Sports News and Trade Rumors: Pro Sports Daily

Tanard Jackson adopts more serious demeanor

Comment

November 7

St. Petersburg Times

"Bucs safety Tanard Jackson said having to sit through a season-opening four-game suspension served as a wake-up call, a "reality-setter," that has led him to the top of his game. "It definitely helped me prioritize my life, what's most important," said Jackson, 24. "And my job, the game I love to play, is at the top of my list." Jackson has two interceptions and a forced fumble in the past two games, delivering much-needed impact plays that the struggling defense has lacked throughout much of this season. "Tanard had an immediate impact as soon as he got back," coach Raheem Morris said. "It was 'welcome back' with a hit, a 'welcome back' with an interception for a touchdown - you name it. ..."

Antonio Bryant is questionable

Comment

November 7

St. Petersburg Times

"Bucs WR Antonio Bryant is questionable for Sunday's game against the Packers because of a setback with the left knee injury that has lingered since preseason arthroscopic surgery. Bryant believes the nine-hour flight home from the game in London two weeks ago against the Patriots caused extensive swelling. The swelling has subsided, but he did not feel well enough to practice Thursday or Friday. The Bucs had a bye week last week. "That plane ride, that didn't help me," Bryant said. "I was good for, like, two weeks. My knee looked the same, and I probably ran the best I had ran all season. Then, next thing I know, I get on that plane coming back, I get up to use the bathroom, and it's like, ..."

In a down economy, NFL viewership is up

Comment

November 6

Washington Post

"When this NFL season began with some franchises struggling to sell tickets, there were concerns about the impact that the uncertain U.S. economy would have on the nation's most prosperous sport. While those concerns have turned out to be justified in a few NFL cities and unfounded in others, there has been an unforeseen development: The NFL's television ratings are soaring this season, and some analysts say it appears to be the result of consumers cutting back on other, more costly leisure activities in favor of watching pro football on TV. "I think there's only one answer and that is the NFL and television are actually getting the so-called 'benefit' of the recession," said Neal Pilson, ..."

Buccaneers' offense must abet a turnaround

Comment

November 6

St. Petersburg Times

columnist Joe Smith

"For many years, defense was the Bucs' identity, their driving force. But if Tampa Bay is going to get itself out of an 0-7 hole, coach Raheem Morris says, it will be up to the more experienced offense. That unit was believed to be the team's strength coming into the season, especially with the millions invested in receivers Michael Clayton and Antonio Bryant, tight end Kellen Winslow and running back Derrick Ward during the offseason. Though several changes (two offensive coordinators, three quarterbacks) have been obstacles, the group knows it is capable of much more. "They've got to be the lifeline a little bit, and I'm asking them to be," Morris said. "They've got the seniority. ..."

Buccaneers cornerback Aqib Talib has another tough challenge Sunday

Comment

November 6

St. Petersburg Times

"Bucs CB Aqib Talib has been a newsmaker for many reasons other than his performance on the field, most recently for an exchange of words with coach Raheem Morris after missing curfew following the loss to the Patriots in London on Oct. 25. As for his activities on the field, he continues to be matched in one-on-one battles with the opponents' premier receivers. Next up: Greg Jennings and Donald Driver, the primary pieces of Green Bay's potent passing attack. Talib, the team leader with four interceptions, is in the midst of a string of five games in which he will defend against an elite receiver."

The year the Bucs weren't so funny anymore

Comment

November 6

Tampa Tribune

columnist Joey Johnston

"Good morning! Thirty years later, the 1979 Bucs remain an incredible story. When the former players gather to be honored Sunday afternoon at Raymond James Stadium, part of the franchise's Throwback Game as the Bucs (0-7) meet the Green Bay Packers (4-3), the fuss might be difficult to understand for younger fans or transplanted Tampa Bay area residents. "You try to explain what it was like," said former Bucs linebacker Richard "Batman" Wood. "You try to describe what it was like in that stadium. Really, you had to live it. You had to feel it from deep inside you." And even then, it was barely believable."

