SB Nation - Josh Bidwell

The 2000's: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Team of the Decade

Niko Houllis — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 10:00:27 -0000

by Chris O'Meara - AP

The one position I don't have to do any thinking about.

As we come up on the last week of the year, it is also fitting to remember, this is the last week of the decade, one in which we won a SuperBowl. Only two NFC teams won a Superbowl in the 2000s, New York GIants and your Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

So in doing this Team of the 2000s, I decided not to just pick the best player to played at any time during the decade, I will pick one of those guys if they were that much better than the others, But if someone played a position for most of the middle of the decade, even though not as good as a guy from 2000-2002, Ill go with the longer term guy most of the time. Keeping in mind "Teams of" can be subjective, so feel free to throw in your choices or correct me where you see fit.

Here you go guys...the Tampa Bay Buccaneers team of the 2000's Decade:

Quarterback: Brad Joshnson- He played from 2001 through 2003, and for those three seasons, he completed a high percentage of his passes, was very accurate, and won a Superbowl for us. Jeff Garcia and Brian Griese had good years in the decade too. In a position that has been so volatile, the guy who plays three years dominates the decade.

FullBack: Mike Alstott- For his last 3 seasons, Mike Alstott was truely a blocker, and still toted the ball with good numbers. But no matter what, no. 40 made the Fullback position famous here in Tampa Bay, and the A train is probably the most popular Buc ever. BJ Askew is a good runner up, as is Jameel Cook.

Tailback: Warrick Dunn- Just goes to show you the lack of a dominant rusher here, when a guy who played in the first two years of the decade and came back for his final year ever takes this one, but I just cant give it to Cadillac even though his 2005 year was the best of the decade. Michael Pittman was solid but saved his best for the Superbowl.

Wide Receiver- Joey Galloway- What can you say? 3 consecutive 1000 yard seasons? Thats never happened before in Bucs history. Joey Galloway was Tampa Bays DEEP threat after his first injury plagued 2004 season, and MADE defensive coordinators plan for him in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

Wide Receiver- Keyshawn Johnson- He was the dominant WR on the team from 2000 until he was let go after the 2003 season. He made the tough catches over and across the middle, and was the receiver the Bucs needed to catch the attention of defensive coordinators and players. Antonio Bryant is the default franchise receiver, and Joe Keenan McCardell would have taken this one if not for his 2 year only status as WR.

Tight End- Ken Dilger 2002-2004- With all due respect to Jeremy Stevens who I think is the Best overall Tight End we had this decade, Dilger gave the Bucs a legit weapon when we went from Dave Moore after the 2001 season. Alex Smith was a little disappointing, but again, not exactly a spot on the team that was really dominated.

Left Tackle- Donald Penn 2007- Current - I mean who else am I going to pick? Kenyatta Walker? Penn has shut down some great right ends , he will be fine there for some time, as long as the Bucs are smart enough to lock him in.

Left Guard- Dan Buenning- 2005-2006- Dan was injured in the last preseason game of 2006 and believe it or not, is the biggest cause of the poor start of that year. Cadillac Williams made a great percentage of his yards running left in 2005 behind Buenning and Anthony Davis. Aaron Sears should dominate for another decade if his comeback is successful. Special Note for Kerry Jenkins who was brought in and did well during the Superbowl year.

Center- Jeff Faine- 2008-Pres: Will more respects to Jeff Christy who Centered for the first three years, Faine in two seasons has dominated the spot that calls the protections for the QB. In between (03-07) the position was a serious weak spot.

Right Guard- Davin Joeseph 2006 Pres- Joeseph is kind of having a down year, but who isn't this season right? Davin is probably on the verge of a probowl year, or several years, but lets not forget Cosey Colman who played adequately for many seasons.

Right Tackle- Jeremy Trueblood- 2006-Pres- Trueblood and Joeseph came as bookends in 2006, and got the start when Kenyata Walker got hurt. This side of the line does not have a very dominant tackle this decade.

Place Kicker: Matt Bryant- 2005-2008- Gramatica just had too many of his best years before the decade, while Bryant had one of the best kicking years ever last season, and lets never forget the 62 yarder vs the Eagles in 2006. Very Accurate.

Punter: Josh Bidwell- 2004-Present- No other player really dominates the decade like Josh Bidwell, and in a way that is a shame that a Punter holds that honor! While Tupa punted well during the Superbowl, Bidwell came here via Free Agency from the Green Bay Packers after surviving testicular cancer.

Left Defensive End- Greg Spires- 2002-2006: The Crane he was called, Spires dominated the left side with his pressure on the QB and his attacking of the run. Marcus Jones and Chidi Ahanato were bit players until Mr. Spires came to town. SInce he left, only Kevin Carter has any kind of year there. Its a big need heading into 2010 and beyond, as is every spot on the line now.

Nose Guard- Chris Hovan- Booger McFarland was my first choice, but his time is kind of split in During Sapp and after Sapp years, when he had to play undertackle. So I take Hovan's 2005- Present years as the best Nose Guard years of the decade. This is probably Roy Millers spot to lose next decade.

UnderTackle- Warren Sapp 2000-2003: He was so good, that no matter what, he is the guy for this list. Tampa Bay is STILL trying to replace him. Chadrick Darby, Booger McFarland, Ellis Wyms, and Jovan Haye have tried. What can I say. If you don't like my pick, Suh me!

Right Defensive End- Gaines Adams- OK , just seeing if your paying attention! Simeon Rice just dominated this spot since getting him in 2001 until his shoulder gave out in 2006. Even then, he had his last monster game in week 3 vs Carolina when he tried to will the Bucs to a win.

Strong Side Linebacker- Ryan Nece- He was the Sam Backer in 03, 05 and 06. The Bucs had the no.1 defense in 2005, so you could give an argument that Nece has as much playmaking ability than Cato June there. In not for time involved, Ian Gold and Alshermond Singlton would get the nod, with Singlton coming in as the best Sam Linebacker of the decade, but were going to go with Nece, who as you probably know is long time 49er safety Ronnie Lott's son.

Middle Linebacker- Shelton Quarles- 2002-2006: Little known fact, Jon Gruden was the one who recommended to Monte Kiffin that Sam linebacker Shelton Quarles in 2001 would make a great Mike linebacker, and so he did. Barrett Ruud at times appears to be the guy...Im guessing we will find out, as he has put in as much time as Quarles did now. But Quarles played it almost as well as that Nickerson guy in the 90s.

Weak Side Linebacker- Derrick Double Nickle Brooks- 2000-2008!: Well pretty much...but there is no way you could make any effort to pick Geno Hayes over Derrick Brooks, so this is the second easiest position to pick. Brooks defined the Will linebacker in the Tampa Two.

Strong Safety- John Lynch-2000-20003: Lynch has one year less than Jermain Philips, so its a no brainer here. John Lynch could have played more as it turns out, but Phlip did a great job taking over. Lynch was the cornerstone of the Tampa Two, the Safety that snuck in the box and laid the wood on ...well, anyone.

