joey galloway

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) ― Joey Galloway slowed to a trot, holding the football in his hand like a loaf of bread.

Teammates screamed from the sideline, urging him to secure the ball, and Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden cringed. It didn't matter. The New Orleans Saints never seem to be able to catch up with Tampa Bay's speedy receiver.

"I know that bothers guys, but it works for me," Galloway said after tormenting the suddenly defenceless Saints with four catches for 135 yards and two touchdowns in a 31-14 Buccaneers victory Sunday.

Galloway practically walked into the end zone to finish a 69-yard scoring play in the second quarter, then added his 10th TD in six meetings between the NFC South rivals on a 24-yard catch that made 21-0 just before the half.

Gruden has had numerous discussions with the 35-year-old receiver over the past four seasons, warning him how showboating on the way to the end zone can be costly. At the same time, the coach conceded it's kind of fun to watch "when it doesn't come back to bite you."

The Saints (0-2) were embarrassed for the second consecutive week and have been outscored 72-24 after having one of the NFL's most explosive offences and reaching the NFC championship game last season.

Before Mike Karney scored New Orleans' first offensive touchdown of the season on a 1-yard run late in the third quarter, the Saints had surrendered 62 unanswered points to the Bucs and Super Bowl champion Indianapolis, which beat them 41-10 last week.

"I'm very surprised. We really need to take a deep look at ourselves, identify the problems and figure out how to fix it," New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees said.

"I think we have the ability to be a very good offence. One of the best, if not the best, in the league. Unfortunately we're not playing like it right now."

Jeff Garcia completed 10 of 16 passes for 243 yards and no interceptions for the Bucs (1-1) after not getting his team into the end zone during a season-opening loss to Seattle. He was not sacked, and Tampa Bay had no turnovers.

Galloway has had some of his best games as a Buccaneer against New Orleans with 23 receptions for 473 yards and nine TDs in six meetings. He also returned a punt for a touchdown against the Saints in 2004.

"I don't think anyone really gave us a chance to win this game except ourselves. ... We have to build on that," Galloway said. "We didn't play our best game, but we played a good one."

Brees finished 26-of-44 for 260 yards with one touchdown. He was intercepted once and sacked twice.

The Pro Bowl quarterback set up Karney's TD with a 58-yard completion to David Patten and threw a four-yard scoring pass to Marques Colston late in the fourth quarter. However, Brees never got into a rhythm against the Tampa Bay defence.

The Bucs forced two turnovers, converting Deuce McAllister's first-quarter fumble and Cato June's third-quarter interception into touchdowns.

Neither team scored an offensive TD in its season opener, the Bucs limited to a pair of field goals in a 20-6 loss to Seattle and the Saints only getting into the end zone on Jason David's fumble return during New Orleans' loss to the Colts.

The Bucs signed Garcia in March, finally giving Gruden a quarterback who fits the Bucs' version of the West Coast offence. The three-time Pro Bowl selection's ability to make plays on the run was especially attractive to Gruden, who has started eight different QBs since arriving in Tampa Bay in 2002.

Garcia extended Tampa Bay's first touchdown drive, scrambling for seven yards on third-and-6 to the New Orleans 1. Williams, limited in practice all week because of bruised ribs, scored two plays later.

"No disrespect to the previous quarterbacks we've had here, but the biggest play of the football game was Garcia scrambling on third down," Gruden said. "He went in head first, trying to get the first down. ... It sends a message. ... I think it's a healthy, exciting change."

Galloway picked up a key block from receiver Michael Clayton on his long catch-and-run TD, sprinting into the clear as he crossed midfield. On his second touchdown, he cut in front of stumbling safety Josh Bullocks and was wide open in the middle of the end zone.

The Saints had some success moving the ball on the ground early, but eventually had to abandon the running game. McAllister had nine carries for 47 yards at the half, but only carried once for two yards the rest of the way.

Meanwhile, Tampa Bay also did a good job of containing Reggie Bush, limiting the Saints' multi-purpose threat to 27 yards on 10 rushes and 43 yards on six receptions.

"I'm disappointed. I'm not surprised," Saints coach Sean Payton said.

"We didn't play well enough. It's going to be hard to win in any game if you're putting it on the ground, giving up big plays behind you. ... We'll get it corrected, I'm confident."

