By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer

In Print: Friday, December 2, 2011

TAMPA — For nearly three seasons, Josh Johnson has stood 10 yards behind Josh Freeman at practice, shadowing every play-fake, handoff and throw made by the Bucs starting quarterback.

“They look like synchronized swimmers,” offensive coordinator Greg Olson said.

But Johnson might not be just going through the motions this week. The fourth-year backup took snaps with the first team Wednesday and Thursday while Freeman has been limited by a sore right shoulder.

“I’m trying not to get too high or too low; just kind of trying to play on an even keel and be ready if they call upon me,” Johnson said. “I feel real excited to get back out there and play a whole four-quarter game. If the opportunity presents itself, I’m interested to see how it goes.

“I’ve been working hard the past two years for an opportunity like this, and I’m trying to get out there and execute the game plan.”

Freeman has shown progress, making some of what the team called “soft throws” on Thursday. Coach Raheem Morris said a decision on a starter might not be made until just before kickoff Sunday against the Panthers.

Freeman has a history of playing through pain. He broke his right thumb during the preseason of 2010 and sprained it against the Bears on Oct. 23. Neither time did he miss a start.

“We look at the progress,” Olson said of Freeman. “And from where he came on Sunday immediately after the game to (Wednesday to Thursday), there’s been a tremendous amount of improvement. Obviously, you take a player’s pain tolerance into factoring in whether or not you think he’s going to be able to play. Just based upon the improvement … I feel pretty good about it.”

Freeman’s latest injury came after fumbling the snap on the final offensive play Sunday against the Titans. The past two practices, he has been limited mostly to running plays.

“He … threw a couple of soft throws (Thursday),” Morris said. “He’s getting better. We’ll have to see. He’s a day-to-day type of guy. He’s a big man, strong guy, wants to play, wants to be there for his football team.”

Johnson, who can become a free agent after the season, has not started a game since 2009, losing to the Redskins, Eagles, Panthers and Patriots before Freeman took over. In those games, he went 59-of-115 for 649 yards, four touchdowns and eight interceptions.

This season, playing in the wildcat formation or mop-up duty, Johnson is 2-of-7 for 14 yards and has five rushes for 17 yards. But Olson said the Bucs won’t hesitate to start him.

“I know the locker room has a lot of trust in him,” Olson said. “And it’s just a matter of him getting a chance to go out there and play. I think some of the guys are excited he may have an opportunity to play.”

Johnson isn’t ready to rule Freeman out.

“You never know with Free,” said Johnson, 25, a fifth-round pick out of San Diego in 2008. “I’ve seen him play through a lot of injuries, a lot of stuff, be tough, be a warrior.”

Morris said the Bucs will have to weigh playing Freeman and risking further injury versus sitting but being close to 100 percent for the final month of the season.

“You’ve always got to be hesitant on what you want to do,” Morris said. “You don’t want to rush a guy back, get him hurt worse. (Freeman) is going to be here the next 10 years, hopefully, if not more.

“If he’s not ready to go, we won’t play him. If he’s ready to go, though, we’ll certainly play him.”

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Read More: Josh Johnson (QB – TAM), Josh Freeman (QB – TAM), Tennessee Titans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have listed starting quarterback Josh Freeman as day-to-day due to a right shoulder injury, said coach Raheem Morris. The three-year veteran did not throw in Wednesday’s practice–but did make handoffs–as a precaution, according to Rick Stroud of the St. Pete Times. “Morris said Freeman probably could have thrown the football Wednesday,” Stroud writes, “but trainers felt it was best to give him a day off.”

Tampa Bay hosts the Carolina Panthers this Sunday, Dec. 4. The Bucs will determine Freeman’s status for that game based on his performance Thursday and Friday in practice. “If he can go out there and execute the gameplan and give us the best chance to win, then he’ll play,” Morris said, according to Stroud. “He’s just got to go out there and practice.”

Josh Johnson took first-team reps at quarterback during Wednesday’s practice. As Freeman’s backup, Johnson has completed 2-of-7 passes for 14 yards in 2011.

Freeman injured himself trying to make a quarterback sneak on a fourth-and-one play in the Bucs’ loss to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. He fumbled the snap and got tackled, prompting the injury.

For more on the Bucs, please visit Bucs Nation, SB Nation’s Bucs blog.

Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera doesn’t care that his team got back on
track against the league’s only winless club last weekend.

There will be no apology coming if Carolina hands the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
their sixth consecutive loss.

With a chance to move ahead of the Buccaneers in the NFC South, the Panthers
look to win two in a row for the first time in two seasons Sunday at Raymond
James Stadium.

With the Panthers (3-8) coming off three straight losses – including a 49-35
defeat at Detroit on Nov. 20 in which they were outscored 35-8 in the second
half – Rivera said that last Sunday’s 27-19 victory over Indianapolis could be
“used as a springboard.” He has a clear response for those who might argue that
defeating a Colts team that fell to 0-11 is not a big enough win.

“People want to downplay this victory, that’s fine,” Rivera said Monday
after the Panthers snapped a franchise-record 12-game road losing streak. “Just
understand it’s the NFL and it really doesn’t matter. A win is a win and we’re
going to work off of it, feed off of it and use it to build.”

While the Panthers’ plan to move past last season’s 2-14 debacle and build
their franchise around Cam Newton(notes) hasn’t produced many wins, the rookie
quarterback is having a record-setting season.

Last year’s Heisman Trophy winner added to his rookie record with his 10th
rushing touchdown last Sunday, and he needs 647 yards passing to break Peyton
Manning’s(notes) rookie record of 3,739 set in 1998.

