By Gary Shelton, Times Sports Columnist
Sunday, September 11, 2011

TAMPA

Do not be fooled by the scoreboard, where things were prettied up by the end.

Do not be tricked by the final statistics, which urge you to think that maybe this loss wasn't that bad.

Do not be swindled by the wackiness of the final play, which suggests that the Bucs were closer to victory than they were.

This was ugly, and this was lopsided and this was a disappointing way to start a football season. For most of the afternoon, it was like watching an opponent stuff Tampa Bay's hope into a piñata, hoist it up the cross bar and then spend 60 minutes whacking at it. Whatever you thought of the Bucs' prospects before this game, it is doubtful you feel the same resolve about it today.

Detroit 27, Tampa Bay 20. And anyone who says this was a close competition is trying to sell you a ticket.

That's the disappointment here. It was not so much that the Bucs lost because as the losers in Week 1 always remind us, half of the teams in the NFL start 0-1. For the Bucs, the bigger jolt is the manner in which it happened. They didn't tackle, they didn't block, they didn't show a lot of imagination.

In particular, they didn't show enough offense.

After all, that was supposed to be the hope around here, wasn't it? Despite an unimpressive preseason, the great equalizer was supposed to be Josh Franchise and the boys, flinging it around, dancing in the end zone, making the opposing defense play chase all over the field.

Instead, you may sum up the Bucs' opening statement this way:

Clunk.

Also, plop.

And furthermore, thud.

Look, you knew the game was blacked out. You didn't think the offensive game plan was going to be, too. For most of the day, the Bucs were a misfiring engine, spewing and sputtering and spinning its wheels. They looked slow, they looked out of sync, and they looked as if short yardage was a long distance call.

Remember how dangerous the Bucs looked last year when Freeman, Mike Williams and LeGarrette Blount were charging down the field? Well, they didn't look like that Sunday. For most of the day, they looked like stalled traffic.

"I didn't feel like we were in rhythm all day long," said center Jeff Faine.

"We weren't us today," said tight end Kellen Winslow.

Consider:

• In the first period, the Bucs gained all of 4 yards. Even that total was inflated when, on the final play of the quarter, Freeman hit Earnest Graham for a 3-yard pass on third and 10.

• You could say the Lions stopped Blount, but the Bucs helped. Blount, fresh off of his 1,000-yard season, was a spectator for most of the second half. He had five carries all afternoon, gaining 15 yards, because the Bucs spent much of the second half in the two-minute offense. Why the Bucs cannot incorporate one of their best players into their offense remains a mystery.

• The Bucs scored one offensive touchdown all afternoon, and that came with 1:35 left in the game.

• The Bucs started their day offensively on the Lions' 21-yard line. Four plays later, they had moved all the way to the 20, a full 36 inches. They kicked a field goal.

• Their running backs combined for 28 yards on 11 carries. Whee.

• Early in the second half, the Bucs ran on second and one. They didn't make it. They ran it again on third and one. They didn't make it.

• Halfway through the fourth period, the Bucs went for it on fourth and one at the Detroit 11. They didn't make it.

• As Freeman pointed out, the Bucs didn't get the ball enough. On the other hand, they didn't keep it enough. The Bucs had 11 offensive possessions. In six of them, they failed to get a first down.

It's hard to blame the Bucs for trying to put the best possible spin on the disappointment. Hey, you lay an egg, you talk about how great omelettes are, you know. No one expects Tampa Bay to surrender. But this wasn't a matter of running out of time. This was a matter of running in place.

Here's a number for you. The Bucs ended up with 313 yards. That doesn't sound that bad, does it? On the other hand, more than a third came on drives when Detroit had a two-score lead. The Bucs went 67 yards for a field goal when Detroit led 20-10, and they went 59 when Detroit was ahead 27-13. It is fair to wonder how much softer the Lions' secondary might have been playing.

If this season is going to be successful, if the Bucs are going to be contenders, they cannot play this way. They need a little more imagination. They need a little more explosion. A first down in a first quarter shouldn't be too much to ask. Nor should a second touchdown.

Granted, it was only one loss. You are going to hear that a few dozen times this week. And it's true. A bad day doesn't always mean a bad season is going to follow.

On the other hand, it's hard to see the Bucs as a team on the move as long as the offense is standing still.

By Gary Shelton, Times Sports Columnist
Sunday, September 11, 2011

TAMPA

Do not be fooled by the scoreboard, where things were prettied up by the end.

Do not be tricked by the final statistics, which urge you to think that maybe this loss wasn't that bad.

Do not be swindled by the wackiness of the final play, which suggests that the Bucs were closer to victory than they were.

This was ugly, and this was lopsided and this was a disappointing way to start a football season. For most of the afternoon, it was like watching an opponent stuff Tampa Bay's hope into a pinata, hoist it up the crossbar and then spend 60 minutes whacking at it. Whatever you thought of the Bucs' prospects before this game, it is doubtful you feel the same resolve about it today.

Detroit 27, Tampa Bay 20. And anyone who says this was a close competition is trying to sell you a ticket.

That's the disappointment here. It was not so much that the Bucs lost because as the losers in Week 1 always remind us, half of the teams in the NFL start 0-1. For the Bucs, the bigger jolt is the manner in which it happened. They didn't tackle, they didn't block, they didn't show a lot of imagination.

In particular, they didn't show enough offense.

After all, that was supposed to be the hope around here, wasn't it? Despite an unimpressive preseason, the great equalizer was supposed to be Josh Franchise and the boys, flinging it around, dancing in the end zone, making the opposing defense play chase all over the field.

Instead, you may sum up the Bucs' opening statement this way:

Clunk.

Also, plop.

And furthermore, thud.

Look, you knew the game was blacked out. You didn't think the offensive game plan was going to be, too.

For most of the day, the Bucs were a misfiring engine, spewing and sputtering and spinning its wheels. They looked slow, they looked out of synch, and they looked as if short yardage was a long distance call.

Remember how dangerous the Bucs looked last year when Freeman, Mike Williams and LeGarrette Blount were charging down the field? Well, they didn't look like that Sunday. For most of the day, they looked like stalled traffic.

"I didn't feel like we were in rhythm all day long," said center Jeff Faine.

"We weren't us today," said tight end Kellen Winslow.

Consider:

• In the first quarter, the Bucs gained all of 4 yards. Even that total was inflated when, on the final play of the quarter, Freeman hit Earnest Graham for a 3-yard pass on third and 10.

• You could say the Lions stopped Blount, but the Bucs helped. Blount, fresh off of his 1,000-yard season, was a spectator for most of the second half. He had five carries all afternoon, gaining 15 yards, because the Bucs spent much of the second half in the two-minute offense. Why they cannot incorporate one of their best players into their offense remains a mystery.

