Jones, Shepherd and Lee have added a new dimension to offense.
By RICK STROUD
Published December 11, 2003
[Times photo: Bill Serne]
Thomas Jones runs for some of his 89 yards against the Saints, displaying speed that the Bucs have lacked.
[Times photo: Toni L. Sandys]
Edell Shepherd's pass-catching ability and speed inspired QB Brad Johnson to ask that he be put on the active roster.
TAMPA - Youth finally is being served in large portions by the Bucs.
It's a team that no longer has reservations. Not about Thomas Jones, who has rushed to the front of the line of running backs. At receiver, there is a party of two - Charles Lee and Edell Shepherd - finally being fed the football.
Though these players may have fewer wrinkles, they have added a new one on offense to the world champions: speed.
"You never have enough speed. You do want to get faster and those guys have speed," coach Jon Gruden said. "Do they have blinding speed on the watch? I don't know that. But they do have good, solid playing speed and we're encouraged. Those three young guys played a key role for us and we're looking forward to following their progress in the next three weeks."
Jones, 25, made his first start Sunday in the 14-7 win at New Orleans and responded with 20 carries for 89 yards. His 4.8-yard rushing average is tops on the team. More important, the seventh overall pick by the Cardinals in the 2000 draft has demonstrated the kind of explosive speed lacking in the rushing attack.
"Obviously, Jones has all the measurables that you're looking for in a running back," Gruden said. "He's thick and quick and big and fast when he needs to be. I'm liking that guy. I give him credit, he was a highly criticized guy when he came here, everybody didn't think he could do this or that. He has 20 carries for 90 yards and catching the ball well, picking up blitzes. He's 25 years old and growing on us."
In fact, Jones' runs of 61 and 51 yards against the Packers are the longest from scrimmage this season. Combined with Lee's 53-yard touchdown reception a week later, they represent three of the six longest plays by the Bucs this year.
Lee, 26, was cut twice by the Bucs this season but got his chance when the team deactivated Pro Bowl receiver Keyshawn Johnson. As he demonstrated against the Giants, Lee has the speed to make big yards after the catch. That makes life easier for quarterback Brad Johnson, who doesn't have to rely solely on veteran Keenan McCardell.
"With Charles, right now you look at yards after the catch," Brad Johnson said. "That is tremendous, just in his 16 catches. Whether it's the 53-yard touchdown that he had against the Giants or whether it's the 5-yard hitch he had the other day and took it to a 15-yard play and broke two tackles. That is something we need.
"You're looking for three, maybe four big plays a game. That's plays over 20 yards. That's what we've always talked about, the yards after the catch. You're going to have the big hitter where we hit Keenan up the sideline in the fourth quarter. You're going to have those. But the yards after catch is tremendous and he does bring something to the table with that."
Lee said all he needed was an opportunity. The fourth-year player, who began his career in Green Bay, was cut at the start of training camp, brought back after a few games and released again on Sept. 23. An injury to Joe Jurevicius and Keyshawn Johnson's dismissal gave him his first extensive action on Monday Night Football against the Giants.
"That's what this league is about, it's about opportunity," Lee said. "You never know when your opportunity is going to come. Hell, I didn't think my opportunity would come this year. I was just talking to coach (Richard) Mann a little earlier, "Can you believe where we've come from the beginning of this season?' There's a lot of these guys who have talent, there's just guys that need an opportunity, whether it's they can't get on the field because guys are making too much money or whether Coach likes veteran guys or whatever it is."
Shepherd, 23, has yet to officially catch a pass in a game, but his story is one of performance and perseverance. The 6-foot-1, 175-pound receiver from San Jose State spent his rookie year on the Bears practice squad. To him, playing on the Bucs practice squad this season wasn't any better. He carried a big chip on his shoulder pads, particularly when the Bucs re-signed Marvin "Snoop" Minnis.
"People tell you to be patient and you're going to get your turn and all that," Shepherd said. "But you don't accept it. I never accepted it. I used to say ... I didn't want to do it. My dream wasn't to come to the league and be on the practice squad my whole career. I had a grudge and I still have a grudge. It's an edge to keep me out there to work hard, and any time the ball goes up I try to go get it."
In fact, Shepherd made so many acrobatic catches playing on the scout squad against the Bucs' first-team defense that Brad Johnson and Gruden couldn't help but notice. Finally, Johnson went to Gruden and lobbied to have Shepherd on the active roster against the Saints.
"I like him a lot," Johnson said. "I was probably one of the happiest people when he came up, just for him. He's snagging balls all over the place in practice against our defense. And some of that is scout team work, so it's a little bit different. I didn't blink twice the other day when he was in the game. I threw him a little out-and-up type of deal. He's got some game to him. I'm glad he's on board."
In fact, Shepherd made a nice over-the-shoulder catch of a 28-yard pass from Johnson in the third quarter, only to have his first NFL reception erased by an interference penalty on Lee.
"This Shepherd guy, you got to get to know him," Gruden said. "He comes out here every day, he's making plays, one-handed catches up the field, inside, outside, up the field. He runs all day. He's fast. No one knows where he is. Where did this guy come from?"
All of them are growing up fast. And making the offense faster.
"I think we're about to set a record as far as number of guys on the team who've actually caught the ball," Johnson said. "I think we're at 21, 22. And a couple of other guys might be 23 this week. We spread the ball around tremendously. But we do have some guys making plays that no one's ever heard of."
