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.

Going into the 2011 draft, you were considered a first-round pick. However, you dropped to the second round. What was draft night like for you?

“Very long (laughing). You see guys going ahead of you that you know you’re better than, and it makes you wonder what’s going on. I was definitely surprised at some of the picks, but there’s nothing you can do about it. You’ve just got to sit there and wait. I was happy for some of those guys because I got to know them, but at the same time you wonder when your name is going to be called. The funny thing is, I had never talked with Tampa at all before the draft, so it was a surprise when they picked me.”

You had some issues with your knee before the draft. Was that the reason you didn’t go in the first round?

“I know that’s the reason I fell to the second round. I do think I would have gone in the top five or top-10 picks had there not been any issues with my knee. I knew I was healthy, the doctors said my knee was fine, but the teams out there didn’t believe it. There’s nothing you can do about it. You’ve just got to wait for your opportunity, and when it comes, you have to take advantage of it. I feel like I’ve got something to prove now.”

How did you stay in shape during the lockout?

“I mainly stayed in Clemson and worked out with other guys that were in the NFL. There were 10 or 11 of us. C.J. Spiller, Ricky Sapp, Thomas Austin and Anthony Waters. … we all worked out together. We were all in Clemson trying to stay in shape.”

What does it mean for you to get drafted by the same team as former Clemson defensive end Gaines Adams?

“It means everything to me. It’s an honor, and I’m trying to keep his legacy alive. Gaines was a very, very close friend of mine, like a brother. He was someone that I looked up to and taught me how to play the game. Every time I’m on the field, I’m out there playing for him.”

Clemson started 8-0 this season and there was talk about it playing for a national championship. Any regrets about coming out early?

“Not really. I followed them and I was happy they were doing well, but I made the best decision for me and my family. The only time I really missed playing was last week against South Carolina. That was the first time all season when I wished I could go back and play. It was a tough game to watch, knowing that I could be out there helping them.”

When the season is over, will you be back playing guitar and singing with the gospel band, The Legendary Singing Stars?

“They’ve been out touring all year and I haven’t been able to be with them. My focus is with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. When the season is over, I’ll probably go back out on the road with them. Music has been such a huge part of my life. It’s something that I know I’ll do the rest of my life, but right now football is my main focus.”

Compiled by Andrew Miller

Possessing just one more win than their upcoming opponent, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers enter the December 4th contest against the last place Carolina Hurricanes facing a litmus test they hoped to avoid in 2011.

Cam Newton won a National Championship with Auburn in 2010 and has since impressed with the Carolina Panthers in his rookie season
Wikimedia Commons

Surprisingly, the game will be only the Bucs’ third match-up during the season against a team with a losing record. Sunday’s game is also a rare occasion when the disappointing Tampa Bay franchise is actually considered the favorite.

Quite simply, the Pewter Pirates must now defeat their division rival, if they are to avoid the inauspicious label of being one of the NFL’s “bad” teams.

Coming off a surprise 10-6 campaign in 2010, many forecasters expected the Bucs to compete for a playoff spot. However, other prognosticators looked at the difficult schedule, and predicted the young team was likely to take a step back.

Sadly, those in that latter category have been proven correct.

Though not formally eliminated, the Bucs are not even close to playoff contention after 11 games. In fact, Coach Raheem Morris’ squad must sweep its final 5 games to even emerge with a winning record.

Every football fan knows the NFL promotes parity by providing more arduous schedules to those teams with winning records. The upstart Bucs over-achieved in 2010 and subsequently earned a difficult batch of games to navigate this season.

In contrast, the talent-laden Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers underwhelmed in 2010 and were both blessed for their failures. Not surprisingly, the current NFC East division leading Cowboys have competed 8 of 11 games against sub-.500 opponents, while the NFC West leading 49ers have enjoyed 7 of 11 against losing teams.

In addition its formula for parity, the schedule-makers have done the Buccaneers no further favors. Besides depriving the club of a home date with the Chicago Bears through the annual contest in London, the league also front-loaded the hardships contained in Tampa Bay’s 2011 schedule.

