GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NFL: TAMPA BAY (8-4) at HOUSTON (5-7)

NFL: TAMPA BAY (8-4) at HOUSTON (5-7)

<h3>Buccaneers look to complete turnaround</h3>





Tampa Bay (8-4) at Houston (5-7) 1:00 pm EST


HOUSTON (Ticker) -- "Worst-to-first" has become a familiartheme in the NFC South Division. Since 2003, the team thatfinished last won the division title the following season.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers look to become the fifth straight teamin the division to go from worst to first when they visit theHouston Texans on Sunday.


At the midpoint of the season, the Buccaneers were flounderingand dropped to 4-4 following a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguarson October 28.


Since then, however, Tampa Bay has seized control of thedivision with a four-game winning streak. It has opened athree-game lead over Carolina and New Orleans with four gamesremaining and only needs to beat the Texans to clinch thedivision.


The Buccaneers have overcome season-ending injuries to runningbacks Michael Pittman and Carnell "Cadillac" Williams. Winningthe division would complete an impressive turnaround for theBuccaneers, who finished just 4-12 last season.


Earnest Graham, who became the feature back with the injuries toPittman and Williams, has fueled the surge by rushing for 737yards and seven touchdowns.


In last week's dramatic 27-23 win over New Orleans, Graham ranfor 106 yards, his third 100-yard game in four weeks.

Backup quarterback Luke McCown, replacing an injured JeffGarcia, passed for 313 yards, including a 4-yard TD pass toJerramy Stevens with 14 seconds remaining.


Garcia, who was sidelined with a bruised back, will be back inas the starter against the Texans if he is healthy.

"He's a needed guy on our football team," Gruden said of Garcia."We need to win another game. We're in the fight of our livesto win every Sunday and this weekend is not different. If Garciais cleared to play, he'll play."


Gruden rejected an ESPN report which said Garcia had a fracturein his back, insisting there was nothing structurally wrong withthe 37-year-old. However, both McCown and Bruce Gradkowski willbe prepared to start this weekend.


The Texans are coming off consecutive losses to Cleveland andTennessee that likely has dropped them out of playoffcontention.


Houston, which has been hit hard by injuries this season, mayhave lost starting quarterback Matt Schaub. He dislocated hisleft shoulder during a sack in last week's 28-20 loss to Tennesseeand will be sidelined indefinitely


"Whether we're talking about the next four weeks or not, I don'tthink we're at that stage," Texans coach Kubiak said. "I thinkit's very hopeful that he does come back and play some more thisyear."


Sage Rosenfels relieved Schaub against the Titans and will startif Schaub is unable to play.

 

NFL: TAMPA BAY at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NFL
TAMPA BAY 0
HOUSTON 0 14:55 LEFT, 1ST QTR

TAM BALL ON TAM 21 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: TAMPA BAY at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NFL
TAMPA BAY 0
HOUSTON 0 10:18 LEFT, 1ST QTR

HST BALL ON HST 34 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: TAMPA BAY at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NFL TD HST
ANDRE JOHNSON 4 YD PASS FROM SAGE ROSENFELS
(KRIS BROWN KICK)

TAMPA BAY 0
HOUSTON 7 3:59 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NFL: TAMPA BAY at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NFL
TAMPA BAY 0
HOUSTON 7 3:48 LEFT, 1ST QTR

TAM BALL ON HST 47 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: TAMPA BAY at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NFL
TAMPA BAY 0
HOUSTON 7 1:19 LEFT, 1ST QTR

HST BALL ON HST 14 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: TAMPA BAY at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NFL END, 1ST QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
TAMPA BAY 0 0
HOUSTON 7 7 END, 1ST QTR