One goal Newton hasn’t accomplished is winning two in a row. The Panthers
last did that during a 3-0 stretch Dec. 20, 2009-Jan. 3, 2010.

“What I’d like to do is get him in a situation where he can have
back-to-back-to-back-to-back wins and see how he handles that,” Rivera said.
“It’s all about him growing and developing as a football player and that’ll help
us as a football team and I think the whole idea of drafting Cam and developing
Cam is for the future of this franchise.

“That young man can be here as long as we can have him if he stays healthy.
He’s an explosive football player that makes dynamic plays.”

Newton ran for 53 yards on nine carries last week as the Panthers piled up a
season-best 201 rushing yards.

That doesn’t bode well for a Buccaneers team that’s given up at least 177
yards on the ground in four of the last five games. Tampa Bay (4-7) allowed 202
rushing yards in last Sunday’s 23-17 loss at Tennessee.

“No excuses and no explanations,” said coach Raheem Morris, whose team last
dropped six straight during an 0-7 skid to begin his tenure in 2009. “We’ve got
to stop the run better at the end and we can’t turn the football over.”

Tampa Bay already has four more turnovers this season (23) than in 2010
after committing a season-high five against the Titans.

Third-year quarterback Josh Freeman’s(notes) rough season continued last Sunday
with an interception and a lost fumble. However, he said that a cut he suffered
on his right throwing thumb during a shooting range incident during the bye week
about a month ago is not an issue.

“The scratch on the thumb was purely cosmetic,” Freeman said. “The main
thing that affected me was the sprain (thumb suffered in a 24-18 loss to Chicago
on Oct. 23).”

Freeman also injured his right shoulder in the closing seconds of last
week’s game.

Whatever the problem is, Freeman needs to do a better job helping the
Buccaneers finish strong. Tampa Bay was a league-best 5-1 in games decided by
three points or fewer last season, but it’s lost three times this season in
games decided by seven or less.

With just six fewer attempts, Freeman already has twice as many
fourth-quarter INTs (6) than all of 2010.

“That’s been the deal,” Morris said. “… Last year we won those games. We
haven’t been able to get that this year.”

Tampa Bay was 2-0 against Carolina last season after losing 11 of the
previous 14 meetings. The Panthers were without injured running backs DeAngelo
Williams(notes) and Jonathan Stewart(notes) in a 31-16 loss at Raymond James Stadium on Nov.
14, 2010.

Carolina hosts the Buccaneers on Dec. 24.

By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer

In Print: Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Josh Freeman says that the cut to his right thumb he sustained on a firing range was “just cosmetic” and hasn’t affected his performance.
	[DANIEL WALLACE | Times]

TAMPA — Quarterback Josh Freeman had more trouble with his trigger hand than first believed.

Freeman needed five stitches in his right thumb when a gun he was firing at a shooting range recoiled Oct. 31, the Bucs confirmed Tuesday.

The mishap occurred during the Bucs’ bye week and eight days after Freeman sprained the thumb in a 24-18 loss to the Bears in London.

“Yes, there was a sprain,” Freeman said in a text message to the St. Petersburg Times on Tuesday. “The sprain was the worst part. The cut was just cosmetic.”

Freeman began wearing a wrap on the thumb Oct. 24 on the flight home from London, Bucs spokesman Jonathan Grella said. He has not missed a practice due to either injury. After viewing an interview with Freeman on the NFL Network in which he wore a wrap on the thumb, the Saints complained to the league office, and he was added to the injury report.

The cut was on the outside of the thumb and did not affect his ability to throw, Freeman said. He received five stitches.

Freeman met with general manager Mark Dominik on Nov. 1 about what happened at the gun range, but it did not violate any terms of his contract.

Since spraining the thumb, Freeman has thrown five touchdown passes and six interceptions and has lost four straight games while the Bucs have fallen to 4-7.

The accident at the shooting range was first reported Monday in a blog on the website Buccaneers101.com.

Freeman has not had the thumb wrapped in the past two games. He said two weeks ago the sprain bothered him “maybe a little.”

The Bucs, who have lost five straight games and six of their past seven, have watched Freeman’s passer rating drop from 95.9 in 2010 to 74.6 this season.

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By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer

In Print: Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman, right, reacts to throwing an interception in the fourth quarter on Sunday at Tennessee on a pass intended for tight end Kellen Winslow, left. The play set up a field goal for the Titans.
	[DANIEL WALLACE | Times]

TAMPA — From the start of his career, quarterback Josh Freeman knew how to finish games.

Freeman is the only player in NFL history to engineer eight fourth-quarter or overtime comebacks in his first two seasons. Two quarterbacks recorded seven comebacks in their first two seasons — Peyton Manning, in 31 games, and Jake Plummer, in 25 games.

But Freeman has lost his knack for the comeback, a reason the Bucs are 4-7 and have lost five straight games, coach Raheem Morris said Monday.

Freeman had two shots to bring the Bucs back in the final three minutes in Sunday’s 23-17 loss to the Titans. The first try ended when his pass to Kellen Winslow was intercepted and the other chance was aborted when Freeman fumbled a snap and was stopped for no gain on fourth and 1 from the Titans 25-yard line.

“We’ve had about, I think, three games right now with the ball in our hands and a chance to take the lead and win,” Morris said. “Last year we won those games. We finished the game and Free(man) was the fourth quarter Comeback Kid and we haven’t been able to get that this year.”

Freeman called his interception a miscommunication with Winslow but said he should not have forced the pass.

“We had our timeouts and we had plenty of time,” Freeman said. “It would have been fairly routine for us to drive down, but the turnover made things difficult. That’s something that at that point just can’t happen.”