Though 4-7 after 11 games, the team has actually defeated the only two losing teams it has faced so far—a comeback win over the Minnesota Vikings in week 2 and a Monday Night Football triumph against the Indianapolis Colts in week 4.

Yet, 3 of the Bucs’ final 5 games will be fared against similar “weaker” teams—a home and home with Carolina and a road trip to face the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Had these games occurred earlier in the season, perhaps the Buccaneers’ year would have taken a much different look?

Such a question can only be answered affirmatively if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers take care of business on Sunday against Cam Newton(notes) and the Carolina Panthers.

With concerns about quarterback Josh Freeman’s(notes) availability due to shoulder and thumb injuries and a shaky defense that has failed to meet expectations, passing the litmus test is not a guarantee.

Source:

Yahoo! Sports

More by Jeff Briscoe from Yahoo! Contributor Network:

Tampa Bay Looks Young, Not Hungry

Jeff Briscoe is a writer from Florida who covers sports for the Yahoo! Contributor Network and the Fort Myers Examiner. A loyal Tampa Bay Bucs fan, his favorite sounds include the firing of the cannons at Raymond James Stadium.

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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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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.

TAMPA – Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris is not giving up on the season despite a five-game losing streak that has all but ended any playoff hopes.

“We remain committed to growing as a football team,” Morris said on Monday, one day after Tampa Bay dropped to 4-7 following a 23-17 loss at Tennessee. “I don’t think the mentality of this team is ever going to change.”

Morris said he has a bunch of guys playing with pride.

“They’re not done playing, and we’re not done coaching,” he said. “We’ll keep going out there and keep giving it our best effort. I don’t see any quit in these guys.”

Tampa Bay cornerback Aqib Talib called the long skid “the most frustrating thing that can happen to a football team.”

“We’ve just got to find a way,” Talib said. “It’s all about finding a way. We go out there and play on Sunday, we try to win. Stuff happened and we lost. It’s football.”

The Bucs continued a season-long trend of not finishing games. Tampa Bay had the ball late looking for the win on Sunday, but quarterback Josh Freeman fumbled a fourth-down snap, recovered the ball and only managed to get back near the line of scrimmage with 40 seconds left.

Officials ruled Tampa Bay had turned the ball over on downs, and the Titans ran out the clock to finish off the six-point victory.

“That’s been the deal,” Morris said. “We’ve had, I think, three games right now with the ball in our hands with a chance to get the lead and win. You got the Detroit game, the first game of the season, yesterday and the Chicago Bear game. Last year we won those games. We haven’t been able to get that this year.”

Freeman threw for 199 yards and a touchdown, but he had an interception and lost a fumble.

“We’ve got to play better,” Morris said. “Guys got to step up. We don’t make excuses. We didn’t play well.”

Chris Johnson ran for 190 yards, and Matt Hasselbeck threw the go-ahead touchdown to Damian Williams on fourth down with 3:01 left against a struggling Tampa Bay defense.

“I don’t know, man,” Talib said. “I don’t have the answer.”

Tampa Bay had been giving up 133.5 yards rushing per game. Johnson shredded the Bucs at times after being booed heavily most of this season after signing a $53.5 million extension.

The Bucs will look to stop the lengthy slide this Sunday when they host the Carolina Panthers.

“We’re grown men,” Talib said. “We’ve all had seasons like this. We’ve got more games to play, so we’re going to play more games.”

Notes: Morris said the status of DT Brian Price, who hurt an ankle Sunday, will be evaluated during the week.

By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer

In Print: Tuesday, November 29, 2011

TAMPA — With the Bucs out of contention for a playoff spot, some attention is likely to turn to the future of the team’s young players.

Today, after a solid debut in his first career start, the Bucs have to feel better about what lies ahead for DE Da’Quan Bowers.

The rookie second-round pick from Clemson was credited with one tackle and one quarterback hit, and coaches were cautiously optimistic about his first full game.

“Bowers played well for his first time out there,” coach Raheem Morris said. “His first time out the box. (There were) growing pains of course. He obviously had some bad plays but he had some really good plays. … We can get him to play better. We just keep seeing him grow throughout the season.”

