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Dunn leaves with bruised toe, likely back for Pack

By ROGER MILLS

© St. Petersburg Times,
published October 1, 2001

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MINNEAPOLIS -- It happened on the first play of the fourth quarter, when Warrick Dunn ran 20 yards down the left side to give the Bucs a first down on Minnesota's 15.

But the bruise on the big toe of his right foot would take a few more plays to flare up.

On his 6-yard touchdown run, his first rushing touchdown on the road since 1997, Dunn felt the pain and could not continue.

The injury kept him on the sideline for the Bucs' last two possessions and it will need rehabilitating this week. He expects to play Sunday in the home opener against the Packers.

"It got caught up in the way that I rolled and it stretched the toe," Dunn said. "On the touchdown run, I went to plant and I felt like my foot separated. I was in slow motion for a second. My foot kept giving way. We tried to tape it to compress it, but it started swelling a bit.

"That type of injury should go down in the next couple of days. I should be fine."

In his absence, the Bucs turned to Pro Bowl fullback Mike Alstott and second-year running back Aaron Stecker. Alstott gained 24 yards on three carries and added two receptions, and Stecker finished with three catches for 33 yards, including a 22-yarder down the middle with 59 seconds left.

THE MAN UNDERNEATH: Determined not to let the deep threats of Cris Carter and Randy Moss hurt them, the Bucs seemed willing to let Vikings fullback Jimmy Kleinsasser churn up yards underneath.

Providing a routine outlet for Daunte Culpepper whenever the quarterback felt the pass rush, Kleinsasser finished with a team-high eight receptions for 51 yards, four of which were third-down conversions.

"It was the kind of defense we were playing," linebacker Shelton Quarles said. "We were giving up the short routes and just had to break it up and make the tackle. But he (Culpepper) kept dinking and dunking them to him (Kleinsasser) all the time and that's why he kept making catches. I'm not sure how many he had, but I know it was a few too much."

Linebacker Derrick Brooks, who finished with a team-high 20 tackles, said of allowing Kleinsasser that room underneath:

"You can't take away everything. (Sunday), they stayed patient against our defense and you have to give them credit. We have to go back to the drawing board. You can't stop it all. You have to make a decision to stop the important guys."

Kleinsasser said he was feeding off whatever Culpepper tossed his way.

"Daunte made a couple of great plays," he said. "He was falling to the ground, getting rushed and just kind of flipping it out there and giving me a shot at it. (It was) just really spectacular."

TOUGH DAY ON THE JOB: Free safety Dexter Jackson has a reputation for being a ball hog and was expected to play a role in stopping Moss and Carter. He did make a few key tackles, but he also allowed Moss room for a 39-yard catch late in the third quarter and did not stick with Carter on his first-quarter touchdown.

"Every day is a tough day," Jackson said. "These guys made some great catches and you can't defend them any better because of those catches. You have to tip your hat off to them. But I should have made that play (on Carter). It wasn't a slip. I should have made that play."

TALK IS CHEAP: It appeared that Vikings defensive back Kenny Wright was flagged for a critical taunting penalty early in the fourth quarter.

On third and 7 from the Vikings 12, Brad Johnson threw an incomplete pass to Keyshawn Johnson, apparently forcing the Bucs to kick a field goal. But Wright's penalty resulted in an automatic first down. The Bucs scored on the next play.

After the game, Wright offered his version of the play:

"(Keyshawn) kind of brought it out in me because he called my teammate Robert (Tate) things on his Web site this week. It kind of got me excited so I just let him know about it a little bit."

THIS FINAL WORD: Growing up in Ocala, Culpepper once pondered the possibility of playing for the Bucs. The uniform seems to inspire him. His 30 completions Sunday were a career high. Who did he scorch for 29 completions on Oct. 29? Tampa Bay.

"He moved away, he audibled, he got them into the right plays," Bucs coach Tony Dungy said. "He was patient. Every time they needed a big play he was able to move around and get it. He was the difference in the game, no question about it."

ETC.: These teams have split their season series every year since 1992. ... Chris Walsh became Minnesota's career leader in special-teams tackles (121) on a jarring hit of Jacquez Green, who was fielding a punt.

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