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Bucs considering full-time fullback

Ground game perked to life when rookie Jameel Cook blocked for Alstott.

By RICK STROUD
© St. Petersburg Times,
published December 11, 2001

Jameel Cook Mike Alstott Warrick Dunn

TAMPA -- The debate over which running back should stay on the field for the Bucs is coming to a close.

The evidence is overwhelming. The results are indisputable. The solution is so simple.

It's rookie Jameel Cook.

With the Bucs fullback paving the way, Mike Alstott gained 66 yards on 12 carries, including a 24-yard touchdown run in Sunday's 15-12 win over the Detroit Lions.

Without Cook, Warrick Dunn was stuffed for 3 yards on six carries.

Coach Tony Dungy said though he favors keeping Dunn and Alstott in the same backfield, the team will consider allowing Cook to block for both Pro Bowl running backs.

"We'll look at everything and try to come up with a way that we can (succeed), whether it's spreading people out for Warrick, whether it's playing behind Jameel to get him a little more room," Dungy said Monday. "He had six carries and things happened on his.

"Mike got some holes, we blocked some things well, got some different looks from them when Mike and Jameel were in there. It just kind of worked out better for Mike (Sunday), but we've got to get both of them going down the stretch. So we will look at some different things."

Alstott leads the Bucs in rushing with a 4-yard average and eight touchdowns. Dunn's 2.7-yard average is the worst of his career.

[Times photo: Toni L. Sandys] It's hugs all around for Mike Alstott, left, after his 24-yard TD run. Alstott had 66 yards on 12 carries Sunday.

Earlier Monday, Dungy said the Bucs may have to emphasize Alstott in their final four games in hopes of improving their 30th-ranked rushing attack.

"It looks like we might have to run Mike in there more. He averaged 5 yards a carry during the game," Dungy said in his weekly morning radio address.

But Dungy hedged at his afternoon news conference.

"It just didn't happen for (Dunn)," he said. "He didn't get a lot of carries and some of the times, we had them in there, we had some run-checks with passes and the looks they gave us caused us to go to passes. Other times on his six carries, there just wasn't much there. It was just one of those days, and hopefully, he'll be better this week. But he didn't have a lot of opportunities."

Dunn's ineffectiveness is not a new development. In six of his 10 games, he has been held to fewer than 3 yards per attempt. Because of Dunn's slashing style, he is more likely to be tackled for losses than the battering Alstott.

"That's not something we're overly concerned with, but we've got to get those positives, get those big plays," Dungy said. "That's what we need to get."

Though Dunn didn't find any running room Sunday, he was still a big weapon against the Lions, catching nine passes for 54 yards. And he never has had the luxury of running behind a true fullback since last season, when he gained 520 yards in four games when Alstott was injured.

Offensive coordinator Clyde Christensen said he made a concerted effort to use Alstott and Cook more against the Lions.

"One of the things we did want to do was get our big guys in there a little bit and just try to eliminate some of the minus plays and get moving forward with some zero and 2-yard plays," Christensen said. "I think we did some of that better (Sunday)."

Heading into Sunday's game at Chicago, where weather and footing could be a concern at Soldier Field, the Bucs know they have to fix their ground attack in a hurry.

That includes deciding whether Alstott or Dunn will run behind Cook.

So far, both running backs have stayed clear of the debate.

"Coaches make that decision," Alstott said after the game. "When my number is called and I'm told to go in there and do something, I'm up for it."

And Dungy is not willing to dismiss Dunn from the game plan.

"We were up there in '99, the last game of the year, and Warrick had a big day up there," Dungy said. "We're going to be practicing for both. We're going to anticipate bad weather and anticipate the fact that we've got to go up there and run the ball and play good run defense. Then we have to see how the game unfolds.

"He'll be fine. We just have to keep working on our running game. We've got to fine-tune it and keep it going and not give up on it. Those guys know how important it is in December and they'll keep working to do that. Warrick has had some times where it hasn't all clicked in the past, but he's always come through for us and we anticipate him doing well."

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