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Posted Oct 1, 2007 by Alex Vila
Updated Oct 1, 2007 at 12:43 PM
Coach Jon Gruden’s weekly news conference started late Monday, but once it did the news was bad – running back Cadillac Williams and left tackle Luke Petitgout are out for the season with knee injuries.
Gruden said the two will have season-ending surgery this week.
‘‘It’s a big blow. Other people need to step up now. Tough day that way,’‘’ Gruden said.
‘‘We’ll move on and do the best we can in the absence of these players.’‘
Gruden said Michael Pittman and Earnest Graham will fill the hole left by Cadillac, who tore his patellar tendon at the end of the first quarter of Sunday’s 20-7 victory over Carolina. He also said there
were a lot of thoughts going on regarding roster moves, but he would not comment on whether Ken Darby would be recalled from the practice squad or anything else.
Gruden said he did not feel snakebit over the injuries.
‘‘I don’t think catastrophic is the word. You think of hurricanes and things like that,’‘’ Gruden said. ‘‘We have to rally around this football team.’‘
While Pittman and Graham replaced Williams against the Panthers, Donald Penn lined up at left tackle after Petitgout went down early in the second quarter. Anthony Davis, who has started at left tackle, was inactive Sunday.
Gruden was proud of the defense’s effort and Monte Kiffin’s game plan against Carolina. The Panthers avoided a shutout by scoring with 22 seconds left.
‘‘We had a pretty good pass rush at times. It was a collaborative effort,’’ he said. ‘‘Standards are high. We want to win games and to do that we have to play very good defense; stop the run, get some three and outs, get turnovers. We need to do that Sunday’’ when the Bucs travel to Indianapolis to play the undefeated and defending champion Colts.
With the first quarter of the season over, and the Bucs sitting atop the NFC South with a 3-1 record, Gruden said the team will have a different look.
‘‘Just like the first quarter started on the road against Seattle, this quarter starts at Indianapolis and it will be a great challenge,’‘’ he said.
‘‘We realize the Colts are very talented and we’ll probably be a heavy underdog.’‘
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Reader Comments
Por (Maurice) on October 01, 2007 (Suggest removal)
It was bad enough when Caddy got hurt but losing Luke was Huge. I hope that theres a lineman out their before the trade deadline, if not then i hope donald, or davis can go out there and stop FREENY, and all the other pass rushers we play this year. Either way were still making the playoffs.
Suggest removalWho’s in first place of the division again?
Por (david birch) on October 01, 2007 (Suggest removal)
injury update from the indy star: wr marvin harrison (bruised knee in first quarter)...s bob sanders(bruised ribs)...lb rob morris (sprained knee, most likely out)...rb joseph addia (bruised shoulder)...te ben utecht (uspecified but did not play in second half)...all injuries are considered serious except addia’s…
Suggest removalPor (Joe Perez) on October 01, 2007 (Suggest removal)
Losing these two guys is a real hit! Altho I love Caddy, and I think he was getting it turned aroung, we will miss Luke the most. I will say I watched Penn the rest of the game, and I think he played very well. I did notice that, unlike last week when we ran better as the game went on, the opposite happened Sunday. Yardage became harder and harder to come by. That is disappointing, but the o-line did have an excellent game. On 4th down at the goal line, Wade is the one who was overpowered, there was a cavity there if he had been able to hold his ground.
Suggest removalPor (Steve Jones) on October 01, 2007 (Suggest removal)
There’s a reason Graham hasn’t started played for four years. He averaged less than 3 ypc yesterday in his first extended playing time and couldn’t punch it in from the 1. RB by committee isn’t such a bad thing. There are very few feature backs that carry the load without missing time due to injury. Darby was great at Alabama before his injury. Let’s see what he can do.
Suggest removalPor (Erik Cottman) on October 01, 2007 (Suggest removal)
Now we all will see what type of team this is. We all have seen what they can do but what is the character of this team via Jon or Chuckie? Has Garcia revived Chuckie back yet? I hope so. Here is where Allen/Gruden makes or breaks their career in Tampa. We still have 2 good backs, the trade deadline, and 2 tackles. Pettigut is the biggest loss because obviously the team need stability at that position. Who cares? We’re 3-1!
Suggest removalPor (dex fields) on October 01, 2007 (Suggest removal)
I agree with pat,losing luke hurts alot,this line is playing very well.I heard during the monday nite game the bucs reached out to cory dillon.This ealy in the season with the bucs playing so well i think they should put a package together and try to get Micheal Turner from the chargers.He is only 25 yr old and only signed a one year contract with the charger.This guy can start for alot of teams right now-he’s a beast!This guy hits the hole hard and quick.He strong and fast and at 5’10 227 he breaks alot of tackles.
Suggest removalPor (Scott Rutherford) on October 01, 2007 (Suggest removal)
Send Simms and a 2nd and 3rd rounder to SD and get Michael Turner. It would be an upgrade above all on current roster.
Suggest removalPor (mike kobres) on October 01, 2007 (Suggest removal)
If Garcia hasnt learned to “slide” yet, I dont think he’s gonna! Dillon, Rasta Rickey or Barber would be an Upgrade from Caddy!
Suggest removalPor (Travis Argue) on October 01, 2007 (Suggest removal)
According to Chris Mortensen’s ESPN article, the Bucs contacted Corey Dillon’s agent, BEFORE Sunday’s game even ended. Rest assured Chucky is doing everything he can to bring someone else in. Tiki Barber might not be as much of a fetch as you would think. He already said that Tom Coughlin ran him out of football. You don’t think that the chance to play with his brother one last time isn’t on his mind? With a Barber on each side of the ball, the Bucs easily become one of the top tier teams in the NFC.
Suggest removalPor (Janet) on October 01, 2007 (Suggest removal)
I think if Gruden, Barber and Brooks were standing on the sidelines, doing the huggy thing perhaps we would have had a shut out! Monty was pissed and I don’t blame him. These guys were acting like the game was over and it “weren’t” over.
Bad move, Jon!
Suggest removalPor (JP) on October 01, 2007 (Suggest removal)
Looks like Corey Dillon says “no”. Sorry I don’t think that Michael Turner would be worth Chris Simms plus a 2nd rounder. I just don’t see running backs being worth that. I think Michael turner is probably worth a 2nd and 4th but that’s it. And knowing San Diego’s General Manager Smith, he would probably run that price high knowing our situation. I still don’t like the idea of giving away picks for a running back. For a running back, even Julius Jones or Marion Barber, I still see as worth only a 2nd rounder. See who else is out there for a good price. If not, we deal with Pitman, Graham, and Darby. They are pretty hard and tough runners.
Suggest removalPor (Michael Harris) on October 03, 2007 (Suggest removal)
Frankly the Bucs will do better with Pittman and Graham; but Petitgout is a huge team loss.
Suggest removalPor (Computers Software) on February 18, 2009 (Suggest removal)
Greatly written indeed.I really enjoyed your article and found it to be very informative, keep up the good work, I’ll be coming back to read any of your future articles.Thank you.Nice article.Like to read more comments like that.It helps to clear our mind.Thanks.
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