Offense

The Cowboys average 24.4 points (10th-most) thanks to a balanced attack. Tony Romo (26 TDs, 9 INTs) has terrific targets in Miles Austin, Dez Bryant, Laurent Robinson and Jason Witten. RB DeMarco Murray was lost for the season after fracturing an ankle last week, but Felix Jones can carry the load, as evidenced by his 137 total yards vs. the Giants.

Buccaneers QB Josh Freeman practiced fully this week after playing through shoulder discomfort in the blowout loss to Jacksonville. Even healthy, it’s hard to trust Freeman (12 TDs, 18 INTs), who has regressed in a big way. WR Dezmon Briscoe likely will start opposite Mike Williams with Arrelious Benn dealing with a concussion. LeGarrette Blount averages 5.0 yards per carry but has fumbled five times. The Bucs average 17.8 points (26th-most).

Edge: Dallas

Defense

DeMarcus Ware (15 sacks) leads a fierce Dallas pass rush, but the linebackers and secondary are subpar. The Cowboys give up 243.2 passing yards (24th) and 21.6 points per game (16th). Corner Terence Newman is no longer elite or even above average.

Tampa Bay just gave up 41 points to Jacksonville’s pathetic offense. The Bucs rank 31st in points allowed (28.5). Injuries have decimated the defensive front, and Tampa is allowing 4.6 yards per carry. The only good news is that top corner Aqib Talib (hamstring) practiced fully and is expected to start.

Edge: Dallas

Special teams

The Cowboys have failed on crucial field-goal tries at the end of their last two games, with one getting blocked. But Dan Bailey is still 31 of 35 this season.

The Bucs’ Connor Barth is 24 of 26 on field-goal tries, including hitting 2 of 3 from 50-plus yards. Both teams are mediocre in the return game.

Edge: Tampa Bay

Word on the street

“I think he’s proven to us that he can carry the ball more. We can throw it to him more. He carried the load (last Sunday night) and did a really nice job for us. And we’ve got a lot of confidence in him.” – Dallas coach Jason Garrett’s on Felix Jones as a workhorse back in the absence of DeMarco Murray.

“The guys, they support me through wins, through losses, through whatever. I know there’s a cloud outside the organization, but there’s a ray of sunshine in the building.” – Tampa Bay coach Raheem Morris, whose job is in jeopardy due to the team’s seven-game skid.

The Dallas Cowboys have to be concerned heading into the Saturday night game with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 15 of the NFL season. DeMarcus Ware suffered a neck stinger in the loss to Arizona and spent much of the final quarter of the game on the sidelines, as the Cardinals came from behind, to win. He then was in and out of the Giants game, and without him in key moments, Dallas fell again.

Ware missed practice heading into the short week game but should be ready for the Buccaneers’ game.

Ware said that missing a lot of the Giants game, despite the Cowboys losing, was better for him because now he is ready to go. That is good news for the Dallas Cowboys and bad news for Josh Freeman and the Bucs.

On the 2011 season, Ware sits at 15 sacks on the season, tied for second in the NFL. He took the lead two weeks ago but Jared Allen roared back with three sacks in Week 14. Of course, Ware has four double-digit sack games in the year, so don’t count him out.

Don’t look at Ware’s game against the Giants, with his four tackles, two solo, and no sacks for his status this week. There have been four games this season he did not record a sack but he has never gone back-to-back games without a sack this season. The Buccaneers are decent protecting their quarterback, only allowing 24 sacks on the season, but Ware is pretty good as well.

At one point this season, DeMarcus Ware was on pace to break Michael Strahan’s record of 22.5 sacks in a season. However, Ware now needs 7.5 sacks in the final three games, which is not likely. What is possible is Allen’s chance to break the record, needing only five in three games. You can bet Ware wants to keep his name in the race.

Over seven seasons, Ware has never missed a game with an injury. He didn’t miss the Giants game, although he was ineffective. Ware should definitely be ready to make up for it against the Buccaneers.

Author Shawn S. Lealos has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma (2000) and has been a Dallas Cowboys’ fan since he was a child. His favorite players range from Roger Staubach and Tony Dorsett to the Triplets of the 90s and he enjoys talking about all Cowboys’ related news, good or bad

Source: dallascowboys.com

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

TAMPA — The Bucs were coasting along with a 14-0 lead against a team that had been averaging fewer than 13 points, and it seemed the possibilities were endless.

And then it happened.

A tidal wave buried the Bucs, the Jaguars scoring 28 consecutive points while Tampa Bay seemingly couldn’t decide what to do about it. Jacksonville scored in every conceivable fashion: on special teams, on defense, on offense.

