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Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Season Schedule and Results

Bucs Roster

Tampa - Feb, 28 2008 - The Tampa Bay Buccaneers today announced that they have released DE/DT Kevin Carter and DE Greg Spires.

Carter appeared in all 16 games with 14 starts in his only season as a Buccaneer in 2007. His season totals included 73 tackles, three sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and one pass defensed.

Spires spent six seasons (2002-2007) in Tampa Bay and started 87 of the 89 games he played in over that span. While a member of the Buccaneers, Spires collected 340 tackles, 26 sacks, seven forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and nine passes defensed.

BUCCANEERS NAME KROMER ASSISTANT COACH

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers today announced that they have named Aaron Kromer to their coaching staff as senior assistant.

Kromer has spent the last four seasons (2001-04) with the Oakland Raiders, including the last three as offensive line coach. He was hired by Buccaneers Head Coach Jon Gruden in 2001 as an offensive assistant with the Raiders.

Kromer coached an offensive line that helped the Raiders rank first in the NFL in total offense en route to reaching Super Bowl XXXVII following the 2002 season. During his tenure with the Raiders, T Lincoln Kennedy (2001-02) and C Barret Robbins (2002) were named to the Pro Bowl and the All-Pro team. Kromer also coached T Robert Gallery, who was named to ESPN.com's All-Rookie team in 2004.

Kromer also spent two seasons as an assistant at Northwestern, coaching the offensive line. Kromer spent the 1990-98 seasons at his alma mater, Miami of Ohio, coaching the offensive line, along with the tight ends, H-backs, defensive line and special teams during his tenure.

Kromer was a three-time letterman at Miami of Ohio, earning second-team All-MAC honors in 1989. Kromer and his wife, Dawn, have one son, Zachary, and one daughter, Brooke.

BUCCANEERS SIGN 14 FUTURE FREE AGENTS

January 14, 2005

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers today announced that they have signed the following players as free agents for the 2005 season: CB Blue Adams, WR Scotty Anderson, DT Delbert Cowsette, WR Chris Davis, K Todd France, OL Jason Jimenez, WR Derrick Lewis, WR Adrian Madise, WR Terrance Metcalf, S Kalvin Pearson, DL Brian Save, LS Brian Sawyer, P Brian Simnjanovski and OL Mitch White.

Adams was a member of Tampa Bays practice squad from September 10, 2003 until he was signed to the Jacksonville Jaguars active roster on October 9. He has played in eight career regular season games, primarily on special teams. He originally entered the league as a seventh-round pick (220th overall) of the Detroit Lions in the 2003 NFL Draft.

Anderson has played in 34 games with eight starts, all as a member of the Detroit Lions. He has totaled 54 career receptions for 858 yards and four touchdowns, including a career-best 25 catches in 2002. Anderson entered the league as a fifth-round pick (148th overall) by the Lions in 2001.

Cowsette, who also signed with the Buccaneers last offseason as a Future free agent, has seen regular season action with the Washington Redskins.

Davis spent his entire rookie season on the Giants practice squad after signing as an undrafted free agent in 2004.

France entered the league as a free agent with the Minnesota Vikings in 2002, before rejoining the Vikings prior to the 2003 regular season. He also spent a portion of the 2004 preseason with the New York Giants.

Jimenez originally entered the league as an undrafted free agent with Cleveland in 2003. After being waived by the Browns prior to the 2003 regular season, he spent the rest of the year on the Green Bay Packers practice squad. The Packers released him in the final cutdown in 2004, and he eventually signed with Oaklands practice squad in October, finishing the season with the Raiders.

Lewis spent one week this season as a member of the Buccaneers regular season roster before being released on October 13. Lewis played in three games with the New Orleans Saints in 2003, catching one pass for seven yards. He has played in four career games, all with the Saints, since entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2002. Lewis was released by the Saints on September 5, 2004.

Madise spent one week as a member of the Buccaneers, from October 13-20. As a member of the Denver Broncos, he played in 11 games with two receptions for 10 yards in 2003. He entered the league as a fifth-round pick (158th overall) in the 2003 NFL Draft by the Broncos. He was waived by the Broncos on October 11, 2004.

Metcalf was an invitee to the Buccaneers 2004 rookie minicamp. He also spent part of the 2003 offseason with the Oakland Raiders.

Pearson spent a portion of the 2004 season as a member of Tampa Bays practice squad after initially joining the team during training camp. He also spent time as a member of the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants practice squads in 2003.

Save has spent time with the Indianapolis Colts, San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens, all during the preseason, since joining the league with the Colts as a free agent in 2004.

Sawyer signed as an undrafted free agent with the New England Patriots in 2004 but was released prior to the regular season. Sawyer played in all 52 games at Florida State as the teams primary long snapper.

Simnjanovski entered the league as an undrafted free agent with the Arizona Cardinals in 2003. He also spent the 2004 preseason with the New York Jets. He holds the top three single-season punting averages in San Diego State history, along with handling kickoff duties all four years.

White spent part of the 2003 offseason and preseason with the Buccaneers before being released on August 24, 2003. He has also spent time with the Saints during his career.

Dec. 13, 2004

The Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers game on Sunday, December 26 will be played at 4:15 p.m. ET rather than 1:00 p.m. ET, the NFL announced today.

The change was made to accommodate FOX television patterns.

BUCCANEERS OPEN LOCKER ROOM QUOTES
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2004

P JOSH BIDWELL

(On if he is comfortable with Jay Taylor)
“Yeah. He’s been here and he did a good job for us on the practice squad a couple weeks ago. He hit some nice balls.”

(On helping Martin Gramatica take the news of his release on Tuesday)
“It was tough. The writing was on the wall for a little while, and he knew it. I kind of felt bad. I had gone through that my rookie year, where I was kind of on the brink of losing my job. It was really a hard thing to go through mentally. I just kind of shared what I was doing and took perspective in life to talk about some of the things I had gone through and what’s really important. I helped him out a little bit. He’s very professional and he cares a lot about this time and cares a lot about kicking. It was painful for him, but at the same time he understands. It’s the nature of the business.”

(On the responsibility kickers face)
“I’ll tell you what, a lot of time nobody knows if the tackle missed the block or pulled the wrong direction. But when we don’t do our job well, everybody knows about it. We know that. It’s one-and-out for us and it’s a difficult situation. A lot of guys do it very well, and that’s what sets up how difficult the job is, even more so, because you see guys do it well over and over again and it looks easy. You just want to try to make it look easy, and that’s what we do.”

LB DERRICK BROOKS

(On what you want to see in this game)
“I hope we execute better. Just looking at some of the tape from when we played them last time, defensively we just did not come out of the tunnel ready to play. I think we hit the field a little more intensely and little earlier and get control over the ball again and get some turnover to get our offense in a better position to score. I think we will increase our chance of winning.”

