable.

Following practice Friday, the Bucs moved to the Grosvenor House hotel in London.

SPECIAL K: The Bucs might have the antidote to Bears kick return master Devin Hester.

Punter/kicker Michael Koenen has played a huge role in the Bucs’ 4-2 start with his punting and his ability to consistently blast kickoffs through the end zone.

Against New Orleans, the Bucs were clinging to a 23-20 lead in the fourth quarter and backed up on fourth down at their 16-yard line. Koenen flipped the field position by hammering a 58-yard punt that was fielded by Darren Sproles, who lost 10 yards on the return to the Saints’ 16-yard line.

“He’s been very large for us this year,” GM Mark Dominik said. “I love the line from the coach who said ‘I never paid much attention to a punter before until I got this guy.’ Michael has been everything we’ve wanted to be as a kickoff specialist. He’s been a great holder, little things you don’t think about.”

No team was more opposed to the NFL’s decision to move the tee up 5 yards for kickoffs this season than the Bears, who believed the rule conspired to neutralize Hester.

Morris said this week the Bucs have no plans to kick to Hester. However, Koenen said directionally punting the ball out of bounds is not as easy as it looks.

“It’s hard, especially when you start thinking about who’s back there,” Koenen said. “So I try not to think about who’s back there. I try to game-plan for it.

“You’ve got rushers coming off the edges, and that makes it difficult. Yeah, it’s easier said than done.”

With Hester, kicking the ball into the end zone is not good enough. He is confident enough to return a kickoff even when he catches the ball with his feet walking a tightrope at the back of the end zone to keep from going out of bounds.

“The guy is the best returner who ever played football,” said Graham, who has covered him before.

“Honestly. I’ve never seen any other guy as good. He’s a guy who can change the game in a minute. I think he’s the best in the business, and if you don’t get him under control, he can win the game for them. So there’s a lot of focus on him.”

Bucs vs. Bears 1 p.m. Sunday, Wembley Stadium, London TV/radio: Ch. 13; 620-AM, 103.5-FM

[Last modified: Oct 21, 2011 09:32 PM]

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