Bucs Offense Comes Out Flat Against Steelers The Tampa Tribune, published 24 December 2002 Scot Brantley tossed out a fitting adjective in the second quarter. ``Dog ugly.'' The Bucs' radio analyst was referring to a Shaun King pass that sailed high and wide, but he could have been offering an early summation of Tampa Bay's entire offensive showing. And it didn't get much better in a 17-7 loss to Pittsburgh on Monday night at Raymond James Stadium. ``We lost a game tonight,'' receiver Joe Jurevicius said. ``We didn't play well. We made mistakes in all phases of the game. But right now, the most important thing for us to do is to get really ticked off and know that the only way to go to the playoffs is strong. It's going to start this week at practice, and hopefully it will transform into the game [the regular-season finale against Chicago] on Sunday.'' It's generally agreed that the Bucs must take their offense up a notch if they are going to advance far in the postseason. Against the Steelers, in a crucial showdown, they offered little indication they can do so. Except for a gritty effort by Keyshawn Johnson (eight catches for 132 yards and a touchdown), the Bucs rode up and down the field in a beat up jalopy with three flat tires. Monday's performance had much to do with a rusty backup quarterback who started because of Brad Johnson's back injury. Still, Jon Gruden's offense never found a rhythm. With an anemic running game (14 carries, 74 yards, led by Mike Alstott's 28 yards), quarterbacks were asked to carry the load, and neither King nor Rob Johnson proved able. King, the former prep All- American at Gibbs High, completed just nine of 26 passes for 73 yards with a first-quarter interception that was returned for a touchdown. Rob Johnson, who entered with 6:40 left in the third quarter, generated a drive from the Tampa Bay 5 to the Pittsburgh 3, but on second-and-goal, he fumbled on a hit by nose tackle Casey Hampton and linebacker Kendrell Bell recovered for the Steelers. Johnson finally put the Bucs in the end zone with 1:14 left when he connected with Keyshawn Johnson from 18 yards. Gruden must have known what he was doing when he snubbed conventional wisdom in the first quarter and took three points off the board. He sensed the Bucs wouldn't be able to chip away at Pittsburgh's early 17-0 lead: After Martin Gramatica kicked a 50-yard field goal with 2:03 left in the first quarter, the Bucs accepted a penalty against the Steelers and received a first down at the Pittsburgh 28. Tampa Bay picked up another first down on a nifty 15- yard scramble by King, but on second-and-two at the Steelers' 7, Alstott fumbled and Pittsburgh's Aaron Smith recovered. ``I thought it was a good decision,'' Keyshawn Johnson said. ``We got a first down. We should have went in and scored seven, but what did we do? We fumbled. Did we have a magic wand and know we were going to fumble?'' No, the Bucs had no magic wand. Nor much magic.