(On keeping them off the field unlike the end of the last game)
“Yeah, even with that. We held them out of the end zone. They racked up some yards early. During the stretch in the ballgame where we had to have the ball back, we got it back. By no means were we satisfied. We can not allow in three plays to go over 130 something yards and in all three of those plays they resulted in scores. So we can not give them the big play.”

(On defense going 59 minutes giving and then another collapse)
“You have to finish. We are in the opportunity to make a play where we give more pressure early; we have to take advantage of opportunities early in the ballgame. To really score touchdowns and convert turnovers that’s all we have to do. Last week’s ballgame was not lost on the last play. We had other chances in that ballgame to come away with a win and we did not.”

(On just looking at what you did well and carrying it from there)
“No, we are going to look at what we did not do. We knew when we were in that stretch that was how we were supposed to play. We want to look at other parts in the ballgame when we didn’t get off the field and see what we didn’t do for whatever reason. Again, just looking at the overall picture, they came up with the big plays when they had to the last time we played them. Last week’s ballgame they made big plays down the stretch when they had to. You take your hats off to them and give them credit for doing that.”

(On Atlanta being able to clinch in Tampa)
“That is the reality which is facing them. Again, we can let that motivational facts work for us. We need to get our fifth win to stay in the playoffs hunt. With that being in mind we did talk about it and we don’t want that to happen in our stadium. If that is the case then let them do it somewhere else. “

(On being 4- 7 and still looking at the playoffs)
“No, we should try to take advantage of the opportunity.”

(On the loss of Martin Gramatica)
“I had the chance to talk to Martin (Gramatica) and wish him well. In this business those things happen. You hate for them to happen because the timing of it and when it is going to happen we do not know. That is one of the sides of our jobs that people do not realize is that we go from week to week being employed. That is a reality that we face being in this business. At the same time I look for Martin (Gramatica) to bounce back. He is down right now but again he is a very good football player and I do not expect him to be out of work for too long.”

(On how tough it is for you when you lose players that you came in with)
“I had my chance to get over last night. I owe it to the guys that are still here to put that behind me and to keep moving forward. I try not to let it be a distraction and really focus on the job at hand and that is beating Atlanta. To also be supportive of Jay (Taylor). He was signed here to replace Martin (Gramatica) to help us win. We want him to know that if the ballgame falls on his foot that he has his team behind. It is my job as a leader to try to make him feel as comfortable as possible. That is just a responsibility I have.”

(On having a rematch against Atlanta so soon)
“It makes it easy but it does make it tough. They are looking at the same tape we are looking at. They are also feeling like that if they do things a little different or play a little better than that increases their chances of winning and try going out there and starting faster.”

(On Michael Vick doing anything different this year)
“The thing about it is that you have to take advantage of every opportunity you have throughout the ballgame. They are playing good football going down into the stretch. Believing they can win, whether it means getting the ball back like they did last week on defense. Defense going out three and out and the offense coming up with the big play down the stretch; that is playing well as a team. You can back that by playing every play. Really every time you have a chance to score a touchdown or get a turnover you have to take advantage of it so it does not have to come down to final moments of the ballgame. Right now they are making those plays. If we are in that position we have to close it out. We cannot allow what happened to us last week to creep back up on us again”

(On having to stop Michael Vick’s running game)
“We look at it in the opposite direction. We cannot worry about what he brings, we have to look at what we bring, what we do. That is the only thing that we control. We know that he is an incredible athlete. We respect that but we do not fear it. We have to believe in our abilities to stop him, to stay after him. That is what we focus on. We really do not go out there and play defensive against him. We are attacking. So far we have done a pretty good job of that.”

WR MICHAEL CLAYTON

(On whether there should be more running into the end zone rather than relying on the kicks)
“It is always an if on that. I came into the huddle, let’s not depend on the kick to win this game and that was my mentality. I can only imagine the other guys’ mentality. You never want it to happen, but you must always know that if it does come down to it you have confidence in your kicker that he can get it done as a Plan B. We have been in that situation a couple of times and sometimes we haven’t been able to execute. As an offense, when you are put in that position, you definitely want to take it all on yourself and put it all on your shoulders to get it done.”

(On whether having no NFL experience will hurt Taylor)
“A kick is a kick. I had never played in the NFL and I came in and had success. It’s all about your mentality and your confidence level. You go out and work hard, put forth the effort, and you work on the things you need to work on and in my life you always come out ahead. From what they tell me about the new guy, he’s a hell of a worker. He works hard. He’s already mingling with the guys, so he already feels like family. I think he will be just fine.”

(On losing close games and his feelings)
“My mentality keeps me sane. Win or lose, after the game is over put it behind you. You just look forward to the next one. I just think that is one positive thing I have learned from LSU. Learning how to deal with wins and losses, you just put them behind you and keep on going. What happens, happens. If it is meant to happen, it is going to happen. If it is not, it’s not. You can play a Super Bowl season, if it is not meant for you to win a Super Bowl; you are not going to win it. Just having that mentality of taking one day at a time, one practice at a time, one game at a time, it keeps me sane. It keeps me confident. It helps keep the positive mentality going.”

(On whether playing Atlanta just a few weeks ago helps him better prepare)
“I think maybe, it is going to be a little more pressure. I think, myself, as a receiver was underestimated in that game, definitely, going against another rookie, one of my peers, one of my good friends [DeAngelo Hall]. It is going to be a more intensifying challenge for myself going against that guy. It definitely lets you know ways that you can prepare to execute earlier in the game. Hopefully, it lets you get some big plays earlier in the game.”

(On whether he has spoken with DeAngelo Hall since the last game)
“No. I haven’t.”

(On whether he plans to)
“Yes. I will give him a call. We’re good friends. We went through the same stuff and I played against him in college. We talked before the last game. Chad Lavalais played at LSU. He’s up there with him. We talk through other people. It is great to see that guy do what he has there, as well as all of the rookies in the league this year because when we were at the combine, we were all talking and wondering who was going to be the rookie of the year. We were just sitting there throwing out guesses and it is good to feel like you are one of those type guys in the league this year.”

(On whether the Falcons are a rivalry)
“Oh, definitely. You definitely have to be in tune to the rivalry or you can get hurt. You definitely have to be prepared to defend yourself at all times. You never know what is going to happen. I was able to catch on really quickly to the rivalry. Definitely, when you go up to block somebody, they are trying to fight you back. You always want to stay focused at all times.”

(On whether the last loss is still fresh in his mind)
“No, not at all. We lost that game. There were some things we could have done in that game to overcome that deficit. We just couldn’t get it done. We just flat out lost. It’s over with now. We have a new game. They are coming into our house now. They have a wonderful record. We feel like we have nothing to lose. We’ll be just fine”

G COSEY COLEMAN

(On whether the guys still feel there is a shot at the playoffs)
“If you look at the NFC, it is wide open, with the exception of Atlanta and Philadelphia. Everyone else is kind of lumped up in the middle as far as their record. Everyone else is one or two games from each other. As long as there are one or two games left, we have an opportunity to make it to this tournament, because once you make it to the playoffs, everyone is 0-0. Regardless of the record. Regardless of what you did during the regular season. Once you make it to the tournament, everyone is on a level-playing field. That is our goal right now. We are just trying to do what ever we can to get ourselves into the playoffs.”

