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QB Kitna's Toughness Impresses Tampa Bay

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 18, 2007

TAMPA - Lions coach Rod Marinelli demands toughness from his football team in general and his quarterback in particular, so it's no surprise he can't say enough about Jon Kitna.

The 35-year-old veteran hasn't missed a start since signing with Detroit in 2006, despite suffering 87 sacks. He has thrown for at least 200 yards in 19 of his 21 starts for the Lions, the most in the NFL during that span.

'I've got all the respect in the world for this guy,' Bucs defensive line coach Larry Coyer said. 'Kitna is tough, he's a competitor and he's smart. Most of all, he hangs in there. He scares me because I know what he's capable of doing. He'll fight you to the bloody end.'

That last phrase is particularly appropriate.

With offensive coordinator Mike Martz spreading the field with four-receiver sets, Detroit quarterbacks usually operate with minimal protection. Kitna, who threw for 4,208 yards last season, keeps firing away despite an assortment of bumps, bruises and lacerations.

'I don't take a lot of pride in it, it's just who I am and how I was brought up,' he says of his reputation for tenacity. 'It's my job to get back out there. If you can play, you play. That's what you're supposed to do in this league. I've waited too long to get a shot in this league - I'm not going to give it up if I'm not hurt.'

When Kitna first arrived in Motown, the Lions sent a limo to pick him up at the airport. Obviously, it wasn't his vehicle of choice.

'Coach Marinelli apologized for us riding in on a limo,' Kitna said. 'He had done his homework on who I really was.'

Kitna was asked what kind of ride fits his profile.

'A truck,' he said. 'A pickup truck.'

POCKET CHANGE: The Bucs haven't consistently pressured pocket passers like Kitna, but that could change Sunday against a Lions attack that has yielded an NFL-high 28 sacks, six more than any other club.

But unless Tampa Bay is packing heat at Ford Field, Kitna and a fleet set of receivers may burn a secondary that likely will be missing CB Brian Kelly.

'I don't like this one, I'll be honest with you,' Coyer said of the upcoming matchup. 'Mike Martz is brilliant. He knows how to match up and move people around. And you have to be aware of the pace of the game against his guys. The first time we Broncos played against Martz in St. Louis, they shifted so fast, we ran out of breath on the darned shift. He's a master at it.'

MOTOWN MEMORIES: It's no reach to suggest Bucs QB Jeff Garcia would rather forget his one season in Detroit.

After signing as a free agent, Garcia suffered a fractured fibula in the 2005 preseason finale and didn't start until late October. Steve Mariucci was fired as head coach even before the Lions finished 5-11 and Garcia posted a career-low 65.1 passer rating in his six games.

'It was a year filled with too many disappointments and too many negative things,' said Garcia, currently the NFC's second-rated passer. 'It was just an unfortunate stage of bad things happening. Part of that I could control ... part of that I couldn't control.'

After resurrecting his career in Philadelphia last season, Garcia is now the NFC's most efficient third-down passer and has yet to throw an interception in 144 attempts.

'People want to write you off,' he said. 'People want to say that you don't have it. I don't feel I ever lacked the abilities.'

INJURY UPDATE: TE Alex Smith (ankle), DE Patrick Chukwurah (shoulder) and Kelly (groin) were held out of Wednesday's practice, while DE Greg Spires (ankle) was limited.

Smith indicated he may be ready to play against the Lions, one week after being carted off the field.

Starting CB Stanley Wilson (groin) was the only Detroit player to miss practice Wednesday as the 3-2 Lions come off a bye week.

WR Calvin Johnson, the second player selected in the draft, is expected to be at full strength after suffering a back injury in Week 3.

BUC BITS: The Bucs added rookie DE Marquies Gunn, a former Auburn standout, to the practice squad and released rookie FB Byron Storer. ... Only the Packers have run for fewer yards per game than the Lions. ... With former Buc assistants Marinelli and defensive coordinator Joe Barry paired together again on the same staff, the Lions top the league with 19 forced fumbles and are tied with the Vikings and Chargers for the NFL lead with 14 takeaways.

Ira Kaufman

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