As the stunning sequence played out Sunday, you might have wondered why the Bucs couldn’t stop the bleeding. That’s still unclear, but the team’s inability to respond to challenging situations has undoubtedly been a question all season.

“It just was a spiral, a funk we couldn’t get out of until, eventually, it overtook you and (we) lost the football game,” coach Raheem Morris said.

The Bucs went on to lose 41-14.

“That’s the thing that happened the other day,” Morris added. “You have to find a way to break that, whether it’s (Michael) Koenen bombing a punt and pinning them on their 1-yard line or going out there and getting a three-and-out (on defense). … Those are the things you have to have happen when things start to spiral on you. You need somebody to make a play.”

But that takes mettle. And it requires poise. There have been instances this season that raised questions about whether the Bucs possess enough of those qualities.

Other prime examples:

• On Oct. 9 at San Francisco, the Bucs trailed the 49ers 7-3 in the first quarter, having just recovered a Frank Gore fumble, when the turbulence hit. Quarterback Josh Freeman’s interception was returned 31 yards by cornerback Carlos Rogers for a touchdown. Instead of answering, the Bucs fell apart. Freeman threw another interception and the 49ers converted with a Gore touchdown run, making it 21-3. The Bucs barely showed a pulse the rest of the way, losing 48-3.

• On Nov. 13 versus Houston, Tampa Bay was blindsided by first-half touchdowns of 80 and 78 yards, including Jacoby Jones’ catch and run on the Texans’ first play from scrimmage. The Bucs failed to compose themselves, managing just a field goal before yielding 14 consecutive points in the third quarter.

As with many questions about this team, some of the answers can be traced to inexperience. With a roster full of players who are untested as pros, many Bucs can’t rely on past experience in these predicaments.

“I think it does take time (to learn),” linebacker Geno Hayes said. “Sometimes you can get a little complacent and you can get into a little slump and not come out of it. I think a lot of young guys are learning that once that (bad) play is over, we have to move on to the next play. You can only do better on the next play. I think that’s something guys are really picking up on when we watch film.”

Morris often talks about qualities such as mental toughness and calls distractions “gray matter.” But it’s one thing to talk about it and another to actually face such obstacles.

And in the NFL, rarely do things go the way they are planned. Opponents are there to make certain of that.

“When Raheem first got the job, there was a phrase that he kept throwing at us,” linebacker Quincy Black said. “It was ‘love to be miserable.’ It didn’t make sense at first.

“But you have to realize that this is a man’s game. Things are going to happen in games that are not necessarily going to be in your control. At the same time, you have to learn to control the things that are and do your best and perform when the opportunity arises. You have to do your job.”

What’s interesting is the Bucs in 2010 were renowned for weathering, and eventually overcoming, storms. But will we see that again?

“We’ve had some situations where we’ve turned the ball over and fallen behind,” offensive coordinator Greg Olson said. “We have to come back, and we’ve proven it. We’ve done it in the past. We have to get back to that confidence level and do it again.”

In the NFL, there will be unfortunate moments. What the Bucs do then will ultimately define them.

“We just have to handle ourselves better,” cornerback Ronde Barber said. “We have to handle adversity and find a way through it.”

Stephen F. Holder can be reached at sholder@tampabay.com or (813) 226-3377.

Rumors that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers almost fired coach Raheem Morris following their 41-14 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars began circulating Wednesday night, continuing a string of bad news for the three-year coaching veteran. An anonymous Buccaneer criticized Morris for his lack of leadership in a Tuesday report from Yahoo1 Sports, and fans of the team are beginning to question his credentials. Tampa Bay has lost seven straight games to fall to 4-9, and into a tie with the Carolina Panthers for last place in the NFC South.

But defensive tackle Gerald McCoy stood up for his coach. Thursday afternoon, McCoy sent the following Twitter message to his 22,000-plus followers:

Everybody stop worrying about our coach and just back us up as we go and tr and knock off the cowboys!! #bucnation

McCoy here urges fans to support the team, deflecting attention from the embattled coach. It’s a positive message from the No. 3 overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, who’s among the Bucs’ core players.

Morris’ record with Tampa Bay stands at 17-28. Under him, the Bucs had a surprisingly strong 2010 season, finishing 10-6 thanks in part to the emergence of quarterback Josh Freeman. But Tampa Bay has disappointed mightily in 2011.

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

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. 

By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer

In Print: Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Jaguars defensive end Jeremy Mincey reaches Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman on Sunday. The Bucs committed seven turnovers in their loss.
	[DANIEL WALLACE | Times]

TAMPA — No matter how many times Bucs left tackle Donald Penn knocks down pass rushers, he is only noticed when he has to help quarterback Josh Freeman get back on his feet.