(On a .500 team making the playoffs)
“Yes. That’s just the type of year it is. In previous years, we may have already been out of the playoffs, who knows, but this year the reality of the present time is that is wide open. At 4-7, we are still sitting with the opportunity that if we take care of our business, do what we need to do, we will make it to the playoffs.”

T DERRICK DEESE

(On being 4-7 and only being one game out of playoffs)
“You could not have told me that at the beginning of the year that I would be 4-7 and still have a chance at the playoffs. The fact that I still have a chance at this is something to keep pushing for.”

(On using the division title as motivation)
“I need a win on this team. That is the bottom line. I could care less what they have on the line. That does not faze me at all. We are going out and going to play tough ball. This team is coming together and we are going to keep fighting like we always have this season. We need a victory. I’m not really sure what they are playing for because I do not care.”

(On facing Atlanta this quickly after the loss)
“It doesn’t matter when it happens. When you lose to a team and you get the chance to play them again, that is fine. It does not matter when it comes, you are just happy it’s here.”

(On being told that you have to win this game week after week wearing on you)
“Of course it does, it always does. It is real frustrating. It is a frustrating thing. It is part of the job though. If we were winning it would be a lot easier and then everybody wants to talk and everybody wants to smile in front of the cameras. When you are losing guys do not want to speak but at the same time it is part of your job. At 4-7 you have to have the next game. That is just facts. When we were 0-4 we had to have the next game. That is just way it is. You want to turn it around. You want to get on a winning streak and it seems like at certain points when we get to that point and we stumble backwards. It’s one of those things that you look at and it’s real frustrating but the good thing about it is that this team does not have any quitters. We are going to keep going and stay behind each other. We will let the rest take care of itself.”

QB BRIAN GRIESE

(On if he likes facing a team again so quickly)
“Yeah, when we lose. We lost the first one, and as fast as a rematch can come I’m all for it. We owe them one and they got us pretty good at their house. We’re going to prepare like it’s going to be a fight. It’s going to be 60 minutes of our football, and this team will be ready for them.”

(On strategy changes between the two teams)
“We’ve been playing for 11 weeks now and we do a lot of the same things every week. It’s the fundamentals of our offensive football team that we’re going to play each and every week, regardless of who we play. We’re going to do those things; we’re also going to have some wrinkles for them and they’re going to have some wrinkles for us. But when it all comes down to it, it’s going to be our 11 guys against their 11 and we’re going to do what we do best and they’re going to do what they do best and see who wins.”

(On the Falcons’ defense)
“They’re good. I think they’re front four is extremely good. They got the best of us in the first game, but I’m going to have resolve this week and I know our offensive line is going to have resolve to try to fix some of the things that went wrong a couple of weeks ago and come out fighting.”

(On not wanting the Falcons to win the division on the Bucs’ turf)
“That’s way down the list. We’re a 4-7 football team and we understand that we still have a chance. However small that chance might be, it’s a chance nonetheless. Nobody takes that lightly around here. I know that I don’t. I’m excited to go out and play ball again. We have a lot to prove. On our home field, where we’ve been playing a little bit better as of late…I’m excited to go out and get this game.”

(On if he’s surprised that the 4-7 Bucs still have a chance)
“Yeah, it is surprising. In this day and age, with free agency and the parity in the league, this is what they wanted. It is what it is. We’re going to take our chances and try to come out and get back in the race.”

(On whether injuries have anything to do with the parity this year)
“I think that injuries have been happening for a long time. I believe that there’s a lot more attention to these injuries. You have 24-hour tickers on TV, so if somebody has a hang-nail, you’re going to hear about it. So you’re always hearing about these injuries, injuries, injuries. I’d like to see what the statistics are, whether there are more injuries this year or whether they’re just being reported better. I just don’t know. I think the talent level across the league, because of free agency and the salary cap, is a lot closer than it has been.”

(On Martin Gramatica)
“You know, I really feel for him. It’s a tough thing. I hope that he can rebound, and I know that he will. There’s no doubt that he can play at this level. He’s been a great kicker before and I think he’ll be a great kicker again. Sometimes you just need a change of scenery. Hopefully the pressure will be off him a little bit now. Somebody will pick him up. We haven’t seen the last of Martin, and I wish him the best. I think he’s a great guy. But now we have somebody here that we’ve got to support, and we’ll go forward.”

(On if the offense feels like it needs to get closer to make new kicker Jay Taylor comfortable)
“I think we’ve had that feeling for the last three months, so I don’t think it’s going to change. We have to have confidence in him, because if we don’t show confidence in him, who will? I’m going to be supportive of him in every way, shape or form.”

(On if Gramatica’s struggles changed the play-calling)
“You’d have to ask Coach Gruden about that. I’m not the one responsible for calling plays. I know when I’m out there playing offense I don’t play to get a field goal. I’m out there to try to get touchdowns, so it doesn’t affect the way I play.”

(On the Bucs’ good play at home)
“We have a little bit of an advantage at home with the crowd noise. In the NFL, that’s big. To be able to go out and get in some of your audibles and be able to communicate on offense, and prohibit them from communicating on offense, is a big advantage.”

DE GREG SPIRES

(On facing an opponent that you have already faced during the season)
“I like it. We know them; it has not been long since we have last played them. We have been able to watch films and learn from the mistakes in the first game. They are division rivalries. We have to win this game.”

(On being able to come back from the last loss against them)
“It was really difficult; especially those guys that are here who start pounding the ball. (Michael) Vick he gets loose. I think we did a good job.”

(On looking back at the yardage that was given up)
“If we could just pick it up from the third quarter we would be alright. We just have to start faster and not fall so much at the beginning of the game.”

(On Atlanta being able to clinch the division title in Tampa)
“That says it all; if we cannot get excited about that fact right there then something is wrong. We do not want the Falcons clinching the division on our home field. That alone gets everyone up.”

(On looking at corrections that we made that Atlanta will be looking for)
“I hope so. They are going to throw something at us that we have not seen. They look at film also. I am sure they have something up their sleeves.”

K JAY TAYLOR

(On his thoughts on being with the Bucs)
“I’m excited; the chance to get an opportunity like this. I have been waiting a long time for it. I feel I am ready and I am just going to try to do the best that I can.”

(On whether there was a kick-off or the team just called him)
“I have been here for a workout before and was on the practice squad and all of that and they had been looking at some other guys, so it wasn’t something totally out of the blue.”