Freeman isn’t the only reason the Bucs haven’t closed out games. Tampa Bay’s defense is ranked next to last in the NFL, allowing 394.6 yards per game. The Bucs also have the 29th scoring defense, yielding an average of 26.6 points.

When the Bucs have been in the game, the defense has played poorly down the stretch, having allowed 74 points in the final quarter through 11 games. A year ago, opponents scored 63 points in the fourth quarter all season.

Tampa Bay held Titans running back Chris Johnson to 46 rushing yards in the first half. He finished with 190 yards.

“He did a nice job of running the football and staying consistent with his breakout runs,” Morris said. “He had one on a breakdown by us. He broke a couple tackles in the second half.”

A Bucs breakdown led to the go-ahead touchdown. With Tampa Bay leading 17-13 late in the fourth quarter, the Titans faced fourth and goal at the 2-yard line. Morris said the Bucs faked the blitz and dropped seven into zone coverage. Titans quarterback Matt Hasselbeck extended the play before firing to receiver Damian Williams in the back of the end zone.

Morris said middle linebacker Mason Foster left his zone to pressure Hasselbeck and safety Sean Jones did not find the receiver he was supposed to cover.

“You go out and grab your man in the zone,” Morris said.

It shouldn’t have come to that. The Bucs had a chance to pad their lead in the fourth quarter after an 8-yard run by LeGarrette Blount on first down to the Titans 26-yard line. But Winslow was penalized for holding. On the next play, guard Jeremy Zuttah had a false start and then a holding penalty that was declined as the Bucs were forced to punt.

“That has to be avoided,” Freeman said. “You’re in field-goal range, if your guy beats you, LeGarrette is going to get back to the line of scrimmage. That was a moment in the game where we really needed those points. We just keep shooting ourselves in the foot.”

With five games remaining, Morris says the Bucs have to finish better.

“We have to play better,” Morris said. “We’ve got to execute better. We’ve got to do a better job. Free has to do a better job and we’ve got to go out there and do a better job executing at the end of games.”

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By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer

In Print: Monday, November 28, 2011

Titans running back Chris Johnson leaves Bucs defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth behind to gain some of his season-high 190 yards.
	[DANIEL WALLACE | Times]

NASHVILLE — Buccaneers players and coaches left LP Field on Sunday still screaming for a measurement, but you don’t need to stretch the yardsticks to know why they came up short.

In a game played on a cold and rainy day under a bruised sky, the Bucs committed five turnovers — fumbling five times and losing four — to fall 23-17 to the Titans.

Appropriately, the game ended with quarterback Josh Freeman dropping yet another wet football on the soggy turf. Facing fourth and inches, he fumbled the snap and was stopped short of the first down.

The Bucs’ fifth consecutive loss and sixth in seven games dropped them to 4-7.

The Titans’ Chris Johnson rushed for a season-high 190 yards (144 more than his season average going in). His 34-yard run helped set up Damian Williams’ 2-yard winning touchdown catch on fourth down with 3:01 left. The Titans’ only other touchdown came on an 84-yard kickoff return by Tommie Campbell, who took a handoff from Marc Mariani on a reverse at the 16.

“It’s a shame,” said Freeman, who also threw an interception. “What did we have, five turnovers? It makes it hard to win.

“We feel like we’re a better team than our record portrays. We’ve got to stop doing things that have been killing us all year. There’s nobody in that locker room that doesn’t feel sick every time we lose.”

What sickened the Bucs on Sunday was how their final drive played out.

With 1:08 left, no timeouts, and facing third and 10 from the Titans 34, Freeman hit running back Kregg Lumpkin with a pass. Freeman, believing Lumpkin had gained enough for the first down, ran to the line of scrimmage intending to spike the ball and stop the clock.

But referee Bill Leavy signaled fourth down. Instead, Freeman, trying a sneak, dropped the snap, picked up the ball and tried to hand it to receiver Arrelious Benn.

“I thought it was a first down,” Freeman said. “I looked over, and the officials appeared to be on the other side of the first-down marker. So I’m yelling, ‘Kill it! Kill it! Kill it!’ to save some time. Then it was, ‘Okay, it’s fourth and inches.’ So I’m like, ‘Shouldn’t they be measuring this?’

“I turn and look, and (Bucs center Jeff Faine) is trying to get a measurement. The ref was like, ‘Play it.’ I tried to call a sneak. Enough time had already run off the clock just trying to get a first down, and they didn’t have a chance to dry the ball off or anything. So it was just a mess.”

Officials are not required to measure for a first down if asked.

Faine said he knew immediately Freeman did not get the snap.

“I felt the ball hit the ground,” he said. “I’m kind of standing up because I know it’s below me somewhere. You know when it’s not right, and I felt the ball hit my foot. I was trying to locate the ball. It wasn’t a situation we handled right.”

Neither team did a good job handling the weather conditions. The Titans fumbled three times, losing two. And Matt Hasselbeck was intercepted twice, including one Aqib Talib returned 27 yards for a score to give the Bucs a 17-10 lead 2:56 into the third quarter.

In fact, the Bucs’ only offensive touchdown — a 3-yard pass from Freeman to Mike Williams with 13 seconds left in the first half — was set up when cornerback Ronde Barber punched the ball from running back Javon Ringer and safety Tanard Jackson returned the fumble to the Titans 29.

The Bucs’ LeGarrette Blount rushed for 103 yards on 20 carries and had 56 yards receiving, but he also lost two fumbles.

