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Ira Kaufman, The Tampa Tribune, published 26 December 2011
Davin Joseph was asked what he would say to fans who suggest the Bucs aren't playing hard down the stretch for their embattled head coach.
"It can't be that simple,'' Joseph said after Tampa Bay's ninth consecutive setback. "You can't say this looks like a team that doesn't want Coach Morris to come back. The way we're going, I'd say this is a team where I'm wondering whether our players are going to come back.''
DE Michael Bennett, who registered Tampa Bay's only sack, agreed the focus should be on underachieving players, not Morris.
"This is the NFL and coaches aren't supposed to motivate you,'' Bennett said. "You've got to have some motivation yourself. At the end of the day, it's about taking on a blocker, shedding the block and making a play. All the rest doesn't matter.''
Yellow fever
The game's most bizarre play occurred midway through the third quarter with the Panthers leading 27-10.
On first down from midfield, Freeman handed off to WR Micheal Spurlock, who threw a lateral pass back to Freeman. TE Kellen Winslow hauled in a 22-yard pass from Freeman, but fumbled when he attempted to hurdle two defenders.
Bucs right tackle Jeremy Trueblood was flagged for clipping on the play and Bucs rookie TE Luke Stocker for unnecessary roughness. The Panthers declined the clipping call and accepted the personal foul.
"A guy caught me from the side and knocked the ball loose,'' said Winslow, who topped all players with six receptions. "As a team, we're as frustrated as we can be. We're young, and while that's no excuse, our guys are learning how games are lost in the NFL.''
Milestones
Winslow, who was called for offensive pass interference in the second quarter, extended his streak to 90 consecutive games with at least one catch.
Barber's 224th game as a Buccaneer tied former LB Derrick Brooks for the most in franchise history.
Connor Barth has converted 14 consecutive field goal attempts and is 25-for-27 on the season.
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