Weak Safety- Tanard Jackson- 2008-Pres: People forget how often Dexter Jackson got burned in 2001. He had a great game in the Superbowl with his two picks, but both picks resulted in a total of 3 points. Rice or Pittman should have been MVP in my book. Jackson played well when we returned in 2005 and the defense went to NO. 1 again.

Corner no. 1- Brian Kelly-2002-2007- BK never had the public's full support like corner no. 2 did. I think its because the public perception of him is his outstretched arms while Ricky Proel catches the TD against us in the Rams NFC Championship game. But Brian Kelly was a great corner, and Aqib Talib is filling the number in properly.

Corner no. 2- Ronde Barber- The Whole Freaking Decade!: Nothing needs to be said here. Even when people call him out for a few bad plays, he makes 2 for each bad one. He even did well in a new defense. Ronde Barber will forever be remembered for his run down the Vet in Philadelphia to put the Bucs in the Superbowl.

Head Coach: I wont even touch this one. Tony Dungy is a B+ Coach and an A+ Man. Jon Gruden invoked energy into a tiring franchise that needed the juice he brought...on top of replacing HALF of the offense. He did NOT win the Superbowl with Dungy's team, but he could not have won the Superbowl without Dungy either.

I hope you enjoyed this article. I had fun remembering all the players Ive enjoyed rooting for during this up, down, up and now down decade. lets hope the next ten years are fondly remembered too. Feel Free to drop in with your opinions on the players I've listed, or maybe, if I forgot one?

The 5 Things the Bucs need for a happy 2010

Niko Houllis — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 21:50:52 -0000

What the Bucs need to do to have a better 2010...

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In no particular order, here are five things the Bucs need to do to insure a happy Buccaneers 2010 season; with an extra point after the jump.

Continue to show improvement in play- The Bucs have been blown out by double digits in 5 of the first 7 games. In the last four? The Bucs lost one big, but won one, and lost the other two by a combined 5 points!.... in the last minute of each game! Josh Freeman is outplaying the other two big named rookie quarterbacks, as Josh is now 69 out of 125 (55.2%) for 793 yards 7 TDs and 5 Ints. His 76.5 QB Rating is higher than the 62.4 for Stafford or 62.1 for Sanchez. Both of those QBs have thrown for less completion %, and have a higher interception rate too.
Maintain continuity- Many fans want to see Bill Cowher coach this Bucs team. Yet Cowher's success comes from his ownership giving him 15 plus years to run the team, and not let him go at the first sign of a poor record or poor showings. The Quick Pull that fans want to do with Raheem is exactly the thing that would have ruined Cowher. Redskins QB Campbell is a fine example of what happens to a QB who gets a new Coordinator each year. Closer to home Bucs Shawn King had a new coordinator each year, Shula in '99, Les Steckle, Clyde Christianson, Jon Gruden was no. 4 in 4 years. Keep Raheem Morris, Greg Olsen, and remove the Bates defensive coaches so everyone is on the same page. We are seeing this improvement we have been looking for all year. If it continues, this offseason isnt the time to do it.s
Import more defensive talent, starting with the Defensive Line- Now that its obvious the Bucs return to the Tampa Two is a little more long term, the restocking of the Bucs defense is now on a lesser scale. Before the season is over, the defensive coaches need to assess if anyone on the roster is capable of taking over the undertackle 3 technique. If not, then this is a critical position on the roster that must be addressed in the NFL Draft, and Nebraska's Ndamukong Suh is a popular choice for that particular need. The secondary will need some attention too, as Ronde Barber is not getting younger, and Sabby Piscitelli needs to be assessed if he is the man to take the free safety position for the Bucs.
Punting is fundamental- Its not FUN though for Bucs fans, watching Dirk Johnson punt that is. The Bucs 'for real' punter Josh Bidwell's condition must be assertained to determine if his season ending injury is going to hamper his efforts in 2010. The last thing a struggling defense needs is a poor punter. Connor Barth seems to be the real deal in the place kicking department. When he misses, he misses by feet, not stadiums. Matt Bryant was similar.
Find a franchise running back- Take a moment to get your breath back after reading this one...and tell everyone which of the three running backs is a real, bonafide franchise back, that can be relied upon in a pinch. Cadillac? Love the whole story, its a great one, but he is 90% of what he was. A franchise back can break a 45 yard TD. Which one of our Backs do you see doing that? Derrick Ward has been a disapointment, but will be given another chance next year. Earnest Graham may be the real deal, but we need an LT, a Bettis, an........Alstott, to go with our Freeman.

OK OK, Extra Point- It may not sound popular. But number 5 + 1; Re-sign Antonio Bryant- Forget the injury. They happen. Its not a career bug, but it was bad enough that it affected most of he season. Not really his fault. What did he do with it? Did he cause a disruption in the lockeroom? Wasnt that the worry after all about AB? Not that he could do the job, but that he wouldnt turn into a head case. Two seasons now, and the worse we have is Bryant saying throw the ball more please. Tell me he is wrong first before you let him go, because you can bet there will be a line at the Free Agency window if he is not given a long term contract. Also...start Sammy Stroughter and Maurice Stovall so 1) Sammy can show he is a serious #2 guy, or 3) Stovall can finally show us he is more than a special team star.

P BIDWELL PLACED ON INJURED RESERVE; WR MAXWELL SIGNS

Niko Houllis — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 21:17:10 -0000

via www.sptimes.com

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The Buccaneers announced today that they have placed P Josh Bidwell on

Injured Reserve and signed WR Marcus Maxwell.

A Pro Bowl selection following the 2005 season, Bidwell has not missed a game

since the 1999 season, appearing in 144 consecutive games. He has totaled 727 career punts for 31,085 yards (42.8 avg.) in his career. Since joining the Buccaneers in 2004, he has registered a 44.0-yard average, tops in team history.

Maxwell originally entered the NFL as a seventh round selection (223rd overall) of the San Francisco 49ers in the 2005 NFL Draft. He has appeared in nine career games while also spending time with the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore

Ravens.

Interview with Football Outsiders

Buc Wild — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 14:00:12 -0000

More photos » by Brian Blanco - AP

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I recently had the chance to speak with Bill Barnwell and Robert Weintraub of Football Outsiders regarding the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and their take on the 2008 season and the upcoming 2009 season. While we all have some questions that we want answered, I thought this would be a good opportunity to pick up their book and see what kind of knowledge they could drop on us. The Football Outsiders Almanac 2009 has a ridiculous amount of info in it. It covers each team in depth, and looks at players, trends, the college game, recruiting; you name it, it's in there. You can pick it up here http://www.footballoutsiders.com/products.

They were kind enough to answer all my questions, so let's take a look at what they said about the Bucs.

1 - Everyone witnessed the collapse in Tampa last year, starting with the Monday Night game in Carolina. Was there any idea that the Bucs would fall so hard and so fast? Were there any stats that supported this collapse? Or can we merely chalk this up to Monte announcing his decision to leave and other bad karma in the air?