“Obviously, it was slippery,” Blount said. “There was nothing anybody could do except hold onto the ball tighter.”

Freeman had two chances over the final three minutes to bring the Bucs back. Trailing by a field goal with all three timeouts remaining, he tried to force a pass to tight end Kellen Winslow that was intercepted by rookie linebacker Colin McCarthy. The former Miami and Clearwater Central Catholic standout started for injured former Buc Barrett Ruud.

The Bucs forced the Titans to settle for a 38-yard field goal by Rob Bironas with 1:44 remaining. But they burned all of their timeouts in the process.

Freeman completed two 23-yard passes to Williams to get to the Titans 34 with 1:14 remaining then spiked the ball.

After an incompletion to Benn, he connected with Lumpkin for what he believed was a first down. Then the chaos ensued.

“It seems like we don’t ever get a call to go our way,” Bucs left tackle Donald Penn said. “I hope (commissioner Roger Goodell) sends us a letter explaining why we didn’t get that measurement down there at the end. You know that is the story of our season so far, penalties, turnovers. And you don’t blame it on the refs, but they have a big part.”

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The struggling Tampa Bay Buccaneers relish the challenge of having to beat the NFL’s hottest team to get their season back on track.

The Bucs (4-5) have played progressively worse in dropping three straight games, yet insist they have not lost confidence in themselves.

Tampa Bay travels to Green Bay this weekend to face the unbeaten Packers (9-0) and feels it not only is capable of playing the Super Bowl champions tough — but winning.

“We know they’re not going to take it easy, but you kind of hope they underestimate you a little bit and maybe we can sneak up on them,” offensive tackle Donald Penn said Wednesday.

Tampa Bay is coming off an embarrassing 37-9 loss that prompted coach Raheem Morris to question the effort of some players. The defense yielded 420 yards to the Texans to tumble to 31st in the NFL rankings, and the Bucs’ sputtering offense failed to score a touchdown until the fourth quarter for the second week in a row.

Green Bay, meanwhile, has won 15 straight dating to last season, the longest winning streak in franchise history.

“It’s a long season. We need to get a run going, fix the little things that we can control — effort, dumb penalties, things like that,” Penn said. “We do that and I think we’ll be back to where we need to be. … One thing we do is fight back. It’s a perfect test.”

The Bucs entered the season with heightened expectations after going 10-6 and narrowly missing the playoffs a year ago. They’ve lost four of five following a 3-1 start, and Morris is fielding questions about whether the league’s youngest team has regressed or simply is going through a tough stretch.

Third-year quarterback Josh Freeman is at the center of the struggles. After throwing for 25 touchdowns and just six interceptions in 2010, he has nine TD passes vs. 13 interceptions through nine games this season.

Freeman reiterated Wednesday that he doesn’t feel he’s taken a step back and that he’s actually a lot better player today than he was a year ago, even if his statistics don’t support the contention he initially made after being sacked four times and throwing three interceptions during last Sunday’s loss to the Texans.

He’s played two games and part of a third with a sprained thumb on his throwing hand, however Freeman insisted the injury didn’t hinder him that much during losses to Chicago, New Orleans and Houston.

“Being out there, you have to play well enough to win. … It’s near 100 percent right now, so it’s not something I’m concerned about,” Freeman said.

Morris also played down the severity of the injury, as well as how much it has affected Freeman’s play.

“In my eyes, I don’t see it as a factor. My young quarterback has to go out there and deliver the football with precision and timing,” the coach said. “This young man played with a broken finger for the first four games of last season. We won’t make excuses for a sprained thumb. And we won’t blame our losing streak on it.”

Despite the poor stretch, Freeman said he and his teammates remain confident. He agreed with Morris that effort was a problem against Houston, but expects the team to rebound against Green Bay.

“You have to go out and play with 100 percent effort,” Freeman said. “This league’s so competitive, if you don’t go out and give it the best you have, you’re not going to have a chance.”

Tampa Bay travels to Green Bay this weekend to face the unbeaten Packers (9-0) and feels it not only is capable of playing the Super Bowl champions tough — but winning.

“We know they’re not going to take it easy, but you kind of hope they underestimate you a little bit and maybe we can sneak up on them,” offensive tackle Donald Penn said Wednesday.

Tampa Bay is coming off an embarrassing 37-9 loss that prompted coach Raheem Morris to question the effort of some players. The defense yielded 420 yards to the Texans to tumble to 31st in the NFL rankings, and the Bucs’ sputtering offense failed to score a touchdown until the fourth quarter for the second week in a row.

Green Bay, meanwhile, has won 15 straight dating to last season, the longest winning streak in franchise history.

“It’s a long season. We need to get a run going, fix the little things that we can control — effort, dumb penalties, things like that,” Penn said. “We do that and I think we’ll be back to where we need to be. … One thing we do is fight back. It’s a perfect test.”

The Bucs entered the season with heightened expectations after going 10-6 and narrowly missing the playoffs a year ago. They’ve lost four of five following a 3-1 start, and Morris is fielding questions about whether the league’s youngest team has regressed or simply is going through a tough stretch.

Third-year quarterback Josh Freeman is at the center of the struggles. After throwing for 25 touchdowns and just six interceptions in 2010, he has nine TD passes vs. 13 interceptions through nine games this season.

Freeman reiterated Wednesday that he doesn’t feel he’s taken a step back and that he’s actually a lot better player today than he was a year ago, even if his statistics don’t support the contention he initially made after being sacked four times and throwing three interceptions during last Sunday’s loss to the Texans.

He’s played two games and part of a third with a sprained thumb on his throwing hand, however Freeman insisted the injury didn’t hinder him that much during losses to Chicago, New Orleans and Houston.