Clearly, Bowers has work to do, but his growth could be accelerated by opportunities like he had Sunday.

Having a full game on tape, he said, will help his self-evaluation.

“It’s definitely something to build on,” he said. “I can’t wait to get in there and critique myself to see what I need to work on.”

Bowers had played in a limited capacity until Sunday, when he replaced injured left end Michael Bennett (groin) as a starter. Bennett’s solid play throughout the season resulted in only sporadic reps for Bowers, but coaches have seen him emerge in recent weeks and think he’s ready for a bigger workload.

Meanwhile, Bennett, who didn’t make the trip to Nashville, said Monday he feels better after a week off and might return Sunday against Carolina.

NO QUESTION: The Bucs’ decision to have QB Josh Freeman spike the ball to stop the clock after converting a first down with 1:14 left was questioned by some, but Morris said his staff never wavered.

“We spike the ball on every first down you get (in a two-minute drill),” Morris said. “You pick up a first down, you have to go down and spike it. You have no timeouts left. You have to be ready to deal.”

Had the Bucs had an extra down at the end of the game — spiking the ball made it second down — perhaps the outcome would have been different. But players pointed out that hurriedly running an unorganized play with the clock running could have resulted in a turnover or a loss of yardage.

CAM CAN: When DE Tim Crowder looks at Panthers rookie QB Cam Newton, he sees some similarities to his former University of Texas teammate, QB Vince Young. And Crowder said he feels Newton and the Panthers have a bright future.

“He’s very unique,” Crowder said of Newton. “I practiced against a guy everyday in college (Young) that has those talents. He’s the same guy. He can throw, he can run, he’s got a lot of confidence over there. And they’re just one of those teams on cusp, too. They’re probably one of those teams next year that’ll be fighting for the division lead.”

WAITING ON WORD: The Bucs didn’t update the condition of DT Brian Price, who left Sunday’s game with a sprained ankle. Price, who was at One Buc Place on Monday wearing a walking boot, did not speak with reporters but had further tests.

Times staff writer Joe Smith contributed to this report.

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By Rick Stroud and Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writers

In Print: Monday, November 28, 2011

Bucs DT Albert Haynesworth had been looking forward to his return to Nashville, where he spent the first seven seasons of his NFL career. In fact, he still has pretty important ties to the area. • “(Saturday) I got to see my kids, and they’re getting huge,” he said. “I really miss them.” • But Haynesworth made it clear he was in town on business. • “Coming here to play in front of the Titans fans was great, but it would have been even better for me if we would have gotten a win here,” he said. • Haynesworth finished with four tackles, including two for losses. He consistently helped collapse the pocket around QB Matt Hasselbeck and made penetration into the backfield on running plays. On one, when he decked RB Javon Ringer for a loss, Haynesworth got up from the pile and pumped his fists. That drew some mild boos from the Titans fans, who surely recall his decision to leave the team as a free agent in 2009. • Still, Haynesworth’s recollections remain fond. • “I appreciate the memories,” he said.

Clearwater Central Catholic grad and Titans rookie Colin McCarthy faced the team he grew up watching in the bay area. • And in this interesting situation, McCarthy made it known he is the Titans’ middle linebacker of the future. Having started in place of injured former Bucs MLB Barrett Ruud (groin), McCarthy led the Titans with 10 tackles (seven solo), a pass defensed and an interception of Bucs QB Josh Freeman. • Dropping into coverage in his Cover 2 zone — the deep middle of the field — McCarthy read Freeman’s eyes and jumped in front of a pass intended for TE Kellen Winslow, robbing the Bucs of a key fourth-quarter possession. • “What went through my mind was, ‘Just catch it! Just catch it!’ ” McCarthy said afterward. • McCarthy said Tennessee defensive coordinator Jerry Gray had been prepping him all last week to cover throws to Winslow down the middle. • “We’d seen it on film,” McCarthy said. “So, the biggest thing is if they throw it to you, don’t drop it.” • Freeman said there was a miscommunication between he and Winslow, though Freeman wasn’t specific. Whether Winslow ran a different route than Freeman expected wasn’t clear, but Freeman’s decision to throw the ball with McCarthy lurking wasn’t smart in either case. • “It’s just something that, at that point in the game, can’t happen,” Freeman said. “Looking back, we had our timeouts, we had plenty of time.”

