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Contingency Plans

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By ROY CUMMINGS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 11, 2007

TAMPA - It doesn't matter whether it's through the air or on the ground; moving the ball is still a problem for the Bucs.

Scoring points - particularly touchdowns - remains a challenge as well.

There is, however, one thing the Bucs may be more proficient at than anyone else in the league - making contingency plans, especially on offense.

Surely, they have had more practice at it. Or maybe it just seems that way. However you choose to look at it, they are about to adopt one again.

This latest C-plan involves running back Cadillac Williams. His inability to stay healthy has forced the Bucs to make contingency plans before and it's forcing their hand again.

Though the Bucs say Williams' ribs are not cracked or broken, the third-year running back's ribs are bruised and very sore. So much, that Williams probably won't be able to play in the home opener against the Saints on Sunday.

"We're going to count on Cadillac playing, optimistically," Bucs coach Jon Gruden said. "But, realistically, he does have sore ribs and so we'll plan for the other guys to have a bigger role in the running game."

The other guys, of course, are Michael Pittman, Earnest Graham and B.J. Askew. Contingency plans call for all of them to get a significant bump in playing time this week.

But that's not all. The Bucs also have to devise a contingency plan for cornerback Brian Kelly, who came away from Sunday's game with a groin injury that could force him to the sidelines.

Though it may be Saturday before anyone knows for sure, the Bucs' plans also may call for rookie running back Kenneth Darby to be promoted from the practice squad. The reason is that you just never know with a running back's ribs. Williams even might have played with rib soreness last year.

Gruden suggested as much Monday, when he seemed to fall just a tad short of asking Williams to gut it out and do what was best for the team at this critical juncture.

"I don't know a lot of backs honestly that ever feel good after the opening game of the season," Gruden said. "They got sore elbows and sore ribs and sore backs and sore legs. It's a violent profession and those guys get hit. I don't know if [Seahawks running back] Shaun Alexander feels very good this morning. But if [Williams] can go and the trainers feel like he can go, then he's going to go."

The Bucs certainly need Williams to go. He is arguably their most potent offensive weapon and he was playing like it when he was knocked out of Sunday's opener early in the third quarter. Though more than half his rushing yards came against a forgiving defensive alignment late in the first half, Williams had 14 touches and 74 total yards of offense when he left the game five minutes into the third quarter.

His replacements didn't fare anywhere near as well. Pittman and Graham ran a combined six times for 15 yards and caught three passes for 15 yards and lost a fumble, that coming after a 9-yard reception by Graham.

"We really need him," wide receiver Ike Hilliard said of Williams. "We've got to get him going."

No matter who is going for them at running back, the Bucs also must do a better job of sustaining and finishing drives in the end zone or the outcome of their games is going to stay the same. Against the Seahawks, the Bucs moved the ball well early, but they went three and out on six of their last eight drives and fumbled the ball away on one of the others.

Poor field position, often the result of mistakes on special teams, played a big part in the offensive struggles.

"We love the way we came out," said Gruden, whose team notched two early field goals and held a 6-0 lead after one quarter. "We came out ready to roll. We were physical and fast and we had a lead.

"But there were four or five big plays that they made and we didn't. In this league, against quality teams like that on the road, you can't allow those big plays and you've got to have a couple yourself."

Reporter Roy Cummings can be reached at (813) 259-7979 or rcummings@tampatrib.com.

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