This is probably the most basic fundamental of the Bucs defense. It is a concept that coordinator Monte Kiffin preaches every hour of every day, and it has long since been ingrained into the mind-set of his players. We mention it here again because it cannot be overemphasized, especially when you're facing a running back like Clinton Portis. He's not a football player; he's a locomotive who can change direction faster than Harry Potter on his broomstick playing Quidditch. The only way to shut him down is to throw a lot of bodies at him and plug all the gaps he will consider slicing through. Portis usually starts running to his left, but he'll cut back to his right away from the pursuit, so the Bucs have to seal off the cutback lanes and tackle low to keep Portis from beating them. ...more

November 25, 2007

LAND O' LAKES - There's something to be said about being there before. ...more

November 4, 2007

Visibly upset by his coach's decision to replace him for a crucial fourth-quarter play, Bucs rookie defensive end Gaines Adams took off his helmet and flung it to the ground as he trotted off the field last Sunday. ...more

November 1, 2007

Emotions should be at a high Friday at Raider Stadium. It will be Senior Night, and the Raiders are playing Brandon with the District 5A-7 title at stake. ...more

October 31, 2007

RB Michael Bennett showed his big-play potential Sunday on a 19-yard touchdown run that gave Tampa Bay a three-point lead late in the third quarter. The only problem with that was it occurred during the Bucs' 24-23 loss to the Jaguars. It was Tampa Bay's second consecutive defeat and one that dropped Bennett's new team to 4-4. ...more

October 29, 2007

The Bucs have been scouring the NFL for the past couple weeks, looking for any running back they could find to help a unit depleted by injuries. But the way Earnest Graham played Sunday was perhaps the biggest positive to come out of a deflating 23-16 loss to Detroit. ...more

October 22, 2007

THE DIFFERENCE: Pasco had 352 yards offense, while Sunlake could manage only 77. ...more

October 20, 2007

At St. Petersburg, Barons coach Tod Creneti chalked up the first home win of his tenure at the St. Petersburg school thanks in part to Courtney Feazell. The running back scored two of SPC's five touchdown, four of which came on the ground, with a fifth on a fumble return by Mike Davis in the fourth quarter. ...more

October 20, 2007

Versatility is almost always a plus. There are times, however, when it can be a curse. Just ask Bucs FB B.J. Askew. ...more

October 13, 2007

A day later, Bucs coach Jon Gruden hadn't changed his mind. Despite winning 24-3 on Sunday, despite being 2-1 and despite being tied for the top spot in the NFC South division, he still wasn't satisfied. ...more

September 25, 2007