The collapse didn't herald itself from a stat standpoint-before the Panthers debacle, the Bucs turned in three straight games with positive DVOA (Minny, Detroit, NO). Then, the Bucs fell off the cliff. It was as though the sight of Williams and Stewart carving the defense to pieces was enough to prove to the team that it wasn't good enough, and they checked out after that. It's easy to blame Monte, and surely he handled the situation poorly, or at least selfishly. But the players evinced very little professional pride.

2 - Using your special teams ranking, in 2008 you had the Bucs as 19th in the league, yet we had a Pro Bowl returner. How can that be?

Two aspects of special teams brought the overall ranking down-kicking and punt coverage. Matt Bryant was 27^th in the NFL in placekicking, with -4.8 points, despite his high total points as the league keeps the stat. He was poor from distance, and his kickoffs also slipped. That doesn't mean Mike Nugent will be an improvement, but he does have a stronger leg. And while Josh Bidwell punted well enough, the coverage team fell off badly from a strong '07, dropping the overall punt unit to 23^rd in the league. That said, having a guy go from the taxi squad to the Pro Bowl, as Clifton Smith did, was a fantastic story. A slip in his numbers seems mandatory, but you never know.

3 - It's mentioned in the 2009 Football Outsider's Almanac that Derrick Ward is predicted to see a pretty big drop off in 2009. Is this due to uncertainty as to how Tampa's offensive line can handle the change in schemes or more directed at Ward vulturing yards off a good Giants line and defenses worn down by Brandon Jacobs?

A combination of the two. New York had the best line in the game, so it's natural there will be some dropoff for Ward. Having said that, I am more optimistic than the projection-the line is athletic, zone blocking appears to be in the wheelhouse, and Ward is an explosive one cut runner who is well suited to the scheme. Plus, he is used to sharing time in the backfield.

4 - Two part question on the Bucs quarterbacks. Based on size and talent, who does Josh Freeman remind you of in the last 5 years? Does Byron Leftwich have any tread left on the tires, or is he a sitting duck in the pocket?

Obviously, the glass-half-full type will see Ben Roethlisberger in Freeman. Announcers probably won't call him "Josh' like they say "Ben," but that's his ceiling. It remains to be seen whether Freeman has the instincts that separate Big Ben from other large-framed QBs. As for Leftwich, he had a couple of moments filling in for the aforementioned Roethlisberger in 2008, but don't expect much from him. He's just mediocre enough to stay in the lineup and kill the team on a weekly basis, rather than being flat out terrible.

5 - In 2008, what was the biggest surprise for the Bucs when looking at the numbers? What do you project as being the Bucs weakness in 2009?

The Bucs were far and away the best defense against the shotgun formation in 2008, which speaks to both how disciplined the defense was for much of the season, and how awful the run defense was in the final month. Allowing only 4.7 yards per play against the gun was a shockingly low number. It stands to reason that the change away from the cover two style will lead to an uptick in that metric-the question will be whether teams use the shotgun more often against them.

6 - The ALY for the Bucs offensive line in 2008 came in at 4.04 and ranked the Bucs 22nd. Do you see either of these numbers improving in 2009 with the zone blocking scheme and present personnel?

Yes, for reasons discussed above in the Ward answer.

7- Antonio Bryant came on the scene in 2008 after being out of football the prior year. From a fantasy perspective, can he repeat? Is there another Buc that might be worth a gamble on?

. It's hard to be bullish on Bryant when factoring in the quarterback situation, not to mention the additions of Ward and Winslow. From a fantasy standpoint, he is almost certain to decline. Whether that is a little or a lot is up to his mental makeup, and risking anything on that is not something I'd be inclined to do. Winslow seems to be under the radar, both in fantasy and reality. He could prove to be a value pick late in your draft.

8 - Michael Clayton has been a tremendous disappointment outside of his rookie year. When looking at his numbers and statistics, was his rookie year the anomaly or have the last few years been the anomaly? I'm hoping to see some answer that says with Gruden gone, Clayton will flourish. Feel free to be swayed!

Clayton definitely won't be watching much Monday Night Football. As for his improvement, the questions at QB offset any potential "Free at last!" benefits. His catch % was only 50% last season-it's hard to think a new coach is suddenly going to teach MC how to use his hands.

9 - Jim Bates has had some success in the NFL with reviving careers, particularly on the defensive line. Can we expect him to have the same impact on Gaines Adams? Or should we temper our expectations?

. The best thing Bates can do for Gaines is to get the tackles to stand strong in the middle. Adams has a limited repertoire of pass rush moves, to put it mildly, but can be effective if attention must be paid to the inside push. Remember, Adams had 12 hits and 14 hurries in '08-those are respectable numbers that indicate he should finish the job a little more often in '09.

10 - For the 2008 and 2009 season, what stats or metrics were most in the Bucs favor? What was against them? (These might be good facts for us fans to remember for bar talk).

The excellence against the shotgun, mentioned above. Departed QB Jeff Garcia was an improv master, posting a very high DVOA when hurried. The passing game was heavily tilted toward Bryant's side of the field-Tampa hardly threw to the right (away from Bryant), and when they did, the results were poor-31^st in the NFL in DVOA on attempts to that side.

11 - Last question, and it has multiple parts. Where do you see the Bucs going in 2009? You've projected them at approximately 7 wins, but is this a step in the right direction or should we settle in for years of mediocrity?

It's impossible to answer that question without seeing Freeman under live fire and knowing what you have with the draft choice that will define Morris' tenure. If he plays well, and soon, there's no reason the Bucs can't be in the mix in the topsy-turvy NFC South. If he is just another generic Tampa tosser, the team is in trouble. Blowing a high pick on a QB, especially one you traded up to get, is a crippling blow, as it becomes very difficult to turn the page and admit defeat (see Alex Smith, for example). Hopefully, Freeman will come through, and the Bucs can utilize the weaponry they have amassed on offense.

The staff over at Football Outsiders are scientific guru's who break down tape and figure out the hidden game of football through statistics and analysis Thanks again to Bill and Robert for taking the time to give us their scoop on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Mouth of Morris; 8/12

Niko Houllis — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 12:16:42 -0000

Coach, whats the word on Bidwell? Bucs in general?

"Starting right off with the injuries, we have Josh Bidwell, who won’t play this week, we’re still under evaluation for everything going on there. I’m going to tell you more information about Josh once I get a chance to talk with Todd [Toriscelli] and the rest of our medical staff and actually get a chance to sit down with those guys for a second. He won’t go this week.

Today, what we tried to do was more Tennessee preparation. We have a nickel blitz on defense, we have some short yardage on goal line on the defensive side of the ball and the offensive side of the ball. We have some nickel blitz, we have some base blitz, we also had some two minute there at the end. Our two minute was a situation for the end of the half and possibly the end of the game, so I tried to get some realistic people who might be in that situation this week to go out there and execute some of their plays. But for the most part today’s practice was a Tennessee preparation deal, getting the guys ready for all of the situations that they might be involved in against Tennessee, just like yesterday afternoon."

