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Tom Jones, The St.Petersburg Times, published 18 December 2006
So how long before the Bucs brain trust offers flavor-of-the-minute Tim Rattay an $8-million contract extension?
Punt of the day
Hip hip hooray for Josh Bidwell. All season, we've pleaded for a coffin corner kick instead of booting it into the end zone. We doubt he listened to us, but his second-quarter 52-yard punt that bounced out of bounds at the Bears 5 is how you're supposed to do it.
Suggestion for a new NFL rule
Any time a receiver jerks his hand in the air like he's throwing a penalty flag, pleading for a pass interference call, he's given a 15-yard penalty. Second time: forced to watch every episode ever made of The Simple Life. Third time: banished to the CFL.
Strongest statement
Fox's Daryl Johnston stated the painfully obvious: "Obviously they don't have a quarterback. ... (Because there are no decent free agents out there), they're going to have to make a trade, put a package together and aggressively pursue somebody."
Worst timing
Not to sound like a prude, but do we really want our kids watching commercials for American Pie 5: The Naked Mile and Black Christmas during a Bucs game on a Sunday afternoon? Then again, anyone who would expose youngsters to a Bucs game isn't showing much parental control anyway.
Best prediction
After the Bucs' third series, Fox's Daryl Johnston said, "If Bruce Gradkowski doesn't improve his play, he's not going to make it through the first half." Dead on. Gradkowski was yanked with 3:51 left in the second quarter.
Goofiest statement
Fox's Tony Siragusa, talking about Bruce Gradkowski: "I think pulling him out of last week's game hurt his confidence. He isn't throwing a real good ball right now." You mean he was throwing a real good ball before that? Just talking off the top of my head, but not throwing a real good ball - isn't that why he was pulled a week ago?
Most shameful comments
Shame on the Fox announcers for "celebrating" Bears center Olin Kreutz moments after he purposefully drove his knee into the Bucs' Dewayne White and picked up an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
Overstatement of the day
Fox's Daryl Johnston said in overtime a Bucs win "would be huge for this team." How? So, what, they would end up 4-12 or 5-11 instead of 3-13? Yeah, that's huge, all right.
Worst sequence
Second quarter. Bucs change quarterbacks. Two incomplete passes. Timeout because the play clock is about to run out. Jump offside. Pass completed short of a first down. Punt. Only thing missing was Larry, Curly and Moe.
Biggest boneheaded moment
Why in the world is Jeremy Trueblood getting a 15-yard penalty for whipping his helmet in overtime after the fumble? He was saved when Bears kicker Robbie Gould kicked like Elliott Gould.
Killer play of the day
The Bucs' Jerald Sowell, lined up in the slot, jumped before the snap on third and inches in overtime. What makes it so bad is you get the feeling the Bucs were just going to have Mike Alstott smash it into the line anyway. Sowell wouldn't have been involved in the run. The Bucs backed up 5 yards, missed a pass, punted and the Bears drove for the winning field goal.
Hidden stat of the day
The Bucs' 95-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter was only 2 yards off the franchise record and tied for the third longest in franchise history. They have had two TD drives of 97 and two TD drives of 96, and three have come in the past five years. Who says Gruden isn't an offensive genius?
Best burst
Ike Hilliard's touchdown that tied the score at 31 was the first time Hilliard has run away from anyone since he was a Gator running away from a Seminole in the 1997 Sugar Bowl.
Number of the day
42: Possessions the Bucs went without a touchdown before Mike Alstott scored in the third quarter - the team's first touchdown since Thanksgiving Day. The Bucs then scored TDs on three of four possessions.
Best Ted Baxter imitation
Don't let the facts get in the way of a good sign-off. Fox's Dick Stockton screamed out, "And the Bears clinch homefield advantage in the playoffs for the first time ever!" Sounds great, except this is the third time they've had homefield advantage throughout the postseason. They were the NFC's top seed in 1985 and 1988. But nice try, Dick.
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