Pain Doesn't Stop Pittman Eduardo Encina, The Tampa Tribune, published 25 October 2004 Michael Pittman had never felt pain like this, first a shooting sensation down his spine that made the lower left part of his body numb, then a sharp burning from his left knee that had the Bucs tailback fearing the worst. ``It was burning,'' Pittman said ``I really thought that I had hurt myself, but once I got up it eased up.'' The Bucs already had placed their rushing load on Pittman's gimpy back and now his knee had given way after getting twisted awkwardly on a late- game carry. Luckily for the Bucs, the latter was just a sprain, but every play Sunday was still an adventure in agony for Pittman. Despite the injuries, Pittman managed to play through the pain and revive a lethargic running game in Tampa Bay's 19-7 victory against Chicago at Raymond James Stadium. ``When I was running the ball it was like the worst pain that you don't ever want to feel,'' Pittman said. In his fourth game back from serving a three-game suspension, Pittman had 23 carries and 109 rushing yards - both season highs - as he took advantage of a Bears team that entered the game as the NFL's fourth-worst rush defense. On a day when the spotlight was on former Buc Thomas Jones' return to Tampa, Pittman gave the Bucs their first 100-yard rushing game since Dec. 14, when Jones had 134 against Houston. ``Mike played an unbelievable game,'' Brian Griese said. ``I think he made more plays today for us than he did all year. And that's a credit to him because he was in pain.'' Pittman first left the game in the second quarter. His back became sore during Friday's walkthrough, and worsened through the first half. ``I don't know whether it was the speed of the game that made it worse,'' he said. ``This is the first time I've ever had back spasms. It was painful, but I just wanted to stay in the game and contribute when I was in there.'' Pittman was on the receiving end of the Bucs' longest pass play of the game, a 46- yard gain in which he beat Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher down the sideline in the first quarter. The play set up the first score of the game, a 22- yard field goal. ``He had a key reception to ignite us,'' Jon Gruden said. But Gruden was bothered by Pittman's third-quarter fumble, which led to the Bears' only touchdown and brought Chicago within 13-7. ``I don't like him fumbling the ball,'' Gruden said, ``but he has twice in the last two games and we have to correct that.'' Pittman managed to redeem himself after a Ronde Barber interception that gave the Bucs the ball at the Chicago 11-yard line. Pittman took three carries up the middle, the last one a 3- yard touchdown run that sealed the game with 8:52 remaining. ``We made an attempt to run the ball,'' Gruden said. ``We made that our theme all week. It's a credit to Mike Pittman, who didn't feel good from the beginning, coming back out of the showers and helping us to a victory.`` X-rays on Pittman's sprained knee were negative and he said he will be able to play in the Bucs' next game Nov. 7 against Kansas City. ``I'm hurting right now,'' he said. ``I'm looking forward to resting my body over the bye week and getting going. ... I had a good game today and hopefully I can take my game to another level and maybe help this team win the next nine in a row.''