Coaches accept some of blame for 0-7 start

Comment

November 6

Tampa Tribune

"Plenty of Bucs players have been blamed for the team's 0-7 start, but the coaches are starting to publicly acknowledge responsibility. Besides being the NFL's only winless team, and owning an 11-game losing streak (the longest current streak in the NFL), Tampa Bay statistically has one of the league's worst offenses and defenses (both ranked 28th overall). Tampa Bay has been outscored 51-14 in the first quarter this season and has not scored an offensive touchdown in a third quarter. "When you lose, you self evaluate scheme-wise, individual-wise, what can we do to get better," Bucs defensive coordinator Jim Bates said. "What can we tweak to help our players? That's our job as coaches, to ..."

Ruud, defense plan to step up, help snap skid

Comment

November 6

Tampa Tribune

"Two days after Raheem Morris tried to take some pressure off Tampa Bay's battered defense, middle linebacker Barrett Ruud responded. Thanks, but no thanks. On Tuesday, Morris said he challenged the Buccaneers offense to step up, saying, "They have to be the lifeline right now a little bit and I'm asking them to be." When Tampa Bay's leading tackler was informed of those comments, Ruud took it personally. "I definitely don't want to be known as a defense that somebody has to pick up the slack for," said Ruud. "Right now, we're 0-7 and we haven't done our part by any means. But I still have the belief that if your offense doesn't turn the ball over and gives you a few scores, you've got to ..."

Bucs avert TV blackout for throwback game Sunday

Comment

November 5

Tampa Tribune

"Though some tickets are still available, the Bucs-Packers game will not be blacked out on local TV, Tampa Bay Buccaneers spokesman Jeff Kamis said Thursday. The Buccaneers have not had a home game blacked out since they opened Raymond James Stadium in 1998."

Bucs didn'tthe ball on this one

Comment

November 5

Tampa Tribune

"The Tampa Bay Buccaneers haven't done a lot right this season, as we know so well. This Sunday was going to provide a break from all that, though, with the "Throwback" game against the Packers - complete with a return to the hideous (yet lovable) creamsicle uniforms and the winking pirate on the helmets. It is going to be quite a celebration, with the great Lee Roy Selmon becoming the first member of the Bucs Ring of Honor. There is the reunion with the 1979 team that won the division and made the playoffs for the first time. Something like that couldn't possibly get messed up now, could it? It came close. There apparently are some sore feelings by at least a couple of unnamed members of ..."

Smith moving ahead, but he won't forget

Comment

November 5

Tampa Tribune

"Buccaneers Pro Bowl kick returner Clifton Smith said Wednesday he has a daily reminder of the vicious hit he suffered Oct. 18 that gave him a concussion. Smith was injured when Panthers S Dante Wesley inflicted a violent blow while Smith was attempting to field a punt. The NFL suspended Wesley for a game, and Smith missed the next game against New England in London. "I feel perfectly fine - I'm back to normal," said Smith, who is expected to play Sunday at home against Green Bay. "Nothing has been bothering me at all. I think it was the right decision to hold me out. I still had some headaches going on. I watch the video of the play all the time. There was a big picture in the paper the ..."

Bucs icon Doug Williams glad franchise honoring its past

Comment

November 5

Tampa Tribune

"For Doug Williams, Sunday's nod to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' past is both overdue and much appreciated. The director of pro scouting for the Buccaneers will be on the field when the franchise salutes the 1979 club and honors Hall of Fame defensive end Lee Roy Selmon as the first inductee into the Ring of Honor. "I've always said history is important,'' said Williams, a five-year starter at quarterback for the Bucs before he departed in a bitter contract dispute following the 1982 season. "It's hard to know where you're going if you don't know where you've been. "A lot of the guys from that '79 team live in the area and a lot of them were disappointed that it's almost been like they were ..."

Bucs CB Talib limited in practice; returner Smith full go

Comment

November 5

Tampa Tribune

"Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Aqib Talib's absence from the early part of practice Wednesday was injury related. Talib was limited in practice because of an ankle injury, Coach Raheem Morris said. Also limited was left guard Jeremy Zuttah, by a shoulder injury. Neither player's status for Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers is certain, but the injuries were not categorized as serious. Pro Bowl kick returner Clifton Smith does expect to play Sunday after missing the Oct. 25 game against the New England Patriots in London. Smith said Wednesday he owns a daily reminder of the vicious hit he suffered Oct. 18 that produced a concussion. Smith experienced a concussion when Panthers ..."

