Bucs Get Back To Fundamentals, Discipline
By ROY CUMMINGS The Tampa Tribune
TAMPA - The Bucs usually use their bye-week practices to get back to basics. That certainly was the case Wednesday.
With poor tackling and poor run blocking major issues, Coach Jon Gruden put his troops through a Football 101 session.
"We're trying to emphasize fundamentals, technique and overall discipline," Gruden said. "We've got to get back to the basics of coming off the ball on both sides, filling gaps with authority [on defense] and getting to the second level and making plays [on offense]."
Gruden suggested that the problems the Bucs have had running the ball (they're 32nd in the league) mostly are up front.
He also said the Bucs would improve greatly as a running team if more players blocked as well as WR Michael Clayton does.
"He might be the best blocker we have right now," Gruden said. "Unfortunately he's not at the point of attack all the time. So we all have to do a better job of [displaying] that kind of effort and authority and we'll be a better running team."
BACK IN ACTION: RB Cadillac Williams doesn't understand why reports suggesting he's dealing with severe back problems keep surfacing.
Though he's had to deal with back spasms this year, he said last week after an ESPN2 report about his back problems that he was feeling fine.
He also thought his 19 carries against the Panthers on Sunday would quiet the talk, but he has found out differently.
"I keep hearing my back is really jacked up, but I'm telling you it's fine," Williams said. "I don't even get treatment for it anymore. I don't know where these doctors or whatever are getting this. I mean, the yards aren't there, but I'm telling you I'm fine."
INJURY REPORT: CB Brian Kelly, who has sat out the past two games with a turf toe injury, returned to practice Wednesday. So did SLB Ryan Nece, but he remains limited by a knee injury. Two other injured players - RG Davin Joseph (knee) and LS/TE Dave Moore (ribs, punctured lung) - returned to the practice field but worked out primarily on their own.
Roy Cummings