The Bucs aren't the only team with penalty problems, and they don't have the only coach willing to say the nonsense must stop.
Titans coach Jeff Fisher tore into his troops, calling them "a bunch of thugs" after an embarrassing 33-7 loss to the Colts.
Not only are the Titans among the league leaders in penalties with 21 - they are fourth behind the Panthers (25), Bucs (24) and Raiders (23) - but they have five personal foul penalties in two games.
"We're not thugs. We're just tyrants," safety Lance Schulters told the Tennessean. "That's how we play. We play aggressively. But we have to play smarter."
Added running back Robert Holcombe: "I think what coach was trying to get across was we were doing things unbecoming of a well-disciplined football team. It gets heated sometimes, but you can't let your emotions take over and affect the game."
Fisher singled out defensive end Kevin Carter's personal foul penalty because Carter is a team captain.
"He lost his poise," Fisher said. "Here's a guy his teammates voted for captain, and he's punching somebody in the face and getting 15 yards. That should not happen, period. ... I think we had six (all of) last year. You put yourself in a tough position when you have those sorts of penalties."
RED HOT COLES: After two games, the doubters likely have stopped second-guessing the $13-million signing bonus the Redskins gave to Laveranues Coles. Coles ripped the Jets for five receptions for 106 yards and followed that with a career day against the Falcons, with his 11 receptions for 180 yards including the decisive 19-yard touchdown.
"You're expected to do big things when you're given a big payday," Coles said.
Described by Redskins quarterback Patrick Ramsey as "incredibly tough and incredibly special," Coles and fellow receiver Rod Gardner are giving credence to coach Steve Spurrier's Fun 'N' Gun offense system .
"Laveranues is a big-play guy," Spurrier said. "The ball hits his hands and just sort of sticks."
SUBTLE SUMMIT MEETING: As part of their typical day-after-game routine, 49ers quarterbacks attend meetings separately from receivers. But Jeff Garcia suggested combining the two Monday after the loss to the Rams.
"If we can watch film and continue to talk and communicate, it will make our unit stronger," Garcia told the Contra Costa Times.
Of course, the timing has nothing to do with the beginning rumblings from receiver Terrell Owens that Garcia isn't seeing him open. Nor does it have anything to do with new coach Dennis Erickson's offense, which promised the deep ball, but has yet to produce a pass longer than 25 yards.
Against the Rams, Owens had five catches for 42 yards.
LONG ROAD TRIP: With Hurricane Isabel bearing down on the East Coast, the Ravens left Wednesday for San Diego. Originally scheduled to leave Friday, Raven coach Brian Billick didn't want the storm to force his team into indoor practices. He planned to stick to East Coast time, with a 5 a.m. wakeup call and a 9 p.m. curfew. He also, apparently, suggested the players stay away from Tijuana, Mexico.
"I can control when they get up, when they eat, when they practice and when they go to bed," Billick said. "In between, it's up to them to have the discipline to do what they ought to be doing."
STOPPING RICKY: The acquisitions of linebacker Takeo Spikes and safety Lawyer Milloy were supposed to help the Bills run defense, ranked 29th in the NFL last season, and the proof could come Sunday in Miami.
Last season, Dolphins running back Ricky Williams gained 325 yards against the Bills in two games. He had 97 in the first meeting and 228 in the second, the most ever against the Bills.
"It's a big challenge for the team," Spikes told the Buffalo News. "As a defense, you want to come back and play a running back of that caliber. I'm sure it's like that in Cleveland (which gave up 295 yards to Baltimore's Jamal Lewis last week). I'm sure they can't wait to play this week."
PRICELESS TAKE: Falcons receiver Peerless Price isn't happy with how he has been used after two games. Price has four catches for 58 yards in two games.
"I want the ball. That's all I want," he told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I want an opportunity to make the play to help my team win. That's as blunt and as simple as I can get. I just want the ball. ... They can line me up at tailback. They can put me at quarterback. I just want the ball."
NFL, ON A ROLL: After beating the Giants, Bill Parcells is 39-2 when leading by 13 or more at halftime and 50-0 when leading by 12 or more entering the fourth quarter. ... The Jets (0-2) have compiled only one winning record in September in the past 10 years, in 2000 under Al Groh. So far, the Jets have 19 series and two touchdowns. ... Redskins are 2-0 for the first time since 1991, the last season they won a Super Bowl (XXVI). ... The Jaguars are 0-2 for the first time since 1995, their first season. The 21-point loss to Buffalo was the worst home loss in team history.
- Information from other news organizations was used in this report.
