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Bucs Still Amazed By Manning's Play

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 9, 2007

TAMPA - A day later, the Bucs were still marveling about the artistry of Peyton Manning.

The Super Bowl MVP shredded what was the NFL's No. 5 defense for 29 completions in Sunday's 33-14 rout at the RCA Dome, killing the Bucs softly by picking apart Tampa Bay's Cover 2.

'We've got to learn from what happened and we also have to put it in the past real quick,' MLB Barrett Ruud said. 'Peyton Manning does that to a lot of people.'

Manning wasn't sacked in his 37 attempts, although the Bucs applied pressure several times. Rookie DE Gaines Adams had Manning in his sights on a few occasions, only to see the ball released with uncanny accuracy.

'We're not the first team to go into that dome and be beaten,' Coach Jon Gruden said. 'There's a couple of plays that this quarterback makes that, hey, it's like the guys on the pro golfing tour that get to play with Tiger Woods for the first time. That ain't fair - it just isn't fair. The guy Manning is amazing, particularly on that surface, in that noise.'

The previous time Manning faced the Bucs, he completed 34 of 47 passes for 386 yards as Indianapolis rallied for that memorable Monday night victory in 2003 against the defending NFL champions.

Bucs quarterback Jeff Garcia was playing for the 49ers that season.

'I feel for our defense and what they had to deal with,' Garcia said of a Colts attack averaging 33 points per game. 'It is what you envision, what everybody would like to be like.'

KUDOS FOR THE DONALD: After looking at the tape, Gruden was impressed with the effort of LT Donald Penn in his first pro start, replacing the injured Luke Petitgout and facing one of the league's premier pass rushers in Dwight Freeney.

Garcia was sacked only once and Penn didn't appear in awe of Freeney's array of spins and moves.

'I thought Penn did a very good job,' Petitgout said. 'It's a tough place to play, but he didn't make silly mistakes like offsides penalties, or shoot himself in the foot.'

Petitgout said his knee surgery went well last week and he expects to be cleared to begin offseason workouts by March at the latest.

'I didn't have to have a complete reconstruction,' he said, 'so I was able to cut my rehabilitation time in half.'

The former Giant, one of Tampa Bay's prized free-agent acquisitions, was sidelined for a significant part of the 2006 season by a fractured fibula.

'Two years in a row,' he said. 'But that's football. You can't let yourself get down. You get down and you're beat.'

FOREVER YOUNG: Titans second-year QB Vince Young can't compare to Manning as a polished and patient passer, but he'll bring his own unique skill set to Raymond James Stadium on Sunday.

Young has scrambled for 129 yards during Tennessee's 3-1 getaway and the Titans believe in his ability to make winning plays in crunch time.

'We know about Vince Young,' Ruud said. 'We know what he can do. He's a guy you always have to keep your eye on as far as his ability to scramble.'

The Titans also boast a big, aggressive defense keyed by LB Keith Bulluck and DT Albert Haynesworth.

'They're on a roll right now,' Gruden said. 'They turned it over five times Sunday, and when you can win a game turning it over five times, you must be playing great defense.'

BUC BITS: Gruden said CB Brian Kelly, who played but didn't start against the Colts, tweaked his sore groin late in the game. WR Ike Hilliard, who led Tampa Bay with eight receptions Sunday, is still nursing a tender ankle. ...The Titans have outscored opponents 21-0 in the fourth quarter. ...Bulluck has led Tennessee in tackles for each of the past five seasons and he already has posted a career-high three interceptions in four games this year.

Ira Kaufman

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