Penn, named to the Pro Bowl last year, routinely stifles the league’s best sack masters. But Saturday he faces his toughest assignment — blocking out his uncharacteristically poor performance Sunday against the Jaguars.

Penn allowed a first-half sack that resulted in a Freeman fumble recovered for a Jaguars touchdown in a 41-14 loss Sunday. Freeman was harassed all day, sacked three times, pulled down by his facemask for a personal foul and hit on two other occasions. He threw two interceptions.

Bucs coach Raheem Morris called it Penn’s worst game of the year. Penn doesn’t disagree.

“I’m not happy with the way I played,” Penn said Tuesday. “We’ll see how this week goes. I’m not happy with myself, I need to play better. I can’t let up. I always talk about it. I did, I’ll be the first one to stand here and tell you. I wish I could have three or four plays back. It would’ve helped us. But I’ve got to do better. I hold myself to high standards and that wasn’t good enough on my part. What perfect way to get better than this weekend.”

Pass protection will be paramount for Penn when he faces Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware, who is tied for second in the NFL with 15 sacks and has 94 for his career.

Ware can flip to either side, which means right tackle Jeremy Trueblood will be also be tested. But it’s Penn’s job to keep Freeman clean on his blindside and Ware has made some long days for left tackles this season.

“He’s having a great year this year,” Penn said. “Man, it’s going to be tough. He’s going to come at me. We’re going to have a good battle and he’s a good player. I’m going to have to really recoup. I put some bad things on film last week, I’ve got to make sure I switch it up and change it up so he doesn’t take advantage of what I did. But that wasn’t me.”

The Bucs (4-9) have lost seven games in a row and eight of their past nine. Playing the Cowboys in primetime on the NFL Network is rife with potential for ridicule or redemption.

“We’re grinding through it,” Penn said. “We’re still playing hard, we’re still holding each other to a high standard and we’re going to get through it. It’s a learning stage, too. We’re growing while we’re learning.”

At Jacksonville, seven turnovers led to 41 unanswered points, including 28 in 7 ½ minutes in the second quarter.

“It happened so fast, you’ve got to … take a deep breath and get back to playing one play at a time,” Penn said. “I wish we would’ve done some different things. We’ve got to get better and stop making so many mistakes.”

Behind Penn, the Bucs have done an extraordinary job protection Freeman. Despite yielding three sacks last week, they’re tied for eighth in the NFL in sacks allowed with 24.

“I don’t know whether you want to consider DeMarcus a d-lineman? A linebacker?” Morris said. “Whatever you want to call him, just call him a good football player and you’ve just got to be ready to deal with him on Saturday.”

Like always, Penn says he’ll have Freeman’s back.

“I don’t want to make it bigger than it is,” Penn said. “I’m going to take care of it. I’m fully aware of what I did and I’m going to get better. I’m one of the first guys to tell these other guys, “I need more.’ So it’s time for them to tell me they need more from me. The roles are reversed. I have to come out and produce.”

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By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer

In Print: Tuesday, December 13, 2011

TAMPA — Bucs Pro Bowl LT Donald Penn has a considerable challenge this week. He has the privilege of lining up against Cowboys pass rusher DeMarcus Ware in Saturday night’s home game, a task that comes on the heels of arguably Penn’s worst game of the season.

Penn, for instance, missed a block against Jacksonville LB Daryl Smith on Sunday that led to a sack of QB Josh Freeman and a subsequent fumble that was recovered for a Jaguars touchdown.

“They didn’t play great on the left side of our offensive line,” coach Raheem Morris said Monday. “There’s no sugarcoating that fact. Donald Penn didn’t have as great as game as he usually has for us. It’s the first time this season that we’re actually talking about Donald Penn, so that alone tells you he didn’t play as well as he would like to. He’s aware of that. We’re aware of that.”

Saturday, Penn will face Ware, who is tied for the second in the NFL with Eagles DE Jason Babin with 15 sacks. Ware has just one sack in his past three games, but has had games like Oct. 30 against the Eagles, when he registered four quarterback takedowns. Even when Ware doesn’t get a sack, he is a constant presence in opponents’ backfields.

Penn’s task of preventing a repeat of Sunday’s performance begins in the film room this week, Morris said.

“We’ve moved on to the Dallas game because of the short week, so we won’t have the extensive film study and be able to go back and evaluate with Donald from a one-on-one standpoint, but I’m sure Donald will be in here today and he’ll evaluate himself and he’ll come see his coaches and he’ll get that fixed and get that corrected,” Morris said.

