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Brien gets the job done

With Martin Gramatica out of action, the newest Buc boots three field goals.

By MARC TOPKIN, Times Staff Writer

© St. Petersburg Times
published December 30, 2001

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TAMPA -- The 25 field goals he made at Raymond James Stadium in an extended tryout Wednesday gave Doug Brien a spot on the Bucs roster.

The three field goals he made in the first half Saturday night earned him a place in their hearts.

Filling in for an injured Martin Gramatica, Brien made his first three field goals, plus one point after, to provide 10 of the Bucs' first 16 points in the 22-10 win that all but guaranteed them a playoff spot.

"You've got to hand it to Doug," Warren Sapp said. "He came in here this week not knowing anybody but (holder/punter Mark) Royals, and he came in and did the job. It ain't easy replacing Automatica, but he did it."

Brien was wide right on a 40-yard field goal in the second half (and short on a 48-yarder that was nullified by a penalty), but his first, and perhaps only, day as a Buc turned out to be a good one.

"It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great," Brien said. "I guess I proved to myself that I can come off the street and, I guess, do okay. I'm just glad the last one didn't end up hurting the team. It would have been nice to have a few extra points at the end."

Brien, signed Thursday to replace Gramatica, is no newcomer to pressure situations.

He kicked for the Super Bowl champion 49ers in 1994 and developed into one of the league's most accurate kickers in 5 1/2 seasons with the Saints, making 145 of 181 field goals to compile a career field-goal percentage of better than 80 percent.

[Times photo: Kevin White] Holder Mark Royals congratulates new kicker Doug Brien after Brien's 42-yard field goal in the first quarter.

It's the kind of record worth noting. Or, as Brien has done, to use as the basis to launch a Web site (www.kicking.com) and produce an instructional CD-ROM (Click to Kick).

"He is an accurate kicker and we have a lot of confidence in him," Bucs coach Tony Dungy said.

Save for the Dec. 10 game, when he handled kickoffs for Indianapolis, Brien has been without a team this season. But it didn't take him long to get comfortable on the field, especially with Royals, who was with him in New Orleans.

"A full week of practice would be nice, but it helped to have Mark out there," Brien said.

Gramatica, who had not missed a game since joining the Bucs in 1999, did not enjoy having to watch, though he too celebrated the outcome.

"We needed a win and we got a win," Gramatica said.

While Brien went through pregame warmups, Gramatica, idled by a sore right hamstring, stood 20 yards away chatting with Baltimore kickers Matt Stover and Danny Kight.

"It's a feeling I can't describe," Gramatica said. "I just don't have the words, right now."

Gramatica was in the midst of another solid season, converting all 28 of his extra points and 23 of 29 field goals before straining his hamstring last week against the Saints.

"I don't want to miss any games," Gramatica said. "I don't even want to miss a preseason game, but I guess it's for the best. Considering how it felt on Friday, if I had played on it (Saturday night) I would have risked hurting it some more. So it's probably for the best."

Gramatica said he was "feeling better every day" and hoped to be ready for next week's game.

If he is, that could make Brien a one-night wonder.

"I don't know what's going to happen," Brien said. "This is a week-to-week gig."

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