“Being out there, you have to play well enough to win. … It’s near 100 percent right now, so it’s not something I’m concerned about,” Freeman said.

Morris also played down the severity of the injury, as well as how much it has affected Freeman’s play.

“In my eyes, I don’t see it as a factor. My young quarterback has to go out there and deliver the football with precision and timing,” the coach said. “This young man played with a broken finger for the first four games of last season. We won’t make excuses for a sprained thumb. And we won’t blame our losing streak on it.”

Despite the poor stretch, Freeman said he and his teammates remain confident. He agreed with Morris that effort was a problem against Houston, but expects the team to rebound against Green Bay.

“You have to go out and play with 100 percent effort,” Freeman said. “This league’s so competitive, if you don’t go out and give it the best you have, you’re not going to have a chance.”

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer

Posted: Nov 16, 2011 12:56 PM

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman says the sprained thumb on his right throwing hand has affected him, ‘maybe a little bit,’ in the past three games.

Freeman injured the thumb in the Bucs 24-18 loss to the Chicago Bears in London, a game in which he threw four interceptions. The next week, Freeman said he took two hits on the thumb at New Orleans in a 27-16 loss to the Saints. On Sunday, Freeman was intercepted three times and failed to complete 50 percent of his passes in a 37-9 loss to the Houston Texans.

In the last three games, Freeman has two touchdown passes and seven interceptions.

Freeman was asked if the injury has had any effect on how he can throw or grip the football: “Maybe a little bit,” Freeman said. “But at the same time, being out there, you can’t really make excuses for anything. If you’re going to be out there playing, you’ve got to go out and prepare to play well.

“The Bears game, I kind of strained it. Then, right out of the gate in the Saints game, it gets hit again. Then it gets hit again and again. I’m feeling really good about it because this past week, Houston, I didn’t get it hit at all. I mean it feels good. Maybe the Saints were going for it, maybe not. I don’t know.”

The Saints notified the NFL office that Freeman should be on the Bucs injury report when they saw him in an interview with the NFL Network wearing a splint on his right thumb several days prior to their game with the Bucs. Freeman has been on the injury report ever since, even though he has not been limited in practice.

Freeman said he threw the ball well in the walk-through Wednesday morning.

“Being out there, you have to play well enough to win,” Freeman said. “The thumb is continuing to get better, it’s feeling great. I’d say nearly 100 percent right now. It’s not something I’m concerned about…it’s basically normal.”

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By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer

In Print: Monday, November 14, 2011

TAMPA — You recognize the 6-foot-6 player under center, the curly hair squeezing from underneath the helmet. The strong right arm and No. 5 on his back are dead giveaways.

But Josh Freeman isn’t the same quarterback as he was last season.

Needless to say, the Bucs aren’t the same team, either.

Freeman was intercepted three more times Sunday — one deflecting off the hands of Kellen Winslow, one deflecting off the hands of Arrelious Benn — in the Bucs’ 37-9 loss to the Texans before 56,037 at Raymond James Stadium.

“Nothing is wrong with me,” Freeman said. “I feel like I’m a better quarterback this year than I was last year. As crazy as that might sound looking at the numbers, I feel like I continue to get better with my preparation and execution. I feel like I’m throwing the ball as well as I ever have. Things just aren’t going my way.”

For the ninth time in nine games this season, Tampa Bay failed to score an offensive touchdown during the first quarter.

It trailed 16-3 at halftime and 30-3 to start the fourth.

By losing their third straight game and fourth of the past five, the Bucs (4-5) are closer to the cellar in the NFC South (two games ahead of Carolina) than first place (2½ games behind New Orleans).

In the third quarter, when the game was still within reach, Freeman went 1-for-5 for zero yards, was sacked three times and intercepted twice.

A year after throwing 25 touchdowns and only six interceptions, Freeman has nine and 13, respectively. His 72.1 passer rating is 23.8 points lower than where he finished 2010.

It might be as simple as this: Freeman doesn’t get to face the Bucs defense.

It took only 12 seconds for the Texans (7-3) to make Freeman play catch-up.

On the game’s first play from scrimmage, the Bucs defenders bit hard on a play-action fake to running back Arian Foster before Matt Schaub connected with Jacoby Jones. Jones caught the ball at the Bucs 47, evaded safeties Tanard Jackson and Sean Jones and ran toward the end zone for an 80-yard touchdown.

The Bucs’ poor tackling also accounted for the Texans’ second touchdown. Foster caught a short pass from Schaub in the left flat and sidestepped matador tackle attempts by Jones and cornerback Aqib Talib on his way to a 78-yard touchdown.

After watching his team be outscored 136-46 in its past four losses, coach Raheem Morris tried to shoulder the blame.

“I refuse to believe that our guys are that bad,” he said, “so it has to be my fault.”

For the game, the Bucs were outgained 420-231 (185-90 on the ground) and held the ball 10:12 less than the Texans. Despite claiming defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth (five tackles, blocked extra point) off waivers from New England on Wednesday, Tampa Bay couldn’t slow Foster (17 rushes, 84 yards, one touchdown) or Ben Tate (13 carries, 63 yards, one touchdown).

Oh, and Houston played without the injured Andre Johnson, one of the league’s top receivers.

Unable to shake the Bucs from their doldrums, Morris said he would change the practice routine this week and hinted at more padded workouts in preparation for Sunday’s game at Green Bay against the defending Super Bowl champions.

“The last few weeks have been tough,” Morris said. “The guys right now are not playing well, and we’ve got to find a way to get better.