“He struggled (Sunday) with the rusher he had against him and those guys did a nice job of taking advantage and getting our quarterback.”

A SECOND CHANCE: Morris insisted we’ve not seen the last of WR Preston Parker, whose two fumbles on special teams in Jacksonville were critical.

Parker, who has had a flurry of fumbles this season that were recovered by the Bucs, has been the team’s primary return man and third-down slot receiver for most of the season.

“I’m not going to give up on anybody,” Morris said. “Preston Parker is a dynamic guy and because he fumbled a punt that led to a (touchdown) by the Jacksonville Jaguars, I’m not going to turn my back on him. I gave (DT) Brian Price a second chance and I kicked him out of a game. It’s about us growing as a team.”

INJURY UPDATE: There is a key injury to monitor. Starting WR Arrelious Benn suffered what Morris described as “a little concussion.” He left the game in the first quarter and did not return.

Benn wasn’t available for comment and it’s unclear what his prospects are for playing against the Cowboys.

Elsewhere, the Bucs lost two players to season-ending injuries Sunday. Reserve DT John McCargo suffered a triceps injury and LB Jacob Cutrera, a special-teams contributor, suffered an unspecified head injury.

To replace McCargo, DT Frank Okam was promoted from the practice squad. The Bucs have not yet filled Cutrera’s open roster. The Bucs also will look to fill three practice squad spots this week.

QB Josh Freeman, who entered the game with a right shoulder injury and missed last week’s game against Carolina, was sore afterward but the Bucs expect him to start against Dallas.

Freeman’s injury was described as a deep tissue bruise and not a structural issue.

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By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer

In Print: Monday, December 12, 2011

Maurice Jones-Drew scores four times to surpass former Jaguar and Gator Fred Taylor for team TDs.
	[DANIEL WALLACE | Times]

Up until Saturday evening, after the Bucs’ arrival in Jacksonville, there remained uncertainty about the status of QB Josh Freeman. • Having missed the previous week’s game against Carolina with a shoulder injury, Freeman returned to practice late last week and, after testing his arm in pregame warmups, took the field as Sunday’s starter. • But he admitted it wasn’t without discomfort. And Freeman continued to battle the difficulty he was experiencing when his shoulder got cold — during timeouts and defensive series — which resulted in it stiffening up. • Freeman was 16-for-30 for 181 yards, throwing two interceptions. It wasn’t his best day, but the Bucs had no second thoughts about playing him. • “Obviously, he didn’t play well,” coach Raheem Morris said. “But you put him out there. You’ve got to play him. He was healthy. We make no excuses about it. He took a couple (hits) and was able to get back up. Obviously, you can’t say (he played) without pain. He played through it. He’s a fighter. This guy is for his team. He wants to go out there and win for them. But we won’t make excuses that he had bad throws because of his bad shoulder. We had bad throws because of decisionmaking. I wouldn’t put him out there if he wasn’t ready to go.”

RB LeGarrette Blount‘s punishing running style makes defenders leery about tackling him, a trait that would seem a good quality for a running back. • But defenders have learned that, when unable to get Blount to the ground, there’s a second option: strip the ball. • Blount fumbled twice Sunday, losing one, giving him three lost fumbles in a span of three games. Blount lost two fumbles at Tennessee two weeks ago. • “Once you get to the second level and these guys see they can’t tackle you, their second thought is to go for the football because they know they can’t get you on the ground,” Blount said. “It’s just fighting for all that extra yardage. Being the kind of player that I am, that’s what I do. I’m not going to (divert) from how I play, but at the same time, I have to learn how to hold on to that football and just continue to play the way I play. I have to be conscious that they’re going to come and get the football.” • Blount’s first fumble Sunday, in the second quarter, was recovered by G Jeremy Zuttah. But his second, coming with 7:59 left in the third quarter, proved costly, coming at the end of a 23-yard run. With defenders struggling to take down the powerful second-year back, Blount kept fighting for yardage, giving LB Russell Allen time to punch the ball out. • “Defenses are going to go for the ball more so against guys who fumble it a lot,” Blount said. “I don’t want to get that label. … It’s something that’s creeping into a lot of people’s heads, so I’m going to have to try and erase that memory, including for myself.”

. The Bucs have been largely pleased with the performance of WR Preston Parker, both as a kick and punt returner, and as a slot receiver. But if there has been a weakness in his play, it would be his tendency to cough up the football.

Parker entered Sunday’s game with six fumbles this season, getting enough fortuitous bounces that the Bucs lost just one of them. But his lucky streak ended in Jacksonville, where he had two fumbles.

