Tampa Bay title hopes put on hold
The Bucs must wait to clinch; players say they want to do so with a win.
By By RICK STROUD
Published December 11, 2007
TAMPA - Back into the playoffs? Back off.
"We want to put those T-shirts and hats on after a win, as far as I'm concerned," Bucs linebacker Cato June said. "I think what means the most is that you're playing well at this time of year."
That was the sentiment of Bucs players Monday as many prepared to watch the Saints-Falcons game, in which a Saints loss would have clinched the NFC South title for the Bucs.
But the Saints won 34-14, so the Bucs 8-5 must wait to earn their third division title in six years.
With a two-game lead, the Bucs need one win in their remaining three games (or a Saints loss) to reach the postseason, most likely as the fourth seed in the NFC.
Seattle (9-4) owns the No.3 seed and has the tiebreaker over the Bucs after beating them in the opener. As it stands now, Tampa Bay would host the New York Giants in a wildcard game.
"We're going to win our division and get in," cornerback Ronde Barber said. "We can't improve to the second seed because Green Bay and Dallas won. We are where we are. We'll try to get the third seed. Maybe with an upset, we could get another home game.
"...We need to win and try to get to the point that we're playing our best football heading into the playoffs."
The rest of the nation might have to wait for the postseason to get a glimpse of the Bucs. Tampa Bay's only prime-time appearance of the regular season was cancelled Monday under the NFL's flex-scheduling policy.
The league said the Bucs' Sunday night game Dec.23 at San Francisco will be moved to 4:05 p.m. and air on Fox (Ch.13).
NBC (Ch.8) opted to televise the Redskins-Vikings game, viewed as more attractive.
On Monday, the focus for the Bucs was the team's health.
Quarterback Jeff Garcia, who missed two games with a lower-back contusion, will start Sunday against the Falcons. Honest, Jon Gruden said.
The Bucs coach stopped just short of being apologetic for being less than forthcoming about the team's plans to play Garcia.
"Yes, and maybe I have been vague. I just don't think our opponent needs to know exactly who to prepare for," Gruden said. "I don't believe I should apologize because I don't feel I've got to divulge everything or let everyone know exactly where it is as far as a timetable for Jeff. We felt it was a two-week injury. Jeff could have gone probably (Sunday). As you know, he probably could have gone in New Orleans because of his health. But the injury takes two weeks to heal, and we feel we did the right thing.
"We're letting the injury get better, and hopefully we don't have to address this question ever again starting next Wednesday."
Garcia was listed as questionable the past two weeks and served as the inactive third quarterback against the Texans. Gruden said he didn't anticipate any league inquiries regarding how the Bucs handled Garcia's injury status.
"No, because he had a chance to play," Gruden said. "His status was in question, and we made a decision in what we felt was the best interest of Jeff Garcia and his health. A lot of guys can play hurt. Jeff clearly could play. It was our decision as an organization to hold him to two games. If the league wants to call, I'm sure they will."
One player Gruden is concerned about is receiver Ike Hilliard, who was forced to leave Sunday's game after a hit from safety Will Demps. Gruden said Hilliard injured his upper back.
"We're confident he'll be able to play, but we are concerned about him, and I can only update you on Wednesday," Gruden said.
The location of the injury is of particular interest to Hilliard, who injured an interspinous ligament between the sixth and seventh vertebrae.
The Bucs could miss fullback B.J. Askew, who has been playing with a severely sprained left ankle that was placed in a hard cast again Monday. Askew said the team is encouraging him to take a week off. "It's hard because you really want to play," he said. "But this may be the week. We'll see."
Rick Stroud can be reached at stroud@tampabay.com.