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New rule delivers an early dividend

By ROGER MILLS

© St. Petersburg Times,
published September 8, 2001

TAMPA -- A new NFL rule that begins this season allows teams to declare their seven inactives for Sunday's games on the day of the game. In the past, teams had to name four inactives on Friday and three more on game day.

The extra 48 hours is proving critical for the Bucs, who plan to wait until the final minutes to make a decision on whether to activate center Jeff Christy, who is recovering from a left knee sprain.

"It's really (up to) Jeff and the doctors looking at him and saying, "Yes, he can play without significant risk of damage.' And Jeff saying, "Yes, I feel like I can do it and get through a game,' " coach Tony Dungy said.

"We haven't ruled out heavenly miracles but that would be about what it would take." Backup Todd Washington would start for Christy, but the Bucs have no other center on the 53-man roster. Rookie Leon Hires is on the practice squad and may have to be activated to ensure the team has a backup during the game.

If the Bucs activate Hires, they will have to release a player who then can be picked up by another team. Rosters must be set by 4 today.

"That's why we probably won't do it until 3:58 p.m.," Dungy said.

Christy is not the only last-minute decision. The option to activate defensive end/tackle Ellis Wyms, who has been slowed by a sprained left foot, and cornerback Dwight Smith (right foot sprain) also will be before kickoff.

"(The new rule) makes it a lot easier," Dungy said. "You sit and wait. You can make decisions on players like Ellis and Dwight that normally you would have to make (Friday). It gives us an extra 48 hours to see how a guy's health is."

OTHER INJURIES: Defensive tackle James Cannida (left knee sprain) and offensive guard Russ Hochstein (left foot fracture) are not expected to play Sunday.

MICROSCOPIC DEBUT: Drafted to be the team's left tackle for years to come, rookie Kenyatta Walker begins his NFL career Sunday against the Cowboys. But the former University of Florida standout, who is making the move from right to left tackle, said he doesn't mind being under the microscope.

"I'll sleep well (tonight)," Walker said. "It's not like this is my first game. I have had a preseason game, four of them actually. So I just have to go out and play. The biggest thing for me is to know exactly what I'm doing and be comfortable with that."

Walker said that because he is a rookie, the Bucs played him significantly more than other starters to get him ready. He also had the opportunity to face some of the bigger name defensive ends.

"I've gone against some pretty good guys, like (Miami's Jason) Taylor and (Cleveland's) Courtney Brown," Walker said. "So, I'm looking forward to it."

LOOKING AT THEIR OPTIONS: The Cowboys could employ some of the option offense, a running play in which the quarterback has the option to keep the ball or pitch it to a trailing running back.

But the option is seldom used in the pros because of the lateral speed of defensive ends and linebackers and the potential for injury to the quarterback.

"In the NFL, you're not supposed to get free shots at the quarterback," defensive end Marcus Jones said. "If the option comes my way, I get a free shot at the quarterback and I'm going to try to peel his cap."

Dungy said the team will prepare for the option.

"We've tried to get our rules down and a little bit of a crash course," Dungy said. "But it's something that makes you think. You have to go over every defense of what you would do so from that standpoint it's probably good to have in."

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