Parker, who declined postgame interview requests, fumbled in the first quarter while fielding a punt and absorbing a hit from Montell Owens. Morgan Trent recovered for the Jaguars.

The good news? The Bucs defense held, forcing another punt.

Parker was not as fortunate the second time around. As he fielded a punt at the Tampa Bay 20-yard line, he again took a shot from Owens. The ball was jarred loose, bouncing into the hands of Colin Cloherty, who returned it 8 yards for a touchdown.

That prompted Bucs coaches to pull Parker. He was replaced on punt and kick returns by veteran Micheal Spurlock, who fielded one punt for 1 yard.

. The Bucs did something Sunday they had been after all season: score an offensive touchdown in the first quarter. It seemed the day was full of possibilities. “I’m sitting there on the sideline at 14-0 thinking this could be a blowout,” C Jeff Faine said. “I wanted to feel great for once this season. But obviously we keep shooting ourselves in the foot.” The fast start ultimately went to waste when the Bucs yielded 28 second-quarter points to the Jaguars via an assortment of turnovers. “We came out and started fast, and our offense was clicking right off the bat,” RB LeGarrette Blount said. “You have to let that momentum carry you through the game, but it didn’t.” The Bucs marched 80 yards in 10 plays on the opening possession. QB Josh Freeman, who notoriously has been sluggish in first quarters this season, was 4-for-6 for 59 yards on the drive. Among his completions was a 28-yard strike to TE Kellen Winslow on a well-executed fourth-and-1 play. The Bucs used play action to Blount and rolled Freeman to his right, allowing him to hit Winslow in stride. They capped the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run by Blount. The Bucs took advantage of an interception by CB Ronde Barber at the Tampa Bay 48 late in the first quarter to set up their second touchdown. Freeman hit FB Erik Lorig for a 22-yard gain, then the quarterback ran up the middle for the final 13 yards for the score. Seven turnovers later, the quick start was rendered moot.

The Bucs did a better job against Maurice Jones-Drew, the NFL’s leading rusher entering the game, than just about any team this season. He was held to 85 rushing yards, his fewest in five games. He averaged just 3.1 yards per carry, his lowest in any game this season. • Yes, Jones-Drew scored four touchdowns (two rushing, two receiving) to establish a Jaguars record with his 73rd career touchdown. Jones-Drew surpassed Jaguars great and former Gator RB Fred Taylor, who had 70 TDs. • “To break a record that Fred (Taylor) set, it means a bunch,” Jones-Drew said. “Words can’t really explain how excited I am to have a guy that mentored me the whole time, taught me how to play this game the right way, how to take care of my body and do those things. To come out and break the touchdown record makes me very excited.” • Jones-Drew’s scores came on a pair of 1-yard runs and a pair of 5-yard receptions. • “He runs hard,” Bucs MLB Mason Foster said. “He makes plays, and he runs well behind the offensive line.”

Players: Don’t blame Raheem

. As the Bucs tried to collect their thoughts in a somber locker room after the loss, some players were adamant that coach Raheem Morris shouldn’t take all the blame.

“We don’t look like a team that can compete right now through 60 minutes,” CB Ronde Barber said. “That’s everybody’s fault. You can’t put that on the coach.”

Ultimately, coaches are held responsible for their team’s play. But players don’t escape unscathed, and that’s something several veterans made reference to, saying players need to realize their jobs are on the line, too.

“We have to win for us,” Barber said, referring to himself and his teammates. “There’s no doubt about it. If they don’t know it, they will. This league will chew you up and spit you out if you let it. I think they know that. We just have to be a better football team.”

Veteran C Jeff Faine offered a similar warning.

“People are going to say it’s an indictment on the coaches, but it’s on the players,” he said. “We’ve been playing this game since guys were 5 years old. We know the ball is everything. Ball security is everything. We’ve got to play smart.

“It’s a terrible position we’ve put (Morris) in. The way that we’ve lost and the fashion in which we’ve lost, it is a terrible position for us as players to put him in. This is a very, very young team. Unfortunately, I think a hard lesson is going to be learned this offseason. This is the NFL. They don’t play around here. There are going to be a lot of decisions made very soon.”

Quick hits

. DE Adrian Clayborn recorded a sack in the first quarter, increasing his team-leading season sack total to 6½.

. CB Ronde Barber‘s first-quarter interception was his third of the season and 43rd of his career, the most in team history (well ahead of second-place Donnie Abraham‘s 31).

. Rookie LB Mason Foster‘s third-quarter interception was the first of his career.