Maybe next year have two punters?

"Again, I pride myself on it, not worrying about it and being mentally tough about it. We have one punter, we have to bring in some guys to compete, let some guys punt and deal with it that way. The same thing with the kicker, those things we can’t control, those things I can’t control. There was no sled that those guys had to hit, there were no tackling drills that they were involved in. You control what you can. Right now, I’m controlling the environment. I’m not going to let you guys go, ‘It was me because we have two guys hurt.’"

You threw a lot of blitzes at the offense, how did they hold up?

"Not bad. I put a lot of pressure on them. I don’t know if you guys noticed or not but that 40-second clock, I started it at 15 when they broke the huddle. That will put a little more urgency, a little more pressure on coordinators to call it, put some more pressure on our quarterbacks trying to make an adjustment. They don’t always get it, but if you can get it in 15 [seconds], you certainly can do it in 40 [seconds]. It’s kind of like my guy from the movie Dodgeball, ‘If you can catch a wrench, you can catch a ball.’ If they can get it in 15 seconds, we should be pretty good with 40 [seconds]. We won’t have delay of game penalties.

So we’re trying to get that tempo, that’s dealing with two minutes, that’s dealing with real live game situations. And you guys know as well as I do, in the game, you get caught up in emotions, the calls aren’t coming in time, people start looking at the sideline with signs of panic and get bad body language. I’m trying to eliminate that right now. Here is 15 seconds, here’s what we have to do, let’s go to the line of scrimmage, let’s get it up the field, let’s get our checks. Let’s give them whatever you’re going to give them. If we have to check the blitz, slot it this way or pick this guy up, great. If you’re going to throw hot off of him, then you better throw hot off of him because I have to hit you in the back on Saturday.

We didn’t miss a hot today but we didn’t throw it quick enough so you’re not going to get hit in the back with that one. But for the most part with the protection, the pickups and the nderstanding of the assignments, I’m very pleased."

How strong are all the units on this team?

"We’re so young. I wouldn’t call it a concern. It is more anxious to see them play. I want to see that young linebacker crew go. They have been exciting to me. To see Jermaine Phillips run around some of those goal line plays and make tackles and be just a blur at times. With the emergence of Quincy Black, [Adam] Hayward, Geno [Hayes] and Barrett [Ruud] leading this crew. Niko [Koutouvides] and Rod [Wilson], that’s a pretty exciting crew. They’re going to make it tough, they’re going to make it tough on all the Tampa fans. Who do you keep? Who are you going to keep? How does it fit best? Who plays special teams? Who doesn’t? All those things come into play, so I’m more anxious to see those guys play. I’m really excited to see our quarterbacks and this battle.

Those guys picking it up and understanding the system, being locked in and detailed and actually getting a chance to take those yellow jerseys off and letting them get hit a little. Who’s going to stand in the pocket and let them get hit a little? Who’s going to stand in the pocket and deliver the football? Who’s going to stand in there and make the check and get us into the right play and have a positive play? Who’s going to do all of those things? I’m pretty anxious to see all of those things. I wouldn’t call it a concern with anything because I’ve been seeing stuff I like, a lot of stuff I like. I’m just interested and anxious to see it."

A few years ago Gruden may have been forced to keep 4 QBs on the roster. How many will you keep?

"I see ourselves keeping three. I never want to rule anything out because you never know what happens. Like I told you guys before, you’re only allowed to keep 53 and if four quarterbacks are the best guys in that unit then I may have to do that. I may have to break those rules. You got to keep what’s best for your team however it works out. We have to keep the guys on our team that we believe are going to help us win. We have to do that."

Thats all for today! only a couple days to go bucs fans!

Cannon Shots: Wednesday's practice and a surprising injury

Buc Wild — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 21:13:52 -0000

Only one practice today for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tomorrow has two practices scheduled with the second of the two being closed and being at Raymond James Stadium. Tomorrow marks a month until the first regular season game, so time is running short.

Let's take a spin around camp at some stories and some not so good news on the injury front.

- Well, first things first. We have another injury that may cause a player to miss the 2009 season. Reported by TBO and Pewter Report, Josh Bidwell will miss the Titans game with a degenerative hip issue. It's a condition he has had for years, but it has never surfaced in this manner. The Bucs will bring in several other punters to give a look at on Thursday. Tests are being conducted to see how long he will need to miss.

- Other not so serious injuries. Bryant (Matt), Clayton and Faine continue to nurse minor injuries with Clifton Smith and Jeremy Trueblood hitting the field. We're starting to trade minor injuries for major ones, not good.

- Josh Johnson got alot of time with the first team today. Not sure what to read into that other than they want to give him a good hard look over the next few weeks. I guess it's not entirely far fetched for Morris to either keep 4 QB's (pass) or to keep Johnson on over the Leftwich/McCown loser.

- Raheem Morris said he wants to see Clifton on Saturday, but not as a returner, as a running back. Again, gotta see what you have.

- Looks like alot of the newbies ran the 2 minute drill today. They will most likely be the ones on the field at the end of the game, and regardless of the score, coaches love to run that drill to see how players respond in a game.

- It's expected that a punter will be signed by tomorrow morning's practice. Not exactly a marquee signing, but keep an eye on whoever it is. They may be here awhile.

Cannon Shots is done for the day. Just a few days left until it's game time.

A look back at the first week of training camp

Buc Wild — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 23:30:09 -0000

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The players are out watching the new G.I. Joe movie. And deservedly so, they just finished the first week in training camp, one that was more physical than the last few seasons due to Coach Morris' mandate on wearing pads and hitting. We've seen and heard alot about the Bucs in the last week, but what have we learned? With week one fully in the books, let's take a position by position stop around the team and recap the first week of the Tampa Bay Buccaneer's 2009 training camp.

Quarterback - We all know about the expectations, question marks, and relative inexperience at the quarterback position. But how is the battle shaping up? Josh Johnson, though not performing poorly, seems like a man destined for the practice squad, either here or with another team. Josh Freeman has had ups and downs. The young gun definitely has the arm strength, but as you'd expect, he's still green. A three interception day in camp is not what you want to see. At this point, I'd expect him to have a clipboard in hand come opening day. The last two are the vets, Byron Leftwich and Luke McCown. They'll be battling for the job all camp long. McCown has been fairly level while Leftwich started slow and has come on towards the end of the week. It'll be interesting to see who wins out. No one seems to separate themselves from the pack. I wonder if it's possible that Johnson could be kept on over Leftwich or McCown? Too soon to tell.

