Bucs coach Jon Gruden talks with slumping Martin Gramatica, saying confidence needs a boost.
By RICK STROUD
Published December 9, 2003
[Times photo: Bill Serne]
Martin Gramatica, who had made 81.2 pecent of his field goals entering the season, is 11-for-20 and has missed three of his past four.
TAMPA - He used to be Automatica. Now he is Erratica.
Bucs kicker Martin Gramatica, who missed two more field goals in Sunday's 14-7 win at New Orleans, met Monday with Jon Gruden.
The Bucs coach gave no indication that the team planned to work out kickers. It just wants to restore Gramatica's confidence.
Gramatica's misses Sunday, including a 35-yard attempt, did not prevent the world champions from improving to 6-7 to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.
But his poor performance has had a huge impact on the Bucs' season. If not for a potential winning extra point Gramatica had blocked in a 12-9 overtime loss to Carolina in Week 2, ending a streak of PATs at 129, the Bucs would be tied with the Panthers at 7-6 for the NFC South lead.
"I'm concerned," Gruden said. "Confidence is a big thing. He's got to get back to a confident demeanor behind the ball. If he can do that, I think he'll return to greatness.
"But just like a lot of major-league hitters and major-league pitchers and professional golfers; sometimes you get into a slump. Whether it's mechanical, whether it's mental, whatever it may be, we have to help him, and he's got to help himself come out of that because he's an outstanding kicker right now who's struggling, obviously."
A Pro Bowl selection in 2000, Gramatica entered the season having made 81.2 percent of his field-goal tries. But he is 11-of-20 this season. Gramatica has missed three of his past four attempts, all from 45 yards or closer, well within range for the fifth-year kicker.
Gramatica's missed 36-yard field goal was the difference in the Bucs' 17-14 loss Nov. 2 to the Saints. Sunday, by missing from 44 and 35 yards, he failed twice to give the Bucs a two-score lead.
"Both of those (misses) were big," Gruden said. "They were momentum plays that could've given us a 10-point lead."
Four of Gramatica's field-goal attempts have been blocked, along with one extra point.
Gruden said the early blocks, especially the three against the Panthers in Week 2, may have affected the kicker.
"You hate to say that, but you probably could trace some of the problems to that," Gruden said. "I think any time you get three balls rejected in a game ... I don't want to say he's become gun shy and lacks confidence in the snap, the hold and the protection, but you look for every angle as to why a guy like this is not able to do what he does. "But that could be a reason and we'll continue to try and improve our protection and improve the confidence that he needs to go out and be great."
The slump is confounding considering that Gramatica might have been the biggest weapon for the Bucs during their Super Bowl run last season, when he set club records for field goals (32), attempts (39) and points (128).
Despite Gramatica's inconsistency, the Bucs remain two games behind Seattle (8-5) and Dallas (8-5) and one behind Green Bay (7-6) for two NFC wild-card spots. They are tied with San Francisco (6-7) and New Orleans (6-7), who hold a tiebreaker over the Bucs.
Gruden had praise for some youngsters, including running back Thomas Jones, who made his first start for the Bucs on Sunday and responded with 20 carries for 89 yards. Rookie defensive end Dewayne White, a second-round pick from Louisville, saw his first extensive action. And obscure rookies such as cornerback Ronyell Whitaker and receiver Edell Shepherd, who were signed from the practice squad, made their first appearance Sunday.
"We're three or four plays away, like a lot of teams are, of having an outstanding record," Gruden said. "We're pleased with the competition, the way we're practicing, the spirit of the football team. But the playoff picture doesn't look real good. I hate to admit that. But all we can do is worry about the things we can control and find a way to get back to .500, which we said two weeks ago. We are trying to have a two-game winning streak, which we have not done all season."
