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Notebook: Brooks Not Likely To Sit

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 17, 2008

TAMPA Derrick Brooks hasn't missed a game in his 14-year professional career, and he doesn't plan to end that streak Sunday.

Tampa Bay's 11-time Pro Bowl linebacker didn't practice Wednesday because of a rib injury suffered in the late stages of a 13-10 OT loss at Atlanta. Although Brooks and Coach Jon Gruden are reluctant to predict how much those sore ribs will improve in the next four days, history suggests No..55 will be active against the Chargers.

"We're fighting for our playoff lives right now," said Brooks, who has reeled off 206 consecutive starts in a 222-game career. "I feel better today than I did Sunday, but you don't try to make any predictions. I'm going to take it day by day, as usual."

"Knowing Derrick Brooks," Gruden said, "he'll find a way to get to the field, and chances are he'll play one of his best games."

NO RESPECT

A pair of NFL Network commentators don't expect the Bucs to do much damage in the postseason if they get there.

Deion Sanders and Marshall Faulk each weighed in on Tampa Bay's playoff chances Wednesday during a conference call. The Bucs (9-5) enter Sunday's matchup against the Chargers with a two-game losing streak and a mounting injury list.

"The first thing you think about with the Bucs is their defense, and I think at some key positions they are a little long in the tooth," Sanders said. "Offensively, without Jeff Garcia making plays on the go when things break down, they're a very basic football team, with no explosiveness. I'd love to see Antonio Bryant paired up with a Joey Galloway, but that's just not the case right now."

Faulk said Tampa Bay fans should be concerned about a run defense that has plunged to 20th after yielding 474 yards on the ground in the past two weeks.

"Those guys aren't tackling," Faulk said. "The past two games, they have been manhandled inside. I see their defensive tackles getting knocked back 6 or 7 yards from the line of scrimmage. Right now, when it comes to run fits, they're not being accountable."

Ira Kaufman

SECOND WIND

At the age of 35, DE Kevin Carter is showing the youngsters how it's done up front.

Carter has saved his best football for late in the season, posting two sacks and 24 tackles in the past five games while serving as an inspiration for Gaines Adams and Greg White.

"Kevin's playing great football," White said "He's forever young. Some of the stuff he has - the will and the mental toughness - you can't teach."

For the season, Carter ranks second to DT Chris Hovan among Tampa Bay linemen with 55 tackles.

BUC BITS

P Josh Bidwell (sick) also didn't practice Wednesday … After placing S Jermaine Phillips (fractured forearm) on injured reserve and releasing RB Noah Herron, the Bucs signed DE Patrick Chukwurah and LB Rod Wilson. … As part of the "Toys for Tots" program, the Glazer Family Foundation and the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve will collect new, unwrapped toys during Sunday's game, with collection bins set up outside all gates from 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

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