National Football League

Graham gets it done Grimm bounces back A good example

Published Oct. 11, 2010 10:07 a.m. ET

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Benson gashes Bucs

Among the things that will be lost in the drama of the victory is the 144-yard rushing effort by Bengals RB Cedric Benson. He averaged 6.3 yards per carry against a Bucs rushing defense that continues to struggle. The Bucs entered the game allowing an average 141.3 rushing yards per game, a number that won't decline after Cincinnati's 149 yards. The Bengals had great success running to the left of their formation behind LT Andrew Whitworth and their tight ends, who seemed to match up well against the Bucs' defensive ends and outside linebackers. "The guy a year ago was a big-time runner," DT Roy Miller said of Benson, who had 1,251 yards in 2009. "That's no excuse, but obviously he's a good runner.

We just can't allow him to get as many yards as he did." The Bucs have a tendency to struggle against big, powerful running backs, which is an apt description of the 227-pound Benson, a bruising, physical runner. "It all starts up front," Benson said. "The (offensive linemen) made some big plays. They were moving guys around." The Bucs have yielded two strong rushing efforts in their past two games. Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall picked up 143 yards in Tampa Bay's previous game. Bucs fullback Earnest Graham led the team in rushing Sunday, largely because of his 61-yard run from the Bucs' 1-yard line. But just as critical was his 1-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Graham continues to affect the game as a runner even though he is used as a ballcarrier sparingly. ¶ On the TD play, Graham leaped over left guard Keydrick Vincent and a defender in his path, landed squarely on his feet, then crossed the goal line. It wasn't bad for a guy who is a compact 225 pounds. ¶ "That's just instinct," Graham said. "That's just making a play. Of course, there was a little bit of (defensive penetration), but I was just trying to make a play." During his runback of a late interception, Bucs SS Sabby Piscitelli could have been thinking about the end zone or the green grass in front of him. Not even close. Piscitelli was thinking about WR Roddy White. Apparently, the Falcons receiver's play against the 49ers last week left Piscitelli scared straight. Late in the fourth quarter against San Francisco, 49ers CB Nate Clements grabbed an interception and ran down the sideline for what would have been the winning touchdown. That's when White, who had been 40 yards downfield, came out of nowhere to strip the ball from behind. The Falcons recovered with 1:22 left and went on to win on a last-second field goal. As a result, Piscitelli made sure to hold on for dear life as he returned the interception with 25 seconds left that set up the winning field goal. "I was trying to go as far as I could and get out of bounds," Piscitelli said. "That Roddy White play last week, they showed it so much (on TV). I swear, the whole time I thought somebody was trying to get me from behind. So, man, I was just trying to get to the sideline." After the play, Piscitelli was mobbed by CB Ronde Barber and a slew of teammates. And he still had the ball in his clutches. Bucs rookie FS Cody Grimm could have spent the past two weeks dwelling on the deep touchdown pass he gave up early in the loss to the Steelers before the bye week.

Then again, that might have prevented him from making one of Sunday's biggest defensive plays: an interception he returned 11 yards for a touchdown that made the score 7-7 early in the second quarter. "As a defensive back, you have to learn to let that go," Grimm said of the TD he gave up. "If you think about it too much, it can affect your next play. You've got to do what you're coached to do. If you do that, the plays will come to you."

Grimm, a seventh-round draft pick who wasn't expected to play much beyond special teams, became a starter when Tanard Jackson was suspended for 12 months last month for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy. But he's playing in big games and making big plays, enough to prompt TE Kellen Winslow to go over to Grimm while he was doing postgame interviews and laud the rookie to reporters.

Winslow was heaping praise on Grimm for his timely touchdown, which came with the offense struggling and the Bengals leading 7-0. With the Bengals on their 3-yard line, QB Carson Palmer looked left for WR Terrell Owens. But Grimm, who Palmer thought was going to blitz, dropped into coverage and jumped in front of the quick throw, catching it in stride and running in for the score.

The play stunned the Bengals. Bucs coach Raheem Morris said he wasn't surprised.

"Cody Grimm had a phenomenal game his first game out," Morris said. "He gave up a big play. We tend as writers, we tend as an organization, we tend as people to get down on guys who give up big plays. But you have to have belief. You have to have faith." Injury updates

Bucs starting C Jeff Faine left early in the second quarter after he sprawled on the ground in pain. He later told the St. Petersburg Times in a text message that he sustained what he thought was a pulled quadriceps muscle. Faine was expected to be evaluated further in Tampa by the medical staff. It's not clear how long a pulled quad would keep him out. Faine's injury is critical, given his importance as the leader of the offensive line. G Jeremy Zuttah finished the game at center and likely would start there against the Saints on Sunday if Faine is sidelined. Zuttah said he is prepared to play the position even though he practices at guard. "I'm just kind of always looking at everything, because you have to be prepared if it comes," he said. "If something happens, nobody wants to hear excuses." Meanwhile, starting SS Sean Jones left on the first play from scrimmage with a back injury that he described as a strain. He said he tried to return but, "I wouldn't have been any good out there." Jones didn't think the injury was serious and said he has a chance to return next week. Maybe next week

For all the talk of the Bucs injecting additional players into the running game Sunday, things didn't go according to plan for various reasons. Yes, backup RBs Kareem Huggins and LeGarrette Blount did play behind starter Cadillac Williams, left, Huggins getting one carry for 4 yards and Blount four carries for 3 yards. But Williams, whom coaches said needed to be spelled from time to time, got just 11 carries (half of the team's 22), making help somewhat less necessary. Another factor: The Bucs don't trust their young running backs in pass protection nearly as much as Williams, a sixth-year veteran. That was particularly important on a day the Bengals brought all manner of pressure and the running backs were responsible for picking up a plethora of blitzes. Williams, who entered the game averaging 2.5 yards a carry, finished with 33 yards on his 11 carries, a 3.0 average. Quick hits

* Sunday's win marked the Bucs' sixth straight against the Bengals, equaling the longest such streak against any opponent (Falcons, 1997-2003; Bears, 1997-2000) in team history.

* Since 2006, the Bucs are 9-2 when scoring a defensive touchdown.

* Bucs K Connor Barth's 31-yard winning field goal was his 12th straight successful kick, dating to 2009.

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