Old friend outdoes Morris

. When Bucs coach Raheem Morris played at Irvington (N.J.) High School, he played for coach Chet Parlavecchio, left, probably never dreaming that they would one day face each other on opposite sidelines of an NFL field. But it happened, and it was an important subplot Sunday. As it turns out, it was Parlavecchio, a special teams assistant with the Titans, who cooked up a beautifully timed reverse on a first-quarter kickoff return that resulted in a touchdown.

“I got outdone by my high school head coach,” bemoaned Morris afterward. “Unbelievable, isn’t it?”

On the play, Bucs kickoff specialist Mike Koenen and his cover men were attempting a right-side kickoff, putting the ball near the Bucs sideline. That’s where KR Marc Mariani fielded it at the goal line and worked his way up the field. The Bucs had a wave of cover men converging to pin him against the sideline when he did the unexpected. At the Tennessee 16, Mariani stealthily handed the ball to DB Tommie Campbell, who was heading in the opposite direction. By the time the Bucs found the ball, they were in a footrace that they would lose, resulting in an 84-yard touchdown return for Campbell.

“It was a great call because nobody saw it,” Bucs LB Adam Hayward said. “We were all running to where the ball was. We had no idea.” The play was called 37 Special.

“Once I got past the safety, I knew I had it,” Campbell said.

“They’ve done a lot of tricks, but nothing like that,” said Hayward, Tampa Bay’s special teams captain. “We were expecting something else. It was perfect timing. It was a good call because we had people coming across the field (in the opposite direction) and they just walled us off.” And, for that, Morris can thank his old friend, Coach Parlavecchio.

. The Bucs offense seemed to have major issues finding the end zone, so Tampa Bay needed its defense to help show the way.

That’s where CB Aqib Talib came up big, intercepting Tennessee QB Matt Hasselbeck in the third quarter and returning the ball 27 yards for a momentum-shifting touchdown. It was Talib’s second interception of the season, and both times he has returned them for touchdowns.

The play gave the Bucs a 17-10 lead, but it didn’t hold up.

“We got turnovers, but we didn’t get enough to win,” Talib said.

Talib dived underneath intended receiver Nate Washington, then stopped, cut and hightailed it to the end zone.

Talib had another stellar day, adding three tackles, a pass defensed and a forced a fumble by RB Chris Johnson (which SS Sean Jones recovered).

RB LeGarrette Blount had his second consecutive 100-yard rushing performance Sunday, but it wasn’t one that the second-year player is likely to celebrate. • Moments after the game, when coach Raheem Morris was asked about Blount, he succinctly summed up the day of his battering-ram ball carrier, who fumbled twice. • “LeGarrette went out and ran the ball well, but you have to hang on to the football at all costs,” Morris said. “When you’re carrying that football, you’re carrying the whole team on your back.” • Blount rushed for 103 yards on 20 carries, a 5.2-yard average. He also caught three passes for 56 yards, including a short reception in which he rumbled 35 yards. • A subdued Blount, who had his third 100-yard game of the season, had few answers afterward. • “We just didn’t hold on to the ball tight enough,” he said. “We didn’t hold on to the ball the way we were taught.”

Johnson awakens against Bucs D

. Titans RB Chris Johnson had run for 4,598 yards in his three previous seasons. Yet, this season, he had not flirted with the sort of rare numbers he had since 2008 — until Sunday. The Orlando native had the third-best effort of his career, running for 190 yards on 23 carries, dazzling with his precise, quick cutting and rapid acceleration that left the Bucs exasperated.

The Bucs seemed to have Johnson under wraps in the first half, when they gang-tackled him, dropped him for losses and generally limited his effectiveness, holding him to 46 yards at halftime. Then, everything changed.

“The way he is, he can make up for (negative plays),” said Bucs DT Albert Haynesworth, a former teammate of Johnson’s. “He’s Chris Johnson. You don’t really come in and try to stop him. You just want to contain him. That was kind of the plan.”

