Key Injury Can’t Slow Bucs

My poor heart. It doesn’t deserve this punishment. After a tumultuous 7 months with my Yankees in the baseball season, I didn’t think my heart could take much more. But in the closing minutes of the game yesterday, I nearly suffered a cardiac arrest. It started when I saw the name “B. Gradkowski” listed next to the Buccaneers logo when the top passers for the week were being listed. What happened to Jeff Garcia? The final 2 minutes of the game, I think I stopped breathing. Luckily, the Bucs D stepped up to the plate, and turned the game around. It appears as if Garcia is all right, and will be ready to go next week. Let’s check out what made this game what it was:

Scary once Again
The Bucs defense is drawing comparisons to the 2002 Super Bowl defense, one that was downright scary. This defense, is making other teams shake in their boots. The defense caused 6 turnovers, including four fumbles and two interceptions. The second interception was by Brian Kelly in the endzone with :17 seconds left, stopping the Redskins drive, and ensuring a Tampa win. In a span of 16 offensive plays for the ‘Skins, they fumbled 4 times, recovered all four times by the Bucs. Jason Campbell’s first interception went to Ronde Barber, the 32nd of his career. They even held Clinton Portis to 68 yards rushing. Because the D is so strong, it didn’t matter that the Bucs were outgained in yardage 412-192, and that they didn’t get a first down in the second half. Greg White had another big game, forcing two fumbles, recovering one, and registering a sack.

Cadillac Who?
Earnest Graham has continued to impress since the loss of Cadillac Williams and Michael Pittman. This was the first time in three weeks that he didn’t rush for 100 yards, but he did rush for 75 yards, and the Bucs only TD. He also ate up the clock in the fourth quarter, doing most of the work for a Jeff Garcia-less offense.

Garcia is Our Man
That was proven when he went out with a back injury in the first quarter. Bruce Gradkowski, who has done nothing to impress anyone, came in to the game. He threw for 106 yards, but did much else. The Bucs had 0 first downs in the second half, and gained only 15 yards offensively, thanks to the work of Graham. It is very evident that this team can’t function without Garcia, who doesn’t appear to be injured seriously. The only thing Gradkowski is good for is making Bucs fans throw up.

Game Notes:

• Ronde Barber picked off a quarterback for the 32nd time in his career yesterday, making him the Bucs all-time interceptions leader.
• Derrick Brooks made his 200th career start yesterday, playing in 203 games altogether. He is the Bucs all-time leader in both categories. He capped off his big day with a key fourth down stop, giving the ball back to the Bucs in the fourth quarter.
• Greg White’s two forced fumbles matched his feat from a week ago in Atlanta, where he also knocked two balls loose. With the back-to-back efforts, White became the first player in Buccaneers franchise history to force at least two fumbles in two consecutive games. 
• Matt Bryant tied his career highs in both field goals made and field goals attempted, with four of each. He had previously nailed four field goals on the road against the New York Jets on Oct. 9, 2005.
• Kevin Carter’s fourth quarter sack of QB Jason Campbell gave Carter 100.5 sacks in his 13 year NFL career.
• Brian Kelly’s fourth quarter interception was his first of the season, and the 21st of his career. He ranks seventh in team history in that category.

The Bucs get to take on the New Orleans Saints this week, fresh off a victory over Carolina. This is a key NFC South matchup, pitting the number one team against the number two team. Tampa is still two victories ahead of the Saints. It will be the second meeting of these two teams this year, with Tampa winning the first, 31-14. But that was a different Saints team. They weren’t playing like the 2006 Saints. More recently, they’ve been playing like the 2006 Saints. Hopefully on Sunday they will show up and play like the 2007 Saints, who have lost 6 games.