Like the bad old days

Comment

November 5

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

columnist Bob McGinn

"It will be Throwback Day for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers, in more ways than one. For the first time, the Bucs will wear their original orange and white "creamsicle" uniforms and helmets. They date to 1976-'77, when under coach John McKay and general manager Ron Wolf, the Bucs lost a National Football League-record 26 straight games. Now the franchise is mired in an 11-game skid, its longest since then. As the NFL's only winless team (0-7), the Bucs have turned back the clock to their futile beginning and could threaten Detroit's single-season mark of 0-16 a year ago. "I think Green Bay will just have too much offense for them," an executive in personnel ..."

Bucs bring on new kicker

Comment

November 4

Tampa Tribune

"The winless Buccaneers made a change at kicker Tuesday, signing Connor Barth and releasing Shane Andrus. Barth, 23, made 10 of 12 field-goal attempts and all 24 of his extra-point tries for Kansas City in 2008. He was waived by the Chiefs this summer. The former University of North Carolina standout was signed by the Dolphins on Aug. 10 and released three weeks later. "He had a very good workout for us," Bucs general manager Mark Dominik said of Barth, who converted 54 of 71 field-goal attempts at North Carolina before joining the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent. "Consistency for Shane in practice was a concern." Andrus, signed a month ago after the Bucs released Mike Nugent, missed his ..."

Plenty of blame to go around for Bucs

Comment

November 4

Tampa Tribune

"The Bucs' losing streak stands at 11. The list of quarterbacks who have tried to snap it stands at four. A fifth now gets his chance to turn the team's fortunes. But rookie Josh Freeman will need help. Though Bucs quarterbacks have combined to produce a passer rating that ranks 28th in the league, it often has been the players around them who have done in the Bucs. In London, for example, the Bucs were victimized as much by missed tackles, dropped passes and missed blocking assignments as by quarterback Josh Johnson's untimely interceptions. It has been that way all season, so it stands to reason that Freeman won't fare much better if the players around him don't start playing better. ..."

Winless Tampa Bay Bucs out to save face

Comment

November 4

St. Petersburg Times

"Eleven months ago, the Bucs were 9-3 and tied for the No. 1 seed in the NFC heading into a Monday Night Football game with the Panthers. Then Panthers running backs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart combined for rush for 299 yards and four touchdowns as Carolina won the Dec. 8 game. On Tuesday, the Bucs returned from their bye week as the NFL's only winless team at 0-7 and the sad owners of the league's longest losing streak at 11. Rarely does something fall that far that fast without wearing a parachute. Victories Sunday by the Rams and Titans left the Bucs locked alone in the basement of the 32-team league as the only ones still searching for a W. "We all want to win, man. ..."

Tampa Bay Bucs coach Raheem Morris denies report of confrontation with cornerback Aqib Talib

Comment

November 4

St. Petersburg Times

"Bucs coach Raheem Morris downplayed a radio report that CB Aqib Talib cursed him out after missing curfew following the Oct. 25 loss to the Patriots in London. Morris said Talib was one of a few players who missed the after-game curfew by going out for dinner with their wives or teammates, adding the situation has been handled internally. According to the 620-AM report, Talib directed profanity toward Morris when the first-year coach confronted him in the hotel. Morris emphatically stated: "I've never ever once been disrespected by Talib - in life. Never. "Myself and Talib, we have a great relationship. I don't think we've ever had an argument. Now I've yelled at him before, but I don't ..."

Bucs change kickers, sign former Chief Connor Barth

Comment

November 3

Tampa Tribune

"The winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers made a change at kicker Tuesday, signing Connor Barth and releasing Shane Andrus. Barth, 23, made 10 of 12 field goal attempts and all 24 of his extra-point tries for Kansas City in 2008 and was waived by the Chiefs this summer. The former University of North Carolina standout was signed by the Dolphins Aug. 10 and released by Miami three weeks later."