The seven turnovers

. Including what the Jaguars did on the ensuing possession:

Play Quarter Result

Preston Parker fumbled punt return First Punt

Parker fumbled punt return Second Returned for TD

Josh Freeman fumble Second Recovered for TD in end zone

Freeman interception Second Touchdown

Freeman interception Third Interception

LeGarrette Blount fumble Third Punt

Josh Johnson interception Fourth End of game

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bucs Report

By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer

In Print: Sunday, December 11, 2011

The poll

How many of their final four games do the Bucs need to win for the coaches to hold onto their jobs?

One: 4 percent

Total: 671 votes

By the numbers

1-3 Bucs’ record against the Jaguars

30.7 Average points the Bucs have allowed during their six-game losing streak

254.7 Average yards by the Jaguars offense, worst in the NFL

12.7 Average points for the Jaguars, 31st in the NFL; they have scored more than 17 once this season, a 30-20 loss

88 Consecutive games in which Bucs tight end Kellen Winslow has a catch

What they’re saying

I give a lot of praise to head coach Raheem Morris for sending defensive tackle Brian Price home (last week) after what he called a foolish and selfish penalty. Coach Morris is a breath of fresh air in the NFL and is a great young coach. Even with the recent skid, I can’t believe his job security has come into question.

Brian Billick Fox Sports

There is one man on the planet who could solve everything that is wrong with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. One man who, with the simple nod of his head, would sell out Raymond James Stadium instantly, stop the losing, put an end to just about all the trouble off the field and give the Bucs credibility and respectability with their fans and across the league. His name is Tony Dungy.

Pat Yasinksas ESPN.com

The state of Florida flag should be flying at half-mast over the capitol for this game. Tampa, loser of six straight, might be the NFL’s biggest 2011 disappointment after Philly. Jacksonville has lost three straight and fired its coach.

Greg Cote Miami Herald

If two Florida teams are getting together, people in Jax would rather see Florida-Florida State.

Gerry Dulac Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The picks

Josh Freeman returns (most likely) to face a secondary he should be able to shred. And he’d better because the Bucs defense is going to give up some points even to a team with terrible quarterback play. Bucs, 30-16.

Peter King Sports Illustrated

This is a dog game in the Sunshine State between two struggling teams. The Jaguars are decimated by injuries on defense, and they have trouble scoring on offense. The Bucs have had big problems on defense, and they haven’t exactly lit it up on offense. But Tampa Bay will find a way to make enough plays to win this ugly battle. Bucs, 20-17.

Pete Prisco CBSSports.com

Bucs at Jaguars

1 p.m., EverBank Field, Jacksonville

TV/radio: Ch. 13; 620-AM, 103.5 FM

Line/over-under: Bucs by 3; 401/2

Four: 34 percent

None: 22 percent

Two: 21 percent

Three: 19 percent

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Read More: Kellen Winslow (TE – TAM), Albert Haynesworth (DT – TAM), Tim Crowder (DE – TAM), James Lee (OT – TAM), Aqib Talib (CB – TAM), Josh Freeman (QB – TAM), Brian Price (DT – TAM), Luke Stocker (TE – TAM), Jacksonville Jaguars, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers got back on the practice field today to get ready for their trip to EverBank Field to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Bucs were missing quite a few players in practice today however, including three defensive players. Here are the list of players who were out with an injury:

DT Albert Haynesworth (knee), DE Tim Crowder (concussion), T James Lee (knee), TE Luke Stocker (hip), CB Aqib Talib (hamstring)

Tight end Kellen Winslow also missed practice, but it was not injury related.

Quarterback Josh Freeman was also listed on the injury report with a shoulder injury and was limited. Freeman is hopeful however, and expected to be available to start on Sunday. In some good news, defensive tackle Brian Price returned to practice in full and is expected to play.

For more on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and their match up with the Jacksonville Jaguars, visit SB Nation’s Buccaneers blog Bucs Nation.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have had plenty of trouble keeping opponents off
the scoreboard this season and especially during their current six-game losing
streak.

Their struggling defense, however, might finally catch a break with Sunday’s
matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Tampa Bay (4-8) has allowed 20 or more points in eight consecutive games and
an average of 30.7 during its six-game skid. The Buccaneers let another
struggling NFC South team, Carolina, post its highest point total of the season
in a 38-19 loss last Sunday.

They allowed 24 points in the first half, including the first of Cam
Newton’s(notes) three touchdown runs, and scored their only TD with 6:35 remaining.

The effort left beleaguered coach Raheem Morris so frustrated that he used
an expletive during a postgame press conference when asked why he removed a
player from the field following a penalty. Morris apologized for that slip-up
when he met the media again the next day.

“We’ve got to go out and play better. We’ve got to figure out a way to be
smarter. We have to figure out a way to be more consistent,” Morris said.