“You’ve got to go out and get your pads on because we’re not making plays in pads.”

Despite playing with a bandage on the right thumb of his throwing hand (which he sprained three weeks ago against Chicago), Freeman said it had no effect on his performance. He finished 15-of-35 for 170 yards, was sacked four times, intercepted three times and finished with a passer rating of 31.8.

In fact, 14 Texans points came after interceptions.

“They’re a really good defense. They came as advertised,” Freeman said of the Texans, who entered with the NFL’s top-ranked unit and maintained the ranking. “They generated some pass rush and really didn’t allow us to get into any offensive rhythm.

“It’s just that we have not played nearly up to our potential. We are a young team. And as a young team, you have to understand this is the NFL. You see some success, and you can’t rest on that.”

Rick Stroud can be reached at stroud@sptimes.com.

Brother of Bucs receiver shot near Illinois campus

Illinois linebacker Trulon Henry, the older brother of Bucs receiver Arrelious Benn, was shot above the right wrist, the bullet exiting through his ring finger, rupturing an artery and breaking bones, as he tried to get teammates to leave a large house party near campus early Sunday. Henry, a 27-year-old senior who is married and has a daughter, had surgery Sunday and will miss at least the rest of the regular season.

“I was only there for three minutes,” he said. “I was trying to get everyone in the car. (Someone) started shooting. It’s crazy.”

Urbana police said two others, neither Illinois students, were wounded. Coach Ron Zook said Henry went to the party to clear out his teammates after a player called to tell him a fight had broken out. Police were searching for the shooter. Benn also played at Illinois.

Times wires

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By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer

In Print: Monday, November 14, 2011

TAMPA — You recognize the 6-foot-6 player under center, the curly hair squeezing from underneath the helmet. The strong right arm and No. 5 on his back are dead giveaways.

But Josh Freeman isn’t the same quarterback as he was last season.

Needless to say, the Bucs aren’t the same team, either.

Freeman was intercepted three more times Sunday — one deflecting off the hands of Kellen Winslow, one deflecting off the hands of Arrelious Benn — in the Bucs’ 37-9 loss to the Texans before 56,037 at Raymond James Stadium.

“Nothing is wrong with me,” Freeman said. “I feel like I’m a better quarterback this year than I was last year. As crazy as that might sound looking at the numbers, I feel like I continue to get better with my preparation and execution. I feel like I’m throwing the ball as well as I ever have. Things just aren’t going my way.”

For the ninth time in nine games this season, Tampa Bay failed to score an offensive touchdown during the first quarter.

It trailed 16-3 at halftime and 30-3 to start the fourth.

By losing their third straight game and fourth of the past five, the Bucs (4-5) are closer to the cellar in the NFC South (two games ahead of Carolina) than first place (2½ games behind New Orleans).

In the third quarter, when the game was still within reach, Freeman went 1-for-5 for zero yards, was sacked three times and intercepted twice.

A year after throwing 25 touchdowns and only six interceptions, Freeman has nine and 13, respectively. His 72.1 passer rating is 23.8 points lower than where he finished 2010.

It might be as simple as this: Freeman doesn’t get to face the Bucs defense.

It took only 12 seconds for the Texans (7-3) to make Freeman play catch-up.

On the game’s first play from scrimmage, the Bucs defenders bit hard on a play-action fake to running back Arian Foster before Matt Schaub connected with Jacoby Jones. Jones caught the ball at the Bucs 47, evaded safeties Tanard Jackson and Sean Jones and ran toward the end zone for an 80-yard touchdown.

The Bucs’ poor tackling also accounted for the Texans’ second touchdown. Foster caught a short pass from Schaub in the left flat and sidestepped matador tackle attempts by Jones and cornerback Aqib Talib on his way to a 78-yard touchdown.

After watching his team be outscored 136-46 in its past four losses, coach Raheem Morris tried to shoulder the blame.

“I refuse to believe that our guys are that bad,” he said, “so it has to be my fault.”

For the game, the Bucs were outgained 420-231 (185-90 on the ground) and held the ball 10:12 less than the Texans. Despite claiming defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth (five tackles, blocked extra point) off waivers from New England on Wednesday, Tampa Bay couldn’t slow Foster (17 rushes, 84 yards, one touchdown) or Ben Tate (13 carries, 63 yards, one touchdown).

Oh, and Houston played without the injured Andre Johnson, one of the league’s top receivers.

Unable to shake the Bucs from their doldrums, Morris said he would change the practice routine this week and hinted at more padded workouts in preparation for Sunday’s game at Green Bay against the defending Super Bowl champions.

“The last few weeks have been tough,” Morris said. “The guys right now are not playing well, and we’ve got to find a way to get better.

“You’ve got to go out and get your pads on because we’re not making plays in pads.”

Despite playing with a bandage on the right thumb of his throwing hand (which he sprained three weeks ago against Chicago), Freeman said it had no effect on his performance. He finished 15-of-35 for 170 yards, was sacked four times, intercepted three times and finished with a passer rating of 31.8.

In fact, 14 Texans points came after interceptions.

“They’re a really good defense. They came as advertised,” Freeman said of the Texans, who entered with the NFL’s top-ranked unit and maintained the ranking. “They generated some pass rush and really didn’t allow us to get into any offensive rhythm.

“It’s just that we have not played nearly up to our potential. We are a young team. And as a young team, you have to understand this is the NFL. You see some success, and you can’t rest on that.”

Rick Stroud can be reached at stroud@sptimes.com.

