|
|
 |
Joe Henderson, The Tampa Tribune, published 8 January 2006
They were the kind of plays that can haunt a team for months, maybe even years. An interception off a tipped pass that led to an easy touchdown. A fumble that was returned for another touchdown. And, of course, an official's untimely whistle with the season on the line. These critical events turned against the Bucs in a 17-10 loss Saturday to Washington in the first and, for this team, the last round of the playoffs.
But if you take the view that the future of this team is brighter than the gloom that enveloped the 65,514 witnesses at Raymond James Stadium, it's easier to look at what came out of this season instead of focusing on what ended it. And nothing - nothing - was brighter for the Bucs than the emergence of quarterback Chris Simms. In his first turn in the playoff cauldron, with blitzers coming all day from all angles, Simms nearly brought the Bucs back from a 14-0 deficit. Had not a controversial but accurate ruling wiped out an apparent game-tying touchdown pass to Edell Shepherd with 2:55 to play, we might well be marveling at the fourth come-from-behind victory engineered this season by Simms.
"I feel I came a long way. I did some good things. I was definitely comfortable out there," Simms said. "I know I can do better things. I know I can improve and be a better player. But all in all, I was just excited to be out there this year and be part of a great team effort."
We all know the story. He was thrust into the lineup by default when an injury ended Brian Griese's season in Week 6 against Miami. Shortly afterward, the Bucs acquired the 49ers' Tim Rattay in a trade as insurance in case Simms was a flop. He wasn't needed. Along the way, we heard more and more good things about the kid from the University of Texas with the all-pro bloodlines. We heard about how much his teammates liked him. Weekly, you could see Coach Jon Gruden's admiration grow. We saw the come-from-behind wins. We saw the intangibles. We saw the quarterback who should lead the Bucs for the next 10 years.
On the first play of the Bucs' second offensive series, Washington defensive lineman Joe Salave'a tipped the ball just as the pass left Simms' hand. Linebacker LaVar Arrington intercepted, and one play later the Redskins had a 7-0 lead. On the next series, Washington's Sean Taylor ran 51 yards for a touchdown after Cadillac Williams fumbled. Down two touchdowns in less than a quarter, young quarterbacks are supposed to crumble in the playoffs.
Simms did not. "He did some good things, there's no question, against a defense that is pretty stingy and challenging," Gruden said. "They play a lot of different combination coverages that made it tough on us to get the ball to [Joey] Galloway. He did a nice job with their four-man rush at times. What can I say? Chris made some fine plays today. We just didn't get enough done."
His team trailing 17-3 at the half, Simms led the Bucs on a 51-yard scoring drive to start the third quarter. From the 2, he rolled left and dived over the corner of the end zone to make it a game. "It's a play we practice every week," he said. "I always kind of get on Coach and say he's too chicken to call it, but today he dialed it up. We basically faked the run we always do to [Mike] Alstott up the middle and I came off the left side. Todd Steussie threw a great block out in front of me and I took it into the corner of the end zone."
Well, we've certainly seen this before, haven't we? Would this be a rerun of the first Washington game, where Simms kept bringing the Bucs back all day? Would it be either of the Atlanta games?
It might have been. We'll never know for sure, though, because of an obscure NFL rule that led to an overturn of Simms' apparent 35-yard touchdown pass to Shepherd. Basically, the officials ruled Shepherd didn't have control of the ball when he hit the ground in the end zone. "That's the rule," Simms said with a shrug.
The Bucs got the ball back one more time with 1:05 to play and 54 yards away from a touchdown. As Simms walked to the line, he remembered thinking, "Here we go. We did it a minute ago, why not do it again?" Alas, one more tipped pass led to a final interception, and that was that. But was it really? I mean, you have to love the attitude.
A year ago, after the Bucs were humiliated in a game at Oakland, Gruden told everyone that the future for this team was so bright, he needed to wear shades. We laughed a lot at that. But now any questions about Simms' ability as an NFL quarterback have been answered, and it's fun to think about how much better he will get. Things look awfully bright after all. Of the many things the Bucs have to worry about in the offseason that is now here, Simms is not one of them. He's a big reason why on the darkest day of the season, you still might want to reach for the shades.
|
|
|
| |
| |
|