• The Bucs scored one offensive touchdown all afternoon, and that came with 1:35 left in the game.

• The Bucs started their day offensively on the Lions 21-yard line. Four plays later, they had moved all the way to the 20, a full 36 inches. They kicked a field goal.

• Their running backs combined for 28 yards on 11 carries. Whee.

• Early in the second half, the Bucs ran on second and one. They didn't make it. They ran it again on third and one. They didn't make it.

• Halfway through the fourth quarter, the Bucs went for it on fourth and one at the Detroit 11. They didn't make it.

• As Freeman pointed out, the Bucs didn't get the ball enough. On the other hand, they didn't keep it enough. They had 11 offensive possessions. In six of them, they failed to get a first down.

It's hard to blame the Bucs for trying to put the best possible spin on the disappointment. Hey, you lay an egg, you talk about how great omelettes are, you know. No one expects Tampa Bay to surrender.

But this wasn't a matter of running out of time. This was a matter of running in place.

Here's a number for you. The Bucs ended up with 313 yards. That doesn't sound that bad, does it? On the other hand, more than a third came on drives when Detroit had a two-score lead. The Bucs went 67 yards for a field goal when Detroit led 20-10, and they went 59 when Detroit was ahead 27-13. It is fair to wonder how much softer the Lions' secondary might have been playing.

If this season is going to be successful, if the Bucs are going to be contenders, they cannot play this way. They need a little more imagination. They need a little more explosion. A first down in a first quarter shouldn't be too much to ask. Nor should a second touchdown.

Granted, it was only one loss. You are going to hear that a few dozen times this week. And it's true. A bad day doesn't always mean a bad season is going to follow.

On the other hand, it's hard to see the Bucs as a team on the move as long as the offense is standing still.

By Stephen F. Holder and Joe Smith, Times Staff Writers
Sunday, September 11, 2011

No repeat for Blount

LeGarrette Blount rushed for 110 yards against the Lions less than nine months ago. Sunday, you might easily have forgotten he was even on the roster. With the offense attempting just six rushing plays in the first half and spending most of the second half in a hurry-up mode, offensive coordinator Greg Olson didn't have much use for a 250-pound power back for most of the game. Instead, the Bucs turned to Earnest Graham, the designated third-down back and also the primary back in the 2-minute offense. "It was just the way the game went today," Graham said.

Blount, who declined requests for interviews after the game, was held to 15 yards on 5 carries. Graham finished with 13 yards on 6 attempts but had a big role in the passing game. He caught a team-high 8 passes for 58 yards.

Heating up

QB Josh Freeman finally started to heat up in the second half, but not in the fashion you might think. Freeman, on a day that temperatures reached the low 90s and the heat index on the field surely was higher, Freeman was one of several players who suffered from cramps associated with the heat.

On a third-quarter play, after Freeman scrambled and was dropped by two defenders, he got up gingerly and walked toward the sideline, gesturing for backup Josh Johnson. Before Freeman could make it to the sideline, he dropped to one knee and tried to stretch out his hamstrings. He immediately sprinted to the locker room with team trainers, who administered intravenous fluids to hydrate him.

"I sweat. I sweat like crazy," Freeman said afterward. "I started my hydration like three days ago, just heavily hydrating. It's something where I probably should have gotten the IV at halftime, but I was pumping fluids the whole game, knowing that I'm a heavy sweater. ... I have to be better prepared for that. You never know what can make the difference in a game."

In this game, it wasn't a big factor. Freeman returned after missing parts of two series.

Meanwhile, on the Detroit sideline, QB Matt Stafford was experiencing similar difficulties. On a third-quarter TD pass to WR Calvin Johnson, Stafford said he was cramping and had trouble delivering the ball. "I bet I look pretty stupid on the replay," he said. "(Johnson) made me look good once again."

FEATURED MATCHUP

The Bucs were torched by Calvin Johnson last season in a game played without Tampa Bay's ace cornerback, Aqib Talib. Sunday, with Talib in the lineup, the Bucs were torched by Johnson again. There can only be one conclusion. "He's obviously a great player," Bucs coach Raheem Morris said.

Johnson had six catches for 88 yards, but among his half dozen grabs were a pair of touchdowns, including a 36-yard strike down the sideline and a stunning 1-yard touchdown catch with Talib draped all over him. Talib, who declined interview requests, didn't go home empty-handed. He grabbed a ball deflected by TE Will Heller in the first quarter and went 28 yards for Tampa Bay's first touchdown, giving the Bucs a 10-6 lead. But Johnson grabbed the belt in this heavyweight fight. All week, both teams looked forward to the featured matchup. "Calvin wanted to shut (Talib) down all day, and (Talib) wanted to prove himself against a great receiver," Stafford said.

While the Bucs don't typically have their cornerbacks swap sides — Talib is the left cornerback and Ronde Barber is the right cornerback — Sunday's plan called for Talib to shadow Johnson everywhere he went. Talib was the Bucs' best hope against a receiver who had 10 receptions for 152 yards last December in Tampa. All things considered, Talib didn't perform horribly. He mis-timed a jump on the 36-yard touchdown, missing Stafford's pinpoint throw by mere inches. And Johnson had to make a tiptoe catch while falling out of bounds on the second touchdown, on which Talib was in great position.

"Calvin is tough to deal with," Barber said. "We all know that. There were some opportunity throws and he went up and got them. We were in defenses that limit that, and he beat us. So it's on us."

DETROIT MAKES D-LINE DISAPPEAR

Preseason numbers are probably the most worthless stats available, but the fact that the Lions allowed just three sacks in the preseason — fewest in the league — is no accident. Detroit used its quick-passing game to dice the Bucs with short throws that neutralized Tampa Bay's rebuilt defensive line.

"I'm a speed rusher," DT Gerald McCoy said. "... When those (offensive linemen) are sitting back deep, it's hard to do that. When they were sitting back, they were getting the ball out (quickly). That basically eliminates the defensive line and puts all the pressure on the DBs. Now we have to go back and figure out how to rush that. That's a gameday adjustment because we didn't gameplan for that."

Quick slants and outs were the order of the day for Detroit. While those shouldn't often result in long gains, the Bucs' poor tackling effort allowed the Lions to use their short game to pick up key first downs. Stafford excels in the quick game, throwing accurately, even in traffic. "We knew we wouldn't be able to get these guys on first and second down," Bucs coach Raheem Morris said. ". . . The ball comes out so quickly with the bubble screens, quick (throws) and things of that nature – the quick-designed throws."

