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The Tampa Tribune, published 11 September 2006
There was an obvious theme in the Bucs locker room following their disappointing 27-0 loss to Baltimore. It’s just one game was said by more than a handful of players. Simeon Rice went so far as to remind everyone what happened four years ago when the Bucs lost their home opener to New Orleans. “The last time we lost our opener, we won the whole thing,” Rice said, recalling Tampa Bay’s Super Bowl year. “It’s a long journey. We can’t put too much on one game, but you take something away from it, some positives. You have to take something you can build on.”
One positive is the fact the Carolina Panthers are in a hole just like the Bucs. Carolina lost to Atlanta, the Bucs upcoming opponent. Rice isn’t expecting any empathy from the Falcons, nor is he expecting them to be complacent since they share the NFC South Division lead with the New Orleans Saints, who also won their opener.
“Let me call Michael Vick and see if he feels sorry for us,” Rice said. “Let me call Rich McKay and tell him to take it easy because we lost one game. It’s one game.”
One horribly lopsided game, in which the defense had it’s share of bad moments, though obviously not as many as the offense. “I am just interested to see how we bounce back this week,” Rice said. “That will tell who we are as a team. We have been here before. We are a tight group of guys.”
Last shutout
The last time the Bucs were shut out was December 17, 2005, a 28-0 loss at New England. The last time they were blanked at home was September 29, 2006 in a 27-0 loss to Detroit. #
Home openers
The Buccaneers opened their season at home for the first time since 2002. The Bucs have opened only 14 of their 31 seasons at home and are now 5-9 in those contests. Overall, Tampa Bay is 13-18 in season openers.
First loss to the Ravens
The Ravens earned their first victory in the all-time Tampa Bay-Baltimore series. The Bucs won the only other two meetings, 22-10 in Tampa in 2001 and 25-0 in Baltimore in 2002.
White on white
The Bucs wore the relatively rare uniform combinations of white jerseys and white pants against the Ravens on Sunday. That marked just the seventh time since the team introduced new uniforms in 1997 that they have worn white-on-white. The team is now 4-3 all-time in that combination.
First sack
DE Dewayne White recorded the Bucs’ first sack of the season, a 13-yarder against McNair near the end of the first quarter. It was the 10th sack of White’s career.
Inactives
Inactives: Each team was required to declare eight players inactive 90 minutes before the game. Three of the Bucs’ inactives were starters sitting out due to injuries: G Dan Buenning, G Davin Joseph and LB Shelton Quarles. The other five were CB Alan Zemaitis, WR Paris Warren, WR Maurice Stovall, DT/DE Julian Jenkins and designated third quarterback Tim Rattay.
Injury update
TE Dave Moore left the game in the third quarter after injuring his ribs on a punt return. The Bucs' long snapper was injured trying to tackle return specialist B.J. Sams following the Bucs' opening series of the second half. Newly acquired TE Doug Jolley is the backup long snapper. Rookie T Jeremy Trueblood stumbled off the field late in the game following a Bucs' punt. Trueblood fell to the ground on the sideline and was tended to by the trainers, but was not listed on the injury report following the game.
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