Running Back -Here we have the four headed monster. Earnest Graham has looked good, even ripping up equipment and ending a drill early when he pulled a cord off the goalposts. Derrick Ward is a bit hobbled right now, with his foot in a walking boot. Let's hope it's nothing serious. We need him this year. Clifton Smith is Mr. Everything right now, hitting special teams and running back. Cadillac is back at it on the field, looking good. His hands are still suspect, but he will be a valuable commodity during the year. No real movement on the depth chart here. Graham and Ward (assuming both are healthy) are the guys here.

Wide Receiver/Tight End - We know what we have in Antonio Bryant, and he hasn't let us down yet. Michael Clayton has come on strong in camp and looks like a number two receiver. The battle for the third spot continues and each day a new receiver has a strong day. Today was Cortez Hankton, but Brian Clark, Sammy Stroughter and even new addition Mario Urrutia have come on strong. Dexter Jackson started off strong but in recent days has started shying from contact again and dropping passes, not a good combo. Winslow and Stevens are known commodities and while Winslow was called out for his emotional outbursts, it's nothing we didn't know. As far as camp goes, no real surprises here as the top dogs are performing as such and there are some good battles going on for the lower spots

Offensive Line -Let's just hope everyone stays healthy. Jeff Faine is out with a groin injury and with Arron Sears still not in camp, we can't afford any more losses. The line is still adapting to the new zone scheme and for every great play and correct read, they have one that doesn't look so good. But that's to be expected in training camp.

Defensive Line -Big movers here. Gaines has been called out by the coach for a double digit sack year. Stylez G. White and Jimmy Wilkerson are having alright camps, but not spectacular. Chris Hovan hasn't had his name called much and I'd imagine he and Ryan Sims are incumbents in name only. The guys making some noise are newbies Kyle Moore and Roy Miller. Moore has been everywhere in the backfield drawing praise and Miller has been eating up the middle. I'd like to see Gaines get to the QB more and be more aggressive. This group, although the rookies are playing well, needs to step it up

Linebacker -Let's start with Barrett Ruud. I'm just happy he's in camp without that new contract. We need him to be a leader and he is doing just that. Jermaine Phillips can still hit you, but his reads have got to improve. He's learning on the job, and that will have some bumps in the road, but let's go Flip, you're a linebacker now. Geno Hayes may not be turning heads, but he's been alright. Consistent with only a few big plays. The big game changer thus far? Quincy Black. I hope his performance translates to the field. His performance in camp has been great and if he can make it count on Sundays then we have a pretty good player here.

Defensive Back -This group, well, it's been tough. Much like the OL, for every good play, there's a bad play. Ronde Barber has actually been fairly solid in the new scheme, something most Bucs fans didn't expect. Elbert Mack has been on fire, making play after play after play. Smart money is on him to be no worse than second string. The surprise? Aqib Talib and his poor play. He's been beaten, missed some tackles, just seems in a funk. Hope he can find his form quickly. The safety position has been quiet, with Tanard Jackson and Sabby Piscitelli making few plays, but also being somewhat solid in coverage. Will Allen looks to be in the mix as a rotating player.

Special Teams - Josh Bidwell is doing his thing. The kicking battle is close. Though Mike Nugent has missed more kicks, I'd say he's in the lead just based on Matt Bryant sitting out with a leg injury. Bryant has to get back into camp and make some kicks to show he's the man in Tampa. Several players have been returning kicks and punts. Clifton has been back there, Sammy Stroughter, Elbert Mack, even Cadillac. Alot of faces back there, but it's gonna be Clifton's job to lose.

So there you have it, a quick run around camp position by position. As far as dominating story lines, here you go

- Padding up: Players in full pads and live hitting in most drills. Not usual for Bucs camp

- No rest for the weary: The cool down tent is gone, get used to the heat

- McCown running with the ones: He's had first crack most days with the first team, followed by Leftwich

- Cadillac is back: Hasn't missed a practice, good to have you back

- Injuries: The lack of injuries is a great thing, though a few players have been dinged up

- All players in camp: Outside of Sears, every player has been in camp, another good sign

Practice starts back up tomorrow morning and is followed with an afternoon session. Hope the players enjoyed the night off, it's a full day tomorrow.

Special teams practice at training camp

Buc Wild — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 22:37:13 -0000

Tuesday was day 4 of training camp, and a day for special teams only, while the position players had a break for a day with lifting or running sessions before resuming two-a-days on Wednesday. There are a few battles going on with the special teams units which will definitely shape our football team. Let's take a look at some of the stories and news from Tuesday's practice

- Matt Bryant had the day off with a slightly tweaked leg injury from Monday's practice. Though not expected to have him miss any real time, it did leave all the kicking duties to Mike Nugent. He kicked well, but he did miss two kicks. One was with most of the team around him in a semi-circle screaming and yelling at him. Tough circumstances, but I'm willing to bet stadiums are just as loud.

- Several players including Carnell Williams (Cadillac), Clifton Smith, Sammy Stroughter, and Kareem Huggins have all been fielding punts and kickoffs. Good to get a bunch of guys some looks back there.

- Maurice Stovall, noted special team standout the last few years, and Elbert Mack took some reps as flyers on punt coverage.

- Right now the team is trying to adapt to the new rules (no wedge on kickoffs, and new placement rule).

- I'd imagine that Clifton has both return jobs locked down, but will see some new faces occasionally. With Caddy, Stroughter and (maybe) Dexter Jackson, I like that alot better than having Ike or Galloway drop back. Ike had great hands, but he was good for a fair catch, maybe a 2 yard return. These other guys have some explosiveness.

- A change in practice as every player had to be on the field today. Typically on special teams days, the position players have the day off. Raheem Morris has made it mandatory for everyone to be there. He's calling special teams the "We-fense" as in it's about the group. Interesting strategy.

- Josh Bidwell looked sharp. Hopefully he can keep it going. It often goes unnoticed but a Pro Bowl type punter can help your team in so many ways.

- Back to the kickers. Don't look too much into Bryant not kicking today. They were set to alternate days as it is. For the big scoreboard, Nugent is at 2, Bryant at 0. Lower is better here (total of misses). Morris said before camp

You line up the ball, you snap it, you tee it up and you let them kick. Whoever gets the ball between those two yellow bars the most wins

Keep that in mind as the pre-season goes along. We'll see how it plays out.

Tomorrow resumes the full team practices. We'll keep you updated at Buc 'Em.

