By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Bucs linebacker Quincy Black tackles running back Rashad Jennings for a 1-yard loss during the first quarter. The Jaguars took the lead with 1:14 left in the third on Luke McCown’s 27-yard touchdown to John Matthews.
Tickets
Prices for single-game tickets range from $40 to $115 (some youth tickets are $25) and are available at the Raymond James Stadium ticket window (starting three hours before kickoff), through Ticketmaster at ticketmaster.com and toll-free at 1-800-745-3000. For information, call the Bucs at (813) 870-2700.
Regular-season games
Sept. 12: Cleveland, 1, Ch. 10 *
Sept. 19: at Carolina, 1, Ch. 13
Sept. 26: Pittsburgh, 1, Ch. 10 *
Oct. 10: at Cincinnati, 1, Ch. 13
Oct. 17: New Orleans, 1, Ch. 13 *
Oct. 24: St. Louis, 1, Ch. 13 *
Oct. 31: at Arizona, 4:15, Ch. 13
Nov. 7: at Atlanta, 1, Ch. 13
Nov. 14: Carolina, 1, Ch. 13 *
Nov. 21: at San Francisco, 4:05, Ch. 13
Nov. 28: at Baltimore, 1, Ch. 13
Dec. 5: Atlanta, 1, Ch. 13 *
Dec. 12: at Washington, 1, Ch. 13
Dec. 19: Detroit, 1, Ch. 13 *
Dec. 26: Seattle, 1, Ch. 13 *
Jan. 2: at New Orleans, 1, Ch. 13
* Subject to blackout
TAMPA — Good ol' Barrett Ruud.
Any time the Bucs linebacker has mentioned wanting a long-term contract extension, the team has patted him on the head more than a golden retriever.
He has led the team in tackles the past three seasons, in 2009 becoming the first in 16 years to eclipse 200.
Instead of the Bucs rewarding Ruud, he hears a patronizing refrain: Two, four, six, eight, who do we appreciate?
But in Saturday night's 19-13 preseason loss to the Jaguars, Ruud unveiled his own stimulus package.
With the score tied at a field goal each in the second quarter and the Jaguars facing third and goal at the Tampa Bay 1, Ruud stepped in front of a pass from David Garrard intended for Greg Jones and returned the interception 80 yards.
The play changed the complexion of the game and was precisely what Ruud needed.
Five plays later, Josh Johnson used a play-action fake and rolled right before firing a 2-yard touchdown to fullback Earnest Graham to give the Bucs a 10-3 lead.
Of course, Ruud minimized the importance of a play in the third preseason game. He was more upset about getting run down from behind by Jones.
"I stepped in front of it and ran pretty well for about 60 yards and kind of locked up after that," Ruud said. "I had my wall set up. My guy in front of me got bulldozed a bit. And as soon as I had to jump, my legs turned to mush."
That has been the rap on Ruud, or R-O-O-O-O-D as Bucs fans bellow every time he makes a play.
In five seasons, the past three as a starter, he has just five interceptions and three sacks. He also has yet to find his way to the end zone. Ruud, 27, knows he needs to make more splash plays.
Ruud says he reads everything the doubters have to say about him. Always has.
"I was criticized when I was a sophomore in college. Not big enough, not fast enough. Didn't make this play, didn't make that play. It'll never stop. But it … fuels you. And I think every NFL player probably gets fueled by it. I'm not a guy who ignores what's being said about me. I read it, and I take it to heart.
"I read the paper. If it's a really bad game, I may go a couple days before reading it. … It's just fuel. Not everybody thinks that. But those who do, you want to prove them wrong."
Ruud still is puzzled why the Bucs decided the past two seasons not to offer him a contract extension. Two years ago, he skipped offseason workouts, and the Bucs reacted with a shoulder shrug.
This year, Ruud signed his one-year, $3.268 million tender as a restricted free agent. Ruud's thinking was the Bucs just weren't in the business of extending their restricted free agents.
All that changed when they signed left tackle Donald Penn to a six-year, $48 million contract on the first day of training camp.
Nothing against Penn, but Ruud admitted he was "disappointed" and "frustrated."
"I don't sit there and think about it all day," Ruud said. "Maybe after the season, you do start thinking about it a little bit. But when you do show up, that's not really a factor."
In the first two preseason games, Ruud was pretty invisible, recording just two tackles. He insists his interception Saturday wasn't necessary to prove anything.
"I didn't need it at all," Ruud said. "I needed it for my running skills. I need to work on my interception returns because I guess I haven't had any good returns since college. I need to go out and work with (running back Cadillac Williams) on ball security and changing directions.
"It was good to make some plays. But at the same time, I made a lot of plays last year, too. It's not from interceptions. It would've been nice to score a touchdown, though."
Ruud says he doesn't feel pressure to have a big year individually this season with unrestricted free agency possibly looming.
"Wins make things better for you individually," Ruud said. "I really don't feel I had a bad year last year. But when you don't play well as a defense, nobody looks good."
The most important thing, Ruud said, is his coach and teammates know what he means to the defense.
"I know my coach. I know he respects what I do," Ruud said. "I also know I have a lot of consistency and I plan to do the same thing … hopefully the next six or eight years.
"I know what I can do, but I also know my head coach respects what I do."