Tampa Bay Times from St. Petersburg, Florida • 49

o2c TIMES SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2003 BUCSNFL ion WlcQ unday ahee might see act 1 MH-i-M' Vml Times wires jmi 5 Davis, the league's leading rookie running back with 825 yards, did a little running on his bruised right thigh. He was hurt late Sunday when he took a helmet to the leg. Eagle confirms he received hate mail PHILADELPHIA Eagles receiver Freddie Mitchell confirmed he is one of six players who received racially motivated, threatening letters that are being investigated by the FBI. "It doesn't make any sense. But you know, there's racism everywhere," he said.

"I'm not worried about it. If not a threat to me at all. I don't live in fear. I just go out and live day to day. If you live in fear, you know your life will be messed up." Special agent Robert Hawk of the FBI's Cleveland office said more than 30 "racially hateful letters" were sent to "high-profile people in their respective communities professional athletes, business leaders, civic leaders, community leaders or organizations." He confirmed six letters were sent to pro athletes.

Hawk said the contents of the letter "complain about the relationships between black men and white females." He also said the letters direct black males to end relationships with white women "or they're going to be castrated, shot or set on fire." Mitchell apparently was targeted because of an appearance he made last year on a reality TV program called A Dating Story. The program featured Mitchell and Philadelphia-based model Tiffany Schmid going on a date. Schmid is white. Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor is the other player who has been identified as a target of the letters. Taylor's wife, Katina, the sister of Zach Thomas, is white.

PHILLIPS RELEASED: Former NFL running back Lawrence Phillips was released from jail after he was charged with sexually assaulting his girlfriend. He posted bail of $767 and is due in court March 2. Police say he assaulted his girlfriend Nov. 27 in Montreal. He also was charged Thursday with making Phillips was released by Calgary of the CFL on Oct.

10 for disrupting practice by arguing with coach Jim Barker. ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. Bills running back Willis McGahee could make his debut Sunday against the Jets. "Willis had a good week of work. He practiced with our offense every day this week," Bills coach Gregg Williams said.

"We'll go down to the final warmup before we make a decision." McGahee has been practicing with the team since mid October and was activated Nov. 5. But this is the first time Williams has considered putting him in the lineup. The former Miami star had knee surgery- after being injured during the Hurricanes' loss to Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl in January. Before being hurt, McGahee, selected 23rd, was considered a top-three pick.

Meanwhile, quarterback Drew Bledsoe is re ady to play after shaking off the effects of a blow to the head that briefly knocked him unconscious last week. A week earlier, Bledsoe sustained a mild concussion. BEARS: Kordell Stewart will make his second straight start at quarterback. Chris Chandler's shoulder has healed enough that he will be the backup, ahead of rookie Rex Grossman. Their roles were reversed Sunday.

CHIEFS: Running back Larry Johnson pleaded innocent to charges he threatened a former girlfriend with a gun and hit her. His bond was set at $5,000. Johnson, a first-round pick in April, has nine carries for 33 yards. DOLPHINS: Linebacker Zach Thomas said although his hip hurts, he expects to play Sunday. Thomas injured his hip in Wednesday's practice when he twisted a muscle.

PACKERS: Edgar Bennett assumed the duties of running backs coach, subbing for Sylvester Croom, who was excused from the team for a few days. Croom left Friday morning for Starkville, to devote time to his new job as coach at Mississippi State. Plans call for Croom to return to Green Bay on Saturday and be with the team Sunday. Earlier this week, Croom said he would like to finish the season with the Packers but acknowledged the demands will be great in his Gruden doesn't believe shotgun helps protection TAMPA Protection problems? Don't resort to using the shotgun, Bucs coach Jon Gruden said. Tampa Bay's offensive line has been abused of late.

After allowing one sack in the first five games, the Bucs have yielded 18 in the past seven. But Gruden said the shotgun does not afford more protection for the quarterback. "We've contemplated using the shotgun, and at the same time, it's just not part of what we do here," Gruden said. "I think the people I've been around and associated with in football would say and agree with me that the shotgun does not improve pass protection. It might appear to in your back yard when you're playing with your kids.

But timing of patterns, rhythm of throws and, obviously, the running game are a lot different in the shotgun than it is when you're underneath the center. "The shotgun doesn't guarantee anything other than you're going to catch the ball deeper than where you take it away from the center. You still have to let the receivers run an 18- or 26-yard route. They still have to get from point A to point B. Whether you're standing back there after catching the ball or dropping back to that position, protection problems are protection problems, no matter how you take the ball away from center." But Gruden said he's willing to examine anything that will improve the pass protection.