Bucs inspired by throwback salute to team's colorful past

Comment

November 3

Tampa Tribune

"As they approach Sunday's throwback game against the Green Bay Packers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers players are drawing inspiration from a unique opportunity to salute the franchise's past. Hall of Fame defensive end Lee Roy Selmon will be the first person inducted into the Buc Ring of Honor and there will be a tribute to the 1979 club that reached the NFC title game in only the fourth year of the franchise. "It's going to be a great gathering,'' veteran defensive tackle Chris Hovan said Tuesday. "We're honoring the legendary Buc – the guy who started it off around here. Whatever uniforms they put on us, we have to go out and get a victory. There's a lot to play for, the fans will be great …. ..."

Bucs' Morris downplays report of confrontation with Talib

Comment

November 3

Tampa Tribune

"Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris is downplaying a radio report that second-year cornerback Aqib Talib cursed him out after breaking curfew following the 35-7 loss to New England in London Oct. 25. Local sports talk host Steve Duemig recently reported that Talib used profanity toward Morris when Tampa Bay's rookie coach admonished him and several teammates for arriving late at the team hotel, hours after the Bucs fell to 0-7. "A couple of guys went out for dinner, some with their wives, some with their teammates,'' Morris said Tuesday. "They came back late to the after-game curfew. They've been dealt with by myself and by the organization."

Bucs add cornerback Mickens from Cowboys' practice squad

Comment

November 3

Tampa Tribune

"The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed cornerback Mike Mickens from the Dallas Cowboys' practice squad and released cornerback Marcus McCauley on Tuesday. Mickens was a seventh-round pick (227th overall) of the Cowboys in this year's NFL Draft out of the University of Cincinnati. He was released Sept. 5 before being signed to Dallas' practice squad the following day. Mickens left Cincinnati as the school's all-time leader in interceptions with 14, including three returned for a touchdown, while also compiling 233 tackles, eight tackles for loss, one sack, 48 pass breakups, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries while starting in 46 of 47 games he played in."

Sorry Seven didn't get parity invitations

Comment

November 2

Buffalo News

columnist Mark Gaughan

"The bottom is falling out of the NFL this season. Every year there is a handful of really bad teams at the bottom. This year, however, there aren't just two, three or four dregs in the NFL. There are seven. For the first time since 1970, there are two 0-7 teams and one 0-6 team. Only once in the last 40 years — in 1985 — had there been three 0-6 teams. The Sorry Seven right now comprises: St. Louis (0-7), Tampa Bay (0-7), Tennessee (0-6), Cleveland (1-6), Kansas City (1-6), Detroit (1-5) and Oakland (2-5). We'll have to see if any other teams spiral downward and join this group. The increasing number of blowouts is another sign of the bad getting worse. Last week six of 13 games were ..."

Bucs become NFL's only winless team

Comment

November 2

Tampa Tribune

"It's official - the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the only winless team in the NFL. After the St. Louis Rams got their first victory of the season by beating the Detroit Lions 17-10 and the Tennessee Titans put away the Jacksonville Jaguars 30-13 Sunday, the Bucs became the only league team yet to register a victory in 2009. The Bucs (0-7) are on their bye week, preparing for Sunday's game at Raymond James Stadium against the Green Bay Packers (4-3), who lost 38-26 to the Minnesota Vikings and former Packer icon Brett Favre Sunday afternoon. The game with the Packers will be nostalgic because the Bucs will break out their classic creamsicle uniforms, which they wore from their inception in 1976 ..."

For the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, molding Josh Freeman into their top quarterback a journey

Comment

November 1

St. Petersburg Times

"Franchise quarterbacks in the NFL should come boxed in bubble wrap with a warning label: Handle with care. Play them too soon and a bad experience may strip them of their confidence. Coddle them too much and they may wilt under the first sign of pressure and mounting expectations. That's why the Bucs stuck to their plan after taking Josh Freeman with the 17th overall pick in April. At 21 and having entered the draft a year early, Freeman had his toolbox full in terms of physical abilities. But he had a lot to learn about the pro game. It didn't help that Freeman didn't get many reps in training camp or the preseason because the Bucs were engaged in a pointless competition between Luke ..."

