No kicks for Bucs' Carney Kevin McGeever The St.Petersburg Times, published 1988 John Carney showered and dressed at a pace that suggested there was little reason to hang around. On Sunday the Tampa Bay Buccaneers scored their biggest victory since who knows when - 10-5 over the AFC East champion Buffalo Bills. The home-team locker room was full of good cheer. John Carney kept to himself. This is the way it is for placekickers: Play under a microscope - four or five cameos a game, perhaps a minute or two before the public. And don't mess up. Carney was reluctant to celebrate Sunday because when the Bucs asked him to clinch the victory, he couldn't do it. After Buffalo reduced Tampa Bay's advantage to 10-5 in the fourth quarter, the Bucs took their own sweet time in 10 plays and reached the Buffalo 18. Carney tried a 35-yard field goal that would give the Bucs an eight-point lead and require the Bills to score twice to win. The kick was blocked, but the Bills were offsides, giving the Bucs a first down. Three more plays moved the ball to the Buffalo 7. Carney's 24-yard field goal was good, but the Bucs were penalized 5 yards for guard John Bruhin's false start. One more kick, this time from 29 yards. Buffalo lineman Bruce Smith blocked it - almost routinely. There was plenty of time left - 3 minutes 29 seconds - for the Bills to score. “I was very concerned,” said Carney, who paid special attention as Buffalo reached the Tampa Bay 25. “I have to thank Mark Robinson for the interception.” Carney was off the hook, but the blocked kicks persist. Since he signed on Nov. 22 to replace injured Donald Igwebuike, Carney has tried six field goals (including two that were negated by penalties). Four have been returned to sender. “Because of the blocks,” Carney said, “I've been trying to speed things up, and in the process of speeding things up, I'm driving the ball instead of getting the ball up.” Carney, who is the career leader in field goals at no less an institution than Notre Dame, said he has never experienced such a streak before - “not even in practice.” The trouble is, placekickers are remembered for what they have done lately. That isn't much from Carney, who hopes this cameo with the Bucs leads to a full-time NFL job. He has two more games.