TAMPA - "Keyshawn Week" is winding down, and, believe it or not, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are going to trudge ahead without their insufferable ex-wide receiver, who was deactivated for the season on Tuesday.
When ABC's prime-time cameras begin rolling tonight, the one player who would normally enjoy the accompanying limelight the most will instead watch as the Buccaneers and New York Giants attempt to gain some measure of respectability before a national audience.
Both teams enter tonight's game at Raymond James Stadium with 4-6 records, Tampa Bay having not won in almost a month, New York only 2-5 since September turned into October.
Hope, however slim, remains for both after NFC bubble teams New Orleans and San Francisco muddied the playoff picture further with Sunday losses. The Buccaneers are encouraged further by the fact that five of their final six games - the next five, beginning tonight - come against sub-.500 teams.
"We need this," Tampa Bay defensive end Simeon Rice said. "This is another game that we need in a big way. The playoffs are definitely a possibility. We play hard, and we have to use whatever motivational factors that we have in us. And it's a Monday night game, in front of millions. What bigger forum to get in terms of a win in a Monday nighter?"
Defensive tackle Anthony McFarland agreed.
"It's a big game, no doubt about it," he said. "Monday night, national TV ... those are things that you look forward to. They are all must-wins this time of the year. Anytime you get into November and December football, they are all must-wins."
On paper, the stems of the Buccaneers' problems seem deceiving. Tampa Bay has out-gained opponents 345 yards to 289 on average through 11 games, and are plus-five in turnover differential. Additionally, the Buccaneers are seventh overall in the NFL in total offense and fifth in total defense.
"We've had some games where we've been outstanding," Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden said. "We've had two shutout victories. We still have fire-power capability. We've struggled in some key situations, that's well-documented. We've had numerous players in and out of the lineup and we lost a couple key players who defected because of free agency. That's basically how I can sum it up.
"We feel like we still have the best moments ahead of us. We've just got to find some overall consistency between the front and the back end and play up to the standard that've been established here."
Quarterback Brad Johnson has put up Pro Bowl-caliber numbers; Michael Pittman is 32 shy of 1,000 yards from scrimmage (rushing and receiving); and Thomas Jones became the first Buccaneer in history to break two runs for more than 50 yards in one game during last week's loss to Green Bay.
But Martin Gramatica's 9-for-15 showing on field goals is the worst among NFL kickers who have not been booted off a roster this season, and Tampa Bay's special teams lapses have been frequent and noteworthy.
"That's the way it goes sometimes," Gruden said. "We've just got to keep pounding the rock and find a way to improve. We have standards and goals that are absolutely hard to live up to (after winning Super Bowl XXXVII), and certainly that won't change."
"Our problems have been things we've done to ourselves," Brad Johnson added. "I don't think it's anything that anybody's done to us all season long."
Keyshawn Johnson's numbers, though sporadic, will be hard to replace, particularly with top receiver Keenan McCardell nursing a sore hamstring, and Joe Jurevicius recently removed from the injury list. Gruden's optimism hinges on left tackle Roman Oben, whose return to the left tackle position should bring more continuity to the Buccaneers offensive line.
"We're obviously concerned (with the receiving corps)," Gruden said. "But we've got some veteran players who have been practicing hard who are ready to play. Karl Williams, Reggie Barlow, Charles Lee, those guys are physically ready to go, and we expect Keenan and Joe Jurevicius also to be ready to deliver physically."
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When ABC's prime-time cameras begin rolling tonight, the one player who would normally enjoy the accompanying limelight the most will instead watch as the Buccaneers and New York Giants attempt to gain some measure of respectability before a national audience.
Both teams enter tonight's game at Raymond James Stadium with 4-6 records, Tampa Bay having not won in almost a month, New York only 2-5 since September turned into October.
Hope, however slim, remains for both after NFC bubble teams New Orleans and San Francisco muddied the playoff picture further with Sunday losses. The Buccaneers are encouraged further by the fact that five of their final six games - the next five, beginning tonight - come against sub-.500 teams.
"We need this," Tampa Bay defensive end Simeon Rice said. "This is another game that we need in a big way. The playoffs are definitely a possibility. We play hard, and we have to use whatever motivational factors that we have in us. And it's a Monday night game, in front of millions. What bigger forum to get in terms of a win in a Monday nighter?"
Defensive tackle Anthony McFarland agreed.
"It's a big game, no doubt about it," he said. "Monday night, national TV ... those are things that you look forward to. They are all must-wins this time of the year. Anytime you get into November and December football, they are all must-wins."
On paper, the stems of the Buccaneers' problems seem deceiving. Tampa Bay has out-gained opponents 345 yards to 289 on average through 11 games, and are plus-five in turnover differential. Additionally, the Buccaneers are seventh overall in the NFL in total offense and fifth in total defense.
"We've had some games where we've been outstanding," Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden said. "We've had two shutout victories. We still have fire-power capability. We've struggled in some key situations, that's well-documented. We've had numerous players in and out of the lineup and we lost a couple key players who defected because of free agency. That's basically how I can sum it up.
"We feel like we still have the best moments ahead of us. We've just got to find some overall consistency between the front and the back end and play up to the standard that've been established here."
Quarterback Brad Johnson has put up Pro Bowl-caliber numbers; Michael Pittman is 32 shy of 1,000 yards from scrimmage (rushing and receiving); and Thomas Jones became the first Buccaneer in history to break two runs for more than 50 yards in one game during last week's loss to Green Bay.
But Martin Gramatica's 9-for-15 showing on field goals is the worst among NFL kickers who have not been booted off a roster this season, and Tampa Bay's special teams lapses have been frequent and noteworthy.
"That's the way it goes sometimes," Gruden said. "We've just got to keep pounding the rock and find a way to improve. We have standards and goals that are absolutely hard to live up to (after winning Super Bowl XXXVII), and certainly that won't change."
"Our problems have been things we've done to ourselves," Brad Johnson added. "I don't think it's anything that anybody's done to us all season long."
Keyshawn Johnson's numbers, though sporadic, will be hard to replace, particularly with top receiver Keenan McCardell nursing a sore hamstring, and Joe Jurevicius recently removed from the injury list. Gruden's optimism hinges on left tackle Roman Oben, whose return to the left tackle position should bring more continuity to the Buccaneers offensive line.
"We're obviously concerned (with the receiving corps)," Gruden said. "But we've got some veteran players who have been practicing hard who are ready to play. Karl Williams, Reggie Barlow, Charles Lee, those guys are physically ready to go, and we expect Keenan and Joe Jurevicius also to be ready to deliver physically."
www.starbanner.com
