NFL: Buccaneers still not in panic mode

Sunday's harrowing ride in Charlotte, which ended with a 27-24 loss to the Carolina Panthers, left the defending Super Bowl champions one game under .500, with virtually no hope of winning the NFC South.

A defense that was lobbying for consideration as the best of all-time following last year's dominant performance has come apart at the seams.

The Bucs have surrendered three game-winning drives in the closing minutes this season.

But listening to defensive end Simeon Rice, who guaranteed a victory over the Panthers, or wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson, one might think the Bucs were 7-1 or 6-2 instead of 4-5 and in third place in the division behind first-place Carolina and New Orleans.

"As far as I'm concerned we're still in the playoffs," Johnson said on camera following the loss. "Talk to me after our seventh or eighth loss if that happens. Right now we only have five losses so we're not out of it yet."

"You're not going to see me run and hide. I'll tell you the same guarantee next week," Rice said. "That's just how it's going to go. There's no situation that is going to break us."

That's admirable and just the attitude any coach would want his players to have when adversity is staring them in the face. But this marks only the second time since 1998 that Tampa Bay has been under .500 this late in the season, and they didn't make the playoffs that year after finishing 8-8.

In 2001, Tony Dungy's last year as head coach, the Bucs fell to 4-5 before winning five of their last seven to squeak into the playoffs. Philadelphia bounced them in the first round, 31-9. Dungy was fired shortly thereafter.

Jon Gruden, Dungy's replacement, certainly won't be fired, but a string of consecutive wins -- something Tampa Bay hasn't been able to do yet -- is a must now if the postseason is where this team wants to go.

"Anything can happen. I think we have proven that anything can happen through nine games," Gruden said Monday at his day-after-game press conference. "If we clean up our play, we think we can be a player. If we can't clean up our play and finish football games with tremendous discipline, with a swagger and confidence, we won't be participating in the playoffs. We need to concentrate on one game at a time."

And the Green Bay Packers are next on the schedule this Sunday at Raymond James Stadium. The Packers entered Monday night's game with Philadelphia at 4-4, and, along with the Eagles, the Saints and the St. Louis Rams are ahead of the Bucs in the race for the two NFC wild card spots.

Gruden indicated Monday that it was a very good possibility tight end Rickey Dudley would be brought back into the fold this week.

Dudley, who was released prior to the start of the season and given an injury settlement due to a badly sprained ankle, was not eligible under league rules to sign with the original team until after the 10th week.

With Ken Dilger still banged up and Joe Jurevicius still questionable, Dudley's pass-catching abilities and familiarity with Gruden's offense from last season and from his days in Oakland with the Raiders could give the offense a boost.

"We like tight ends, America. We like the use of tight ends," Gruden said. "We have to overcome the absence of Dilger, and we have to do that with Rickey."

In addition to Dilger, wide receiver/punt returner Karl Williams (ankle) and right guard Roman Oben (hand) were the only other offensive players Gruden listed as questionable. He also mentioned former Miami Dolphin Richmond Webb as an emergency tackle.

On defense, Pro Bowl linebacker Derrick Brooks was diagnosed with a right wrist sprain but is probable for Sunday and the other outside linebacker, Dwayne Rudd, is questionable with a right knee sprain.