The Bucs know firsthand how superb an athlete Julius Peppers is on defense, and now it seems the Panthers are determined to prove it on offense as well.
The defensive end has lined up at tight end the past two weeks. Against the Saints on Dec. 5, quarterback Jake Delhomme overthrew a fade pass. Against the Rams on Dec. 12, Peppers was split out left and Delhomme ran the other way and attempted a pass to Muhsin Muhammad.
"They pulled the safety over to (my) side, and they left Moose one on one, so we threw to Moose's side," Peppers told the Charlotte Observer. "I'll get one sooner or later."
The concept of the 6-foot-6 former basketball player becoming a routine threat in the passing game spells trouble for coaches across the league.
"I think it scares me," the Falcons' Jim Mora said before Saturday's game. "You're talking about one of the best athletes in this league, who's (6-6) and can jump out of the gym and is physical. He's a special, special player."
How special?
"I was trying to figure out who we'll put out on him and I said, "We'll put (TE) Alge ( Crumpler) out on him,' " Mora said. "Maybe the old North Carolina guys can go at it back there like they're battling for a rebound. That's a tough matchup. Who do you put on him? We're trying to get Bill Walton to come out and play for us."
HEY, QUIT POINTING: Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer was again in the middle of a brouhaha last week after flipping up his middle finger to a heckling fan while sitting on the bench in a home game against the Dolphins.
Cameras captured the incident, and Plummer has been heavily criticized since.
To his credit, Plummer apologized.
"I know with the NBA, and all the fights and stuff, there is a line there," Plummer said. "I will never do it again. I'm not going to lie and say I didn't do it. It was directed toward one person. ... I apologize for that to our fans. It wasn't directed toward our fans. One guy got in my head a little bit. It shouldn't be that way. I'm an emotional guy, I think you guys watch the way I play, I play with a lot of passion. I apologize to (Broncos owner) Mr. ( Pat) Bowlen, to our fans, to the whole staff here, the team."
Coach Mike Shanahan said the gesture was inappropriate, but: "Let's not try to overanalyze it. He says, "Hey, a guy got to me after an interception and I did something wrong so I apologized for it.' What more can the guy say? He was embarrassed for himself, embarrassed for the organization. He knows how to handle himself."
ANDRE THE GIANT: Lost in the super seasons and highlight reel catches by the Colts' Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne, the Jaguars' Jimmy Smith, the Titans' Drew Bennett and others has been the outstanding play of Texans receiver Andre Johnson.
The second-year player from the University of Miami has a chance to make the Pro Bowl. He is second in the AFC with 1,052 yards and tied for fifth with 71 catches.
"If I go I'm happy, if I don't I'm still happy," Johnson told the Houston Chronicle. "That's one of my personal goals. Just because I don't go this year, who's to say I can't go next year?"
The Texans, however, are 5-8, and Johnson has one TD catch in his past eight games.
"It's hard to argue there are many receivers better than him," Texans tight end Billy Miller said. "You can say there are some receivers that are as good as him, but it's tough to say somebody is better than him."
SUPER TOWN?: The Jaguars could not sell out games this season, so next year they will cover up 9,713 seats, dropping the capacity of Alltel Stadium to 66,964, the Florida Times Union reported.
Six of eight home games in 2003 were not broadcast in the Jaguars viewing area, five of seven this season were not shown and a blackout looms for the finale against the Texans.
Information from other news organizations was used in the report.