The defensive line didn't get a single hit on Stafford, and the odds of that were reduced when DT Brian Price left the game in the third quarter grabbing his hamstring. After a complicated offseason surgery on his pelvis area, Price began the game getting better penetration than his linemates. He didn't offer details about the injury after the game but said he would "be all right" as he left with a slight limp.

On the mark

It looked like Lions QB Matthew Stafford was making up for lost time Sunday against the Bucs.

Stafford, the 2009 top overall pick who missed 13 games last year because of season-ending shoulder surgery, completed 24 of 33 passes for 305 yards and three touchdowns for a rating of 118.9.

"The guys up front did a great job; they kept me clean pretty much all day," Stafford said. "When they do that, the sky is the limit with this offense."

Bucs S Cody Grimm said Stafford made great reads and was able to get rid of the ball quickly, "chipping away at us." And, of course, it helps when Stafford can throw to one of the game's best receivers, Calvin Johnson, who had 88 yards and two impressive catches for scores. "He made me look good again," Stafford said.

"(Stafford) put the ball in the perfect spot twice," Grimm said. "And when that happens, there's no defense for it."

A costly return

WR Sammie Stroughter was one of the few bright spots early for the Bucs, with his 78-yard kickoff return setting up the team's first field goal.

"He started fast," WR Mike Williams said. "That was a big boost."

But Stroughter's day was cut short after he injured his left foot on the run. Stroughter, who could be out for a while, had a walking boot on while in the locker room and declined to comment as he left on crutches.

Coach Raheem Morris had said the team planned to rotate kick returners anyway, with Preston Parker and Micheal Spurlock getting looks, so they could step in if needed.

Tributes of the day

It was expected to be an emotional day at Raymond James Stadium, with pregame tributes to the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks as well as honoring Bucs legend Lee Roy Selmon, who died last week.

Selmon's No. 63 was painted in two places on the sidelines, and there were two 9/11 ribbons painted on the field. All Bucs players had a No. 63 decal on their helmets, and both teams had a 9/11 ribbon patch on their jerseys. There were moments of silence held for both, and taps was played before the national anthem, with an American flag covering the field and players from both teams helping hold it. A special 9/11 coin was used for the opening coin toss.

"It was very emotional; I had to hold back a tear," Bucs LB Geno Hayes said. "9/11 was very serious, and it stuck in everybody's mind. It kind of hit home when the flag came out and had the moment of silence."

And a moment of silence was held in the press box in memory of longtime Tampa Tribune sports editor and columnist Tom McEwen, who died in June.

Surprise of the day

Army Sgt. Scott Osborn, 37, a St. Petersburg native and lifelong Bucs fan, got to fulfill a few dreams Sunday.

With the help of the Bucs, Osborn — who has been stationed in Afghanistan the past four months — surprised his family near the end of the first half at Raymond James Stadium.

A few moments after a video message was played on the JumbTron of Osborn saying hello, he walked down the steps and greeted his wife, Amy, and parents, getting a rousing ovation and chants of "USA!"

"It's like a fairy tale," Osborn said. "I've never been in this good of a mood while the Bucs were losing." Osborn's friends had told his wife his flights were delayed and he wouldn't make it to the game. Osborn actually got back in town Saturday night and had to hide, spending time at One Buc Place and staying at the team hotel. He said he felt like a "rock star" with everyone shaking his hand at the game.

Osborn got into the military, spending eight years in the Army Reserve, because of the Sept. 11 attacks, making Sunday's reunion all the more special.

"When I was little, two things I always wanted to do — play for the Bucs and be in the military," he said. "I'm not a Buccaneer, but this is plenty close enough. I'll definitely settle for this."

Quick hits

• The Bucs' streak of blacked-out home games stretched to 13 (including preseason games), with an announced paid attendance of 51,274 in the 65,000-seat stadium.

• How much does the new kickoff rule (placing the ball at the 35 instead of the 30) affect the number of returns? In Sunday's game, eight of the nine kickoffs — not including a late onside kick — were touchbacks.

• Bucs GM Mark Dominik acknowledged the team has had multiple meetings with the NFL about possible illegal contact between coach Raheem Morris and players during the lockout but said he has not been notified of any impending fine. In question are seven phone conversations Morris had with players — three of them under a minute, one with TE Kellen Winslow over the birth of his child and one between Morris and former LB Niko Koutouvides, who was a free agent and no longer with the team.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, September 11, 2011

ST. PETERSBURG — When the weekend began, amid all the bluster about finally getting back into the race for a spot in the playoffs, all the Rays really had was hope.

But after completing a stunning sweep of the Red Sox with a 9-1 win Sunday, they head into the final 2½ weeks of the season with something much more valuable: a chance.

"It's tangible," manager Joe Maddon said. "It's possible. It's there."

With the three wins, the Rays moved within 3½ games of the AL wild-card lead, the closest they've been since July 15, while improving to 81-64. They've gained 61/2 games on the wild card since Aug. 8. And with 17 games left — including four more in Boston this weekend — their confidence is swelling that they can extend their amazing run and catch the struggling Red Sox.

"Now we're back in the hunt, and they know we're right behind them," starter James Shields said. "I think we have a pretty good chance. Three-and-a-half back? … Anything can happen.

"Now we put the pressure on them. Now they have to win games. That's it. They could have swept us here and then cruise on to the end, and now they're not. We're going to keep grinding it out."

"It might be a little tough," center­fielder B.J. Upton said, "but I think we can do it."

The Red Sox have played into the Rays' plans by playing so badly, losing five straight and 10 of their past 13.

"It seems like everybody is in a funk at once," Boston DH David Ortiz said. "There's nobody to blame but everybody."

The Rays — three back in the loss column, and one win from clinching the season series, which would give them homefield advantage for a potential one-game playoff — took advantage. They rode a strong start from Wade Davis to take Friday's opener, then overcame themselves to rally and win in 11 innings Saturday. Sunday, against Boston ace Jon Lester no less, was pretty much no contest.

Shields pitched into the ninth — two outs shy of his 12th complete game with 121 pitches — by making the necessary adjustments to his out-of-synch mechanics in one shaky inning to post his career-best 15th win. "That's good," Shields said. "I've always wanted to get to the 15-win mark."

The recently warmed hitters scored three in Lester' 43-pitch mess of a first inning, sparked by Ben Zobrist's two-run single, then finished it off when Upton delivered a crushing grand slam that was the first of his career, and led to another new experience: a curtain call from the Tropicana Field crowd of 25,220.

"That felt pretty good, man," Upton said. "I never experienced anything like that, especially in this type of series. That definitely felt good."

The challenge ahead of the Rays is still daunting, as they still have 3½ games to make up and have the Angels just 1½ games behind them, and they will be battling the possibility of a letdown as well as the Orioles over the next three nights in Baltimore.

