Club learns lessons, hopes to start fresh

TAMPA -- Bouncing back.

It was the mantra at One Buc Place Monday, one day after the Bucs opened the season with a 26-20 home loss to the Saints.

As players meandered through the facility for film review, treatment and running drills, there was no hiding from the disappointment of the loss to an NFC South rival. There also was acknowledgment that there were obvious problems on offense, defense and special teams.

But they realize there are 15 games left.

"You can't panic," receiver Keenan McCardell said. "We had the opportunity to do what we needed to do. If you really think about it, we played our worst half of football in that first half on both sides of the ball and on special teams, everybody. But we were still in the ballgame.

"We had opportunities just before the half to really take the momentum into the locker room and then come out with the ball again. Then I think we realized that every opportunity we had, we had to try to convert it into something big."

Quarterback Brad Johnson said the challenge is not to allow Sunday's poor play to set the tone.

"You always have to see the big picture," Johnson said. "Obviously, that one hurt being at home, being a division game. But there are 15 more games to go. The biggest thing in this league is that you don't want one play to lead to a bad play on the next play and you don't want one (loss) to lead to two losses.

"You want to bounce back quickly. There were a lot of upsets throughout the whole league, and you just don't want to start out the season 0-2. If we can find out a way to be 1-1 after this week, we'll find ourselves and hopefully get on a roll here."

SPEAKING OF McCARDELL: The free agent receiver, who caught a third-quarter touchdown, strained his left quad in the second offensive series of overtime and is questionable for Sunday's game in Baltimore.

"I can't say right now, but we'll see on Sunday," said McCardell, who sprained a knee in the first week of camp but returned within a few days. "It's a bit painful right now, but it's day by day."

One of the Bucs' most dependable players in preseason, McCardell said he is somewhat of a fast healer and has had a right quad injury before.

"It depends on how bad or the nature of the sprain," he said. "I strained my right quad in pregame in Minnesota (one year) and then finished the game and played the next week. So, we'll see."

EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED: There really was a simple explanation for game's decisive play: Safety John Howell was late off the ball. Coach Jon Gruden said the Saints weren't particularly trying to block Tom Tupa's punt but were, in fact, preparing to block for the return. It just happened that Saints running back Fred McAfee made a play.

"We were set, ready to go," Gruden said. "It wasn't even an all-out block situation. They were setting up the return and it looked like John was late off the ball. For whatever reason he was late off the ball, and obviously that was a problem."

OTHER INJURIES: Right guard Cosey Coleman (left knee sprain) will practice this week but has to "show he's physically ready to play, change directions and play violent inside," Gruden said. "We'll be optimistic that he will be available this week, but I don't want to put myself in position where I can't back myself up until we see that." ... Long snapper Mike Solwold has a lower leg contusion and was expected to have an X-ray Monday and be listed as questionable, though he likely will play.

BUCS BITS: Gruden and defensive tackle Warren Sapp were on the cover of last week's Sports Illustrated. Was the loss another example of the SI jinx? ... Howell, a backup safety listed as third on the depth chart, replaced John Lynch in the lineup late in the second quarter. David Gibson, Lynch's backup, remained on the sideline and was limited to special teams play. ... Two more players have changed their uniform numbers. Rookie safety Jermaine Phillips has gone from No. 33 to No. 23 and rookie linebacker Ryan Nece from No. 45 to No. 56.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "I think the theme going into that game was pound the rock. Everybody has to pound that rock and crack it and keep competing, keep fighting for 60 minutes, find a way to win." -- Gruden on the resolve of his team.