(On when he got the call)
“Yesterday, around noon or so. I was excited. They had given me a little heads up that they may be calling me. I was just waiting at home, waiting for the phone call.”

(On what he did to stay ready for action)
“I have just been kicking, working out, staying in shape, making sure my leg is in shape, relaxing and playing some golf. Just waiting to see what happens next.”

(On how much pressure he feels for his first kick)
“I don’t think it will affect me one way or another. I have never felt pressure out there. Kicking is something that I have done for the past eight years, so it is not going to be anything new. It will just be the same as kicking any other ball. I can’t really say that for a fact because I haven’t really been out there, but I know in the past, it’s just routine. It feels natural.”

(On what impressed him about Martin Gramatica)
“He’s a great kicker; a great guy. I was pleased to be able to meet him and hang out with him for the week I was here. He’s a good guy. I am sure he will rebound and get back on track somewhere, but that’s just part of the business.”

(On whether he expected the call after the third missed field goal)
“It came across my mind. You never know. I have been in this business for a while and you are told certain things by certain teams. It was kind of an eye opener when I saw that [the missed kick] and I had been in here before, but I wasn’t banking on anything. I have some friends that would call. They have done that over the years whenever some kickers have struggled or missed some kicks. It crossed my mind and I was glad to get the phone call the following day.”

(On a lot of photos having been taken of Gramatica alone on the bench and whether he can relate to that)
“The kickers are kind of secluded anyhow, so yes, when things don’t go right, people won’t necessarily talk to you that much, probably in any position. Kickers are kind of on their own anyhow, so that kind of normal I imagine.”

(On what he has learned on his road to the NFL)
“One, to be humble. Another, just wait your turn. There are a lot of things you don’t have control over. The only thing you really have control over is your performance. Over the years, I have just gone out and done my best and let the pieces fall where they may. It has been frustrating over the years, but it is part of the business. Over the years, I have really learned how it works and how difficult it really is to get into a regular season game.”

(On how much more advantageous it is to have the uprights)
“It’s definitely nice. I have kicked at those outdoor posts for the past eight years and only at the indoor ones one year, so it feels natural to go out and kick at them. Even out here on the practice field, you go out and warm-up at the narrow goal posts and then come out and kick on the wide ones. It is night and day. They look awfully big, so it will be nice.”

(On what kept him going)
“Determination, confidence; it was a kind of a dream of mine; a goal; something I felt I could accomplish when I first started kicking. One of the reasons, I probably did start kicking, to see where it could go. One of the goals was to play in the NFL. I have been so close and got good feedback from people. It was just something I wanted to see through.”

(On having played in most of the leagues out there)
“I don’t know if there is some sort of record for that, but I might be close. I had the opportunity to go to Canada, but I didn’t care to set a record for every single league out there. That and it is cold up there. It has been rough. You don’t get to establish yourself anywhere. You don’t get to live somewhere longer than a few months. I am looking forward to my opportunity here and I am going to try to make the best of it.”

(On the XFL)
“The fans. The fans were pretty wild. That league was a lot of fun. I have nothing bad to say about any of the stops I have had leading up to this point. They have all been great experiences for playing and life, everything. It has been a good journey. I am glad I finally am able to get out there and suit up for a game.”

(On how much of kicking is mental)
“I think a lot of kicking is mental. Everyone out there has the ability to perform at almost any position. To be mentally tough is key. Everyone has talent. Everyone is good. I compare it a lot to golf. You look at golf, it’s hard to distinguish the talent between golfers, but a lot of it comes down to mental. Are you mentally tough to handle all of the different situations?”

(On whether he has kept anything from past teams)
“I have tried to keep a couple things. It is starting to fill up, so I haven’t paid much attention to that lately. I have a lot of gear from different leagues and teams.”

(On when the last time he kicked a field goal for an NFL team was)
“Two years ago.”

(On how he worked out when he was in Orlando)
“I’d go over to the Citrus Bowl, either go into the Citrus Bowl or they had a practice field outside of that. I would talk to them. I got to know them playing in the XFL and the arena league, so they let me go out there and kick on the practice field.”

(On what he has been doing during his down time)
“I haven’t really had that much down time. I have been bouncing from this team to that team, from this league, so my downtime is just trying to stay in shape. I have had some odd jobs throughout the years. I like to golf, so pretty much just been kicking full go.”

(On whether he has been kicking full go the past few months)
“I did go vacationing. I had bothered my leg in arena. I have just been working out and getting that right and traveling; golfing.”

(On how he will be mentally tough for Atlanta)
“I think just the experience of my past; college, pro, other leagues. I don’t think it will matter much to me. It is not something I have never done before. I have kicked in front of that many fans before, so it is just going to be routine. I think, maybe, leading up to the game I may be a little excited or whatever, but once the game starts and once I get out there and warm-up, it will just feel natural and like any other day.”

(On the crowd of reporters around him, being like the Beatles coming to America)
“It is kind of funny. I was going to keep walking around and see how long you would follow me. It is nice.”

(On whether he feels pressure for the Atlanta game)
“I never really feel pressure with kicking. I don’t really know how to compare. It could be something like a doctor, you wouldn’t expect a doctor to go into a surgery and be nervous about it because he has done it in the past. He wouldn’t go in wondering, what happens if I fail. That just doesn’t register. I think that is how my mindset is. I don’t really feel pressure. It doesn’t come into my head what happen if I miss or I do badly. If I do miss, I allow myself maybe a minute or two to think about it, then it’s done. It doesn’t matter.”

(On who his big rivals were in arena football and the XFL)
“The big rival in arena football was the Tampa Bay team, definitely, because the proximity was so close, but the XFL wasn’t around long enough to have any rivals.”

(On why he thinks it has taken him so long to make it to the NFL in the regular season)
“I couldn’t answer that. The way I look at it, you have 32 jobs out there and each year, there may be a couple of openings. It is just a matter of getting that team to like you, getting into that situation and kicking well. It takes a lot to go your way to finally get a spot.”
(On if that is what happened in his case)
“Yes, I think so. I have done well in the past. I have always heard, even coming out of college, that it may be an average of three to five years before [making it to the NFL], but I thought how is that if I go out there and make all of my kicks, how couldn’t there be a place, but there is a lot more to it than that. A lot of it is the timing.”

(On whether he would be here if it weren’t for Orlando and Jay Gruden)
“I don’t know. That has definitely helped. I can’t answer that, but I think that has definitely helped and it is one of the reasons that I am here, because it is so close and they are brothers.”

(On what his golf handicap is)
“It depends on the time of year. It is about even right now.”

(On where he plays golf)
“I play Legends or Eastwood. I play them a lot.”

(On how his golf game was coming out of college)
“It depends. Football always seems to hamper my golf game. I have been on my offseason, so I have been able to knock some studs off. It was similar. Maybe a few strokes more, two, three over. If I am able to play a lot though I can get it down to consistently shooting, hopefully, under par. That’s if I have a little more time on my hands.”