Not much practice for Tampa Bay Buccaneers and rookie quarterback Josh Freeman

Comment

November 1

St. Petersburg Times

"The words still roll smoothly off the tongue of Raheem Morris. Tough. Physical. Violent. Practice in pads. Core beliefs. But in practice - or very little practice, as the case was during the bye week - they seem like empty slogans. Morris' team is 0-7 and making a change at quarterback to rookie Josh Freeman. It's the perfect opportunity to make the switch, with an extra week to prepare for Freeman's start Nov. 8 against the Packers. The rest of the team could benefit from practice, too, or so it would seem, considering the Bucs are ranked 28th in the NFL in offense and 27th in defense. So how much work on the field did Freeman and the Bucs get during the bye week? Try 2½ hours. That's it. ..."

Who'll be here to see rebuilding through?

Comment

November 1

Tampa Tribune

"By now you know - the Bucs' 2009 season never really was about 2009. It always has been about setting this team up for 2010 and beyond. With the appointment of Josh Freeman as the new starting quarterback, the Bucs have pushed the transition into high gear. Lots of other changes will follow. By the time the Bucs are playoff contenders again they will barely resemble the team they are today. Here is a look at the Bucs' 22 starters and who among them will still be starting a year from now when the Bucs take another shot at relevancy. OFFENSE QB Josh Freeman: If Freeman isn't the quarterback of this team a year from now, then Raheem Morris probably won't be the coach and Mark Dominik won't be ..."

Ex-Buc Rice just happy to be back in the game

Comment

November 1

Tampa Tribune

"If he wanted to, Simeon Rice could stand on the sideline and count the crowd accurately within minutes. His United Football League paycheck is chump change by NFL standards, and he is hunting down Brooks Bollinger these days instead of Donovan McNabb, but the former Pro Bowl defensive end of the Buccaneers is still excited about playing football. "I'm back being me," Rice said over the phone from the airplane carrying the New York Sentinels up to Giants Stadium for Thursday night's UFL matchup against the California Redwoods. "After dealing with an injury for the first time in my career, I'm hell-raising again." In their first home game, in front of a few thousand fans, the Sentinels fell ..."

Tampa Bay Buccaneers break for weekend after testy practice

Comment

October 30

St. Petersburg Times

"The Bucs conducted their final bye week workout with a full-pads practice Thursday at One Buc Place. With the team in good physical shape, coach Raheem Morris stirred things up with live hitting. Turns out, he got a little more than he bargained for. "We had a little padded work, a little physical (work) today," Morris said Thursday. "Some of it was too physical." It seems there was a little pushing and shoving involved during the workout. But with the Bucs at 0-7, a little fire from players was considered a good thing. "We had a spirited practice right before they go get a little break," Morris said. "We have time to heal up. We have time for these guys to get off their feet, time for ..."

Notebook: Faine breaks in another QB

Comment

October 30

Tampa Tribune

"Bucs C Jeff Faine has endured more changes than the customers in his Orlando Forty VII clothing store. Faine was slowed by a groin injury during training camp as he worked with QBs Luke McCown and Byron Leftwich. He was healthy enough to start in Week 1 with Leftwich, but he injured his triceps against Dallas and missed the next four games. After returning against Carolina, Faine had to work with second-year QB Josh Johnson, who became Tampa Bay's starter during Faine's absence. Johnson and Faine played in two games together before the quarterback was benched this week. Faine found out he is working with his third quarterback this season when Coach Raheem Morris announced that rookie Josh ..."

Tampa Bay Bucs work on running back balance

Comment

October 29

St. Petersburg Times

"Bucs RB Derrick Ward isn't the only one keeping tabs of his carries. The coaching staff has been trying to find ways to get Ward involved, but Cadillac Williams' strong play and game circumstances have made it difficult to get Ward more work. On Sunday against the Patriots in London, Ward led the Bucs with a season-high 13 carries, but they came at the expense of Williams, who appeared to be heating up with 51 yards on his first seven touches, which included a 19-yard reception. Williams finished with 11 carries for 29 yards. It seems striking a balance between the two running backs - while facing big deficits that make running the ball difficult - continues to be a sticky issue. ..."