Brother of Bucs receiver shot near Illinois campus

Illinois linebacker Trulon Henry, the older brother of Bucs receiver Arrelious Benn, was shot above the right wrist, the bullet exiting through his ring finger, rupturing an artery and breaking bones, as he tried to get teammates to leave a large house party near campus early Sunday. Henry, a 27-year-old senior who is married and has a daughter, had surgery Sunday and will miss at least the rest of the regular season.

“I was only there for three minutes,” he said. “I was trying to get everyone in the car. (Someone) started shooting. It’s crazy.”

Urbana police said two others, neither Illinois students, were wounded. Coach Ron Zook said Henry went to the party to clear out his teammates after a player called to tell him a fight had broken out. Police were searching for the shooter. Benn also played at Illinois.

Times wires

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By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer

In Print: Saturday, November 12, 2011

Bucs tight end Kellen Winslow is unable to pull in a touchdown reception in Sunday’s game against the Saints. Tampa Bay drove into New Orleans territory eight times in the game but those situations yielded one TD, three field goals (one in the red zone), two punts, one turnover on downs and on the final such drive, the game ended.
	[Getty Images]

TAMPA — Rarely do numbers tell the whole story of what occurs on a football field. But, at times, some are undeniable.

Take, for instance, the fact that the Bucs rank last in red zone efficiency, scoring touchdowns on just 36.4 percent of occasions when the offense reaches an opponent’s 20-yard line.

The problem cropped up again Sunday at New Orleans, where Tampa Bay’s first three scoring drives ended with field goals. The Bucs technically were 1-for-2 in scoring touchdowns in the red zone, but the day’s events were indicative of a problem that has plagued this team all season.

Put simply, too many drives end in field goals.

And when the opposition finds the end zone with regularity, the math isn’t difficult.

“We’ve had our opportunities,” quarterback Josh Freeman said. “(The execution) has been a hair off. If we’re on, we’ve got touchdowns there. We ended up kicking more field goals than (scoring) touchdowns. And it’s hard to win in this division, especially against the Saints, if you’re not scoring touchdowns.”

Generally, the Bucs have moved the ball efficiently this season. They are on pace to surpass last season’s totals in first downs, passing yards and total yards. Conversely, they are down in one important category: scoring. Tampa Bay averages 18.4 points per game, 24th in the league, and a major reason is its inability to convert when within striking distance.

Consider Sunday’s game. The Bucs gave up the ball on downs at the Saints 29 in the first quarter. Then, they settled for field goals after reaching the Saints 22-, 30-, and 7-yard line at various points.

So, what’s behind this seemingly chronic problem?

At times coaches chalked it up to costly interceptions. Freeman has thrown four inside the 20, including two on Oct. 23 against the Bears.

But that hasn’t always been the problem. Against the Saints, the failures stemmed from poor execution, including a couple of inexact throws from Freeman.

“Looking back on it, it was a combination of turnovers early on,” offensive coordinator Greg Olson said. “We’re cleaning that up. Last week, it was partly a lack of execution. We made a point of (saying) we’ve got to do a better job of transferring what we’re doing on the practice field in those situations, to the game.

“We went back and looked at our practice reps on Monday after the loss. We said, ‘Here’s the practice reps, and here it is on game day.’ We need to transfer it to game day, and we didn’t do that. It’s a constant process.”

Said Freeman: “Everything in the red zone is more condensed. It’s got to happen faster, and we just haven’t been on our game and haven’t been making a lot of plays.”

Defenses obviously play a role. Defensive coordinators have used a variety of tactics inside the red zone. Receiver Mike Williams — a prime target in the red zone last season who has just one touchdown in 2011 — said defenses often play zone coverages in the red zone.

In those scenarios, because the area being covered is smaller, Freeman has smaller windows to throw the ball. Also, Williams said, “opportunity balls” or jump balls he often caught for touchdowns from Freeman in the past, are harder to complete against zones. Unfortunately for the Bucs, such throws are a staple of their red zone offense.

“We’re getting a lot of zone in the red zone, not man-to-man coverage,” Williams said. “I guess a lot of teams see that (on film). With man-to-man, the jump ball is the best call.”

The red zone struggles are a problem that won’t and can’t be ignored. Olson continues to work to make his unit sharper at the most critical moments. He knows there’s no other choice.

“The red zone for us has been a thorn in our side this season,” he said. “It’s unacceptable.”

Stephen F. Holder can be reached at sholder@sptimes.com.

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By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer

In Print: Saturday, November 12, 2011

Bucs tight end Kellen Winslow is unable to pull in a touchdown reception in Sunday’s game against the Saints. Tampa Bay drove into New Orleans territory eight times in the game but those situations yielded one TD, three field goals (one in the red zone), two punts, one turnover on downs and on the final such drive, the game ended.
	[Getty Images]

TAMPA — Rarely do numbers tell the whole story of what occurs on a football field. But, at times, some are undeniable.

Take, for instance, the fact that the Bucs rank last in red zone efficiency, scoring touchdowns on just 36.4 percent of occasions when the offense reaches an opponent’s 20-yard line.

The problem cropped up again Sunday at New Orleans, where Tampa Bay’s first three scoring drives ended with field goals. The Bucs technically were 1-for-2 in scoring touchdowns in the red zone, but the day’s events were indicative of a problem that has plagued this team all season.

Put simply, too many drives end in field goals.

And when the opposition finds the end zone with regularity, the math isn’t difficult.

“We’ve had our opportunities,” quarterback Josh Freeman said. “(The execution) has been a hair off. If we’re on, we’ve got touchdowns there. We ended up kicking more field goals than (scoring) touchdowns. And it’s hard to win in this division, especially against the Saints, if you’re not scoring touchdowns.”

