Stroughter done for season with broken foot

Rookie wide receiver Sammie Stroughter, a seventh-round draft choice who made an impact in the passing game and return game for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2009, is out for the final two games with a broken right foot.

Stroughter was hurt in the second half of Sunday's 24-7 triumph at Seattle. He will be placed on injured reserve - the 14th Tampa Bay player on the list this season.

"What Sammie's done this year has been pretty impressive,'' Coach Raheem Morris said Monday. "You're talking about a seventh-round pick who has played a significant role, a guy who has given us max effort all year. You're talking about one of our better football players.''

Stroughter finished his rookie season with 31 catches for 334 yards and one touchdown reception. He also averaged 9.9 yards in 12 punt returns and 29.5 yards in returning 11 kickoffs, including a 97-yard return for a touchdown against Carolina.

Get busy

The Bucs had scored only 20 third-quarter points all season before Sunday and trailed 7-3 at halftime in Seattle before coming out of the locker room with a rare sense of urgency.

"I just told those guys there's no reason for us to wait around until the end of the football game to try to win it," Coach Raheem Morris said after the Bucs reeled off 18 points in the third quarter. "There's no rule that says we can't go out there and dominate - and that's what they did. The defense really responded as well. I told them it's on us ... if they don't score anymore, we win. That's the end of the story."

A Tampa Bay club that had gone 11 quarters without scoring a TD rolled up eight first downs in that third quarter, silencing a noisy crowd at Qwest Field that began leaving the stadium in droves as the Bucs maintained possession for 20:26 minutes after intermission.

An offense struggling on third down converted four of five in the pivotal third quarter as Seattle was limited to only 25 yards.

Let's get physical

The Bucs ran the ball effectively for most of the soggy afternoon, finishing with 134 yards on the ground to complement rookie QB Josh Freeman's solid play.

Tampa Bay ran on 34 of its 60 snaps, a sharp misdirection for an offense that had been throwing 60 percent of the time.

"I'm guessing it just takes time," Morris said of the dormant running game. "It didn't happen as fast as we would have liked. Hopefully, that's who we are. Hopefully, we can continue those types of performances with the run and with the play-action pass. That's who we are - that's what we've got to be."

Reality check

The Bucs improved to 2-12 heading into Sunday's game at New Orleans. The Saints, who trounced the Bucs 38-7 in Tampa a month ago, were 13-0 before dropping a 24-17 decision at home to Dallas Saturday evening.

In the aftermath of the first New Orleans matchup, Morris assumed the defensive coordinator duties, replacing Jim Bates.

The Saints lead the league in total offense and scoring and they can clinch homefield advantage throughout the NFC playoffs by beating Tampa Bay.

"I don't think (Saints coach) Sean Payton is the type of guy that will rest people," Morris said. "He's all about staying hot. I think (QB) Drew Brees is the same type of guy. They're going to want to absolutely take it out on us. The only dynamic is they may be a little more angry. If you want to define yourself, see how well you're playing on defense, then go play the Saints. They'll let you know pretty quickly where you are and what you are."