United Football League's Florida Tuskers say they could give the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a tussle

Comment

October 29

St. Petersburg Times

"Florida Tuskers coach Jim Haslett said though the level of competition level in the first-year United Football League "may not be the National Football League," he believes his team is "pretty close." So what would happen if the unbeaten Tuskers played the winless Buccaneers? Tuskers running back Michael Pittman, a former Buc, acknowledged Wednesday that there are some guys on the team who would "probably tell you we can (beat the Bucs)." That's when running back Tatum Bell chimed in, "I'm one of them." Bell, who played a combined five seasons with the Broncos and Lions, said he believes the Tuskers can compete with some NFL teams, such as the Bucs. The Tuskers (3-0), who play the Las ..."

Tampa Bay Buccaneers name Josh Freeman starting quarterback for rest of season

Comment

October 29

St. Petersburg Times

"In his first practice as the Bucs' starting quarterback on Wednesday, rookie Josh Freeman was forced to strap on the club's original helmet. It is part of the throwback uniform Freeman will wear when he makes his first NFL start Nov. 8 against the Packers at Raymond James Stadium. How fitting. The winking, stiletto-chewing pirate might want to keep both eyes closed this time. In making the move to the 17th overall pick, the Bucs are hoping Freeman doesn't suffer the same indignities as other first-round quarterbacks who made debuts in those uniforms, such as Doug Williams, Steve Young, Vinny Testaverde and Trent Dilfer. "Josh Freeman will take over as starting quarterback for the ..."

Freeman a classic passer

Comment

October 29

Tampa Tribune

"In at least one respect, the timing of the Bucs' decision to name rookie Josh Freeman their starting quarterback couldn't be better. He is, after all, something of a throwback to the old days. At a time when the transition to the more mobile passer who can make plays with his feet is ongoing, the Bucs have moved the other way by appointing Freeman their starter. "He's a guy that's going to stand in the pocket and deliver the long throws downfield on time and in rhythm off the play-action pass and the drop-back pass," Bucs coach Raheem Morris said. "He stretches the field a bit more." The Bucs started the season with a quarterback like that in veteran Byron Leftwich. They then went to the ..."

Bucs name rookie Freeman as starting quarterback

Comment

October 28

Tampa Tribune

"Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris announced Wednesday that rookie quarterback Josh Freeman will take over as the team's starter. Freeman, who was a first-round draft pick, will replace former starter Josh Johnson. He will also be Tampa Bay's third starting quarterback this season. Byron Leftwich started the first three games before giving way to Johnson, who threw eight interceptions and four touchdown passes in four games. The Bucs are currently 0-7 and in their bye week. Freeman's first game as the starter will be next week against the Green Bay Packers."

Bucs rookie QB Josh Freeman prepares to start

Comment

October 28

St. Petersburg Times

"Bucs rookie quarterback Josh Freeman took warmup reps with starting center Jeff Faine Wednesday, the earliest indication that he is preparing to start against the Green Bay Packers Nov. 8. Freeman is expected to work with the first-team offense during practice today and Thursday during the team's bye week. Freeman made his NFL regular-season debut against the Patriots in London Sunday, playing two series. He completed 2-of-4 passes for 16 yards and was sacked twice. But the Bucs are 0-7 and have not improved under second-year quarterback Josh Johnson."

Help ailing Bucs, other former NFL players

Comment

October 28

St. Petersburg Times

"Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers president Gay Culverhouse is expected to testify before the House Judiciary Committee at its hearing today on football brain injuries. "I've got to see that someone stops this debacle before it gets any worse," said Culverhouse, 62, the daughter of former Buccaneers owner Hugh Culverhouse who held various executive positions from 1985 to 1994. "I watched our team do anything it could to get players back on the field. We have to make that right." Culverhouse told the New York Times she has been in touch with many former Bucs who have debilitating physical problems. The NFL and the players union have added many programs to aid former players since their pension ..."

Bucs cut reserve offensive lineman hours after DUI arrest

Comment

October 27

Tampa Tribune

"The Tampa Bay Buccaneers today released backup offensive lineman Marcus Johnson – less than 11 hours after he was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. Police say they spotted Johnson asleep in his 2010 Chevrolet Impala at Dale Mabry Highway and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard about 4 a.m. today. A police lieutenant had to wake Johnson. Johnson, 27, showed signs of impairment during field sobriety exercises and later refused to participate in breath tests."