"I'm not anti-anything," Gruden said. "Anything that will help us win, 1 will do. We've got to improve in terms of our pass protection, and that's going to be a real challenge this week." NO RESERVES: Despite the outlook, Gruden said the team will continue to try to win with its first string rather than give reserves a chance to see game action. "The future is right around the corner, but we're more interested in the immediate future," Gruden said. "I don't like to look too far down the line, build teams.

That's something you need to do in the offseason. During the regular season, you have to conquer each game, each task." The stakes still are high. "We're going to play the best players we have and try to beat the New Orleans Saints for the first time in two years," Gruden said. "We need to find a way to beat the Saints. They're as hot as anyone in the league (5-2 in the past seven games).

We're going to need every healthy man and our best players to play their best" Injuries likely will force rookie Ronyell Whitaker and Corey Ivy to see time at nickel back. "They'll both play based on the situation and how we feel at the end of the day when we look at the practice tape," Gruden said. "Well try to get a rotation that we can sink their teeth into and go out there and play their best" ITS NO GOOD: Among the more baffling aspects about the Bucs this season is the performance of kicker Martin Gramatica. The former Pro AP Bills quarterback Drew Bledsoe, left, who sustained head injuries the past two games, said he is healthy enough to start Sunday. new job and didn't know how long he could handle both jobs.

REDSKINS: Tim Hasselbeck will start at quarterback Sunday because Patrick Ramsey is out with a right foot injury. Also, offensive lineman Pia Eli-sara was signed from the practice squad and offensive lineman Daryl Terrell, who was signed earlier this week, was released. TEXANS: Quarterback David Carr and running back Domanick Davis did not practice with their teammates, leaving their availability for Sunday in doubt Carr was limited to light throwing as he recovers from a right shoulder injury sustained last month. Tony Banks broke his hand Sunday, so rookie Dave Ragone and would start if Carr is out Bucs fromIC fir. It NFL STANDINGS AMERICAN CONFERENCE East Pet PF PA New England 10 2 0 .833 257 209 Miami 8 4 0 .667 241 191 Buffalo 5 7 0 .417 197 194 N.Y.Jets 5 7 0 .417 234 238 South Indianapolis' 9 3 0 .750 343 254 Tennessee 9 3 0 .750 320 232 Houston 5 7 0 .417 211 290 Jacksonville 3 9 0 .250 202 264 North Baltimore 7 5 0 .583 300 238 Cincinnati 7 5 0 .583 268 266 Cleveland 4 8 0 .333 192 224 Pittsburgh 4 8 0 .333 223 277 West Kansas City 11 1 0 .917 361 222 Denver 7 5 0 .583 279 206 Oakland 3 9 0 .250 222 278 San Diego 2 10 0 .167 233 342 NATIONAL CONFERENCE East Pet PF PA Philadelphia 9 3 0 .750 245 212 Dallas 8 4 0 .667 226 208 N.Y.

Giants 4 8 0 .333 202 266 Washington 4 8 0 .333 236 280 South Carolina 8 4 0 .667 234 229 New Orleans 6 6 0 .500 256 278 Tampa Bay 5 7 0 .417 230 191 Atlanta 2 10 0 .167 221 328 North Minnesota 7 5 0 .583 310 295 Green Bay 6 6 0 .500 298 255 Chicago 5 7 0 .417 219 247 Detroit 4 8 0 .333 202 280 West St. Louis 9 3 0 .750 347 246 Seattle 8 4 0 .667 323 239 San Fran 5 7 0 .417 248 230 Arizona 3 9 0 .250 166 337 SCHEDULE SUNDAY Bowl player is 5-for-12 from 30 yards or beyond. The misses include two blocks, a 60-yarder, 62-yarder and 48-yarder. "Here's a guy that I consider one of the great talents I've ever seen at that position," Gruden said. "Some of the things he can do kicking the ball are beyond imagination.

I always struggle personally for a period of days when I see him miss because I Gramatica Frost 28, is in his sixth NFL season but has not played a game in nearly two years. His career as a converted safety got off to a good start as a third-round draft choice of the Jets in 1998 but was derailed the past two seasons by injury. The Bucs are his fifth NFL team. "You just miss the game," Frost said. "Once that's such a big part of your life, you want to be doing it To sit at home and watch other guys doing it is tough." At Nebraska, Frost set school rushing records for a quarterback with 176 carries, 1,095 yards and 17 touchdowns as a senior, leading the Cornhuskers to the 1997 co-national championship.

But playing quarterback in an option-oriented offense did not exactly prepare Frost for the NFL To be a professional, he had to learn a new position. He never looked back. "In order to do it, you have to be completely committed to it" said Frost 6 feet 3, 218 pounds. "If you have in the back of your mind that you want to do something else, you're not going to be successful at it Basically, my first two years were purely a learning experience with all the techniques and everything." At first Frost earned his keep as a special teams player. By his third season, he was skilled enough at safety to play 16 games and make his only start, recording 29 tackles, one interception and one sack in 2000.