Saints 20 @ Bucs 23: Breaking it Down - The Second Half

Saintsational — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 20:00:08 -0000

3rd Quarter

At the beginning of the quarter the announcers throw it down to sideline reporter Laura Okmin who informs viewers that Sean Payton told her he's "gotta get the running game going."
12:18 Remaininig - Garcia runs out of time and gets rid of it with a throw to B.J. Askew that gets deflected and caught by Antonio Bryant. Upon further review it looks like it may have hit the ground but the usually challenge-happy Payton does nothing. Interesting. He might have actually won it too! Bucs also do a good job of running a quick play before any challenge.
11:06 Remaining - More Garcia scrambling. This time its 11 yards for the first down with goal to go. Cadillac Williams finished off the drive with a touchdown on the next play.
10:00 Remaining - Brees throws very short to Reggie, who drops a very easy catch. He is visibly frustrated. Unlike Milli Vanilli, Bush cannot blame it on the rain.
9:54 Remaining - 3rd and 10. Drew Brees takes the only sack of the game from the Tampa defense. Credit this one to Greg White who stunts from the outside to the inside and is able to get penetration up the middle and take out Drew's legs. On another note, this was the Saints first drive of the half and Payton called three straight passing plays. Gotta get the running game going, huh coach?
8:45 Remaining - More jinxing from the announcers. On 2nd down Brian Billick mentions that the Bucs running game should soon allow Tampa Bay to "go vertical." The very next play is a deep pass completion to Antonio Bryant for the second score of the quarter. Thank you Brian Billick. Jason David is on the coverage with Josh Bullocks in for help. They both bite on a double move but I'm not sure why Bullocks was so far up.
During a break they put the camera on the guys upstairs. Before anyone had ever mentioned Brian Baldinger's finger to me, I had never noticed it but I finally got a glimpse of it. That thing is nasty! Can't he just pop that thing back into place? They're doing amazing things with medicine these days.
8:36 Remaining - Deuce makes his first appearance of the game with a 3 yard rush.
7:59 Remaining - Gaines Adams beats the hell out of Jammal Brown with a super spin move and forces a bad Brees throw. I wonder if he gets paid as much as Will Smith or Charles Grant.
7:53 Remaining - Brees hits Colston on 3rd down for the first, the second time the two have connected for big gains on big third down plays. That is Colston's bread and butter. Great to have him back. He also makes a nice 13-yard catch a few plays later.
4:43 Remaining - 2nd and 2 for the Saints in the red zone. Brees throws to the right side but Barber tips the ball and Cato June makes the interception. We already heard Payton explain what went wrong with the routes by Shockey and Ortega so I will spare you the redundancy. What Payton didn't talk about was the fact that out of 8 plays in that drive, only two of them were runs. I thought you said you had to get the running game going. Deuce ran twice for 10 yards. Is that not good enough? We're almost at the end of the third quarter here and I'm not sure how much longer you want to wait before you pull the trigger on the ole running game.
The Saints defense forces a Bucanneer three and out following the interception. You can't ask them to do anymore than that.
On the next drive Payton finally makes good on his word to run the ball and calls five Pierre rushes. Strangely enough, he moves the ball well and picks up 20 yards and 2 first downs in 4 plays. Who knew?

4th Quarter

13:21 Remaining - Drew drops back to pass but Pierre Thomas can't get out of the way and even knocks the ball loose in Brees' hands. He recovers but the timing of the play is off.
13:16 Remaining - Brees throws deep to the end zone but it gets picked off by Tanard Jackson. But wait...there are flags on the field. Ronde Barber gets called for illegal contact and the play is called back. Whew! I knew Drew wouldn't force a pass into double coverage like that when the game is on the line. He's too good for that. Thank you Ronde. Anyone ever tell you that you look like your brother?
12:18 Remaining - Swing pass to Pierre and he does the rest for 20 yards and the score. 20-17 Tampa. The Saints gained 72 yards on that drive. Pierre had 44 of them.
10:58 Remaining - 3rd and 5. Garcia drops back and holds on to the ball too long. Vilma comes in to force the fumble and make the sack. The Bucs are forced to punt. Another big defensive play to get them off the field.
Unfortunately the Bucs defense also comes up big to force the Saints three and out.
7:38 Remaining - Randall Gay makes a beautiful deflection to break up a pass attempt to Ike Hilliard. Really great play.
7:30 Remaining - The very next play it's Jason David getting his hand in on a pass intended for Antonio Bryant. Bucs punt away. Wow! Our defense game up big again to get themselves off the field.
Drew Brees' helmet mic is not working.
7:16 Remaining - After a bad punt by Josh Bidwell, Shockey makes a big catch over the middle for 21 yards and into field goal territory.
Saints can't get anything else going and have Hartley kick the game tying field goal. 20-20.
4:56 Remaining - Garcia runs a bootleg right and hits Clayton on the crossing route. Clayton is just too big and too fast for Gay.
Even after giving up some big yardage the Saints defense forces the Bucs to punt. I didn't realize how great a game these guys had and how much they really kept the team in the game, most of all towards the end.
2:33 Remaining - A Brees pass intended for Marques Colston gets picked off by Jermaine Phillips. The pass coverage appears to move away from Colston but Phillips comes in from behind the play to get himself in position. Honestly, it just looks like Drew threw it too far behind Colston. The Bucs are already well into field goal range.
The defense does another good job and only allows a field goal thanks in part to a Bobby McCray sack. This now allows the offense a chance to score a touchdown for the win or a field goal to tie. 23-20 Tampa.
1:50 Remaining - 1st and 10. Colston can't make a sure catch over the middle.
1:45 Remaining - Brees throws yet another interception on a pass intended for Lance Moore. Game over. I'm done talking about this game.

Saints 20 @ Bucs 23: Who Dat Say!?

Saintsational — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 12:00:06 -0000

Make the jump to read what everyone had to say about yesterday's game. Also be sure to check out what's happening around the league at SB Nation's NFL Scoreboard.

Below are post-game audio clips from WWL's Sports Talk. In order, it's Sean Payton, Randall Gay, Marques Colston, Drew Brees, Hokie Gajan and Bobby Hebert.

Gut-wrenching loss to Tampa Bay Buccaneers puts New Orleans Saints' playoff hopes at brink of extinction

"Are we out it?" said Saints linebacker Scott Fujita. "Probably not. Is it going to be easy? Probably not."

-Scott Fujita

"We had a perfect chance out there today, and we didn't take advantage of it," Brees said. "So it's disappointing, very disappointing. It's probably one of the more disappointing losses I've ever been a part of."

-Drew Brees

"I was just trying to get it out there to Lance before the corner could drive on it, and he ended up cutting in front of Lance,"

-Drew Brees

"If there's something this defense has, you get a lot of guys who have pretty good ball skills. So if there's a ball up in the air, they're going to get it,"

-Drew Brees

"This one hurts, no doubt about it," offensive tackle Jon Stinchcomb said. "We knew the importance of it, and Tampa's a good team. You've got to beat good teams, especially down the stretch. You have to find ways to keep the ball moving. That's our job as an offense. There were stretches of the game where we were faltering."

-Jon Stinchcomb

"I was proud of the effort, especially on defense," Payton said. "In the end, we just didn't have enough in us, and we ended up losing a close game to a good team."

-Sean Payton

"Unfortunately, for every big play we made defensively, we gave up a big play," said linebacker Jonathan Vilma, who forced two fumbles. "That eventually did us in. We obviously didn't do enough, because .¤.¤. they won the game."

-Jonathan Vilma

"I think they just finished better than we did," Fujita said. "And defensively they came up with the BIG plays, the game-changing type plays. We were unable to do that. We had a few of them, but theirs were bigger."

