Team back to pounding rock like old days

By JOANNE KORTH
Published December 12, 2005

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Borrowing a motivational tool from the Super Bowl season, Bucs coaches asked players to "Pound the Rock" before Sunday's key NFC South game.

Yes, the rock is back.

The 200-pound-plus granite block that became the emblem of the team's Super Bowl XXXVII victory reappeared Wednesday. Defensive line coach Rod Marinelli , who came up with the slogan, repeated his original speech in a team meeting.

"It was nice to hear," cornerback Ronde Barber said. "That carried us through the playoffs three years ago."

The rock appeared in the locker room Nov.19, 2002, five days before the 8-2 Bucs played a critical game against the Packers. On Sunday, it occupied a central spot in locker room at Bank of America Stadium.

Yes, the rock traveled.

"Those are good memories," cornerback Brian Kelly said. "This is the time of year when you need to see something like that. We know the importance of it and we believe in it and what it gets us. It's a good time to bring the rock out."

McFARLAND INJURED: Defensive tackle Anthony McFarland left in the first quarter with a hamstring strain. Though the front four performed well without McFarland, coach Jon Gruden said he was concerned about the extent of the injury.

An update should be available today.

The defensive line was instrumental in holding the Panthers to 82 yards rushing and stopping Stephen Davis on fourth and 2 from the Tampa Bay 39 in the third.

"We had to cause havoc and make sure we had the run stopped," said tackle Ellis Wyms , who helped fill McFarland's place. "We were active, disruptive and made them account for us in their blocking."

BIG FOOT: Playing for the first time since straining a hamstring two weeks ago, kicker Matt Bryant was 2-for-2 with field goals of 34 and 36 yards and made two extra points.

"This was a big game and I'd have killed myself sitting on the sideline," Bryant said.

Bryant, who missed the Dec.4 game against New Orleans, tested his leg Sunday morning and felt good. Against a Carolina team with a knack for blocking kicks, Bryant's experience came in handy.

"We didn't ask him to really strain himself on the kickoffs," Gruden said. "We needed his trajectory, his get-off time. We needed him to come through and he did that."

Bryant also battled a tricky wind, nailing the 34-yarder at the same end of the stadium in which the Panthers' John Kasay had missed a 42-yarder wide left.

THIRD AND DONE: The Bucs defense was especially stingy in change-of-possession downs. The Panthers were 2-of-11 on third down and 0-for-2 on fourth.

"We just knew we had to get them in third and long," defensive tackle Chris Hovan said. "Our third-down conversion rate was very good."

ONE-MAN SHOW: Carolina receiver Steve Smith did his best to rally his team with a 60-yard reception and a 44-yard punt return on consecutive possessions, but the Panthers managed only a field goal from it.

Smith's catch-and-run to the Tampa Bay 19 came after safety Dexter Jackson got a finger on the pass while defending Smith in zone coverage.

SPECIAL EFFORT: The Bucs won the field-position battle, largely because of special teams. The average starting point for Tampa Bay's 11 drives was its 39 yard line.

Punt returner Matt Jones just missed a chance for a touchdown when he was tripped up by punter Jason Baker , forced to settle for a seasonlong 31 yards.

Also, Josh Bidwell had a punt of at least 50 yards for the 14th straight game. His first punt of the game covered 58 yards.

[Last modified December 12, 2005, 01:11:08]