(On what odd jobs he has worked)
“I bartended once. It wasn’t bad, except it was high volume, a lot of people, but that didn’t last too long.”

(On what else he did on his way to the NFL)
“Various landscaping things. Helping people out. Nothing too serious. I had gotten some job offers, such as a financial consultant. Normal jobs. Throughout the years, I thought maybe it is time to move on and think about that, but I was never able to bring myself to get a quote, unquote normal job.”

HEAD COACH JON GRUDEN QUOTES
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2004

(On limited players at practice)
“Dewayne White was limited today; Sean Mahan was limited; Brian Griese, limited; and Joey Galloway was limited.”

(On Jay Taylor)
“He looked good. He made all his kicks and his kickoffs were good. He looked very good.”

(On talking to Jay Gruden before signing Jay Taylor)
“You can only talk so much. You’ve got to bring in kickers, which we’ve done, and you’ve got to audition them. You’ve got to bring them out here and put them through different drills, try to put the pressure on them a little bit. Clearly, he out-kicked the competition. He was all-Arena League. Jay Feely, who kicks for the Falcons, comes from the Arena League. The guy looks like he’s got NFL qualities. He out-kicked the competition, to make a long story short.”

(On the differences between the AFL and the NFL)
“Yeah, it’s a little bit different. Certainly he’ll be kicking outdoors, that’s a little bit different in itself. But kicking is kicking. It’s operation time, it’s trajectory, it’s rhythm, it’s accuracy. This guys has kicked outdoors and kicked well at times. We’ll see what happens.”

(On if Jay Gruden’s familiarity played a role in the signing)
“That had nothing to do with it. We brought guys in who we felt were the best available kickers at the time. Given the fact that he out-kicked the competition, he got the job.”

(On what he believes Taylor’s range to be)
“He was six-for-six from 44 yards today, which was a pretty good statement as to what his range is. It looks like he’s got very good range. We’ll get to know him more, personal and up-close, in the next few days, but his first day here was a pretty good one.”

(On if it feels strange not to have Martin Gramatica around)
“It’s a strange world we live in, yes.”

(On teams not blocking kicks in the Arena League)
“The rush is different and he’ll have to respond to some new things: a new snapper, a new holder, a different deal. I give him credit for coming in here, being watched by everybody today – a lot of people looking forward to seeing who this guy is – and I give him credit for coming in today, standing in there and knocking them through.”

(On how hard it was to release Gramatica)
“It was hard. We had a long conversation yesterday. I’m going to keep that personal. But he’s been a good friend. He’s been a clutch performer here. He’s struggled, lost accuracy last year and this year. He’s got to come out of it. Hopefully he does that on his own, here in the next whatever time frame we’re talking about. He deserved an opportunity, I think, to get himself right, and I think that’s what he’s going to do.”

(On playing the same team again so quickly)
“It seems like years ago that we played these guys. We’ve had plenty of time to game-plan the Falcons, get our team ready. I don’t mind. I don’t really care what the schedule is.”

(On if he is a candidate for the Notre Dame job)
“I love Notre Dame. I went to high school there. My dad coached Joe Montana and Vagas Ferguson there. I’m not a candidate for that job. I’ve got the best job in football and I’ve got to work hard to keep it. I wish Notre Dame well, I’ll always be a big fan, but I guarantee I’m no candidate for that job.”

(On if it’s hard for him to see Notre Dame struggling)
“You’d have to ask Tim Brown or Sean Mahan. They know a little bit more about the recent ups and downs at Notre Dame. But I’m here to talk about the Bucs, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.”

(On what the Falcons’ point differential in the fourth quarter says about them)
“Twenty-six point differential is what it says. They’re a good football team.”

(On not having a handful of players at practice)
“It grates on me, okay? Players make all your plans come to life. When they’re not out there, it’s sometimes a grind to get through it. But we’ve got to overcome it just like any team in this league.”

(On what role Matt O’Dwyer will play)
“He’s been playing for a couple weeks. We’ve struggled with the game-day active number of linemen; we’ve only had seven just about every game. Mahan’s health will determined where we go there. But he’s had four weeks to get ready. He’s played a lot of football in his career. We’ll have to decide late in the week.”

(On previously meeting the high school coach of the week on a recruiting trip years ago)
“He’s a great coach. The reason they’re in the Final Four is largely because of him. If you’ve ever seen this guy on a practice field you know what I’m talking about. This guy’s got 198 wins, two shy of 200. He couldn’t help me get some of the better players that he had, but I did get a couple pretty good players. I’ve got a lot of respect for high school football down here, especially the programs that are perennially on top of the heap. Sarasota Riverview, man, you’ve got to watch out when you’re talking about them.”

(On how much time he spent with the coach)
“A lot of time. I was a young guy at the time, real young, and he took time for me. He taught me some football, taught me a few drills and gave me an opportunity to recruit some of his players. It’s important to try to get a network going when you’re a young guy trying to recruit.”

(On if he considered the Notre Dame job in 2001)
“Yeah, back then. Back in the day there were a lot of things I considered, then. We won’t get into that.”

Bucs to Watch

(Tampa, FL - December 1, 2004)

DE – Simeon Rice
9th Year
Illinois
6-5, 268

Career Games/Starts: 138/132
2004 Games/Starts: 11/11

2004 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
•Needs one sack to become just the 22nd player in NFL history with 100 career sacks.
•His 44.5 sacks in the last 49 regular season games are tops in the NFL.
•Has totaled six sacks in 2004 to lead the team and rank 12th in the NFC.
•Posted first multi-sack game of the season vs. Chicago (10/24), posting two sacks.
•Recorded first sack of the season at Oakland (9/26).

2004 STATS
Total Tackles: 30
Sacks/Yds: 6.0/40
Passes Defensed: 2

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
•Has recorded 28 career multi-sack games to lead all active NFL players, with 15 coming as a member of the Buccaneers since 2001.
•Elected to his third Pro Bowl and second consecutive as a Buccaneer in 2003.
•Named second-team All-Pro by the Associated Press in 2003.
•Second in the NFL with 15.0 sacks in 2003.
•Led the team in sacks (15.0) and forced fumbles (6) and ranked second in passes defensed (10) last season.
•Along with CB Ronde Barber, recorded a statistic in every defensive category compiled by the team in 2003.

CAREER STATS
Total Tackles: 495
Sacks/Yds: 99.0/636
Forced Fumbles: 26
Fumble Recoveries: 8
INTs/Yds: 4/42
Passes Defensed: 49

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING
(Bucs Defensive Coordinator Monte Kiffin)
“Simeon Rice has really played well, especially from the fourth or fifth game on. He’s really come on. Early in the year he was getting double teamed a lot by the tight ends and the backs were chipping on him. But he’s just kept working and working and working. He’s playing the run the best he’s ever played it since he came here two years ago. And now he’s starting to get the pressures on the quarterback. He’s really, really working hard. Sometimes you can get frustrated early in the season when they double team you, but he hasn’t let up and he’s just gotten better and better.”

