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IN 1ST, BUT ALL'S NOT FINE

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 1, 2007

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Few people expected anything from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this season, but the secret is out now. The Bucs greet this morning in sole possession of first place in the NFC South Division following Sunday's 20-7 victory against Carolina.

The win was clouded by a serious knee injury, possibly a torn tendon, to running back Carnell 'Cadillac' Williams. The Bucs aren't saying how long Williams will be out, but an injury like that almost certainly means he could miss the rest of the season. As he left the locker room on crutches after the game, Williams said the injury was 'severe.'

The Bucs also lost left tackle Luke Petitgout to a knee injury and starting cornerback Brian Kelly didn't dress, also because of injury. But they overcame all that to beat a team that had won seven of the last eight times it had played the Bucs.

'We came ready to roll,' Bucs coach Jon Gruden said. 'We had a couple of key injuries today. It's hard to swallow right now. I don't know the extent of the injury. I'm just really proud of our football team, and obviously concerned about a couple of guys who were not able to finish.'

The win was the third in a row for the Bucs after a loss on the opening day of the season. They'll get a strong test next Sunday at defending Super Bowl champion Indianapolis, led by the man Gruden succeeded - Tony Dungy.

Joe Henderson

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