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Bucs Notebook: In The Zone

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 13, 2008

The Bucs finally might have found the answer to their ongoing red-zone scoring problems. The solution: avoid the red zone altogether.

In the past three games, the Bucs have increased the number of shots they have taken at the end zone from well outside of the red zone, and four attempts have resulted in touchdowns.

"I think it's all a matter of us developing more confidence in the deep ball," Bucs G Davin Joseph said. "As the season progresses, you figure out what your strengths and weaknesses are. One of our strengths is getting the ball deep downfield. We have guys who we know can go up and make that catch down there."

One of those is, obviously, Antonio Bryant, who has touchdowns of 50 and 39 yards the past three weeks. TE Jerramy Stevens has a 24-yard touchdown catch, and WR Ike Hilliard has a 36-yard touchdown reception in that three-game span. There could be more to come.

"Hopefully we have some more things coming," Bryant said. "We've got a lot of great playmakers we're trying to get going here. Cadillac Williams, Joey Galloway - we're going to anticipate some good things from him, hopefully. There are a lot of things we're trying to get done."

The increased aggressiveness has sparked an overall increase in scoring. The Bucs offense averaged 18 points per game through the first 10 games of the season, but with the Bucs looking more toward the end zone the past three weeks, their offensive scoring average is up nearly a touchdown to 23 points.

Scoring in the red zone is still an issue, of course. One deep ball to Bryant on Monday gained 52 yards and got the Bucs to the Carolina 2, from where they failed on three plays to reach the end zone and settled for a field goal.

Overall the Bucs rank 30th, ahead of only Oakland and St. Louis, with a 36.0 red-zone touchdown percentage.

COMBINED EFFORT

The Bucs don't have one of the league's premier tight ends, but they're getting as much or more out of that position than the teams that do.

Jerramy Stevens, Alex Smith and John Gilmore have combined to catch 64 passes for 704 yards and six touchdowns this year. The only tight end in the league with better numbers than that is Kansas City's Tony Gonzales, who has 78 catches for 879 yards and seven touchdowns.

The most productive tight end in the NFC is Washington's Chris Cooley, but with 67 catches for 713 yards and one touchdown he falls short in the most critical area of all. Same goes for Jason Witten of Dallas, who has 64 catches for 771 yards and three touchdowns.

"They're good to have on your team," Gruden said of his three tight ends. "They're all good, reliable football players, good team guys and they can serve a lot of roles for you. They're a strength of ours. We feel good about that group of guys."

BUCS BITS

The Bucs have won 12 of the past 16 meetings with the Falcons but are 2-2 in their past four at the Georgia Dome. ... The 24-2 mark of NFC South teams is on pace to be the best division home record in NFL history. The best division home record was posted by the NFC West in 2003 at 26-6. ... Only Baltimore (13.8) allows opponents fewer first downs than Tampa Bay (15.5).

Roy Cummings

WANNA DANCE?

The Bucs' chances of winning the NFC South title took a bit of a hit at Carolina last week. Jon Gruden doesn't seem too concerned.

The coach reiterated this week a point he has made many times that the primary objective of any team is to get to the playoffs.

"Just making the tournament is a great accomplishment," he said. "I saw a team last year win the whole thing after getting this position in the tournament."

Gruden was referring, of course, to the New York Giants, who reached the playoffs as a wild-card team and went on to win the Super Bowl.

The Bucs are in place to win one of the NFC's two wild-card slots.

INJURY REPORT

QB Jeff Garcia isn't the only Bucs starter whose status for Sunday's game is in question. DT Jovan Haye and NT Chris Hovan have been limited by knee problems, but both worked out Friday in an effort to determine how much they'll be able to play Sunday.

"They were getting a feel for how they can play with the injury," Gruden said. "We'll get them off their feet tomorrow, take them to the stadium and zip them around there before the game."

Hovan is hopeful he can play. Haye is feeling better than he was earlier this week, but he is unsure if he will be able to play.

Everyone on the Bucs' injury report Friday was listed as questionable, including Garcia, Haye, Hovan, G Jeremy Zuttah (ankle), WR Michael Clayton (toe), C Sean Mahan (back) and QB Brian Griese (elbow).

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