But they felt very good about themselves for their weekend work — "We needed to do what we just did," Maddon said — and the message it sent:

"That we can do this," Maddon said. "That the Rays can do this. We believe that we can — not just saying it — we believe that we can do this. All of us do. I think unless you firmly believe it, you can't go out and do what we just did for three consecutive days, knowing that they only needed pretty much one win to tank us. We didn't permit that to happen. I know that we believe it, and now I think other people are starting to believe it also."

The Red Sox, who will have a long off day to think about what happened, seem to have gotten the word.

"The last three days, they look like they got no pressure on themselves. That makes a huge difference," Ortiz said. "They should feel good. They whipped (us)."

Marc Topkin can be reached at topkin@sptimes.com.

Times wires
Sunday, September 11, 2011

Bengals use trick, ex-Buc leads way

CLEVELAND — Bruce Gradkow-ski looked up field and couldn't believe his eyes. There was nothing, just green grass and rookie receiver A.J. Green.

"I said, 'Oh my gosh, you gotta be kidding me'," Gradkowski said.

Gradkowski, the ex-Bucs quarterback, caught Cleveland's defense still in the huddle and quickly lobbed a 41-yard touchdown to Green in the fourth quarter, giving the Bengals a stunning win.

Ex-Gator Joe Haden fought through confused Browns teammates trying to get to Green.

"I thought, 'Ball, please get down and into my hands,' " said Green, a speedy first-round pick. "… It took forever to get to me."

Gradkowski came on for rookie starter Andy Dalton (right wrist).

Browns cornerback Sheldon Brown thought the Bengals got away with one.

Colt McCoy threw two touchdowns for the Browns, who were disorganized for much of new coach Pat Shurmur's first game.

Times wires
Sunday, September 11, 2011

Redskins ride Grossman to win

LANDOVER, Md. — Rex Grossman celebrated what he thought was his first touchdown pass by leapfrogging receiver Anthony Armstrong. Oops. Not quite. Turns out Armstrong was down at the 1.

When Grossman later hit Armstrong for a score that counted, the former Gators quarterback made a giddy backward trot toward the Redskins sideline.

"Some situations are more emotional than others," Grossman said. "I just react to the moment. I was happy."

Grossman threw for 305 yards with two touchdowns — one to former Florida teammate Jabar Gaffney — no interceptions and a lost fumble.

Grossman's performance, at least for a week, justifies coach Mike Shanahan's choice in a competition against John Beck. Grossman spread the ball around; Fred Davis had a career-high 105 yards on five catches as Washington ended a six-game losing streak against the Giants.

Times wires
Sunday, September 11, 2011

Chargers shake off usual slow start

SAN DIEGO — The Chargers seemed headed for another slow start under coach Norv Turner.

They let former Florida star Percy Harvin return the opening kickoff 103 yards for a touchdown, and kicker Nate Kaeding hurt his left knee on the play, forcing punter Mike Scifres into the placekicking role for the first time since college.

But then the Vikings sputtered and Philip Rivers got the opening he'd waited for. His 19-yard touchdown to fullback Mike Tolbert with 5:01 to play won it for San Diego.

"When we face adversity, we don't curl up and call it quits," said Scifres, a nine-year veteran who signed a $19 million contract extension Wednesday.

On the winning play, Rivers rolled left and waited for Tolbert to get open inside the 5-yard line, then lobbed the pass.

Minnesota led 17-7 at halftime, but gained only 26 yards on 17 plays in the second half behind new quarterback Donovan McNabb. He was intercepted on the Vikings' first play from scrimmage.

Times wires
Sunday, September 11, 2011

Texans pound on Peyton-less Colts

HOUSTON — Hey, Peyton Manning. If there was ever a doubt about what you mean to Indianapolis, there isn't anymore.

What already looks like a long, season for the Colts might be the chance, at last, for the Texans to make a leap forward in the AFC South, at least if Sunday's rout is any indication.

Matt Schaub threw for 220 yards and a touchdown, Ben Tate rushed for 116 yards and another score in relief of injured Arian Foster, and Houston dominated Kerry Collins, the replacement for Manning, who is out indefinitely after his second neck surgery this year.

The Texans weren't ready to say the win signals a change in the division. Houston beat the Colts with Manning in last year's home opener, but finished 6-10.

"Every year, you get your group together and it's your chance to do something special," Texans coach Gary Kubiak said.

Collins fumbled on consecutive snaps that set up Texans touchdowns in the first quarter, and he was sacked three times.

By John Romano, Times Sports Columnist
Sunday, September 11, 2011

ST. PETERSBURG — Numbers still favor the Red Sox at this point.

Of course, the numbers aren't staring at Josh Beckett's tender ankle or Erik Bedard's sore knee. And the numbers have nothing on the medical chart (back sprain, sports hernia, hip bursitis) of Boston third baseman Kevin Youkilis.

Logic says the Red Sox are still in an enviable position this morning.

Of course, logic knows nothing of damp palms or nervous laughter. And logic cannot explain the increasing tightness of a pair of underpants when your lead in the wild-card race goes from nine games to 3½ in a little more than a week.

"Hopefully," Rays DH Johnny Damon said, "they can feel us coming."

Just three days ago, I tried explaining why it was a bad idea to get your hopes too high in the final 20 games of Tampa Bay's season. And it seemed to make sense at the time.

That was before Wade Davis, with a career ERA of 4.22, threw his first complete game in two years on Friday night. That was before the Rays won another walkoff game on Saturday night, giving them seven in barely a month.

And that was before the Rays used a starting lineup that included four guys who began the season in Triple A while completing a sweep of the Red Sox on Sunday.

"We're kind of in a fight right now. We know that," Boston manager Terry Francona said. "It's not real pretty."

The truth is, Tampa Bay remains a serious long shot. A 3½-game deficit with 17 to go is still a sizable hole.

The coolstandings.com website runs millions of computer simulations to calculate a team's odds of making the postseason, and it has the Rays' chances at 11.6 percent today. On the other hand, their chances were 0.6 percent on Tuesday.

"I think now (the Red Sox) know we're not messing around," said pitcher James Shields, who had another outstanding performance while winning his career-high 15th game on Sunday. "Before this series, I don't think they were worried too much."

That's the funny thing about confidence and pennant races. When things start going wrong, the world suddenly looks darker even when you sit atop the standings.

Joe Maddon understands this. Unfortunately, he once lived it.

This was back in 1995 when he was the first-base coach in Anaheim, and the Angels suffered one of the greatest collapses in baseball history as Seattle won the AL West.

Sitting in his office after Sunday's game, Maddon ever-so-casually mentioned that Anaheim's troubles began with injuries. (Hey, don't the Red Sox have some guys hurt?)