Tampa Bay, 30th in the league with 27.4 points allowed per game, may have a
good chance to turn things around against Jacksonville (3-9).

The Jaguars have the lowest-rated offense in the league, averaging 254.7
total yards despite having NFL rushing leader Maurice Jones-Drew(notes) (1,137 yards).
They rank 31st in scoring with 12.7 points a contest and have topped 17 only
once, a 30-20 loss to Cincinnati on Oct. 9.

Jacksonville led late in the second quarter Monday night against San Diego,
but its injury-plagued defense gave up two touchdowns in the final 1:26 of the
first half and 28 unanswered points in a 38-14 defeat.

The Jaguars have 22 players on injured reserve, including four who had made
at least two starts in the secondary. San Diego took advantage of those absences
to compile 433 yards Monday, the second-most the Jaguars have given up this
season.

It remains to be seen if Josh Freeman(notes) will get his chance to face that
short-handed secondary as he’s dealing with a right shoulder injury that kept
him sidelined last Sunday. Josh Johnson(notes) completed 16 of 27 passes for 229 yards
with one touchdown and one interception, falling to 0-5 as an NFL starter.

“I’m hoping (Freeman can return Sunday),” Morris said. “We’ve got to get him
out there and let him move his arm around and see the pain tolerance. You don’t
want to hurt your quarterback any further. You want to be smart with him and see
what he can do and how fast you can let him do it.”

The Jaguars, meanwhile, are hoping to see some continued improvement from
rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert(notes). The No. 10 overall pick has completed 54.8
percent of his passes over the past four games after connecting on 44.3 percent
in his previous six.

Gabbert had two touchdown passes in a game for the first time in his career
Monday and finished six yards shy of topping 200 for the third time.

“I’m not at all disappointed in where he’s going and the progress he’s
making,” interim coach Mel Tucker told the team’s website. “He’s showing the
willingness to put the work in and I think he has tremendous support from his
teammates. He needs to get better, and we need to get better around him.”

This will be Tucker’s second game in his audition for the permanent head
coaching job after Jack Del Rio was fired.

The Jaguars have won the last three meetings with Tampa Bay after losing the
first one but haven’t faced their in-state foe since a 24-23 win in 2007.

Tampa Bay is mired in its longest skid since dropping 11 in a row bridging
the 2008 and ’09 seasons.

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

Posted: Dec 05, 2011 02:56 PM

TAMPA — QB Josh Freeman, who missed his first game in two years Sunday due to a right shoulder injury, is on track to return to practice Wednesday and is optimistic he’ll play against the Jaguars next Sunday.

Freeman said the plan is to rehab the shoulder for a couple days with hopes of resuming throwing during Wednesday’s practice. He had been limited last week to some soft throws after injuring the shoulder on the final play of the Bucs’ loss to the Titans on Nov. 27. Coach Raheem Morris remained hopeful Freeman would return Wednesday, but acknowledged they’ll be cautious with their franchise quarterback.

“You don’t want to hurt your quarterback any further,” Morris said. “You want to be smart with him and figure out what he can do and how fast you can let him do it.”

Also on the injury front, CB Aqib Talib is unsure if he’ll play Sunday after aggravating a hamstring injury on the first series against the Panthers. Talib, who was forced to leave the game, has been coping with the injury for weeks and has played through a great deal of discomfort.

“It’s still in there,” Talib said of the injury. “You can play with it until you make a certain move.”

Morris said Talib will undergo an MRI, but pointed out the corner has a lot of pain tolerance.

“He’s a tough kid. His toughness is off the charts when it comes to dealing with certain injuries,” Morris said. “He’s kind of Ronde (Barber)-like in that sense. . . We’ll have to see where he is, go through the MRI process, see when you can run, see if you can run.”

PRICE CHECK: Morris apologized for using a four-letter expletive during Sunday’s post-game news conference, calling it “frustration on my part.” He used the term in responding to a question about why he told DT Brian Price to leave the field after committing a costly personal foul penalty in the third quarter.

Morris said Price’s standing in the lockeroom played a role in why he made the move, pointing out he has a “low tolerance” for players he depends on for leadership.

“We cannot make those types of mistakes, and he’s got to be an example-setter,” Morris said. Morris said he spoke with Price Monday and will talk to him again about the incident.

“He knows he can’t hurt his football team that way,” Morris said.

NOWHERE TO RUN: Wondering why RB LeGarrette Blount seemed to have nowhere to run on his 11 mostly fruitless carries?

That’s because the Panthers, knowing that Freeman was out, made certain of it.

