Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies
By ROGER MILLS and DARRELL FRY
© St. Petersburg Times, published August 17, 2001
TAMPA -- Defensive end Marcus Jones on Thursday afternoon became the ninth player on the Bucs training camp roster to injure his hamstring.
It likely will sideline him for at least one week, maybe two.
Jones, who had 13 sacks last season, strained his right hamstring in one-on-one pass-rush drills during the afternoon practice. Coach Tony Dungy said the team would closely monitor and treat Jones during the night and have a better idea of how long he will be out of action.
"It looks like it will be a while," Dungy said. "Most of our hamstring pulls will be a week to two weeks."
Fullbacks Mike Alstott and Rabih Abdullah, linebacker Jamie Duncan, safeties Dexter Jackson and John Howell, cornerbacks Donnie Abraham and Anthony Midget and receiver Jacquez Green have missed time because of hamstring problems.
"We've got guys that are working hard and running and it seems to be a bad year for (hamstring injuries)," Dungy said. "We've had quite a few of them."
With Jones out of Saturday's game in Cleveland, the Bucs will move former starter Steve White to the left side and shuffle the reserves.
ALSTOTT ON HIS WAY BACK: Alstott ran for the second straight day and said he was pleased with the way his left hamstring reacted. Alstott suffered a moderate strain during the first week of training camp.
"I felt a little bit sore today but that's going to be normal," he said. "I feel great. I feel the progress is coming along real well. I'm gradually working my way to where I can fully run. We don't want to do it too early but we want to get going."
Alstott's injury initially was expected to keep him out for about three weeks, but he has pro-gressed more quickly.
"It all depends when I get on the ground and start running hard," Alstott said of his chances of playing Saturday. "Yesterday was just a jog day. (Running) the steps (of the stadium) doesn't put a lot into the hamstring. As far as striding and pulling with your hamstring, that's the true test."
Alstott said the practice time missed should not be too much of a problem.
"As far as mentally knowing the offense, knowing where to be, I know it. I got enough reps in minicamp," Alstott said. "As far as playing with teammates of course, you always miss out."
IN THE FUTURE: The NFL realignment goes into effect next year, but the Bucs, who will move to the newly formed NFC South, will play their foes from the old NFC Central, which will be called the NFC North.
The Bucs will play at Chicago and Detroit and host Green Bay and Minnesota next season. They also will play at Baltimore and Cincinnati and host Cleveland and Pittsburgh. Where the Bucs finish in the division this year will determine the final two opponents.
Tampa Bay will play home and away series with members of the new division, Atlanta, Carolina and New Orleans.
The next year, the Bucs host Dallas, the New York Giants, Houston and Indianapolis. They will travel to Philadelphia, Washington, Jacksonville and Tennessee.
EXTRA WORK: Safety Jackson stayed for an extra 20-minute workout with defensive backs coach Mike Tomlin at the end of the morning session. Jackson said he was working on deep coverage drills in the cover-two defense.
Jackson said the work was necessary because the Dolphins didn't throw deep Monday, and Browns quarterback Tim Couch might.
"They didn't throw at me so I was just making sure I cleared up some of things in the two-deep," Jackson said. "They will start to throw them though."
SWEAT BAGS: A number of players walked off the practice field with their arms wrapped in plastic bags. Doctors from the Gatorade Sports Science Institute in Barrington, Ill., who visited the team at the start of training camp, collected sweat samples as part of a study on how players hydrate. Among them were running back Warrick Dunn, tight end Todd Yoder and offensive tackle DeMarcus Curry.
"We're probably going to do it with a few more of our new guys that we've seen may have some problems (with dehydration)," Dungy said. "Anything that can help in that regard."
INJURY REPORT: Defensive tackle Warren Sapp (sprained ankle), Duncan (right hamstring), receiver Reidel Anthony (left ankle) and Abraham (hamstring) practiced Thursday morning, but sat out the afternoon session. Alstott (left hamstring sprain), guard Russ Hochstein (left foot fracture), defensive end John McLaughlin (right hip fracture), punter Mark Royals (right knee sprain), cornerback Terrance Parrish (abdominal hernia) and defensive end Joe Tafoya (lower leg strain) remained sidelined.