And he pointed out that the Mariners got hot that year when they acquired Vince Coleman in August, and he hit .290 with 16 stolen bases out of the leadoff spot. (Hey, isn't leadoff hitter Desmond Jennings batting .295 with 15 stolen bases since being called up?)

Maddon never drew a direct comparison with 2011, but the inference seemed clear.

"There were a lot of veterans on that (Angels) team, but when you walked in the clubhouse door, you didn't have a lot of nice, warm, fuzzy feelings," Maddon said. "There was a lot of doubt.

"It's hard to take that boulder and start pushing it back the other way."

The key, of course, is the Rays cannot afford to take a foot off the gas. And that has been an occasional problem this season. They have a better record against the Red Sox than the Orioles. And a better record against the Rangers than the Athletics.

Perhaps the Rays will find some inspiration in the news that Matt Moore will join their bullpen today. Just a week ago, it seemed the best pitching prospect in the minors was going to be shut down for 2011, but circumstances obviously changed this weekend.

The Rays had great success using David Price in the bullpen in 2008 (a 2.08 ERA) and not so much with Jeremy Hellickson in 2010 (a 7.20 ERA), so Moore might start off in a sixth- or seventh-inning role, at least for the short term.

In the meantime, the Rays have a chance to keep the heat on the idle Red Sox with a victory in Baltimore this evening. A victory would mean they whacked four games off the standings in five days.

"We've got a lot of fighters in here. We always believed we could do this," said centerfielder B.J. Upton.

"Now that we've cut the lead to 3½, it's going to make the last couple of weeks a lot of fun."

It will be for one team.

John Romano can be reached at romano@sptimes.com.

Times wires
Sunday, September 11, 2011

Bills start strong, stay on course

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — It's been a long time since the Bills were worried about anybody putting them on a pedestal. Buffalo went 4-12 last season, hadn't had a winning record since 2004, and hasn't been to the playoffs since 1999.

Get ready for the spotlight, boys, even if it's just for a week.

Ryan Fitzpatrick tossed four touchdowns, two of them to journeyman tight end Scott Chandler, as the Bills romped over the defending AFC West champions.

"We're not there yet," Bills coach Chan Gailey warned. "I told the team that. I do think we are improved over last year, and I thought we'd play well."

It started with the opening kickoff.

Former Largo High star Dexter McCluster fumbled the return to give Buffalo prime field position, and moments later Fitzpatrick hit Chandler, who came in with one catch in 14 career games, from 4 yards for the first score on the way to a 20-7 halftime lead.

Times wires
Sunday, September 11, 2011

Vick feels fresh, Eagles convincing

ST. LOUIS — The lockout didn't bother Michael Vick. It simply left him with fresh legs for the opener.

The Eagles quarterback was in dazzling form and the other Philly game-breakers were hard to catch, too, in a solid victory.

"I feel better than I've ever felt before and I give a lot of credit with the situation with the CBA, giving us a lot time to get rest and to prepare ourselves," Vick said. "I feel like I can play another four quarters right now."

Vick rushed for 98 yards and passed for two touchdowns, LeSean McCoy scored twice and DeSean Jackson topped 100 yards receiving.

"We had a lot of self-inflicted mistakes," Rams defensive end Chris Long said. "They made us make a lot of mistakes."

The Eagles had five sacks, two by Jason Babin. Darryl Tapp forced a fumble by Sam Bradford that led to an easy 56-yard touchdown return by Juqua Parker in the first quarter and also had a sack before leaving (pectoral injury).

Times wires
Sunday, September 11, 2011

ROGERS, Ark. — Top-ranked Yani Tseng successfully defended her title in the LPGA Tour's NW Arkansas Championship on Sunday, beating Amy Yang with a 4-foot birdie putt on the first hole of a playoff.

Yang missed a 6-foot birdie try before Tseng holed the winning putt on the par-5 18th.

"I almost cry because today, like in the middle of the round, I felt like, 'Oh, I'm going to lose today.' Because in my mind, I don't feel excitement. I don't make any birdie," Tseng said. "But I just telling myself, 'I need to get excited, need more focused, try to stretch, move around, just feel more.' Like the last three holes, I make some birdies, so that was very important for me."

During the awards ceremony on the 18th green, Tseng led the large crowd in a chant of "Woo Pig Sooie!" a chant usually heard at Razorbacks football and basketball games.

"This is great," Tseng said. "I mean, always have a good crowd here and the people are really nice, volunteers and so many great people around here. Very nice to be out here."

Tseng and Yang closed with 3-under 68s to finish at 12-under 201 on the Pinnacle Country Club course.

Yang, winless on the tour, parred the final 11 holes of regulation, holing a 4½-foot putt on the 18th to force the playoff.

Tseng bogeyed the par-4 13th to drop to 10 under, then rallied with birdies on the par-5 14th and par-4 16th, holing an 8-foot putt to tie Yang.

Seminole's Brittany Lincicome (69) finished tied for 10th at 7 under, her fifth top-10 finish this season. Tampa's Cindy LaCrosse finished tied for 32nd at 2 under, and Tampa resident Kristy McPherson was tied for 38th at 1 under.

WALKER CUP: Britain & Ireland regained the title from the United States for the first time since 2003, holding off the Americans in the afternoon singles for a 14-12 victory in Aberdeen, Scotland.

LPGA FUTURES TOUR: Clearwater's Jenny Gleason earned full 2012 LPGA Tour membership by finishing in a tie for seventh at the Price Topper Tour Championship in Albany, N.Y. Gleason, 30, moved up from 11th to ninth on the season-ending money list, with the top 10 getting full LPGA Tour cards.

Times wires
Sunday, September 11, 2011

Newton has stats, Cardinals get win

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Cam Newton began his NFL career on the same field where he ended his college one and was spectacular. His 422 yards passing are a record for any rookie in his NFL opener. Yet he didn't leave a winner.

A rookie on the other team made the winning play.

Patrick Peterson, a rookie out of LSU again cast as a foe for former Auburn star and No. 1 overall pick Newton, brushed off a long afternoon at cornerback with an 89-yard punt return for the go-ahead touchdown to take down Newton's Panthers.

"With me being a defensive back, I barely have a chance to get my hands on the ball," said Peterson, the fifth overall pick. "That's why I love punt returns to much."

Stats seemed to mean little to Newton, who was unbeaten in his BCS championship, Heisman Trophy-winning season at Auburn.

"The last time I lost a game was Navarro Junior College," Newton said. "What do you want me to say, it feels great? It is not a comfortable feeling for me."