Buccaneers coach, general manager risking own future on rookie quarterback

Comment

October 27

St. Petersburg Times

columnist John Romano

"For you and me, the decision seems simple enough. The Buccaneers stink, their offense is going nowhere, and the future of the franchise is standing just a few feet away on the sideline. So why wouldn't you start Josh Freeman at quarterback when the Bucs return to the field in 12 days? Ah, but for Raheem Morris and Mark Dominik, the decision is a bit more complicated. By destiny and design, the Bucs coach and general manager have become inextricably linked with their rookie quarterback. In a season that appears hellbent on disappointment, Freeman's development is the last opportunity for a positive vibe. So if the kid shows us a glimpse, a peek, a tease at better days to come, the front ..."

Josh Freeman getting more comfortable in Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense

Comment

October 27

St. Petersburg Times

"Josh Freeman returned home Monday as the likely starter for the Bucs when they begin the second half of their season after this week's bye. But regarding his first game action in nearly two months, he said he felt comfortable during his regular-season debut against the Patriots. "It's hard to use the word rusty because I play football every week," Freeman said. "It's just that I haven't been playing on Sundays. I've been getting work in practice; I've been getting a lot of scout-team reps. I've been working with (coordinator Greg) Olson, and he's brought me along tremendously in the offense. I felt really comfortable out there calling the plays, knowing where the ball needed to go, stuff ..."

Wes Welker just keeps on going

Comment

October 26

Boston Herald

"Wes Welker is aware of how important it is for him to gain yards after he makes a catch. When CBS flashed a graphic on yesterday's telecast that the wide receiver was the NFL's most prolific after the catch, it was no surprise to him. "Especially when you're catching 5-yard routes, you've got to be able to do something with it afterward, or I'll be out of a job pretty quick," Welker said. In the Patriots' 35-7 win against the Buccaneers at Wembley Stadium yesterday, Welker showed what he meant. He led both teams with 10 catches for 107 yards, his second-straight 100-yard game. The highlight was his touchdown catch on a 14-yard screen pass in which he weaved in and out of defenders behind ..."

Patriots' win has some English

Comment

October 26

Boston Herald

"They traveled across the Atlantic Ocean and into foreign land, embracing the opportunity to display the game of football for a wide-eyed audience. The Patriots [team stats] simply showed the British what they had been showing Americans for years. Quarterback Tom Brady, whose matinee idol qualities led to gushing from the local press, added substance to style by throwing for three touchdown passes. The defense scored, too, perhaps helping the Brits learn the term "pick-six." That the Pats ended the suspense early with a 35-7, cruise-control win against the Buccaneers did not ruin the enthusiasm of the jolly good show. The 84,254 frenzied fans jammed into historic Wembley Stadium, arriving ..."

Freeman finally makes debut

Comment

October 26

Tampa Tribune

"The call that a lot of Bucs fans have been waiting all season for was finally made an ocean away late Sunday. It wasn't a long-distance call, however. With the Patriots well in command of what would prove to be a 35-7 victory, Bucs coach Raheem Morris simply called up to the Wembley Stadium press box to tell General Manager Mark Dominik he was changing out his quarterbacks. It's still too soon to know whether that call sparked the beginning of the Josh Freeman era, but it's apparent that it won't be long now before the Bucs' first-round draft pick takes over the offense. "It's the same situation that Byron (Leftwich) was in," said Josh Johnson, the first-year starter whom Freeman relieved ..."

Despite loss, Bucs enjoy London

Comment

October 26

Tampa Tribune

"With the obvious exception of the final score, there wasn't much about playing a game against the Patriots at Wembley Stadium that the Bucs didn't like. From an enthusiastic crowd that numbered 84,254 to an atmosphere that was reminiscent of that usually reserved for the Super Bowl, the game came off as something truly special and memorable, they said. "It was a great atmosphere," Bucs coach Raheem Morris said. "I was really surprised seeing those Buccaneer flags waving at the beginning. That gave you a great feeling. "It was really a lot of fun. There were a whole bunch of different chants I haven't heard before and we saw beach balls and the wave. This was old school fun football and it ..."