But in 2001, former Bucs assistant Herm Edwards became coach of the Jets and Frost was released at the end of training camp. He signed with the Browns, but his season was marred by an ankle injury and broken ribs sustained in a car accident In 2002, Frost signed with the Packers but sustained a season-ending shoulder injury during training camp. This season, Frost went to training camp with the 49ers but failed to make the team. "He's six years out" Bucs defensive backs coach Mike Tomlin said. "He's been through the process a couple times, been in different cities.

You always love guys whose careers haven't gone the way they expected. Maybe they've been a couple places. Maybe they've been cut a few times. The urgency level is there for them." The Bucs are urgent too. At 5-7, the playoffs are slipping away for the defending Super Bowl champions.

Special teams have been a repeated source of frustration, and Frost is back in the familiar position of trying to jump-start his career as a reliable return blocker and coverage tackier. "He could be ready on special teams," coach Jon Gruden said. "Obviously, he's got a lot to learn in terms of this defense. He is a good-looking athlete, a great kid. If he can be brought up to speed in terms of what to do, we might use him as a safety man also.

I might even play him at quarterback in goal-line and short-yardage. I remember him well at Nebraska." 'v 4. JF '-if i i 1 i. 1 Getty Images (2001) TOM RDGEON Scott Frost played quarterback for the Nebraska team that shared the national title in 1997. But the Jets drafted him as a safety in 1998, and he has played there and on special teams since.

Frost said the Bucs offense is in good hands, but he gladly will play any role. Since being released by the 49ers, he has worked out for three teams, including the Bucs a few weeks ago, while wondering if it was time to break down and get a real job. "I did a little part-time work for a company I used to work for in college in finance," Frost said. "I've been on three workouts. So every other Tuesday, you're in a different city working out for somebody.

It's tough. It's not a fun life." Until the phone rings. San Diego at Detroit, 1 Chicago at Green Bay, 1 Oakland at Pittsburgh, 1 Houston at Jacksonville, 1 Washington at N.Y. Giants, 1 Indianapolis at Tennessee, 1 Cincinnati at Baltimore, 1 Dallas at Philadelphia, 1 Seattle at Minnesota, 1 Tampa Bay at New Orleans, 1 Arizona at San Francisco, 4:05 N.Y. Jets at Buffalo, 4:15 Miami at New England, 4:15 Kansas City at Denver, 4:15 Carolina at Atlanta, 8:30 MONDAY St Louis at Cleveland, 9 don understand how he does that.

But for whatever reason, I think missing a big part of training camp with the groin pull, maybe his timing just never got right We had the balls rejected against Carolina. "And for whatever reason, we have not had the best of Martin Gramatica this year. But we still think he's phenomenal, and we expect him to make two or three kicks to help us win a game this week." CATCHING ON: Receivers Reggie Barlow and Charles Lee, thrust into prominent roles by the deactivation of Keyshawn Johnson and season-ending injury to Joe Jurevicius, have responded well, Gruden said. The past two games, Lee has 11 catches for 138 yards and a touchdown, a 53-yarder against the Giants. "He's made some yards after the catch, which is something we need here," Gruden said.

"These next four games are critical for him to showcase what he can do. We like his size. We like his athleticism. We like his demeanor and the way he's working." QUIET PLEASE: The Bucs-Saints game at the Louisiana Superdome is only the Bucs' second indoor game this season. (They won 31-10 at Atlanta on Sept 21.) It might work in favor of the Bucs, who have had more false starts at home than on the road.

"We expect it to be very loud, and we tried to work on our silent counts," Gruden said. "It's going to be a very loud crowd, very anti-Buccaneer, and we understand that going in." FRESH FACES: The Bucs signed three players to the active roster and added one to the practice squad this week, an infusion of young players eager to prove themselves. That attitude rubs off. "I think change is always good," starting linebacker Ryan Nece said. "With these guys coming in, they might give you some fresh energy.

They've got fresh legs, and they're enthusiastic. Their positive attitude will, hopefully, carry over." INJURIES: Receiver Keenan McCardell (hip sprain), defensive end Simeon Rice (elbow sprain) and linebacker Nate Webster (turf toe) are probable for Sunday. Each practiced Friday. RICK STROUD, JOANNE KORTH Bucs Chat An open forum for Bucs fans Joe Jurevicius was to appear at Dillard's Citrus Park Store on Friday, December 5th, 6pm to 7pm. This has been rescheduled to Tuesday, December 9th, 4pm to 6pm.

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