The Bucs could’ve limited Johnson by limiting his opportunities, but that would have required getting defensive stops and finishing drives on offense. In the late going, they did neither.

“He got too many yards,” coach Raheem Morris said. “He had a couple breakout runs. He’s a great running back. Make no mistake about it. When great running backs get that many carries and that many touches, you get a chance to be explosive and (he’s) going to be. The only way to stop him is to get him off the football field.”

The Bucs entered the game with the NFL’s 31st-ranked defense. They didn’t help their ranking with Sunday’s performance, giving up 352 yards.

Quick hits

. DT Brian Price, who has been hampered by injuries, sprained his ankle in the second quarter and was seen in the locker room on crutches. The severity of the injury is unknown.

. Rookie DE Da’Quan Bowers made his first start, replacing injured Michael Bennett, and had one tackle.

. CB Ronde Barber‘s forced fumble, which led to a Bucs touchdown, was his first of the season and the 14th of his career.

. DE Adrian Clayborn‘s third-quarter sack was his fifth of the season, a team high.

. After recording just one TD reception in the first nine games, WR Mike Williams has now scored in back-to-back weeks and has 14 in his career.

Slipping and sliding

. The Nashville area was bracing for a cold front that was expected to drop more than an inch of rain. Mother Nature did not disappoint. The playing surface at LP Field was covered by a tarp before kickoff. But with rain falling consistently, it didn’t take long for the conditions to affect the game. There were nine combined turnovers, including six lost fumbles (four by the Bucs). At times, ball carriers lost their footing when trying to plant on the wet turf, which had been resodded just last week. “I think there were some good hits where the ball was going to come out,” Titans coach Mike Munchak said. “But I think the weather ends up being the main reason for it. … It adds to it. It was definitely the first time we have played in that weather.” Said Bucs coach Raheem Morris: “Obviously there was a lot of rain. But it’s football. That’s what we play this game for. Nobody wants to play in pretty (weather) all the time. It’s about the elements. That’s why we play, and that’s what we signed up for. I actually enjoyed it. I want to play more games like that.”

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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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bucs Report

By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer

In Print: Sunday, November 27, 2011

The poll

What did you think of coach Raheem Morris’ decision to try an onside kick against the Packers with the Bucs down by two and 4:25 remaining in the game?

Total: 494 votes

By the numbers

0-6 Bucs’ record at Tennessee

3-2 Record of Titans quarterback Matt Hasselbeck against the Bucs (all while with the Seahawks)

77.3 Rushing yards per game for the Titans, worst in the NFL

133.5 Rushing yards per game allowed by the Bucs, 22nd in the NFL

95-68 Record of country singer Faith Hill in predicting the winner of NFL games this season for the Nashville Tennessean, including 5-9 last week; for today, she picks the Titans

What they’re saying

Against the Packers, LeGarrette Blount finally had a run reminiscent of his rookie season, breaking seven tackles on his way to a 54-yard TD run. The Bucs have underperformed this season but have a chance to get back on track … with games against the Titans, Panthers and Jaguars.

Brian Billick Fox Sports

With the continued slippage of Chris Johnson, who is on pace to rush for just 814 yards, the arrival of LeGarrette Blount as Tampa Bay’s featured back is noteworthy. Remember, the Titans signed the 6-foot, 247-pound Blount as an undrafted rookie prior to the 2010 season but later put him on waivers, hoping to move him to the practice squad only to have the Bucs grab him. Think Blount would be a nice alternative to Johnson now?

David Climer Nashville Tennessean

The picks

At some point if you’re Raheem Morris, you’ve benefited from GM Mark Dominik spending four top-55 picks in the last two drafts on defense, you’re a defensive guy yourself, you see your defense has allowed 102 more points than Houston this season and 75 more points than Cleveland … I mean, don’t you walk into your Saturday night meeting before this game and say to your D, “Fellas, are you kidding me?” Bucs, 24-16.

Peter King Sports Illustrated

It seems as though it is something of a moral victory for the Buccaneers — hanging with Green Bay to the bitter end. But moral victories don’t make four-game losing streaks disappear. Neither do defenses that allow 123 points during the streak. Titans, 24-23.