Key moments in Tampa Bay Buccaneers loss

Comment

October 26

St. Petersburg Times

"The Bucs secondary has come up with several potentially game-changing plays in recent weeks, from CB Aqib Talib's three interceptions at Washington to S Tanard Jackson's interception return for a touchdown against the Panthers last week. But those plays went to waste, as did two more in Sunday's loss to the Patriots. Jackson made a touchdown-saving interception of a Tom Brady pass in the end zone in the second quarter, and Talib added an interception down the middle against WR Brandon Tate a few minutes later. But those plays were negated by subsequent breakdowns. "Any time you make plays where you score or you get the ball back, it's going to contribute," Jackson said. "But those plays ..."

A coronation for Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie quarterback Josh Freeman?

Comment

October 26

St. Petersburg Times

columnist Gary Shelton

"In the land of the monarchs, on the fields of the empire, the boy king finally got to try on the crown. Now, the question is whether Josh Freeman, heir to the throne, is ready to rule his kingdom. And if so, can he please do something about the blight of the Tampa Bay Bucs? For all the pomp and circumstance surrounding Sunday's international drubbing of the Bucs by the New England Patriots, the most intriguing sight of all came with 9:25 to play when Freeman, the Bucs' No. 1 draft choice, finally got off the bench. Yes, he could have played longer, and true, he should have played better. All in all, it is fair to suggest that Freeman looked something short of regal. That said, this ..."

Josh Freeman sees his first action in Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 35-7 loss

Comment

October 26

St. Petersburg Times

"The game was out of hand in the fourth quarter when Bucs coach Raheem Morris went to the sideline phone and dialed upstairs to general manager Mark Dominik. After exchanging a few words, he quickly turned to offensive coordinator Greg Olson and said, "Give me Five." With that command, Josh Freeman, the quarterback the Bucs have protected like the Crown Jewels, took his place in the huddle. His Kingdom come. That was the most significant development in the Bucs' 35-7 loss to the Patriots on Sunday before 84,254 at Wembley Stadium. The Bucs made the switch to Freeman after Josh Johnson threw three interceptions. Two came in the first quarter by safety Brandon Meriweather, including one ..."

Bucs' returner Clifton Smith inactive today against Patriots

Comment

October 25

Tampa Tribune

"The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be without Pro Bowl returner Clifton Smith today against the New England Patriots. Smith, who sustained a concussion last week after taking a flagrant hit from Carolina's Dante Wesley, is among the players listed as inactive for today's game at Wembley Stadium. Also inactive for the Bucs are DT Dre Moore, DE Kyle Moore, C Jonathan Compas, CB Marcus McCauley and OL Shawn Murphy. Byron Leftwich is the third emergency quarterback. Smith's return duties will be handled by Sammie Stroughter, a rookie receiver who last week returned a kick 97 yards for a touchdown."

British fans won't be pro-Patriots so much as anti-Bucs

Comment

October 25

San Francisco Chronicle

"Buccaneers owner Malcolm Glazer will settle any lingering Revolutionary War differences once and for all today. He won't have to fire a single musket. When his winless Bucs take the pitch at Wembley Stadium, up to 90,000 Brits surely will side with the Patriots - the American team with a Minuteman logo on its helmet, whose mascot is Joe the Redcoat-Ripping Patriot. It turns out the English have a new enemy these days, and it's Glazer. He's the Yankee billionaire who invaded their homeland in 2005 and seized control of their prized possession, the Manchester United (other kind of) football team. That alone gives the Brits reason to cheer New England, even if its stands for all that kicked ..."

Buccaneers' Jim Bates must figure out how to stop New England Patriots, Tom Brady

Comment

October 25

St. Petersburg Times

"You would not want to be defensive coordinator Jim Bates today. Come to think of it, yesterday and the day before weren't that much fun, either. The Bucs defensive coordinator is responsible for trying to stop QB Tom Brady and the Patriots today in London, which may be a little like trying to beat back the tide with a broom. Not only did Tom look terrific in throwing six touchdowns last week against the winless Titans, but five of them came in the second quarter. There's little chance that Bates thought his job would be this impossible when he took over after Monte Kiffin left. He had wanted to bring in some players - the Dolphins' Jason Taylor, for example - who had thrived in his system ..."

Buccaneers News