Sports: Lost balls may mean lost carries for Alstott

Lost balls may mean lost carries for Alstott

Fullback's slippery fingers have Bucs thinking about shying away from him late in close games.

By ROGER MILLS

TAMPA -- Over the past five years, fullback Mike Alstott has been a crucial part of the Bucs offense and has, on many occasions, won games with his powerful running style.

But he also has had fumbling problems.

Alstott has lost 12 fumbles over the past 36 games, including Sunday's gaffe in the dying stages of the game against the Jets.

Monday, Bucs coach Tony Dungy, who has supported his Pro Bowl fullback, admitted the latest fumble could lead to a re-evaluation of Alstott's role at the end of games.

"That's something we're going to have to evaluate. That's something we talked about (Monday) morning and we'll continue to talk about it," Dungy said. "Obviously, Mike is a guy that can make first downs and that's what we're trying to do. But, we definitely have to secure the ball there. It's something we'll talk about.

"He had a problem last year and then he went about eight or 10 games when he didn't fumble, and he's been good this year. But, he fumbled one at a crucial time. So, we've got to just keep working on it."

The turn of events for Alstott, whose 60 yards Sunday moved him into second all-time on the team's rushing list with 3,090 yards, could be significant considering how much the Bucs want to run once they have a lead.

"The option is to either decide whether we're going to run Mike or we're not going to," Dungy said. "If we're going to run Mike, then we'll do what he does best and run behind our best blockers. And if we're not, then we'll run someone else. Whether it ends up being Rabih (Abdullah) or Warrick (Dunn) or Aaron (Stecker) or whoever it might be."

With 1:48 left in the fourth quarter, Alstott, trying to chew up yards and the clock, fumbled at Tampa Bay's 24-yard line on second and 7. Two plays later, Jets running back Curtis Martin found receiver Wayne Chrebet in the back of the end zone on a halfback option to give New York a 21-17 victory.

It was Alstott's first fumble in 138 carries.

"We made some mistakes, I made some mistakes," Alstott, who declined to talk to reporters at One Buc Place, said on his evening radio show. "You really never want to sit there and say that. I felt when my number was called that I let everybody down. My pride is down. I'm not going to let it affect my performance. It's one of those things that is over and you have to accept the responsibility and either suck it up or swallow it and move on."

Teammate Patrick Hape, a close friend of Alstott's, said he hasn't lost faith in Alstott's ability to finish off games. "He's running hard, as hard as he can," Hape said. "I know he took that one hard, but he only knows how to run hard and we wouldn't want it any other way. I don't think Mike's a fumbler."

Running backs coach Tony Nathan also supported Alstott, saying he wouldn't label him a fumbler but adding that the frequency is somewhat alarming and that only Alstott can make it right.

"You can talk about it all you want but the emphasis going into the game is carry the ball the right way, lock it away," Nathan said. "It's been unfortunate for him that some people have been able to get it out. It's not like we don't emphasize it from jump street."

Dungy, who acknowledged that if he were a defensive coordinator facing the Bucs he would instruct his players to try to strip the ball, isn't about to forget his leading rusher. After all, with Alstott carrying the load, the Bucs are 27-3 when leading after three quarters.

"We've been pretty successful with that in the past, and I think this is our third game that we lost the lead in," Dungy said. "We've been running Mike up the middle for four years and he's run it pretty well. But, he's got to hang on to the ball. It's just a matter of hanging on. You've got to hang on to the ball. If you're a running back in the NFL, you can't fumble."