Times wires
Sunday, September 11, 2011

NEW YORK — Already being outplayed by Sam Stosur in the U.S. Open women's final, the last thing Serena Williams needed was to lose a game for yelling during a point.

That's exactly what happened early in the second set, leading to an argument between Williams and the chair umpire, a scene just a little less ugly than the American's tirade two years ago at the same event. In the end, Stosur beat Williams 6-2, 6-3 on Sunday in a surprisingly lopsided upset for her first Grand Slam title.

"I guess to go out there and play the way I did is obviously just an unbelievable feeling," said Stosur, a Tampa resident who will rise to No. 7 in today's rankings, "and you always hope and you want to be able to do that, but to actually do it, is unbelievable."

Hitting powerful strokes from the baseline and looking fresher than Williams right from the start, the ninth-seeded Stosur became the first Australian woman to win a major title since Evonne Goolagong Cawley at Wimbledon in 1980. Goolagong Cawley texted Stosur from Australia: "Twinkletoes, you finally have got what you deserved."

Only 2-9 in tournament finals before beating Williams, Stosur made the U.S. Open the third consecutive Grand Slam tournament with a first-time women's major champion, after Li Na at the French Open and Petra Kvitova at Wimbledon.

"She played really, really well. I mean, I don't think she's ever played that well," Williams said. "Maybe she has; I haven't seen her play that well."

This was only the 27-year-old Stosur's third title at any tour-level event. She took advantage of Williams' so-so serving and stayed steady throughout despite the events that unfolded in the second set.

Down a set and facing a break point in the first game of the second, Williams, a 13-time major champion, hit a forehand and shouted, "Come on!" as Stosur reached for a backhand. Chair umpire Eva Asderaki ruled that Williams hindered Stosur's ability to complete the point and awarded it to Stosur, putting her ahead 1-0 in that set.

Williams told Asderaki, "I'm not giving her that game," and later added, "I promise you, that's not cool."

Some fans booed, delaying the start of the next game.

Tournament director Brian Earley said Asderaki's ruling was proper, according to U.S. Tennis Association spokesman Chris Widmaier.

International Tennis Federation rules say: "If a player is hindered in playing the point by a deliberate act of the opponent(s), the player shall win the point. However, the point shall be replayed if a player is hindered in playing the point by either an unintentional act of the opponent(s), or something outside the player's own control (not including a permanent fixture)."

Asderaki issued a code violation warning for verbal abuse, and Widmaier said Earley would determine today whether Williams would be fined. She was fined $92,500 in 2009 after a profanity-laced tirade at a line judge at the Open.

Williams had trouble putting the episode behind. During the next changeover, Williams continued to talk to Asderaki, saying: "You're out of control."

When Stosur wrapped up the match with a forehand winner, Williams refused to shake hands with the chair umpire.

Asked about being awarded the point because of Williams' shout, Stosur said: "I guess the rules of tennis are there for a reason. She made the call that she felt was right."

Times wires
Sunday, September 11, 2011

Triathlon

Ailing friend inspires Junior Titlist

BEIJING — Lukas Verzbicas kept his promise.

Verzbicas, 18, won the junior title at the world triathlon championships Sunday, fulfilling his vow to win for his cancer-stricken friend and teammate Kevin McDowell. With a good prognosis after his final chemotherapy treatment Aug. 22, McDowell, 19, was at the finish as Verzbicas won in 56 minutes, 21 seconds.

"I had him in my mind the whole race. I knew I was doing it for him," said Verzbicas, who beat European champ Justus Nieschlag by 33 seconds. "It motivated me more than if I was just doing this by myself."

"This couldn't have been a more perfect ending," said McDowell, who was an assistant coach to Verzbicas and the U.S. team. "I really believed he could do it and he made it happen."

Verzbicas, only the fifth U.S. high school runner to break the 4-minute mile barrier, had originally planned to spend this summer getting ready for his freshman season at Oregon, but that changed in March after McDowell was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma, a form of blood cancer.

The teens have trained the past five years with the Multisport Madness Triathlon Team, a club team outside Chicago.

Meanwhile, Britain's Alistair Brownlee won the men's world title for a second time by finishing ahead of Jonathan Brownlee in the final race and the final series standings.

Britain's Helen Jenkins won the women's world title for a second time after a second-place finish in the final event of the season. Jenkins, who only needed to make the podium to clinch the title, was right behind New Zealand's Andrea Hewitt.

Basketball

Nowitzki, Germany fail in Olympics bid

After an off night by Dirk Nowitzki, Germany is out of the European Championship in Lithuania. And that means the NBA Finals MVP will not be at next year's Olympics in London.

Nowitzki's poor shooting (4-for-17, 16 points) led to an 84-75 loss against Lithuania, which means Germany failed to reach the quarterfinals.

"I was not in condition to play a good tournament," said Nowitzki, who led the Mavericks to their first NBA title last season.

Pau Gasol's Spain overpowered France 96-69. The two finalists clinch spots for London, while the next four teams will play another qualifying event.

WNBA: Tina Charles scored 18 and had 17 rebounds for her WNBA-record 23rd double double of the season to lead host Connecticut past New York 69-63. Connecticut hosts Atlanta when the first-round best-of-three playoffs begin later this week. Atlanta won 93-88 over Indiana, which hosts New York. In the West, Minnesota, which beat Phoenix 96-90, hosts San Antonio and Seattle hosts Phoenix. San Antonio beat Tulsa 102-94 to leave Tulsa with the league record for fewest wins in a season (three).

Et cetera

CYCLING: Juan Jose Cobo won the Spanish Vuelta, protecting his 13-second lead over Britain's Christopher Froome during the traditional finish in Madrid.

Hockey: Cory Conacher and Ondrej Palat scored for the Lightning in a 4-2 loss to the Panthers in the first game of a prospects tournament in Coral Springs.

Track: World champion Yohan Blake ran 100 meters in 9.82 seconds to set a meet record at the ISTAF event in Berlin. Blake, 21, seized the world title earlier this year after Jamaica's Usain Bolt was disqualified for a false start. Bolt, the world record-holder, skipped the Berlin event.

Times wires

By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, September 11, 2011

TAMPA — The first time RB Darrell Scott tried to hurdle a Ball State defender Saturday, he took a shoulder pad to an area of the body not intended for such a collision and was doubled over on the sideline for the next two plays.

"It took like 20 minutes for me to get right again," Scott said Sunday, laughing about his 82-yard effort in his first USF home game. "Besides that, I think I hit the holes right. I didn't let the first tackler put me down. I just let the line open up the holes. That was the main thing."

But Scott tried it again —twice — and hurdled a safety in a 31-yard run that was the Bulls' longest play in the 37-7 rout, setting up his own short touchdown run.