Gerry Dulac Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Fantasy owners who have stuck with maddening Chris Johnson could be rewarded here. The Bucs’ run defense has been the worst in the league the past four games, allowing 162 yards per. Titans, 24-20.

Greg Cote Miami Herald

Bucs vs. Titans

1 p.m., LP Field, Nashville

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

Line/over-under: Titans by 3½; 43

Hated it: 75 percent

Loved it: 25 percent

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Raheem Morris and his team really thought they had a chance to hand the reigning Super Bowl champions their first loss of the season. And until Aaron Rodgers’ deep pass ended up in the arms of wide receiver Jordy Nelson for a game-clinching 40-yard touchdown, it looked like the Buccaneers had a chance.

Josh Freeman threw for 342 yards with two touchdowns and a pair of interceptions, LeGarrette Blount bounced off tacklers all day on his way to a 107-yard rushing performance and the Buccaneers’ late rally came up just short in a 35-26 loss to the Packers on Sunday.

“I felt great about the whole game,” Morris said. “Our guys did a nice job competing. We came out and played the way we wanted to play. We played aggressive. We played hard and tried to get a win. Try to steal one from the champs.”

The Buccaneers (4-6) have lost four straight, but this wasn’t anything like being blown out at home by Houston last week.

“I thought we were going to come back and win it,” wide receiver Mike Williams said. “It just happened we fell short today.”

Defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth didn’t want to hear about moral victories. “There is no moral victory,” Haynesworth said. “Moral victory is for teams that are not that good and go out and play OK against another team. This team is good and we have a lot of talent.”

With a 10-0 record going into a Thanksgiving Day game at Detroit, the Packers remain perfect, even if their quarterback walked away expecting much more from himself. Rodgers threw for 299 yards with three touchdowns, including a pair to Nelson, but wasn’t happy with the way he played.

“I’m just frustrated,” Rodgers said. “I didn’t throw the ball very well. I’m not trying to be ridiculously humble right now, I’m just frustrated. The ball wasn’t coming out the way I wanted it to today.”

Some of the credit goes to an aggressive Tampa Bay defense that Rodgers said played more man-to-man coverage than the Packers are used to seeing.

“We weren’t going to be played scared regardless of how good they are,” cornerback Ronde Barber said. “They put their pads on the same way we do. They got a lot of good players, so do we. We are in it to win. There is no sitting back and letting it happen. We were going to go get them. We tried, gave ourselves a great opportunity. Get one more third stop on their touchdown, I think we win this game. It was the one stop we didn’t get.”

Tampa Bay was penalized nine times for 55 yards, but Morris wasn’t using it as an excuse. “Penalties are what they are, they are judgment calls and the judgment went against us a lot of times,” Morris said. “It is what it is.”

The Buccaneers trailed by only four and seemed to have some momentum when they tried a surprise onside kick before halftime.
After a replay review gave the ball to Green Bay at Tampa Bay’s 38, Rodgers drove for a 5-yard touchdown to Nelson that gave the Packers a 21-10 lead.

Tampa Bay then had a touchdown taken off the board in the third quarter when Kellen Winslow was called for offensive pass interference. The Buccaneers settled for a 32-yard field goal by Connor Barth.

“I really felt we made enough to plays to beat those guys,”
Winslow said. “It is hard to win when you put the game in the refs’ hands.”

The Buccaneers’ defense got a stop, and Freeman directed an eight-play, 91-yard scoring drive that ended with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Mike Williams. Tampa Bay tried to tie it with a 2-point conversion, but Winslow _ who had a pair of big gains on the drive _ dropped a catchable ball in the end zone.

Packers running back James Starks did the majority of the work in an eight-play, 85-yard scoring drive that ended with a 2-yard touchdown run by Kuhn.

But the Buccaneers got another chance when Rodgers threw an interception to Elbert Mack _ only Rodgers’ fourth pick this season
_ and Freeman threw a 37-yard pass to Arrelious Benn to set up first-and-goal at the 2.

