Jacksonville trip a test in mental toughness

LAKE BUENA VISTA -- After playing Monday night and having two practices Wednesday, the Bucs got a welcome surprise when coach Jon Gruden called off Thursday afternoon's practice.

The timing could not have been better considering the Bucs would have had little time to rest before tonight's game in Jacksonville.

Gruden said, however, at some point all NFL teams have to deal with scheduling challenges.

"Every team in the league does, honestly," Gruden said. "Look at the Dolphins, they're playing (Thursday night after playing Monday). There's a lot of teams that play overseas, have oddball weeks, oddball days and changes in pace of their schedule. It's just something you have to respond to."

But the game against the Jaguars adds an extra wrinkle for the Bucs. Because Jacksonville is less than a three-hour drive from Orlando, the team will be bussed to Jacksonville, play the game and immediately return to Orlando.

"We can look at it negatively and write a bunch of excuses down," Gruden said. "It's a short week. It's a long bus ride. The hamburgers were cold, the sodas were warm, but it'll be a good test for us. It's not only a league of talented athletes, but it's a game for the mentally tough. This is an opportunity for us to show our moxie and play our best football. ... I'm looking forward to watching the resilience of our football team."

Players said complaining about the drive is pointless.

"It's nothing we haven't had to handle before," veteran linebacker Al Singleton said. "You have to approach it like any other challenge, just like approaching the Jaguars, and step up to it."

Added fullback Jameel Cook: "I think back to my college and Pop Warner (days), but it's the business we're in right now. You have to be a tough team and you've got to do what you've got to do."

SAPP TO SIT?: Defensive tackle Warren Sapp, who played the 2001 season with a shoulder injury, missed some practices with swelling in his left knee and was on the sideline again Thursday morning. Gruden said there is no need for worry but hinted the All-Pro tackle could be a scratch for tonight's game.

"He's all right," Gruden said. "We looked at it hard, and there's nothing there. There's swelling, but we want him to be ready to go. This guy has been a wrecking machine and is on a mission. He's in great shape and has a motor that's unbelievable.

"Idle time makes him a wild man. But we're going to be smart. If he has some swelling in his knee and it's a preseason game, then we want to do the right thing. We may not even play him this week. He's very questionable for this game."

GETTING THEIR WORK IN: Against the Dolphins, the Bucs kept the starting offensive line on the field for the first half. Gruden said that likely could happen tonight.

"I think it's important, they need to play together," Gruden said. "Let's get them used to it."

Veteran starters usually don't play long in the first two preseason games, but center Jeff Christy, in his 10th season, may have little choice.

"Jeff's been doing a real great job and is going to be a great player for us," Gruden said. "He needs to run the show."

Equally important is the need to build continuity on the line. With Cosey Coleman out about four weeks, backup Todd Washington, guard Kerry Jenkins and tackles Roman Oben and Kenyatta Walker enter the season either as new starters or in new positions.

"We're excited to see what a week's or a few days' preparation can do for our offensive line," Gruden said. "Todd Washington knows he's going into the game as a starter, so obviously his mind-set will be a little bit different than it was Monday night. Hopefully, we'll have a little bit of continuity in there, guys will be prepared to play, will be physical and precise in terms of what they are doing."

The Bucs also want to provide backup quarterbacks Rob Johnson and Shaun King a chance to play with the first line.

"Let's be honest, we have three quarterbacks that we like and to evaluate those guys you have to let them play the game with some experience around them," Gruden said.

NO GURLEY MAN: Like the play of free-agent linebacker Ryan Nece in the first week of camp, the recent efforts of 24-year-old free-agent defensive tackle Buck Gurley (6-2, 295) have drawn praise from the Bucs staff.

"I give this kid credit," Gruden said. "He's a little bit, size-wise, different from what we have here. He's taller, got more mass and is getting better with his hands, his reading the schemes and did a heck of a job the other night (against the Dolphins)."

The former Florida Gator has moved up the depth chart and is playing beside Chartric Darby when the backup interior line is on the field.

"It's been blessed and I want to thank the Bucs every day for just giving me the tryout," Gurley said. "Right now, I have to try to make the best of it. ... I grade myself real hard. There's a whole lot of things I need to work on and correct. I have a good coach and good teammates and they are helping me out too. Everything is looking okay right now. It's not going to look great at the beginning but hopefully at the end."