Sports: WR saddled with hip, ankle pain

WR saddled with hip, ankle pain

By DARRELL FRY, ROGER MILLS and RICK STROUD

TAMPA -- Bucs receiver Reidel Anthony rolled his left ankle late Thursday running a deep route. He limped back to the huddle and finished practice.

Before that injury, Anthony said, his hip began bothering him.

The fifth-year player out of Florida missed Friday's practice after being diagnosed with a hip strain.

"It's a little bit of a hip-flexor strain but we anticipate him being fine" for Sunday's game at Minnesota, coach Tony Dungy said. "We kind of held him out so he wouldn't aggravate it, but we think he's going to be fine."

The hip strain is similar to the one sustained by safety Dexter Jackson two weeks ago. Dungy said Anthony needs "basically rest" to treat the hip.

"I will be playing Sunday," Anthony said.

If not, veteran returner Karl Williams will move into Anthony's third-receiver spot and Frank Murphy will be activated as the fourth receiver.

"We should be fine," Dungy said. "We still have four really good people to work with. We don't anticipate that happening. But if it did, we will be ready to go."

SAFETY CONCERNS: Considering the Bucs are getting on a plane for the first time since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Dungy said he briefed the team about likely but necessary delays.

"We talked about it," he said. "We don't want it to be a disruption. The security is going to be stepped up. If anything it's probably a safer feeling because we are taking so many precautions. I think all the guys understand what's going on and it's going to be a little more time-consuming with the things we do, but we should be fine."

The team travels on a chartered plane accompanied by police officers. Asked about a radio report Friday morning that the guards are armed, Dungy replied: "We have security guys who have been with us for five years. I don't know if (they are armed). I've never inspected them. But they are not brandishing weapons around."

FAMILY TIES: The connections between the Bucs and the Vikings are long and getting longer.

This season, Tampa Bay added quarterback Brad Johnson, who played for Minnesota for seven seasons. He joins two former Vikings on the Bucs, guard Randall McDaniel and center Jeff Christy. Of course, it began with Dungy, who served four seasons as the Vikings defensive coordinator. Bucs assistants Monte Kiffin and Chris Foerster have coached for the Vikings.

"It's somewhat like playing your older brother or your younger brother in the back yard," Dungy said. "It's kind of friendly competition, but you definitely don't want to lose. It's somewhat like that when we play them.

"Recently, it's been pretty high stakes all the time, so that adds even more to it. All those guys, me included, want to go back up there and play well, and it's important to you."

COUNTING THE HOURS: The team's 21-day layoff has a lot of players chomping at the bit, probably none more so than defensive tackle Warren Sapp.

"It feels like it's been a month (since we last played)," Sapp said last week. "We've been off long enough to build Rome. We should have a whole Vatican City around here we've been off so long. I can't wait for Sunday to come around."

BLEAK STREAK: The Vikings are 0-2 for the first time in 17 years and never have been in that position under coach Dennis Green.

"He's never been 0-2 before," Dungy said. "But if you lose a game by one point or you lose by 20, it's still a loss. I wouldn't say he classifies it as a crisis. They've lost two games and he's been through two-game losing streaks before. No one likes them, but the way to come out of them is to do what you do best. I think he's going to do that. Titans coach Jeff Fisher will do that and if we happen to have a two-game losing streak somewhere, we'll do that."

INJURIES: Defensive tackle James Cannida (left knee sprain) is out for Sunday's game. Guard Russ Hochstein (foot sprain) is questionable and probably won't play against the Vikings.