"I just need to settle down a little bit," Scott said. "It was too many, and people are going to think I'm always hurdling, which isn't the case. Just (Saturday) night, it just happened."

Scott is about 240 pounds, so as coach Skip Holtz pointed out, there are alternatives to taking to the air when a would-be tackler is approaching.

"I don't know if he's trying to become a hurdle champion or what," Holtz said. "When you're 245 pounds, you run through people. You don't jump over them. He's trying to hurdle everybody out there. He said 'I did it in high school all the time,' and I said "This isn't high school anymore.' But he's a talented player, and it's nice to get him some carries."

It was Scott's first touchdown since his college debut in August 2008 at Colorado. He transferred to USF last year.

UNSUNG STAR: It turns out USF's fumble-return touchdown on the opening kickoff was sparked by redshirt freshman Spencer Boyd, a transfer from Notre Dame who forced the fumble on the first play of his college career, allowing Mark Joyce to score eight seconds into the game.

"The fact there was a mixup means we've got guys running down like crazy all over the kickoff team — that's great to me," Boyd said. "That's a year and a half of practice built up inside of me. I wanted to let it loose and do my job on the kickoff team."

Boyd, who has worked at receiver and cornerback, is settling in at safety and earned the "Effort Award" on defense.

THIS AND THAT: Three true freshmen made their debuts Saturday — WRs Andre Davis (Jefferson) and Ruben Gonzalez (Robinson), as well as FB Tye Turner, who had the lead block on Scott's touchdown run. … Redshirt freshman Ruben Garcia (Durant) also made his USF debut on special teams, on kickoff coverage. … Sophomore S JaQuez Jenkins (hamstring) and senior WR Joel Miller (concussion) sat out the game.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, September 11, 2011

Rays at Orioles

When/where: 7:05 tonight; Camden Yards, Baltimore

TV/radio: Sun Sports; 620-AM, 680-AM (Spanish)

Starting pitchers:

Rays: RH Jeff Niemann (9-7, 4.07)

Orioles: LH Zach Britton (9-9, 4.33)

Watch for …

Standing tall: Niemann is looking to get righted after back-to-back rough starts against the Rangers, allowing 12 runs in 91/3 innings. He is 4-3, 4.96 in 10 games vs. the Orioles but 2-2, 7.13 in five at Camden Yards.

Zach attack: Britton, a 23-year-old rookie, has been one of the O's few success stories. He threw six solid innings to beat the Rays Sept. 2 and overall is 2-1, 3.12 against them.

Key matchups

Rays vs. Britton

Evan Longoria 2-for-5

B.J. Upton 1-for-8

Ben Zobrist 1-for-6

Orioles vs. Niemann

Cesar Izturis 4-for-16

Adam Jones 4-for-19

Nick Markakis 8-for-23, HR

Marc Topkin, Times staff writer

Arrival of the day

INF/OF Russ Canzler got word of his unexpected promotion in memorable fashion. The Triple-A Bulls got back to Durham about 8 a.m. Saturday after an eight-hour bus ride from their season-ending loss in Columbus, Ohio, and Canzler was saying his goodbyes when manager Charlie Montoyo said, "Good luck this offseason. Oh, and good luck in the big leagues, too." Just like that, Canzler's dream was realized. "That'll wake you up real quick," he said.

Bash brothers

The Uptons are the eighth set of brothers to combine for 50 or more homers in a season:

Irish and Bob Meusel, 1925

Joe and Vince DiMaggio, 1937-40-41

Hank and Tommie Aaron, 1962

Carlos and Lee May, 1969

Tony and Billy Conigliaro, 1970

Jason and Jeremy Giambi, 2000-02

Bret and Aaron Boone, 2001-03

B.J. and Justin Upton, 2011

Sunday, September 11, 2011

NEW YORK — Oklahoma heads into Saturday's game at No. 5 Florida State as the first team to be ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press for the 100th time.

Notre Dame has 95 appearances as the No. 1 team in the AP poll, which began in 1936. Ohio State has 94 and Southern California has 90.

Oklahoma received 32 first-place votes and 1,441 points from the media panel. Alabama reclaimed the No. 2 spot.

Florida is No. 16. USF moved up two spots to No. 20 and made its season debut in the coaches poll at No. 22. One team remaining on USF's schedule is receiving votes — No. 18 West Virginia, which comes to Tampa for the regular-season finale on Dec. 1.

Defending national champion Auburn moved back into the rankings at No. 21, and Arizona moved back in at No. 22. Missouri and Penn State fell out.

FSU coach Jimbo Fisher is telling his players to enjoy the week of one of the biggest games in Doak Campbell Stadium history..

"It's why you're in the game," Fisher said. "Heck, if you don't want to do this, you need to go home. You need to find something else to do. Dadgum. This is what it's all about.

"This is the fun time. This isn't any time to get nervous. It's time to compete. You want to win and all that, but now it's time to lay it on the line and have fun."

Back to work, michigan: Brady Hoke led Michigan to a dramatic victory, beating Notre Dame with two touchdowns in the last 1:12, but he didn't spend much time enjoying it.

The NCAA-record crowd of 114,804 saw a slew of mistakes in the first prime-time game at the Big House.

Hoke got out of the stadium about 1:30 a.m. and went to sleep about two hours later. He refused to give into the buzz that left tens of thousands of fans in their seats long after the game ended just before midnight.

"We're a long way away," he said after getting off to a 2-0 start. "You're going to get sick of me saying that, but we are. The expectation for this program is way too high for us to think we're where we need to be."

The Wolverines stayed out of the AP poll, leading the unranked teams receiving votes.

The first game under the lights in Ann Arbor didn't lead to a spike in problems.

There were 14 arrests, most for disorderly conduct, seven citations, including four for bringing alcohol into the stadium, and 20 people were ejected, according to Diane Brown of the University of Michigan Department of Public Safety. She said the incidents were in line with a game that started at 3:30. One fan went into cardiac arrest and was hospitalized in critical condition.

"We're going to have another night game in the future," athletic director Dave Brandon said Sunday night. "It was a rousing success in terms of the way our fans embraced the opportunity and the fact that the number of shenanigans was at a normal level."

Minnesota coach improves: Gophers coach Jerry Kill showed improvement and was resting comfortably at a hospital after suffering a seizure late in Saturday's home loss. Team physician Pat Smith said tests have come back normal and further testing will continue as necessary. The violent seizure was due to medication related to Kill's kidney cancer, along with dehydration on a warm day, school officials said. Kill has had similar seizures in recent years and always made a full recovery.

colorado state: Starting linebacker Mychal Sisson is out indefinitely after undergoing surgery on his right ankle.