WR – Michael Clayton
Rookie
Louisiana State
6-4, 197

Career Games/Starts: 11/8
2004 Games/Starts: 11/8

2004 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
•Ranked first on the team and first among all NFL rookie wide receivers with 60 receptions for 828 yards.
•Established himself as the top rookie receiver in team history in receiving yards with 828 this season.
•Ranks second all-time in receptions by a Buccaneer rookie with 60 (FB Mike Alstott had 65 receptions as a rookie in 1996).
•Ranked tied for sixth in the NFC in receptions with 60.
•Ranked fifth in the NFC in receiving yards with 828.
•Has now caught 12 passes for 20 or more yards and three of 40 or more yards this season.
•Led or tied for the team in receptions in six games this season.
•Led the team in receiving yards in seven of 11 games this season.
•Recorded his first career 100-yard receiving game at St. Louis (10/18) on Monday Night Football.
•Nominated for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month honors for October after totaling 24 receptions for 356 yards and two touchdowns in four games.
•Nominated for the Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week honors after leading the team with seven receptions for 53 yards in the season opener at Washington (9/12).
•Nominated for the Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week honors after catching his first career touchdown vs. Denver (10/3). Finished with four catches for a team-leading 91 yards.
•Nominated for the Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week honors after leading the team with eight receptions for 142 yards at St. Louis (10/18).

2004 STATS
Receptions: 60
Receiving Yards: 828
Receiving Avg.: 13.8
Long: 56
Touchdowns: 3

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING
(Bucs Wide Receivers Coach Richard Mann)
“He’s been a real quick study. He’s come a long ways in a short period of time. Each and every week, he has progressively gotten better. He’s starting to get comfortable with a lot of the little situations that we put him in. As far as third down situations, some of them are tough situations, and he’s starting to learn the reads. I think the more he plays, the better he’ll get. I see that from week to week. I think he learns every week a little bit more about the position. I think there’s a difference between playing inside and outside (receiver). He’s learning how to play that inside spot, which is a little tough feat in itself. He made several big plays in there (at the inside receiver spot) this past weekend (@ Carolina 11/28). I see nothing but improvement every week, and he’ll continue to get better. And the bottom line is, someday he’ll probably be able to dominate at all phases; run, pass and also at downfield blocking and the whole bit.”

P – Josh Bidwell
5th Year
Oregon
6-3, 220

Career Games: 75
2004 Games: 11

2004 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
•Ranks second in the NFL with a 39.1 net average and fourth in the NFC with a 43.6 average per punt.
•Ranks ninth in the NFC with 17 punts placed inside the 20-yard line.
•Punted a career-high nine times at Washington (9/12).
•Punted a career-high 371 gross yards vs. Seattle (9/19).
•Tied a career high with four punts placed inside the 20 vs. Denver (10/3).
•44.3 net avg. at St. Louis (10/18) was a career high.

2004 STATS
Punts: 56
Yards: 2,447
Gross Avg.: 43.7
Net Avg. 39.1
Long: 60
Inside 20: 17

CAREER STATS
Punts: 364
Yards: 15,106
Gross Avg.: 41.5
Net Avg. 35.8
Long: 68
Inside 20: 102

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING
(Bucs Special Teams Coach Richard Bisaccia)
“Josh has been an explosive young player for us, who has punted really well. He is getting better and better with every kick, and he has become a guy who we can really count on to perform in clutch situations. He has been hanging high kicks which give our gunners a chance to run down and cover the punts, helping us in the field position battle.”

BUCCANEERS ADD TWO TO PRACTICE SQUAD

December 1, 2004

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers today announced that they have signed G Jason Nerys and WR Kevin Youngblood to the practice squad. The team also released DB Kentrell Curry and RB Sultan McCullough from the practice roster.

Nerys entered the league as an undrafted free agent with the New York Jets following the 2004 NFL Draft. He was later released on October 7. He was an All-Atlantic 10 performer his senior season at Delaware, helping the Blue Hens to last year’s I-AA National Championship.

Youngblood spent one week as a member of Tampa Bay’s practice squad from October 13-20 earlier this season. Youngblood entered the league as an undrafted free agent with the Atlanta Falcons in 2004. He was released by Atlanta on June 11.

Curry and McCullough were both signed to the practice squad on November 17. Curry originally entered the league as an undrafted free agent with the Cleveland Browns in 2004. McCullough originally entered the league as an undrafted free agent with the Washington Redskins in 2003.

BUCCANEERS SIGN K TAYLOR; RELEASE K GRAMATICA

November 30, 2004

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers today announced that they have signed K Jay Taylor and released K Martin Gramatica. Terms were not disclosed.

Taylor earlier this season spent one week on Tampa Bay’s practice squad from November 10-17. Taylor previously spent time with the Browns (2003), Bills (2001) and Dolphins (2000). He has also spent time with the Rhein Fire of NFL Europe, the Orlando Predators (AFL) and Orlando Rage (XFL). In 2004, he led the Arena Football League with a .720 field goal percentage, making 18-of-25 field goal attempts, with a long of 50 yards.

Gramatica totaled 592 career points with the Buccaneers to lead all scorers in franchise history. He also ranks first in team history with 137 career field goals made and was named to the Pro Bowl in 2000. Gramatica was drafted in the third round (80th overall) by the Buccaneers in 1999.

BUCCANEERS GENERAL MANAGER BRUCE ALLEN QUOTES
NOVEMBER 30, 2004

(Opening statement)
“… We are releasing Martin [Gramatica]. This is an emotional move for this franchise. Besides his friends in the locker room, he has developed a very close relationship with a lot of our coaches and the staff with the Buccaneers. I’m sure many of you have dealt with him over the years, and he’s quite the professional. He’s in a slump; it’s well-documented. The last couple of years, he hasn’t performed up to his level. It’s a good level for some but not up to the Gramatica perfection that he had in prior years. In discussions with him, we felt that it might be better to free him of his obligations right now. I don’t think there’s any doubt – more than likely next year, maybe at the end part of this season – that he is going to kick in the NFL. He has demonstrated the talent and the gumption to kick in this very competitive league. If you look at field goal percentages over the last several years, they have dramatically increased. The league average this year – the average – is 81%. That’s a tough, tough, tough number to compete at. I think in sports only a goalie in hockey has to perfect his art at a higher rate. He’ll be able to do it at some point, and there’s no doubt because of the way kickers’ careers are. They last for dozens of years. I don’t see Morten Andersen announcing any retirement soon. [Gramatica] could be a Buc again. It’s the way he handles himself on and off the field that makes comfortable that, if it was right, he could come back at some point.”

