Simms resigns himself to not returning in '06
By RICK STROUD and JOANNE KORTH
Published October 30, 2006
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Quarterback Chris Simms said Sunday he expects to miss the rest of the season after receiving a second opinion about his recovery from a splenectomy.
Simms, who attended Sunday's game, was informed by physicians at Harbourside Medical Tower last week that the earliest he would be cleared to play would be with one or two games remaining in the regular season.
Simms, 26, had hoped to play the final month.
Tampa Bay is expected to place Simms on injured reserve this week when quarterback Luke McCown is activated from the physically unable to perform list.
"They kind of told me from the start it would be anywhere from a 10- to 12-week injury," Simms said. "You've just got to deal with the reality of the situation. Of course, I'm a little disappointed."
Simms' spleen was removed in an emergency surgery Sept. 24 after a 24-21 loss to Carolina.
Simms spent nearly a week in the hospital and since has been unable to run or lift weights. Recently, he said he could not stand completely straight and had trouble sleeping on his back.
Simms, who can be a free agent after the season, said he understands why the club would place him on injured reserve.
"That just depends on whatever the organization wants to do," he said.
WIND BLOWN: Gusting 20-mph winds made all facets of the kicking game a challenge. Punter Josh Bidwell hit a 57-yarder, but his 39.7-yard average on nine punts was 4 fewer compared with the first six games.
"We're all strong enough to kick a good ball into the wind if you get a spiral," Bidwell said. "But from the time it leaves your hand to the time it hits your foot, it's blowing all over the place. I was glad I didn't miss it a couple of times."
Being on the other end of the punt was no bargain, either. Ike Hilliard ran forward and backward to field punts. He let two go, expecting them to carry into the end zone, but the Giants down them at the 5 and 4.
"I've caught them here before," said Hilliard, who played the first eight seasons with the Giants. "It's Giants Stadium. There's always going to be a wind."
But not this windy.
"I think I only saw it like that one time in the two years I was here," said kicker Matt Bryant, who played for the Giants from 2002-03. "In this stadium, there's three sets of flags, and they all go different ways. You just have to trust your judgment."
Bryant converted his only field goal, a 43-yarder.
ALL OR NOTHING: Trailing by 11 early in the fourth, the Bucs failed to convert third and 1 from the Giants 32 when Cadillac Williams was stopped for no gain.
On fourth down, a play-action bootleg didn't fool the Giants. Tight end Anthony Becht was a decoy and tight end Alex Smith the only option for rookie Bruce Gradkowski. Smith was covered, and Gradkowski threw incomplete.
"In a game like that, you take those shots," Gradkowski said. "The guy I was looking for kind of got held up, and there are really no other guys to throw to. That's a hit-or-miss play, and we took our chance."
SECOND CHANCE: Tampa Bay might not have scored had it not been for a neutral-zone infraction against the Giants' David Tyree on a punt. The 5 yards gave the Bucs a first down, leading to Bryant's field goal with 58 seconds left in the first half.
CLIMBING THE CHARTS: Sim-eon Rice recorded his 121st sack and needs one to pass Clyde Simmons for 12th all time. ... Linebacker Derrick Brooks played his 183rd game, tying the franchise record set by Paul Gruber (1988-99).
BUCS BITS: Tackle Ellis Wyms had a sack for the third straight game and leads the team with four. ... The Bucs denied Giants end Michael Strahan a sack. He entered tied with Lawrence Taylor for the franchise record with 1321/2. ... Tampa Bay fumbled six times but lost only one. ... The longest play of the game was Eli Manning's 25-yard pass to Plaxico Burress to the Bucs 3 in the second quarter.