Bucs' Morris cites personnel for defense's woes

Bucs coach Raheem Morris fielded questions from the media for nearly 20 minutes on Monday.

Still, it was hard for him to clarify why his team is 1-8.

Morris tried to explain why Tampa Bay's two-minute defense failed during Sunday's 25-23 loss at Miami, allowing the Dolphins to drive 77 yards in five plays in the final 1:04 to kick a 25-yard winning field goal with 10 seconds left.

He also tried to explain why the defense has had trouble stopping the run this season, including allowing the Dolphins to rush for 199 yards.

The bottom line, it seems, is personnel.

"We're just not made right now to knock people back," Morris said. "That's not how we're cut. We don't have big, intimidating linebackers or big, intimidating linemen. We've got to hit you. We've got to be perfect. (Sunday) was a great situation to be in second-and-8. Good. That's where we want to be. We were in third-and-6. Great. That's where we want to be. Now we have third down and we're ready to get off (the field).

"Those situations showed up a bunch (Sunday) when we had an opportunity to get off. We have to create those type of situations. We have to be smart with it as well. We have to play coverage, but we don't have the big people, the big personnel that you need to knock out runs. The physical person up front that absolutely dominates the block and gets the tackle for loss on third-and-13. We'll get there. We'll find those guys and we'll go out there and get them. Right now, we got to go out there and play with the guys we have."

The defensive players Morris currently has are ones he and General Manager Mark Dominik believed gave Tampa Bay the best chance of winning. Both believed defensive tackles Ryan Sims and Chris Hovan could create enough surge to stop the run, while ends Jimmy Wilkerson and Gaines Adams could generate consistent quarterback pressure.

When asked about their offseason personnel decisions, Morris said each player would be evaluated this offseason.

"Ryan Sims has to be evaluated like all of us," Morris said. "We have to evaluate Dre Moore, we have to evaluate Ryan. Dre Moore got a chance to get out there and get his whistle wet a little bit. We have to evaluate all those guys, Kyle Moore, Michael Bennett. All the guys we have, we have to evaluate all those people. We've got to make decisions at the end of the season once you get there, but right now, that's who we have.

"We've got to go out there and get better with technique. We've got to get better and we've got to see somebody make a play."

Tampa Bay's defensive line struggled to make plays without Stylez G. White, who did not travel to Miami due to a shoulder injury.

The Bucs had only two quarterback hurries and no sacks without White. Prior to Sunday's loss, White started in three consecutive games and recorded three sacks. He also leads the team with 18 quarterback pressures.

White said he is medically cleared to practice this week and his pass rushing ability will be needed against New Orleans on Sunday. New Orleans is led by quarterback Drew Brees, who is the NFL's second-leading passer. The Saints are 9-0, their offense is ranked No. 1, plus they are averaging 36.8 points a game.

"It's going to be a long game," Bucs linebacker Geno Hayes said. "They like to pass the ball a lot, influence on the run. It's going to be a long game with them."

Reporter Anwar Richardson can be reached at