Buccaneers act fast to fill void
FOOTBALL NOTES Acquire Rattay from the Niners Coach takes blame for Steelers’ loss
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, bracing for the possibility of being without Brian Griese for a lengthy period, acquired Tim Rattay from the San Francisco 49ers yesterday to back up young quarterbacks Chris Simms and Luke McCown. The Bucs (5-1) still haven’t commented publicly on the condition of Griese, who injured his left knee Sunday, or said how long he will be sidelined.
“ We’re getting some more analysis,” GM Bruce Allen said. “ He’s still on the team. He is wanting to play. We’re hopeful that he can. But we’re going to get the proper medical opinion.”
Allen said the Buccaneers explored the prospect of acquiring Rattay during the off-season and were excited to find he was available before the NFL trading deadline of 4 p. m. ( EDT) yesterday.
Rattay has played in 32 games with 16 starts. He has completed 356 of 586 passes ( 60.8 per cent) for 3,941 yards, 24 touchdowns and 18 interceptions.
“ We feel he’ll be a great fit for our team,” Allen said of Rattay. ‘‘ He’ll come in and be our No. 3 quarterback. It gives us some great insurance and a feeling that we can sleep at night that we have a bona fide NFL starter.” Simms and McCown have made a combined six starts as pros — all last season when Simms made two for the Bucs and McCown started four as a rookie in Cleveland. BULGER QUESTION:
St. Louis Rams interim coach Joe Vitt is unsure whether quarterback Marc Bulger will be able to play against New Orleans on Sunday. Bulger sprained his right shoulder in the second quarter of the Rams’ 45- 28 loss Monday night at Indianapolis.
“ I don’t want to assume anything yet, I think that’s a hypothetical situation,” Vitt said when asked about possibly losing Bulger. “ But I will say this: Jamie Martin was born and raised in this system and knows the system as good as anybody.”
Results for Martin were mixed Monday night. The backup to Bulger completed 17 of 21 passes for 134 yards, one TD and two crucial interceptions. BLAME GAME:
According to Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher, the blame starts with him. While quarterback Tommy Maddox wasn’t willing to accept much responsibility for a 23- 17 overtime loss Sunday to Jacksonville, Cowher spent an unusual amount of time at his weekly news conference yesterday doing exactly that. Cowher second- guessed himself for not pulling the errorprone Maddox and inserting No. 3 quarterback Charlie Batch and also said he should have played running back Jerome Bettis more during the second half. VIKING SUED:
A woman who contends Vikings running back Onterrio Smith sexually assaulted her last year has sued the player. The 21- year- old woman is not identified in the lawsuit filed last week, for fear of retaliation, said her attorney, Lori Peterson. The woman says she was injured and humiliated and is seeking $ 150,000 ( U. S.) in damages. The lawsuit claims she suffers from a lifelong illness and her physician describes her as an “individual with disabilities.” She has a form of mental impairment stemming from fetal alcohol syndrome. QB EXCHANGE:
The Chargers and Dolphins swapped thirdstring quarterbacks yesterday, with A. J. Feeley going to San Diego for Cleo Lemon.