Bucs QB could miss two games

Coach Jon Gruden is preparing Rob Johnson to replace injured Brad Johnson.

By RICK STROUD, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published October 22, 2002

TAMPA -- Brad Johnson has a left rib fracture and his string of 23 starts as the Bucs quarterback soon may be broken. The 11-year veteran is listed as doubtful for Sunday's game at Carolina.

[Times photo: James Borchuck] Quarterback coach Stan Parrish, left, talks with Brad Johnson after the Bucs QB left Sunday's game against the Eagles in the fourth quarter. Johnson fractured his left rib.

The injury, on the first offensive series of Tampa Bay's 20-10 loss last weekend at Philadelphia, means the Bucs will prepare backup Rob Johnson to start against the Panthers.

"We'll be assembling a Johnson plan," coach Jon Gruden said. "We'll have something for the Johnsons.

"We want to know, obviously, quick. But at the same time, it doesn't look good. The man has a fractured rib and that's a tough duty about being a quarterback in the NFL."

Considered one of the toughest quarterbacks in the NFL, Brad Johnson took a beating Sunday. He was sacked five times, knocked down on 10 occasions and hit on nine other passing attempts.

He left the game late in the fourth quarter, after doubling over in pain and failing to get much behind a pass attempt to Keyshawn Johnson.

"He got hit early and felt he could continue," said Gruden. "I think on the interception, the outside breaking pattern, he just didn't get much on it. I think the injury caught up to him as the game went on and that's why we made the switch."

The Bucs also might be forced to play without receiver Keenan McCardell, who is doubtful after slightly fracturing his left shoulder blade.

Gruden said the Bucs could be without Brad Johnson for the next two games.

Rob Johnson is expected to make his first start for Tampa Bay Sunday. Third-team quarterback Shaun King would be the backup.

Against the Eagles, Rob Johnson played one series and drove the Bucs 39 yards in 12 plays. Tampa Bay had first and goal at the Eagles 6. But a penalty and three incompletions forced the Bucs to settle for Martin Gramatica's 29-yard field-goal attempt, which he missed wide left.

"I'm very excited. We're coming off a tough loss here so I'm sad about that," Rob Johnson said. "But then you're fired up to get an opportunity. It's too bad Brad's got to be out, but it's an opportunity for me. ... The approach I'm taking is a I'm going to play."

When Rob Johnson signed as a free agent with the Bucs in March, he believed he would win the starting job in training camp. Since then, he has struggled to remain patient.

"I hate being a backup. It's not fun," he said. "Any backup will tell you that because you never know when you're going to play. The quarterbacks usually get hit a lot anyway, so you're always wondering when your chance is and you don't get any work during the week. It's just an uncomfortable feeling. I'm a pacer and I probably walk 5 miles during a game up and down the sideline when I'm backing up. I'm much more comfortable starting."

Considering his scrambling ability, Rob Johnson might take some pressure off the Bucs' porous pass protection. Gruden said he might alter his play-calling to take advantage of his mobility.

"That's a possibility. Rob's a guy who would be more apt to take off and run if the opportunity presents itself," Gruden said. "That's a little more his game. But again, Brad Johnson is a fine football player. He's played well for us and we're a 5-2 team and a lot of that is because of Brad Johnson. So we are concerned about his health but we will remain optimistic and confident that Rob Johnson will play well for us."

Rob Johnson said, however, he didn't see Sunday's game at Carolina as an opportunity to supplant Brad Johnson.

"This is Brad's team," he said. "He's done a real good job this year and whatever happens, happens. I'm just going to try and win one game this week.

"Brad does a lot of stuff really well. I've learned some stuff from him. I threw a couple of balls away down in the red zone, which normally I'd be trying to make a play. Then again, I'm going to try and to take a little more chances. I'll try to make some more scrambles and get out and try to make some big plays that way. But those are hit and miss sometimes."

Rob Johnson, who said he's normally limited to about 12 reps at quarterback with the first team each week, should take the majority of snaps with the No. 1 offense Wednesday and Thursday.

"He doesn't get a whole lot of work on the practice field during game-week preparation," Gruden said of Rob Johnson. "He gets a fair amount of work on Friday's practice, but he's a guy that I think moved the club yesterday when he has his opportunity. He's an athletic guy that's played in this league and has a good feel for our system. And hopefully, if he is asked to play, we expect him to play well."

Gruden, however, isn't ruling Brad Johnson out of the game.

"It think it's going to be a pain threshold type thing. How much can he take?" Gruden said. "He can take a lot. I'm not going to paint a real bleak picture until I see Brad Johnson on the practice field Wednesday, Thursday and Friday myself."

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