-Scott Fujita

Saints offense, playoff hopes take hit in loss

That's all you can ask for," Goodwin said after the game. "When we began both of those drives, no one in this whole stadium could have told me that we weren't going to score - both times."

-Jonathan Goodwin

"On the first one, the safety (Phillips) robbed the middle of the field," explained Brees, who was trying to hit Marques Colston on a crossing pattern. "I didn't see him until the last minute, and he stepped in there and made a nice play.

"On the other one, I was trying to get it to Lance before (Buchanon) could drive on it and he ended up cutting in front of him. Both of them were balls that I forced in there and the first one I really didn't need to. So I wish I had it back."

-Drew Brees

"I have that much confidence in our guys on offense and our quarterback," said Goodwin. "This is definitely tough to take because we had a chance to win the game and we didn't get it done. In that situation, we want to have the ball in the end."

-Jonathan Goodwin

"After we crawled back from 10 points down, we missed some plays and they made some great plays," said Colston, who caught six passes for 106 yards. "As a whole, I think the offense felt confident in what we could do there at the end. But unfortunately, we weren't able to make the plays."

-Marques Colston

"It hurts right now. It hurts a lot because I know how well we played and deserved to win this game," said Brees, who hit on 25 of 47 passes for 296 yards with a pair of TDs and three interceptions. "I give (the Bucs) a lot of credit because they played very well. But the fact is we had a chance to win in the end, and we didn't do it."

-Drew Brees

Tampa Bay Buccaneer Transcripts

HEAD COACH JON GRUDEN

(Opening Statement)

"I would just like to say that was a great win for us, a team effort. Our defense was tremendous today, particularly at the end of the football game. I thought our offense came out and started the third quarter with back-to-back scores that were big. Clifton Smith once again made a huge impact, and I thank our fans for hanging in there today. It was a tough day. Not a great day to watch a football game but we’re happy to be 9-3. We won four straight games now in the third quarter [of the season] to set the stage for an exciting finish to the season."

(On the return of Jermaine Phillips to the lineup)

"It was big. He’s a clutch player. He made some big hits and obviously, some big plays in the passing game, but he’s got a presence about him that exudes confidence. He’s a great playmaker and it was great to see him do what he did today."

(On the defensive game plan today)

"It was a tough day to throw the ball. We couldn’t throw it very well; it was hard to grip. The wind is going sideways, the footing isn’t good and both defenses are pretty good. We tried to run it. I think we were a little bit more deliberate in trying to run the football and they put the game in Drew’s [Brees] hands, and rightfully so. I think the conditions were hard on them to throw and I thought Monte [Defensive Coordinator Monte Kiffin] did a great job once again mixing up his defenses. We played some man-to-man, we blitzed, played some different kinds of zone, and our guys played well. Our defense played really well and I hope they get a lot of credit. The players, they’re playing their hearts out and I’m really proud of them."

(On the play of Josh Bidwell)

"We asked him to do the impossible today. He’s a great punter and an outstanding directional punter. Sometimes we try to kick the ball left, right but we don’t ever want to kick a ‘bomb’ down the middle of the field to give these guys a great look. We asked him to do a hard thing today; directional punt in these conditions. He did an excellent job, making it hard on Reggie [RB/PR Reggie Bush] and their return guys to get great looks and set up their returns. I think he just mishit a ball, but for him to step up when we needed him most, just goes to show what kind of performer he is."

(On the performance of RB Clifton Smith in recent weeks)

"He’s the real deal. It has been a long time, for Tampa Bay fans, since we have been able to return kicks and punts like we’re doing now. I said it a couple weeks ago: ‘Clifton Smith, get a ticket if you want to see him play. He’s something else.’ He is really helping us."

(On the speculation of Monte Kiffin joining his son Lane at the University of Tennessee)

"There’s going to be a lot of speculation. That is a big job that Lane got. This was addressed to me a couple weeks ago. It’s an outstanding opportunity for Lane and I’m happy for him. He’s a good coach and a great guy. Monte can answer those questions. I know this, we don’t want to lose him. He’s my friend, and obviously, I want for Monte to handle those questions. He knows the internal work as to what’s going on. I have said all along I’m a big Tennessee fan, my wife was a cheerleader there and I’m happy for Lane Kiffin. I wish him the best."

DE GAINES ADAMS

(On knowing if he got a half a sack)

"I was not even aware of that. It was a great overall performance by the defensive line and we just got after them today."

(On the learning curve from last year to this year)

"Just being able to get more snaps under my belt and play with these veteran guys. It has been a blessing."

CB RONDE BARBER

(On Drew Brees)

"Well we knew he was going to throw the ball 45 times, that’s just what he does. I’m not sure, but I believe that the first 15 plays were passes, so you know you’re going to get your opportunities. We’ve got to relish, we feel like we’re one of the best secondaries in the league. We had the opportunities today, at least in our minds, to prove it. It’s always important to play well at home. Obviously the weather conditions helped a little bit in that regard. Drew Brees is awesome. He’s tough to deal with, he’s smart with the football, he sees the field better probably than anybody we play other than Peyton (Manning), but we just got after it. We had a good push with the front four, and in the second half of this football game, when we had to make plays, we got three interceptions and that won the game."

(On the NFC South)

"We have the situation we want. We have to do it ourselves, and we got that chance. We have Carolina this week on Monday, we have Atlanta in two weeks in Atlanta. That’s the best scenario we can ask for, because we don’t have to sit around and wait for anybody. We can take the NFC South the way we want to."

WR ANTONIO BRYANT

(On catching the touchdown pass)

"The win is what is more rewarding than anything. I am just out there playmaking, trying to make the plays. That is the types of games that we are finding ourselves in, the close games. It is great for a guy like myself, that gets up, to make the big plays but you don’t want to put yourself in that position too many times."

(On if the touchdown was a planned play or a read)

"It is a play that we probably went over maybe, two or three times in practice, but the coaches trusted us enough and when the number was called we were successful at it."

(On beating an offensive team like the Saints)

"Most definitely. Give our defense and the linemen, both offensive and defensive line a lot of credit. Those guys did some amazing things in the trenches today. If there is one thing that we are consistent at, it is team effort."

CB PHILLIP BUCHANON

(On his interception)

"I was reading his eyes. An opportunity presented itself, and it was my time to make a play to help this team win."

(On defensive performance at home)

"Pretty much at home, we definitely get the job done. Sometimes it doesn’t look good, sometimes it looks good, but Drew Brees, I have to tip my hat off to him, because he’s one of the best quarterbacks in the league, but we just happened to get the victory."

C JEFF FAINE

(On being 9-3)

"We will take it and love it. We still control our own destiny."

(On playing Carolina)

"That is what we have to do. It is going to be a playoff atmosphere. It is going to be a huge game, everything is on the line, with division titles, playoff placement, everything. It is going to be huge."