(On the decision to release Gramatica rather than deactivate him)
“Well, he’s not going to kick for us. It’s really preventing him from maybe looking for a new opportunity in the next few weeks. He’ll be, I’m sure, later in December or January, people are going to work him out. If we’re not going to use him, that’s unfair to him, and it’s unfair to the football team. We’re very banged up and we need all the practice bodies and people who we have right now on the field.”

(On how Gramatica took the news)
“Martin, as I first said, is a terrific young man. Without divulging the entire conversation, his feelings were about his teammates and his coaches, especially Coach [Jon] Gruden and Rich [Bisaccia]. Coach Gruden…from the Senior Bowl when [Gramatica] was just coming into the professional league, he cared unselfishly about everyone else’s feelings and not his own. He’s a terrific person, as you all know, and I think he’s just in a slump. He will come out of it.”

(On if the Bucs auditioned kickers on Tuesday)
“Well, Jay got a great audition for an entire week of kicking here and being at our facility and being around our team, and he performed well that week. We were concerned when we signed him that Martin was going to be able to kick that week. Over the course of this season, we have worked out I think it’s 10 kickers and he’s performed the best of all of them.”

(On bringing in a sports psychologist)
“We discussed with Martin because last year wasn’t up to his standards. This offseason we discussed a number of options. Without getting into all of them we looked and tried to improve some things and change some of the things besides the technique of kicking the ball. He comes from a well schooled family and there is no doubt that he gets great advice not only from his brother but his father. He’s not a rookie at this business. Rich (Bisaccia) and Martin spent a lot of hours trying to analyze what could get him out of the slump. Everything that we could do, we tried to do.”

(On Gramatica having a surprisingly fast dropoff)
“It’s probably very frustrating to him. No one feels the pain more than him. And he’s worked. I’ve seen guys drop off but it’s because they quit working at a high level. But he worked at a higher level trying to rebound. I not only respect that but I think that hard work is what’s going to put him back up at the 80% level at some point.”

(On if he wishes they had made the move to Taylor earlier)
“I don’t do a lot of Monday Morning Quarterbacking. It’s hard to say that. I believe he’s earned the right for every opportunity. Would it have changed some results? If it would have changed some results, I wish I had done it before. But we don’t know that.”

(On if Bill Gramatica’s name came up as a possible replacement)
“It came up, but to try him out while his brother was here, that doesn’t…I’m not a psychologist, again, but that doesn’t fly very well.”

(On today’s workout)
“We did work out one more today. When the wire comes out, [we’ll reveal that] to you.”

(On Jay Taylor)
“When he was here, he had some explosion. The ball came off his foot well. As I think you’re aware, Rich charts everybody’s kicks. His success rate was good and his kickoffs were very good.”

(On Taylor’s feelings)
“I’ve got to think he’s excited. It’s an opportunity, and hopefully it’s a great success story that he does well.”

(On replacing a player like Gramatica)
“It’s tough to play in the NFL. It’s been tough for Jon Bradley to play more for Anthony McFarland. But when Anthony got hurt, Jon Bradley has to play. We expect that here, and they have to play at a good level. We’re not just trying to give out letters here. We’re trying to win games.”

(On if the team considered keeping two kickers)
“I answered that. We needed the roster spot, but it’s also not fair to Martin to have him watch somebody else doing his job. It’s a different position for that.”

(On the differences between kicking in the NFL and in the Arena League)
“You know you’re going to kick each time because you’re not going to punt in the Arena League – there’s a difference. And the uprights are narrow. The kicker we’re going against this week [Atlanta’s Jay Feely] is an Arena League kicker, so we’ll see.

(On tough decisions this year with Gramatica, John Lynch and Warren Sapp)
“Well, they’re all different. You can’t lump them in. Warren’s a free agent, John’s had other issues involved than Martin’s. Getting to know Martin has been a pleasure. He is truly a fine person. So because I know him better, it made the conversation a little bit different. But each situation is analyzed on its own.”

(On the salary cap effect)
“It would affect next year.”

(On what the cap hit is)
“Large.”

(On specifics of the cap hit)
“I’m not going to get into the salary cap. This isn’t a salary cap move. It’s trying to give us the best chance to beat the Falcons this week.”

(On kicker being a lonely position)
“You could say that, but he has a lot of friends on this team. And he has a lot of friends in this community because he’s done so much to help so many people. So I would never consider Martin a lonely person.”

(On the position of kicker)
“It’s a hard art to perfect. I think too many people try to make it a simple act of talent. It’s a hard job and it’s a rewarding job when you win.”

(On who told Gramatica of his release)
“I did.”

(On if the long-term job is Jay Taylor’s to win)
“Well, absolutely. When you give anybody an opportunity, the same way Brian Griese got an opportunity, it’s what you do with it. We hope he makes the Pro Bowl this year as a kicker. But we’ll see what he does. He’s got the talent to do it, he just has to do it. As far as the offseason, we would look at free agents at kicker the same way we’re going to look at free agents at the other positions. And there will be some free agents there. And the draft will be determined after what we do in free agency.”

(On what separated Taylor from the other kickers the team looked at)
“The ball went through the uprights the most. That’s really it. It’s not a very complicated position to scout. It’s the success rate, it’s the power, it’s how they kick off and things of that nature.”

(On how Gramatica’s slump affected Gruden’s play-calling)
“I think it’s almost converse to some of the suggestions I’ve heard about. He had confidence every time he put him out there. I just talked about the 81%, the league average for field goal kickers. He had missed the first two kicks in the Carolina game and there was every confidence in the world he was going to make that third kick. And if he did, who knows what the results of the game would have been, truly. We would have felt good with 33% in that game in that situation, and Coach Gruden had confidence that he was going to make it. I talked about Martin’s feelings for Coach, and it’s mutual. There’s a lot of mutual respect there.”

(On if the team was especially loyal to Gramatica in trying to let him work it out)
“I think that’s fair to say, that we had confidence in him this offseason after last year. But he earned that. He earned that by helping this team put that big rock on their fingers, the same way other players have earned the right to their positions based on prior performance. And in the hope that he would rebound. I firmly believe he is going to be a good kicker in this league at some point, and that could be five years from now, but he will be because he has the talent and has demonstrated that he can do it.”

BUCCANEERS ACTIVATE G O’DWYER; RELEASE WR SCHROEDER

November 30, 2004

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers today announced that they have activated G Matt O’Dwyer from the Reserve - Physically Unable To Perform list and released WR Bill Schroeder.

O’Dwyer was originally placed on the Active PUP list on July 30, before transferring to the Reserve PUP list prior to the regular season on August 31. He sustained a left pectoral tear in July and missed all of training camp and the first 11 games of the season. O’Dwyer signed with Tampa Bay on March 9, 2004 after spending the last five seasons (1999-2003) with Cincinnati.

Schroeder played in the first seven games of 2004 with two starts. He totaled seven receptions for 156 yards and one touchdown. He also returned six punts for 21 yards and two kickoffs for 29 yards.

