Former Buccaneer and Florida Gator defensive lineman Brad Culpepper, now an attorney for Morgan, Colling and Gilbert in Tampa, offers his thoughts on Sunday's game:
It's hard to win any time you have six turnovers. You just can't do that in the NFL. With that many turnovers you're usually not even in the game, you're getting dominated.
I thought the defense played well. I was with those Bucs teams when the defense would play well but the offense would give up a touchdown, and that can get you demoralized. I thought they responded well the entire game. Unfortunately, it came down to that final field goal.
There seemed to be quite a bit of pressure on Brad Johnson. He had a number of tipped balls. There just seems to be some of that New Orleans voodoo getting to the Bucs. I hope it's not getting to be one of those things like we had with Green Bay in the '90s. No matter what we did, we just couldn't seem to get over that hump.
I think Michael Pittman is really becoming a weapon as a pass receiver. He had the one touchdown catch, which was a great read by Brad and a great catch-and-run. Even when he fumbled, it's hard to fault a guy who's working hard and fighting for extra yards.
Sometimes, psychologically, it hurts more to lose a game the way they did to the Saints than the way they did in San Francisco. Defensively, after a game like the 49ers, you just say "they got us" and move on. But when you lose a game like this, when the defense really held them to minimal yards and points, without many sustained drives, it's tough.
Obviously the Bucs are a veteran team and they'll respond well. I expect them to come out next week at Carolina and play great, because they always play great after they lose. The bottom line is, they've got to get out of this rut.
They should get John Lynch, Joe Jurevicius and Roman Oben back. Those guys helped them win the Super Bowl, and they need them back in the lineup.
That said, I'm glad Lynch didn't play this week. I know there's pressure for those guys to come back, but now that I'm done playing ball, I understand the importance of your health. It's more important that he get healthy than rush back from an injury and really hurt himself. I'm glad they took an extra week so they can get back to normal.
It was obvious part of the game plan was to get the ball to Keyshawn Johnson. But the bottom line is that Jon Gruden will get the ball to whomever moves the ball downfield. If Keyshawn Johnson's that person, fine. If not, fine. There seems to be a familiar pattern with Keenan McCardell catching touchdowns.
Brad Johnson may have had some errant throws and some overthrows, but look what he did in the fourth quarter. That last touchdown was a pressure play. The ball just didn't bounce their way a lot. If he doesn't get hit from behind and fumbles, they might go in and score there. If Pittman doesn't fumble, maybe they score there.
It's a long season. I'm sure there are going to be a lot of angry folks. But you have to look at the big picture. They have eight games to go, and there's no reason they can't win six or seven of those, go 10-6 or 11-5 and maybe win the division.
