News | Bucs

Red zone

By JOANNE KORTH
Published November 21, 2004

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SIMEON SAYS

Cause no one says it quite like Bucs defensive end Simeon Rice.

"It's one of those gut-wrenching situations that you really don't want, but it's an opportunity, so you definitely don't want to let it get past you." - on the Bucs' playoffs possibilities

GOT A MINUTE?: Dexter Jackson

Jackson was the MVP of Super Bowl XXXVII for the Bucs, then signed as a free agent with Arizona. He returned to Tampa Bay last week after missing the first 10 weeks of the season with a back injury.

Does the Super Bowl seem like a long time ago?

JACKSON: If you have that taste in your mouth and you're hungry, yes, it seems like a long time ago. And I'm hungry. I want to get back there. Hopefully we can hit a win streak here, make the playoffs and be a very dangerous team in the playoffs.

Does this team still seem hungry?

JACKSON: I think the team is still hungry. You take away a couple of plays and it's easily a different season, a 6-3 season. I'm just here to try to help this team win. I'm not going to start. There are guys ahead of me, John Howell and Dwight Smith, who are playing great ball and I believe in these guys.

With your back injury, did you worry your career might be over?

JACKSON: No, never. I had a bulging disc in my back and it took months to rehab. A back takes time to heal and that was the main issue, getting healed first. Once I got healed there were a lot of teams that wanted me. Right now, I need to put film on tape so people can see I'm back.

CLIMBING THE CHARTS

With 48 catches for 685 yards and three touchdowns in nine games, Michael Clayton is on pace to become the most productive rookie pass-catcher in Bucs history:

Rookie receptions

1. FB Mike Alstott, 1996 65*

2. WR Lawrence Dawsey, 1991 55

3. WR Michael Clayton, 2004 48

Rookie receiving yards

1. WR Lawrence Dawsey, 1991 818*

2. WR Michael Clayton, 2004 685

Rookie touchdown receptions

1. WR Kevin House, 1980 5*

2. WR Reidel Anthony, 1997 4*

2. WR Horace Copeland, 1993 4

4. WR Michael Clayton, 2004 3

* Led the team that season

SMALL WORLD

Bucs coach Jon Gruden's first NFL job was with the 49ers in 1990. Gruden was an offensive assistant under George Seiffert and worked closely with offensive coordinator Mike Holmgren and backup quarterback Steve Young. San Francisco was 14-2 and lost in the NFC Championship Game.

OUCH, THAT HURTS

This season, the true measure of a Bucs fan isn't knowledge of the active roster, but an ability to bemoan the long list of injuries. Tampa Bay has placed 12 players on injured reserve and several other key players have missed games. So, match the Buc to the boo-boo.

DT Ellis Wyms pectoral

DT Anthony McFarland thumb

RB Charlie Garner MCL

C John Wade groin

TE Rickey Dudley shoulder

WR Joe Jurevicius triceps

G Matt O'Dwyer patellar tendon

WR Joey Galloway dislocated knee

FB Mike Alstott back

NO, YOU TAKE IT

The Bucs defense, which has at least one turnover in 64 of the past 66 games, can expect to add to that total today. The 49ers are among the league's worst in turnover margin at minus-15, including 12 interceptions and 11 fumbles.

Boo-boo answers: Wyms (shoulder), McFarland (triceps), Garner (patellar tendon), Wade (dislocated knee), Dudley (thumb), Jurevicius (back), O'Dwyer (pectoral), Galloway (groin), Alstott (MCL).

[Last modified November 21, 2004, 00:23:21]

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