“With Josh Freeman out and (Josh Johnson) stepping in, a lot of teams would be looking to stack the box,” Blount said. “(They think) we don’t have Freeman so they don’t have nothing to worry about.

“When safeties shoot through gaps, they’re not respecting your pass at all.”

Blount went on to say that Johnson acquitted himself well, saying, “We didn’t miss a beat with Josh Johnson in there. I don’t know what else we can ask for. He’s a solid backup.”

[Last modified: Dec 05, 2011 02:56 PM]

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By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer

In Print: Monday, December 5, 2011

Panthers quarterback Cam Newton flies over the Bucs defense for the first of his three rushing touchdowns. He also throws a touchdown and catches a pass.
	[DANIEL WALLACE | Times]

TAMPA — After falling into the dark and dank cellar of the NFC South, it’s awfully hard for the Bucs to see any of the goals they visualized for this season.

The chance to win a division championship has vanished. Hope of reaching the playoffs has faded from view. A winning record? Disappeared.

So after the Bucs’ 38-19 loss to rookie quarterback Cam Newton and the Panthers on Sunday — their sixth straight defeat to drop to 4-8 — Bucs players said there was still something to play for:

Save the jobs of coach Raheem Morris and his staff.

“We’ve got to turn it around,” linebacker Geno Hayes said. “It’s not only our jobs. They’ve got a family to feed as well. Our play dictates their stability. We love our coaches. We’ve got to find a way to get everything back on track.”

Safety Tanard Jackson said, “This is a business. We’re in the business where if you don’t win, a lot of changes will be made.”

And center Jeff Faine, a nine-year veteran, added, “I’ve been in this business long enough where if we continue to slide, something is going to change, unfortunately. So personally, there’s a lot to play for.”

Playing without starting quarterback Josh Freeman, who was inactive due to a right shoulder injury, the Bucs traded touchdowns for field goals with Newton and the Panthers.

Newton added another record to his historic rookie season, running for three touchdowns and throwing for another. He now has 13 rushing touchdowns, the most by a quarterback in a season in NFL history, surpassing Steve Grogan’s 12 in 1976 with New England.

Bucs backup Josh Johnson, making his first start since 2009, passed for 229 yards with one touchdown and an interception and led the Bucs with 45 rushing yards. But the offense produced only four field goals by Connor Barth until Johnson hit Dezmon Briscoe for a 23-yard touchdown with 6:35 remaining in the game.

Johnson’s biggest mistake came during the first drive of the second half.

Trailing 24-12 and facing third and 8 at the Carolina 30, he attempted to call an audible. But Faine misinterpreted the signal as part of the cadence and snapped the ball before Johnson was ready. The error was compounded when Johnson tried to throw the ball under pressure.

It was tipped and intercepted by defensive end Thomas Keiser.

The Bucs drove inside the Panthers 35 seven times but came away with four field goals, one interception, one touchdown and one fourth-down failure.

“The grade is simple. It’s not good enough,” Johnson said of his performance. “As an offense, we’re disappointed. We got in the red zone … repeatedly, and we came away with field goals, field goals, field goals.”

The Panthers weren’t interested in field goals, and the Bucs defense was equally bad against the run and the pass. Jonathan Stewart (14 carries for 80 yards and a touchdown), DeAngelo Williams (11 carries for 29 yards) and Newton (14 rushes for 54 yards and three touchdowns) combined for 163 yards on the ground. Newton was 12-for-21 passing for 204 yards and even had a 27-yard catch.

The Bucs also had nine penalties for 73 yards.

It got so bad that Morris ejected defensive tackle Brian Price from the game after his personal foul penalty in the third quarter. Morris also used an expletive during his postgame news conference describing why he did it.

“Yes, I sent him to the locker room,” Morris said. “I told him go home. (Expletive) yeah. Because it’s foolish. It’s selfish to your teammates, to everybody in your organization, to your fans. That’s terrible. That’s just selfish behavior to get a 15-yard penalty in that situation when that’s all we talk about, when that’s all we discuss.

“You just can’t do that to your team.”

Why hasn’t Morris been able to get his message across?

“They’re not listening,” Morris said. “They’ve got to listen, and we’ve got to do a better job of coaching.

“The thing I need to do right now is go back and make sure we continue to build the team for the future. We’ve got a lot of young players. I don’t want things to get away from us.”

It if does, Faine said, change is the only thing the Bucs can count on.

“I love the situation (with Morris),” Faine said. “I know my teammates love the situation we’re in from an organizational standpoint, from the way our leadership is here, the way our coaching staff is here. We’ve got to finish on an incline if we want it to stay that way.”

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

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In Print: Monday, December 5, 2011

14-3

24-12

31-12

38-19

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