QB JEFF GARCIA

(On if the game plan changed because of the weather)

"I don’t think so. I think it was pretty much the same, normal stuff. I don’t think coach really tried to adjust things. There is really a run emphasis here and that was something we were working to establish throughout the game. I don’t think the weather necessarily took away from what we were trying to do."

(On if the footing was bad for the receivers)

"Not necessarily. I trust that they are going to be able to make their breaks because they know where they are going. I think if anything it makes it more difficult for the defense to clamp down. New Orleans did a pretty good job today, throughout the day. They played tough. They were tight on the receivers at times. More so than anything in the second quarter when the rain was really coming down, it was probably more difficult to grip the ball than anything else. It probably took away from my accuracy or being as efficient or accurate as I need to be."

(On why he decided to run with the ball more today)

"There were a couple of times when I stepped up and probably forced a throw or tried to make a tight throw and there were lanes for me to take off and run and I probably could have moved the chains. When those opportunities presented themselves later I was able to do that and convert some first downs and pretty much do whatever I had to do to make something work. It wasn’t happening as easily through the air today so we needed to basically just battle through it and do what we could do. That’s where I just thought if I could use my legs at times then I would just go ahead and do that."

(On the touchdown pass to WR Antonio Bryant)

"He had a double move and it’s a play that we pretty much have built off of the things we have done in the past, some of the plays he has made running a similar route and their defense sat on the initial route and he broke through beyond them. I was able to just get enough on the ball to reach him, fortunately, and he made a great play to get it in the end zone. It was a big play for us at that point."

(On how big the win is)

"It’s huge. You can’t downplay the significance of this game to further separate ourselves from an explosive, scary team like New Orleans. Again, we can’t say enough about our defense here because they just have played outstanding football and did a great job today once again. But now, to put this one behind us and focus on a big game in Carolina, one step closer to potentially grabbing a division title, that’s something to be excited about. To play it on Monday night is a great opportunity for this team."

G DAVIN JOSEPH

(On getting a win in these conditions)

"It is unrealistic to think that you aren’t going to have days like today. It is going to be a sloppy game sometimes, things aren’t going to be as clean as you would like it to be, and they are going to change things up. They did a good job on defense, holding us in the fourth quarter. But really, you have to lean on your defense a little bit to make a few plays."

(On if weather was a factor)

"Not really, not really, we just weren’t converting. We weren’t getting first downs in the fourth quarter. We really got ahead and it just seemed like we took our foot off of the gas pedal a little bit and let them back into the game. The defense really stepped up, made some plays for us, big plays for us in the fourth quarter."

(On the team overcoming adversity to win)

"We have been able to overcome a lot of different things this year; on the road, playing bad with turnovers, losing the turnover battle, penalties in the red zone, we have been able to overcome a lot. When it is time to make a play, there is always somebody to step up and make a play. It is not something we take pride in doing, but it is something that if you have a good team, you can do sometimes."

LB CATO JUNE

(On the win)

"It was a team victory, and that is what it is all about."

(On your interceptions)

"It’s all about getting to the ball and on that, CB Ronde Barber made a great play on two receivers and knocking the ball down and when you hustle to the football great things always happen as you can see in our defense all year."

(On finishing the game strong)

"It’s a standard, we have a standard as a defense to score and get the ball back and when we went out there up by three we had to stop the offense and no matter where the ball is put that’s our place to stand and we will go out there and make plays. We are an opportunistic defense, and we are ready to go out and make plays and have fun hustling to the ball."

(On a big game next week)

"It will be a great atmosphere to go down there. It’s a division game and it’s for all of the marbles, for right now at least, and it’s put up or shut up time. Someone will rise up to the occasion and become a premier team in the NFC and why not us."

S JERMAINE PHILLIPS

(On the challenge of playing against Drew Brees)

"It brings out the best in you, our whole team, period. I mean the Bucs are used to having this type of game that comes with the rivalry with the Saints."

(On his interception)

"We were just in a zone coverage, and I was just looking at Drew Brees, following his eyes, and he just looked to who he was trying to throw to."

LB BARRETT RUUD

(On the defense)

"I thought when we needed to step up, somebody always did, and that was what was great about today. When somebody had to make a play; and it came from everywhere, somebody did it. That was the best part of today."

(On playing against QB Drew Brees)

"When guys needed to step up, like S Jermaine Phillips’ first game back from a broken arm, make a great play. S Tanard Jackson had a great pick in the end zone that should have stood, I thought. And then CB Phillip Buchanon made a great break and you could see him come flying across the field and makes the pick to seal the game, and those DB’s, they really stepped up today."

(On S Jermaine Phillips)

"The one thing is when he was hurt he would come into meetings. He wanted to stay in the game, and he is always a guy that works extremely hard at practice, and even when he was hurt and couldn’t practice he was out there running and stuff and he really stepped in like he hadn’t missed a beat."

TE JERRAMY STEVENS

(On the win)

"It is a huge win. We know that we have to take care of our division first to reach our goals. It was a hard fought game but our defense stepped up big, made some huge plays. Anytime you try to throw against our defense that much, they are going to get after it and that is what happened."

(On playing another close game against New Orleans)

"It just seems to be that in this series against New Orleans, it is always close. We would like it to not be so close one of these times, but as long as you get the win, and that is we got."

(On the offense)

"I think we made plays when we had to and that is kind of the way we have been all year. We weren’t really moving the ball all that well in the fourth quarter, end of the third. We came out with two big scores early in the second half but we kind of stalled out a little bit. Everybody just stepping making plays when we really needed to have it, had huge plays out of Antonio Bryant and Jeff Garcia and Cadillac Williams, everybody just stepping up when they have to."

(On the touchdown pass to WR Antonio Bryant)

"It was a huge play, especially in weather like this, you don’t expect big plays like that. We did a great job up front giving Jeff time to get that ball out to Antonio and he was wide open."

DE GREG WHITE

(On the win)

"We went out there and played Buccaneer ball and anytime we do that, it’s a W. So far so good. We are 9-3."

(On the second half performance by the Buccaneer defense)

"We went out there and kept playing relentless. Jermaine Phillips came back and made big plays. Ronde Barber is the man. Everybody is taking turns. Everybody is playing unselfish football."

(On winning games and pulling them out late)

"We find a way to win. It may not be pretty but we always find a way to win. We have been doing it a lot lately this year. So we keep finding ways whether it is high scoring, low scoring, exciting or boring, we are going to find a way to win."

RB CARNELL WILLIAMS

(On his touchdown run)

"I was just like, ‘Wow!’ It just put me back to all the hard work I had put into the rehab. For me to go out there and score, I was just ecstatic."

(On the win)

"It’s one step closer to our goal. We want to come out of the South, we want to continue to get better, we want to finish up strong. So I just feel like if we continue to get better, continue to work hard, this team can do great things."

Poll

Do you still think the Saints have a chance to make the playoffs?

Yes

8 votes

No

56 votes

64 votes | Poll has closed