The comedy of errors wasn't so funny to players hoping for their big break with special teams.
By JOANNE KORTH
Published August 17, 2004
TAMPA - Bucs rookie Mark Jones fielded the punt, made a quick move toward the left sideline and began to gobble up yards. For a while, it looked as though he might go all the way.
Until a teammate knocked him down.
And a flag called him back.
The Bucs special teams, woeful during last season's 7-9 campaign, were again a mixed bag in Monday's preseason opener, a 20-6 victory against the Bengals. There were field goals, made and missed. There were returns, promising and penalized.
Call it progress.
"We have emphasized special teams," coach Jon Gruden said. "We expected a dramatic improvement. A lot of key guys that we count on aren't active tonight. If you are going to make this football team, you are going to make a big contribution on special teams."
Last season, special teams coach Richard Bisaccia's unit was much-maligned. The Bucs looked to address deficiencies during the offseason, adding free-agent linebackers Keith Burns and Jeff Gooch for punch and Jones, a seventh-round pick, for speed.
But some gains must come from within.
Last season, normally reliable kicker Martin Gramatica was anything but Automatica. His confidence shaken by poor protection that led to blocked kicks and stray attempts, he made 16 of 26 field goals, including 8 of 11 from 40 yards and out.
After training more diligently during the offseason, Gramatica had a solid training camp and made his first two field goals against the Bengals, hitting from 20 and 46 yards. But his try from 43 yards in the third quarter was low and wide to the left.
The Bucs stand to make the greatest gains in the return game. Last season, Tampa Bay averaged 6.9 yards on punt returns, 18.9 on kickoff returns. Most times, the offense felt fortunate to start from its 20. Running back Aaron Stecker and receivers Karl Williams and Reggie Barlow, last year's top returners, are gone.
This season, free-agent receiver Joey Galloway is expected to give the return game a lift, but he played just one series before donning a baseball cap on the sideline. That created opportunities for players fighting to make the team.
In the first quarter, receiver Frank Murphy sparked the kickoff return team with a 36-yard return to the Bucs 37. Running back Brandon Bennett opened the second half with a 27-yard return to the Tampa Bay 37, but it was negated by holding penalty on rookie Nate Lawrie.
Jones, listed as the top punt returner on the first depth chart of the season, flashed speed and a returner's instinct after fielding a punt at the Tampa Bay 33. Fifty-five yards later, he appeared headed for the end zone, but he was bumped off stride by teammate Lenny Williams 12 yards shy. Behind the play, fullback Greg Comella was called for an illegal block above the waist at the Bengals 48.
"Coach called the right return and I trusted my blockers and got a good return out of it," Jones said. "I know one way for me to make this team is to go out on special teams and show the coaches I'm capable of doing that."
The Bucs' kick coverage appeared solid.
On the first punt by free-agent acquisition Josh Bidwell, a 41-yarder to the Bengals 33, the Bengals' Deltha O'Neal muffed it and was instantly clobbered by Bucs corner Corey Ivy, who blew past a blocker and had a full head of steam when he hit O'Neal. The ball bounced away and was recovered by the Bengals at their 24.
"We fell off a little bit last year from the Super Bowl year," Ivy said. "We had a lot of injuries. Not making any excuses, but that does play a big part. This year, we're a healthy team and we're going to try to get that special teams like it was two years ago."
