Cadillac in early season form

By RICK STROUD
Published December 5, 2005

	[Times photo: Carrie Pratt]
	Cadillac Williams just misses out on his fifth 100-yard game of the season, gaining 96 yards on 22 carries. He has 296 rushing yards in his past three games. Photo gallery | Bucs forum Bucs hotline: 866-371-9605 What did you think of the Bucs' performance?

BATON ROUGE, La. - They're not asking for his shoes at the Hall of Fame. Nobody is delivering a new, shiny vehicle in his driveway.

But the past three games have looked a lot like the first three of the season for Cadillac Williams.

The Bucs rookie running back rushed for 96 yards on 22 carries in Sunday's 10-3 win over the New Orleans Saints.

Williams' longest run was 22 yards and he did not score a touchdown. But he put together his third straight solid performance. In his past three games, Williams has 296 rushing yards.

"We didn't put up many points," Williams said. "That's how it's going to be sometimes. As long as we get drives together, move the ball and keep our defense fresh, we feel like we have a chance to win."

After rushing for 434 yards in his first three games as a pro - the most by any rookie in league history - Williams was slowed by a strain in the arch of his foot.

He was inactive for two games and never rushed for more than 29 yards in three others before rediscovering his form with a 116-yard performance at Atlanta on Nov.20.

"I think it starts up front," receiver Ike Hilliard said. "You have to tip your hat to the guys who don't get much credit. The offensive line is where the game is established, the same way it is on defense. Those guys have been much maligned for years, and they've come together as a group and are playing really well for us."

On the team's lone touchdown drive, Williams carried three times for 15 yards, setting up Chris Simms' 30-yard touchdown pass to Joey Galloway.

"Actually, it was kind of a missed assignment on my part," Williams said of the play. "I should've come tighter to pick up the defensive end, but he had no chance because Chris got the ball out quick.

"I think that play there got us going. We started out real slow, and for us to go out and get a quick touchdown like that ... Galloway, he always gives us that spark, so he got us going."

Coach Jon Gruden didn't make any excuses for the offense, which did not turn the ball over. Tampa Bay was outgained 279 yards to 248 and converted just 4-of-12 third-down situations.

"We didn't have great field position a couple of times early in the game," Gruden said. "Given the kind of pressure we were seeing from the Saints, we were a bit conservative in those situations. ... After we did score and start to find our rhythm, they took the kickoff and went all the way down the field to make it 7-3."

But Williams and fellow running back Michael Pittman, who rushed four times for 40 yards, enabled the Bucs to control the ball and keep their defense rested..

"I don't have too many good memories here," Williams said of Tiger Stadium. "When I came here to play (for Auburn), (LSU) beat us 31-7 and we lost again here. My memories weren't too good. But I finally got my first victory here. I'm going to enjoy it."

[Last modified December 5, 2005, 03:00:29]