Game notes and anecdotes from the Buccaneer locker room The Tampa Tribune, published 28 September 2015 Texans carve up Bucs’ run defense for 186 yards Without their best back, Arian Foster, the Texans couldn’t generate much of a ground attack while losing their first two games. Foster remained sidelined by a groin injury Sunday, but Houston carved up Tampa Bay’s rush defense for 186 yards as Alfred Blue carried 31 times for 139 yards. “Everybody to a man left a lot of plays out there,’’ Bucs DT Clinton McDonald said. “It’s disappointing because we know we’re a better team than that. It’s always hard to swallow that pill when you allow yourself to lose to a team you know you could have beat. This one was more about what we didn’t do. Hats off whenever a guy runs for 100 yards, but we didn’t tackle and we weren’t in our gaps.’’ Lavonte David led all players with 14 stops, but many came after Blue had gashed the Bucs downfield. “We had so many opportunities to take hold of this game, but we just didn’t get it done,’’ David said. “I’m not happy at all with our run defense because their whole plan today was to get the ground game going. As a leader, I take responsibility for what happened out there.’’ A few regrets DE Josh Martin, signed as a free agent last Tuesday, had an opportunity to make a potential game-changing play in the third quarter. Texas rookie WR Chandler Worthy fumbled a punt deep in his own territory when stripped by LB Danny Lansanah. The ball tumbled free toward the sideline, where Martin tried to pick it up instead of falling on it. Instead, Houston’s Whitney Mercilus recovered at the 6-yard line. “You try to make a play on the ball, you try to be a good athlete and bend at the knees for a scoop and score, but it just didn’t work out,’’ Martin said. “I could have fallen on it, sure, but I was trying to grab the ball. You’re going full speed, trying to make a tackle, and all of a sudden the ball squirts out and you have to change direction. It’s a tough deal, but obviously, I should have come up with that football.’’ Take a seat Alterraun Verner, signed as a 2014 free agent to a deal that pays him $14 million in guaranteed money, officially lost his starting job to Tim Jennings on Sunday. Verner played sparingly and made one tackle while Jennings was credited with five stops, When starter Johnthan Banks left with a first-quarter knee injury, Mike Jenkins came on instead of Verner. “It’s a privilege just to be in this game,’’ Verner said. “When my number’s called, I’m going to play my hardest. We got some stops at times, but they put up 19 points on us today and drove down the field at will.’’ Evans laments dropped balls A year after Mike Evans set a franchise record with 12 touchdown catches, his sophomore season is off to an up-and-down start. Evans missed the season opener with a hamstring injury and he was held without a catch at New Orleans. On Sunday, he was targeted 17 times out of 36 passes thrown by Winston, finishing with seven receptions for 101 yards. But after the game, Evans lamented several dropped balls that proved costly. “If I make a couple of those plays, we get the win,’’ said Evans, who grew up in nearby Galveston. “Those were big third-down conversions, like four of them, that I usually catch and didn’t. Jameis played great and I have to be there for him. He trusts me and I feel like I let him down. It’s my fault.’’ Yellow fever Safety D.J. Swearinger made six stops against the Texans, but a crucial holding penalty cost the Bucs a chance to start a drive at the Houston 45, with momentum. “It was a big play, without a doubt,’’ said Swearinger, whose penalty nullified a sack-fumble by McCoy that was recovered by DE Jacquies Smith. “I can’t be holding on that play and I can’t tug on a guy’s jersey. We had chances to make plays all day ...and we didn’t get the job done.’’ Swearinger’s gaffe was one of 10 penalties for 84 yards assessed against the Bucs, who entered the game with an NFC-high 23 penalties. “Those penalties are big,’’ said Bucs CB Johnthan Banks, who did not return after suffering a first-quarter knee injury. “I’m fine. My toe got stuck in the ground and I tried to pivot. I think it was the turf.’’ McCoy not playing at 100 percent Pro Bowl DT Gerald McCoy kept shuttling in and out of the game and had a bag of ice strapped across his right shoulder in the locker room. “I wasn’t able to be me,’’ said McCoy, who was hurt in last week’s victory at New Orleans. “My presence helps and, obviously, I’d like to be 100 percent, but things happen.’’ McCoy made only two tackles, but turned in what appeared to be a signature play late in the opening quarter by sacking Ryan Mallett and forcing a fumble recovered by teammate Jacquies Smith. The potential takeaway, however, was nullified by a holding call against safety D.J. Swearinger.