SCORING SUMMARY

1ST QUARTER: HST - TD, ANDRE JOHNSON 4 YD PASS FROM SAGE
ROSENFELS (KRIS BROWN KICK), 11:01.
Drive: 12 plays, 66 yards in 6:19.
Key plays: Rosenfels 10-yard pass
to Walter to Tampa Bay 49;
Rosenfels 15-yard pass to A Johnson
to Tampa Bay 34; Rosenfels 6-yard
pass to Dayne on 3rd-and-6 to Tampa
Bay 24; Rosenfels 8-yard pass to A
Johnson on 3rd-and-5 to Tampa Bay
11. HOUSTON 7-0</div>

 

NFL: TAMPA BAY at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NFL TAMPA BAY 0
HOUSTON 7 14:08 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NFL: TAMPA BAY at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NFL
TAMPA BAY 0
HOUSTON 7 12:56 LEFT, 2ND QTR

TAM BALL ON HST 25 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: TAMPA BAY at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NFL TD TAM
EARNEST GRAHAM 4 YD RUN
(MATT BRYANT KICK)

TAMPA BAY 7
HOUSTON 7 10:57 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NFL: TAMPA BAY at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NFL
TAMPA BAY 7
HOUSTON 7 10:57 LEFT, 2ND QTR

HST BALL ON HST 20 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: TAMPA BAY at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NFL
TAMPA BAY 7
HOUSTON 7 7:30 LEFT, 2ND QTR

TAM BALL ON TAM 13 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: TAMPA BAY at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NFL
TAMPA BAY 7
HOUSTON 7 6:05 LEFT, 2ND QTR

HST BALL ON TAM 24 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: TAMPA BAY at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NFL TD HST
KEVIN WALTER 8 YD PASS FROM SAGE ROSENFELS
(KRIS BROWN KICK)

TAMPA BAY 7
HOUSTON 14 4:38 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NFL: TAMPA BAY at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NFL
TAMPA BAY 7
HOUSTON 14 4:32 LEFT, 2ND QTR

TAM BALL ON TAM 28 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: TAMPA BAY at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NFL
TAMPA BAY 7
HOUSTON 14 3:28 LEFT, 2ND QTR

HST BALL ON HST 10 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: TAMPA BAY at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NFL TWO MINUTE WARNING, 1ST HALF

TAMPA BAY 7
HOUSTON 14

HST BALL ON HST 17 YD LINE
4TH AND 3</div>

 

NFL: TAMPA BAY at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NFL
TAMPA BAY 7
HOUSTON 14 1:51 LEFT, 2ND QTR

TAM BALL ON HST 48 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: TAMPA BAY at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NFL
TAMPA BAY 7
HOUSTON 14 0:51 LEFT, 2ND QTR

HST BALL ON HST 20 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: TAMPA BAY at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NFL HALFTIME 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
TAMPA BAY 0 7 7
HOUSTON 7 7 14 HALFTIME

SCORING SUMMARY

1ST QUARTER: HST - TD, ANDRE JOHNSON 4 YD PASS FROM SAGE
ROSENFELS (KRIS BROWN KICK), 11:01.
Drive: 12 plays, 66 yards in 6:19.
Key plays: Rosenfels 10-yard pass
to Walter to Tampa Bay 49;
Rosenfels 15-yard pass to A Johnson
to Tampa Bay 34; Rosenfels 6-yard
pass to Dayne on 3rd-and-6 to Tampa
Bay 24; Rosenfels 8-yard pass to A
Johnson on 3rd-and-5 to Tampa Bay
11. HOUSTON 7-0
2ND QUARTER: TAM - TD, EARNEST GRAHAM 4 YD RUN (MATT
BRYANT KICK), 4:03. Drive: 5 plays,
25 yards in 1:59. Key plays: Haye
recovery of Rosenfels fumble at
Houston 25. TAMPA BAY 7-7
HST - TD, KEVIN WALTER 8 YD PASS FROM SAGE
ROSENFELS (KRIS BROWN KICK), 10:22.
Drive: 3 plays, 23 yards in 1:27.
Key plays: Demps 3-yard return of
Hilliard fumble to Tampa Bay 23;
Rosenfels 14-yard pass to Walter to
Tampa Bay 9. HOUSTON 14-7</div>