"Bucs running back Derrick Ward got stuck in the mud Saturday night at Miami and now might be losing traction with the coaching staff.

Ward, who was held to 20 yards on 12 carries (1.7-yard average) and fumbled twice, losing one, blamed his poor performance on the soggy conditions at Sun Life Stadium.

When Ward played in the second quarter, the Bucs were backed up on the baseball infield. And he played behind the second-team line.

But those conditions did not prevent Bucs running back Kareem Huggins from rushing for 55 yards on eight carries.

Ward was visibly upset during the game and later apologized for his behavior, coach Raheem Morris said Monday.

"I was disappointed in his body language," Morris said of Ward. "That's the mental demons you've got to fight as a player. Those are the things you've got to be ready to deal with. You've got to have a mentally tough attitude. I've got to be a mentally tough coach. I didn't have time to go cry about the fumbles. It was my job to try to stop them and get the ball back for our offense and give them another opportunity.

"As a man, Derrick was disappointed in himself. He came to me. He came to (general manager) Mark Dominik. He came to his coaching staff. He was disappointed in his body language and his attitude and all those things and subsequently wants to improve that this week. He'll get a chance to."

Ward didn't live up to expectations last season after signing a four-year, $17 million contract as a free agent from the Giants, for whom he had 1,025 yards in 2008. As a backup to Cadillac Williams, Ward gained 409 yards and a touchdown."