Freeman then threw a touchdown to Dezmon Briscoe and the Buccaneers kicked the extra point to cut the Packers’ lead to 28-26 with 4:25 left.

Tampa Bay tried another onside kick, but the Packers recovered and Rodgers found Nelson to put the game away.

Morris knew he might get second-guessed for the onside kicks but wasn’t apologizing.

“We wanted to get the ball and win,” Morris said. “We are not going to apologize for being aggressive. When you play the Green Bay Packers, you’ve got to play aggressive, you’ve got to go out and make plays. (You’ve) got to steal possessions.”
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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.”

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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“Terrible game,” Morris said. “We started the game just like we finished it. Poor job by myself. I refuse to believe that our guys are that bad, so it has to be my fault.”

The Texans (7-3) extended their winning streak while playing without star receiver Andre Johnson to four consecutive games. The Bucs (4-5) have lost three straight and four of five following a 3-1 start.

“I’ll fix it this week,” Morris said.

Morris plans to have full-scale workouts in pads and didn’t rule out lineup changes for next Sunday’s game against Green Bay.

“It’s not getting any easier,” Tampa Bay center Jeff Faine said. “We’ve got a very, very huge challenge at Green Bay. We’ve got to play smarter and more disciplined. It’s unfortunate we’re in the position we’re in, but we’ve got to dig ourselves out.”

Jacoby Jones filled in for Johnson with an 80-yard TD reception on the first play from scrimmage and Foster turned a short pass into his second 78-yard scoring reception of the season for Houston. A defense that’s made a dramatic turnaround under coordinator Wade Phillips had three interceptions and recovered a fumble.

“It all goes back to playing fast … We did not do that,” Morris said. “Playing smart … We didn’t do that. Playing hard … We did not do that. We didn’t play together consistently, and to me, that’s on the head coach.”

Tampa Bay scored on Connor Barth’s 55-yard field goal on the final play of the first half and didn’t get into the end zone until Freeman threw a 9-yard TD pass to Preston Parker early in the fourth quarter. Defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth made his debut for the Bucs, blocking an extra point after Houston’s first touchdown and finishing with five tackles.

Haynesworth was released by New England on Tuesday, claimed off waivers Wednesday and practiced with his new team for the first time on Thursday. Gerald McCoy’s season-ending injury left the Bucs thin on the offensive line, and with backup Frank Okam still sidelined by a sore calf, the 350-pound Haynesworth moved right into the starting lineup.

“I felt fine,” Haynesworth said. “I was a little tired, but that was the most plays I’ve played all year. The more I played, the better I got.”

A week after rushing for a club-record 261 yards during a 30-12 victory over Cleveland, the Texans came out throwing on a Bucs defense that has struggled to stop the run and had to honor Schaub’s play-action fakes. A wide-open Jones caught an underthrown ball at the Tampa Bay 45 on the first play from scrimmage, cut back to his left between safeties Tanard Jackson and Sean Jackson and sprinted to the end zone to finish Houston’s longest scoring play of the season.

Foster’s long TD reception nearly covered as much ground and also involved some nifty running after the catch. The third-year running back took a short throw from Schaub, broke a tackle and headed up the left sideline before cutting inside near midfield to avoid Sean Jones and easily outrun the remaining pursuit.

Houston’s first three scoring drives covered 80, 80 and 90 yards. Foster had four receptions for 102 yards.

Schaub only attempted three passes after halftime, finishing 11 of 15 for 242 yards and no interceptions. One apparent pick at the Tampa Bay goal line was reversed following a replay review that showed that intended receiver Derrick Mason jarred the ball loose from Talib before the Bucs cornerback gained control. Neil Rackers kicked a 22-yard field goal on the next play for a 9-0 lead.

Freeman completed 15 of 35 passes for 170 yards. The Texans limited LeGarrette Blount to 34 yards rushing on 10 attempts.

“We’ve not played up to, nearly, our potential,” Freeman said.

Notes: The Texans had 420 yards of offense, compared to Tampa Bay’s 231. … The Bucs had the ball just 24 minutes, 54 seconds, more than less 11 minutes less than Houston.

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