Georgia: The Bulldogs will try to recover from their first 0-2 start in 15 years after losing a second starting linebacker. Junior Christian Robinson hurt his foot Saturday and will miss at least two games. Last week, the team lost starter Alec Ogletree for four to six weeks with a broken foot. Options to replace Robinson include Jeremy Sulek, a senior walk-on, and junior Mike Gillard. The next two games are against Coastal Carolina and at Mississippi. "We will tweak a couple of things and be in good shape,'' coach Mark Richt said. "The future is still very bright."

Notre dame: After a last-second loss at Michigan dropped the Irish to 0-2, coach Brian Kelly said he still believes in his team. "We're shaping our team every single day," Kelly said. "All you guys care about and our fans (care about is) that it equals wins. But we're building it the right way. There are too many good things happening out there for us not to break through." The Irish are last nationally with 10 turnovers and 103rd with an average of 8.5 penalties a game.

Times staff writer Greg Auman contributed to this report, which used information from the Orlando Sentinel.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, September 11, 2011

ST. PETERSBURG — Three-and-a-half games out is apparently close enough, as the Rays are calling up fireballing LHP Matt Moore in an attempt to bolster their bullpen.

Moore, 22, emerged as one of the top prospects in the game with a spectacular 2011 season, going a combined 12-3, 1.92 with 210 strikeouts in 155 innings at Double-A Montgomery and Triple-A Durham.

Moore, with a fastball clocked in the high 90-mph range, joins the Rays today in Baltimore as the bullpen is shorthanded with closer Kyle Farnsworth sidelined by elbow tenderness.

The team will have to see how Moore handles the transition to the bullpen, and if it goes well, he could play a key role as LHP David Price did in 2008. A similar move last year with RHP Jeremy Hellickson didn't work as well. LHP Alex Torres, another prospect, is also expected to be called up this week.

With Farnsworth out indefinitely, the Rays initially will use a matchup approach to cover the late innings.

"We've got be very open-minded and flexible right now," manager Joe Maddon said. "We can't have any kind of set parameters. We just can't."

RHP Joel Peralta, who has 102 minor-league saves (including 20 last season for Washington's Triple-A team), is the top candidate for closing duties, and LHP J.P. Howell (trying to get back to his 2009 17-save form) is also going to be in the mix.

Farnsworth said he will rest and receive extensive treatment on his tender right elbow for a few days before even playing catch to determine if it feels better. "It's really day by day," he said. "Hopefully it gets better fast."

Maddon suggested Farns­worth could be ready as soon as Tuesday, but that seems unlikely. "There's been different times this year he's been a little bit iffy with his arm or his elbow, and he's actually come back pretty quickly to where we didn't even have to recognize it." Maddon said. "So we'll just see."

BASH BROTHERS: Manny Upton was the proudest papa in the building Sunday.

When B.J. Upton hit a fifth-inning grand slam for his 20th homer of the season, he made history as he and Justin, the Diamondbacks rightfielder, became the first brothers in history to have 20-homer, 20-steal seasons in the same year.

"I'm very proud of them," Manny Upton said. "That's a big accomplishment."

B.J., who is three years older at 27, had 20 steals by the end of June, and Justin got to 20 homers by late July. Justin logged his 20th steal in late August, so they were all waiting for B.J.'s 20th homer, which came in grand fashion — his first — and was followed by a curtain call.

"It was definitely good for the family," B.J. said. "And especially the first grand slam. Couldn't ask for a better day."

Justin sent a quick congratulatory text. After his game in Arizona, he said: "Definitely a cool accomplishment. We're glad we're the first. I hope we can do it again."

The Uptons also became the seventh set of brothers to have 20 homers each in a season and the eighth to combine for at least 50.

MISCELLANY: INF/OF Russ Canzler — still thrilled over his unexpected callup, and excited to see family that will come to Baltimore from his Hazleton, Pa., hometown — joined the team, along with RHP Dane De La Rosa, who got the final two outs. … To make room for Canzler on the 40-man roster, RHP Mike Ekstrom was designated for assignment; another move will be made today for Moore. … DH Johnny Damon had his 514th career double, tying Edgar Martinez for 44th all time. … Red Sox LF Carl Crawford is hitting .158 (6-for-38) against the Rays.

Times staff, wires
Sunday, September 11, 2011

Bucs coach Raheem Morris, on the pass rush

"If you don't get to third down on these guys, you got no chance of getting after them, because the ball comes out so quickly with the bubble screens, quick sticks and things of that nature. We knew they would dink and dunk you a little bit."

Bucs QB Josh Freeman, on the offensive struggles:

"You talk about a rhythm, but in the first quarter I was on the field for maybe five plays. … You have to maximize your potential on first and second down so you're not in a third-and-long situation. The Detroit offense did a good job of holding the ball for a long time. We've got to help our defense out in that manner because being on the field for that long just wears and wears and wears on the defense."

Bucs CB Ronde Barber:

"We feel like we had their game plan down. We knew it was going to be a lot of shotgun quicks, a lot of counter-pass seams and we saw all that. We just didn't execute as well as they did."

Bucs G Davin Joseph, on the success of the two-minute offense:

"We just started letting things go, (putting) the entire game in a two-minute drill. At times, it worked for us. At times, it kind of stalled."

Bucs DT Gerald McCoy, on high expectations of the defensive line:

"We're not playing to people's expectations. It's not what we're worried about. The great thing about the league is it's a long season. It's not like college where you lose one and it's over. Just go back, make some adjustments and fix it. There's nothing to get down about."

Bucs WR Mike Williams, on the offense:

"We know what our weakness is and that's just what we did; we came out and started slow. We didn't start as fast as we wanted. … It was nothing that they were doing."

Lions WR Nate Burleson:

"If I was a spectator, I would tune into this one. For so many reasons, Tampa had a lot to play for. They obviously wanted to redeem themselves from last year. And we wanted to do the same and prove that we were a better team."

Lions RB Jahvid Best, on the Bucs defense:

"They're definitely good. They have some good guys up front and definitely No. 20 (Ronde Barber), he's all over the place all the time and you have to beat them."

Lions WR Calvin Johnson:

"We came out here and battled. We made it a lot harder than it should have been. But that's a credit to the Bucs. They kept fighting."

Pat Yasinskas, ESPN.com's AFC blogger:

It might be only one game, but this was not a good start for the Bucs in any way. … If you don't use (RB LeGarrette) Blount, you're going to end up with your defense on the field for far too long and that's exactly what happened.

John Niyo, Detroit News, on the Lions:

Folks, this is what it looks like when a plan comes together, when talent begins to flourish and self-assuredness starts to become a self-fulfilling prophecy. … But I'll take it a step further. This was a perfect example of why the Lions just might be a playoff team this year.