Generally, the Bucs have moved the ball efficiently this season. They are on pace to surpass last season’s totals in first downs, passing yards and total yards. Conversely, they are down in one important category: scoring. Tampa Bay averages 18.4 points per game, 24th in the league, and a major reason is its inability to convert when within striking distance.

Consider Sunday’s game. The Bucs gave up the ball on downs at the Saints 29 in the first quarter. Then, they settled for field goals after reaching the Saints 22-, 30-, and 7-yard line at various points.

So, what’s behind this seemingly chronic problem?

At times coaches chalked it up to costly interceptions. Freeman has thrown four inside the 20, including two on Oct. 23 against the Bears.

But that hasn’t always been the problem. Against the Saints, the failures stemmed from poor execution, including a couple of inexact throws from Freeman.

“Looking back on it, it was a combination of turnovers early on,” offensive coordinator Greg Olson said. “We’re cleaning that up. Last week, it was partly a lack of execution. We made a point of (saying) we’ve got to do a better job of transferring what we’re doing on the practice field in those situations, to the game.

“We went back and looked at our practice reps on Monday after the loss. We said, ‘Here’s the practice reps, and here it is on game day.’ We need to transfer it to game day, and we didn’t do that. It’s a constant process.”

Said Freeman: “Everything in the red zone is more condensed. It’s got to happen faster, and we just haven’t been on our game and haven’t been making a lot of plays.”

Defenses obviously play a role. Defensive coordinators have used a variety of tactics inside the red zone. Receiver Mike Williams — a prime target in the red zone last season who has just one touchdown in 2011 — said defenses often play zone coverages in the red zone.

In those scenarios, because the area being covered is smaller, Freeman has smaller windows to throw the ball. Also, Williams said, “opportunity balls” or jump balls he often caught for touchdowns from Freeman in the past, are harder to complete against zones. Unfortunately for the Bucs, such throws are a staple of their red zone offense.

“We’re getting a lot of zone in the red zone, not man-to-man coverage,” Williams said. “I guess a lot of teams see that (on film). With man-to-man, the jump ball is the best call.”

The red zone struggles are a problem that won’t and can’t be ignored. Olson continues to work to make his unit sharper at the most critical moments. He knows there’s no other choice.

“The red zone for us has been a thorn in our side this season,” he said. “It’s unacceptable.”

Stephen F. Holder can be reached at sholder@sptimes.com.

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By Joe Smith and Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writers

In Print: Friday, November 4, 2011

TAMPA — There was a surprise on the Bucs’ injury report Thursday. Coach Raheem Morris revealed QB Josh Freeman suffered a sprained right thumb Oct. 23 in the loss to the Bears.

But Morris said Freeman’s injury is not an issue, he has practiced without limitations and he will play Sunday against the Saints. The issue came up when Freeman was spotted in a Wednesday NFL Network interview with the thumb wrapped.

“Ask the Saints. I guess they reported it; you can ask those guys,” Morris quipped. “That’s why we reported it, because the league asked us to. (Freeman) sprained it in the Chicago game, came in and practiced during the bye week, and didn’t miss anything this week.”

Morris appeared amused with all the fuss over the taped thumb and joked with reporters that he can “make it a big deal if you want me to.”

He smiled and said: “You know, (Freeman) might not be playing against the Saints, I don’t know. I’ll go Belichick on you guys,” referring to Patriots coach Bill Belichick, who is typically evasive when it comes to injuries.

The Bucs were emphatic they weren’t worried about Freeman.

LIKE VLADE: Saints TE Jimmy Graham has been a tough matchup for a lot of teams, including the Bucs. He racked up seven catches for 124 yards in Tampa Bay’s 26-20 win on Oct. 16. Graham (6 feet 6, 260 pounds), a second-year pro, has 25 catches for 346 yards the past four games.

“Jimmy Graham had a good game against everybody,” Morris said. ” He’s big, fast, got a lot of (former Lakers 7-foot-1 center) Vlade Divac in him, has a little bit of flop in him. He’s a talented young individual who creates a bunch of problems for people because of his rare athleticism and his rare speed and his rare size.”

PICK IT UP: Offensive coordinator Greg Olson said the staff looked through all Freeman’s passes this season during the bye week and did a lot of “self-evaluation” on how they can help put the quarterback in better situations. Freeman has 10 interceptions in seven games, four more than he had all last year.

“We always talk about it as a team. Interceptions are not just the quarterback’s fault,” Olson said. “But he has a big hand in it. A lot of it is the decision-making process, and we’ve got to make the decision-making easier for him so he’s not forcing those throws.”

FEEL THE PAIN: Defensive backs coach Jimmy Lake can empathize with Saints coach Sean Payton, who had surgery to repair a bone fracture and a torn knee ligament after being hurt when he was caught on the sideline in a tackle in the loss to the Bucs. Lake suffered a torn patellar tendon in his left knee in the game.

Payton had surgery the following day and coached from a booth the next Sunday, a 62-7 win over the Colts. That was impressive to Lake, who had his procedure after returning from London and had last week off to recover. Lake will coach from the sideline Sunday.

“I felt better presurgery; the after-surgery thing is no joke, with all the stuff they put in you,” Lake said. “It’s not good. At least I had the bye after my surgery. I don’t know how (Payton) coached a game after his surgery, because I was out of it for a couple of days.”

MEDICAL MATTERS: S Tanard Jackson (hamstring) was added to the injury report because he did not practice, but the team said he did not have a setback and got a day off because it had an extra day of preparation coming off the bye week.

Times staff writer Stephen Holder contributed to this report.

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