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Cash Carted Off Field With Neck Injury

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By IRA KAUFMAN

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 24, 2008

TAMPA - Midway through the fourth quarter Saturday night, Bucs CB Marcus Hamilton and LB Antoine Cash were hurt on the same play.

Hamilton was helped off the field, favoring his right leg, and Cash was strapped onto a gurney with a neck injury.

As Cash was diving to make a tackle on Jaguars WR Troy Williamson, he collided with Hamilton, who was being pushed in the opposite direction.

Cash, a third-year pro out of Southern Miss, didn't play in 2007 after suffering a preseason knee injury at Jacksonville. He played all 16 games for the Bucs in 2006, excelling on special teams.

"Antoine Cash does have a neck injury. We don't know the exact severity but he is moving around," Bucs coach Jon Gruden said.

"The signs are good. It's a scary thing. We took all the precautions that you need to take in a situation like that. He does have movement in all the faculties, the arms and legs. Those are good signs."

SLOPPY EFFORT: Through two games and 19 preseason possessions, the Bucs excelled at ball security while executing with precision.

All that crisp play turned as soggy as the weather Saturday as three of Tampa Bay's first four drives ended in turnovers, including a pair of first-quarter gaffes deep in Buccaneer territory.

The Jaguars converted the first two mistakes into 10 points and held on for a 23-17 triumph.

"We have done a good job the first couple of weeks at winning the turnover battle, but it is hard to do that when you start with three turnovers on our side of the ball," said Bucs CB Ronde Barber, whose second-quarter pick led to Tampa Bay's only first-half points.

RB Earnest Graham set Tampa Bay's sloppy tone on the game's third snap, with DE Reggie Hayward falling on Graham's fumble at the Buccaneer 23.

Josh Scobee gave Jacksonville an early lead with a 23-yard field goal before ex-Florida Gators standout safety Reggie Nelson set up a Jaguars TD by picking off Jeff Garcia's underthrown pass and returning 8 yards to the Tampa Bay 12.

Nelson added a second-quarter interception as Garcia floated a pass intended for WR Michael Clayton in the back of the end zone.

The Jaguars had been guilty of loose play while splitting their first two exhibition games, committing five turnovers.

Bucs fans had little to cheer about until late in the opening quarter, when second-year S Sabby Piscitelli leveled Jaguars WR Dennis Northcutt as he fielded a punt.

Clayton, who caught a 10-yard TD flip from Garcia to pull the Bucs within 10-7, had an earlier drop on third down and normally reliable Matt Bryant pushed a 23-yard field-goal attempt wide right as time expired in the opening half.

It was the third miss of the preseason for Bryant, who converted 17 of 22 field-goal tries last year. As he walked off the field at intermission, Bryant was jostled by Jaguars CB Drayton Florence, triggering some pushing and shoving between the teams.

INJURY UPDATE: Veteran WR Joey Galloway, who arrived at training camp July 25 nursing a groin injury, didn't dress for the third consecutive week. Gruden said he expects Galloway to participate in Monday's practice.

WR Antonio Bryant, whose swollen left knee was iced down after last week's victory against New England, also didn't dress Saturday night. Ryan Sims started at defensive tackle in place of Jovan Haye, still hobbled by a groin strain.

Rookie Jeremy Zuttah started at right guard for Davin Joseph, out indefinitely with a broken right foot. With B.J. Askew recuperating from ankle surgery, Byron Storer opened at fullback.

"It's a good experience," said Zuttah, a third-round pick out of Rutgers. "Anytime you get out there and go with the ones, it's valuable."

Jaguars RB Maurice Jones-Drew, one of the league's most versatile players, suffered an early ankle sprain and carried only once.

"He is OK," Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio said. "He would keep going if we let him, but we are not going to let him."

EXTRA POINTS: The Bucs trailed 10-7 at the half, despite yielding only 75 yards and five first downs. ... Jacksonville extended its preseason winning streak against Tampa Bay to five games. ... An apparent third-quarter interception by Piscitelli was nullified by a pass interference penalty against rookie CB Elbert Mack. ... Thirty players from the Carrollwood Hurricanes, a local youth football team, led the Bucs onto the field during pregame introductions in support of USA Football. ... There was a moment of silence before the game for Gene Upshaw, the Hall of Fame guard and union leader who succumbed to pancreatic cancer Wednesday. ... Except for a late 29-yard run by QB Luke McCown, Tampa Bay's ground game was shut down. ... Bucs DB Eugene Wilson, signed as a free agent from the Patriots in March, was beaten for several long completions.

Ira Kaufman

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