HEAD COACH JON GRUDEN
DAY-AFTER-GAME PRESS CONFERENCE
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2004

(On injuries)
“Brian Griese has a right hip flexor; he’ll be limited on the practice field. We’re going to list him as probable for the game. He’ll probably be limited for the next few days. Joey Galloway sprained his right ankle. He’s doubtful for practice this week, questionable for the game. And Sean Mahan, our center, has a stinger in the left region of his neck. He’ll be doubtful on the practice field and we’ll list him as questionable for this game. And Dewayne White has strained his right calf. He’ll be questionable for the game as well.”

(On if he anticipates bringing in a kicker for a tryout this week)
“Yes.”

(On if that means Martin Gramatica will not play next weekend)
“Well, we’re going to bring another kicker in and evaluate who’s available. If we can improve our football team, we’ll do everything we can to do that.”

(On if he has any specific names to share)
“No.”

(On if there will be tryouts on Tuesday)
“Yes.”

(On if there will be more than one kicker trying out)
“We’ve zoomed in on a few guys. Once again, you’ve got to see who’s available. That’s what we’re investigating, as we have been for the last couple of weeks when Martin was hurt.”

(On if there is room on the roster to add another kicker)
“We don’t have any room on the roster, no. So the roster, if we choose to go that route, obviously decisions have to be made.”

(On if the team would be in position to keep two kickers on the roster)
“Well, there are a lot of ways…you could keep nine kickers if you really wanted to. We’re just trying to make that an area of strength of ours. We’ll see who’s available. To sit here and project how many kickers or who the kickers are going to be is a little bit premature. But we are looking into the availability of placekickers, kickoff men to see who’s out there. How that impacts decisions that we have to make on our roster will be decided.”

(On if the team would take a big cap hit from releasing Gramatica)
“I don’t know about all that. I think the number one thing is, let’s address that area of our football team, to see if there is any way possible we can improve there.”

(On if it would be a tough decision to release Gramatica considering his history of success in Tampa)
“There’s no question. As I said yesterday, you pick up the media guide and you realize what this guy has done as a kicker in this league. At the same time, in the last year-plus, we have struggled there. He’s had injuries. Certainly, it’s easy to point fingers when you lose. The kicker is playing an individual game and it’s easy to sometimes point fingers when things don’t go well. A lot of things have to be considered, you’re right, and that’s certainly one of them.”

(On if he is considering releasing Gramatica)
“I don’t know what I’m considering right now. All I know is, I’m considering doing everything we’ve got to do to improve that aspect of our football team. Clearly, it’s been a sore thumb for us this season.”

(On if he thinks kicking-game struggles gets the rest of the team down)
“You’ve got to be mentally tough in this business or you’re going to have a real short stint. Unfortunately, we’ve had a lot to swallow. Some of these losses are…I don’t know the word I’m looking for. I guess ‘maddening’ is the word I’m looking for. Maddening. Not only to the players, not only to the coaches, but to our fans. You’re counting on certain aspects of your football team to come through for you, and clearly it’s been a problem.”

(On whether he worries about the effects of the loss lingering for awhile)
“No. Once again, I am very sensitive to our players. I’m very sensitive to the feelings that they have, to the taste they have in their mouths. To work hard all week and not get a paycheck at the end of the week is not fun for anyone, but I’m proud of our team. I’m proud of the effort that they have played with. It’s disgusting, obviously, not being able to find ways to win some of these games.”

(On whether he feels Martin Gramatica’s confidence is shot)
“Well, I’m not going to sit here and answer all of the questions for him. All I know is he missed three field goals yesterday. He missed a couple in St. Louis, missed one in the dome in New Orleans. We had struggles with an extra point with a high snap I guess, against Kansas City. His kickoffs have improved. But that’s an aspect of your football team that where I come from, every team I think I’ve been on the kicker is your leading scorer at the end of every season and those are plays that need to be made. Is his confidence shaking? He needs to answer that, but I would assume it is. Yes.”

(On whether he has had a chance to talk with Gramatica since the loss against Carolina)
“No. Not last night. We’ve talked to him numerous times. I have not talked to him since the game.”

(On how losing has affected his approach)
“Not tremendously. I was very proud of what the offensive team was able to do yesterday. I was proud of our defense, proud of our coverage. I thought that there were some good things that happened. Carolina, although they’ve had some injuries, is still a very talented, physical football team. I can only say that it’s just totally disappointing that we weren’t able to deliver a win.”

(On whether it is shocking to see that Gramatica’s kicks aren’t working)
“Yes it is. I don’t know of an aspect of our football that we practice more. I think that we start every period, every practice with field goals. We have different drills to distract him to put him in a game like situation. He kicks extremely well on the practice field. There are a couple guys I know at the local golf course who hit the ball well on the range. When they get on that tee now, they see a lake over there, they see a sand trap and it’s not quite the same. Now, whether that’s a problem or whether he’s distracted, whether it’s mechanical flaws, in the course of the game certain things happen, I don’t know. But he’s not hitting the ball through the uprights and I can stand up here and talk about it all day. The bottom line is we have to get that squared away.”

(On how he’s been able to turn around the home record)
“Well, I don’t know. Maybe it’s the new hotel we’re staying in here across the street, the Renaissance. I’ll put a plug in for them. At least somebody is going to have a good day today (laughing). We played pretty good yesterday. We played good against St. Louis. When you squander opportunities to score and you turn the ball over in the other team’s red zone, chances of winning in this league are remote. We’ve played a little bit better at home. It has been a goal, an emphasis of ours. We have a nucleus of very good players. They take pride in that.”

(On Michael Pittman’s fumbles)
“It is alarming because he has historically not been a fumbler. A couple of the fumbles have been from the blind pursuit where he’s broken contain and he chooses to cut it back into the pursuit, and out of his vision the ball is dislodged. It’s an area that he obviously has to improve on. I’m also aware that he’s carrying the load every down, as a runner, as a receiver. Fatigue might be setting in. But it’s an area that we have to eliminate from his play because he is playing extremely well for us.”

(On Matt O’Dwyer’s 21-day deadline)
“Yes, it is almost OD D-day. We are still gathering all the medical facts to see where he is. He has a long rehab with the pectoral muscle. We will take a look at Sean Mahan’s injury. We will have something for you shortly.”

(On 3rd and 6 play yesterday, if Brian Griese made the right audible)
“Yes. Carolina, I think blitzed close to 30 times yesterday. They have been very aggressive since the second half of the 49ers game. We were in a situation where we had a pass play called and if you know the pass protection is going to be broken down because of numbers the last thing you want to do is throw the ball hot or be harsh in that situation and risk the possible turnover or sack. We had a situation where earlier in that drive we ran a stretch play away from the blitz and gain good yardage and we felt that was the play to make it was a high percentage call. They used their last timeout. We centered the ball for a field goal with the win and unfortunately it backfired.”