Notes: McAllister said he was hit above the eye early in the game and was bothered at times by blurred vision. ... Williams' touchdowns were his first since the third game of last season. ... Bucs CB Phillip Buchanon started in place of Brian Kelly, who was inactive with a groin strain. ... Colston finished with eight catches for 70 yards.
It's not really an impressive lot, although Brad Johnson did win a Super Bowl, and Randall Cunningham was a four-time Pro Bowler. John Friesz is in the College Football Hall of Fame, and Gino Torretta did win a Heisman Trophy.

These four and 12 others belong to a not-so-exclusive circle of quarterbacks to have completed a pass to Joey Galloway.

"Somebody told me last year (the total), and it brought a tear to my eye," Galloway said. "I don't want to know because it is comical."

Thirteen years, 16 quarterbacks.

So much for building the all-important bond between quarterback and receiver, like, say, Peyton Manning to Marvin Harrison or Joe Montana to Jerry Rice.

Rick Mirer to Galloway?

Not quite.

Ryan Leaf to Galloway?

Please.

Quincy Carter to Galloway?

Please stop.

How does Galloway do it?

"I've been able to just focus on my job," Galloway said. "With each quarterback, things change. All quarterbacks have certain routes they like to throw, and if you can get on that page and run it the way they like it run, then you have a chance with that guy."

Galloway has caught passes from lefties and righties; guys who like to throw deep and guys who can't; mobile quarterbacks and quarterbacks whose feet are made of stone.

Some of the not-so-sweet 16 have been able to get on that same page, because the 35-year-old Galloway enters today's game against the visiting St. Louis Rams with 629 career catches for 9,765 yards and 73 touchdowns.

"Maybe I can get a few tips from him (today)," Rams receiver Torry Holt said.

If Holt should ask, here's what Galloway might tell him: Focus on yourself.

"I don't ever look at another guy's job and try to critique or say what they should be doing or shouldn't be doing," Galloway said. "I focus on my job. I come out and do my job to the best of my ability. And whoever's throwing it, and there have been a lot . . ."

Galloway didn't complete the thought, just trailed off into a laugh.

After all these years, Galloway is still considered among the fastest receivers in the game, and also the healthiest.

His offseason routine is ridiculous. Galloway returns to Ohio State and picks up and goes about his workout - part sprinter, part football - as if he's 18.

"I don't get out of shape. A week to two weeks after the season, I'm working out again," said Galloway, who doesn't like to give away his secrets.

Bucs coach Jon Gruden limited Galloway's time during training camp and keeps him off the practice field every Wednesday. From there, it's up to Galloway and Jeff Garcia - quarterback No. 16 overall and the sixth with the Bucs - to develop that bond where one instinctively knows what the other is doing.

You saw that during Tampa Bay's third preseason game when Galloway broke off his route because it was covered, and Garcia drifted a little to his right to buy some more time, then hit Galloway in the back of the end zone for a touchdown.

"It was just adjustment on the run," Garcia said. "It wasn't anything I anticipated or expected out of him."

It's just something Garcia assumed, that Galloway would work to keep the play alive, and all Garcia had to do was remain patient.

"It's clicked pretty good," Galloway said of his relationship with Garcia. "There are some things we need to improve on. There are some shots we'd like to hit. There are some routes I'd like to be better at. And there are some pages that me and him need to get on. That's something that we work at every day, even when I don't practice. We're watching film. Talking and conversation are the key. It's easier with an older guy. He has seen so much and has a good feel for what he likes to do. And as a receiver, I'm willing to do whatever he likes to do because that results in being better."

Fellow receiver Ike Hilliard, a kid at 31, called Galloway a dinosaur after last week's win against the Saints in which Galloway caught four passes for 135 yards and two touchdowns.

Not really, dinosaurs are extinct, much like most of the quarterbacks who have played with Galloway.

And Galloway is still here, catching passes and scoring touchdowns.

Call him a survivor.

Call him smart.

Just be sure to call his number.

"Joey Galloway is one of those guys we should all look up to," Holt said. "He's an inspiration for me."

And Holt is 31 years old.

Given the mess that is the Atlanta Falcons and the injury situation of the 0-3 New Orleans Saints, the NFC South race already appears to have been narrowed down to just two teams.

That's what makes today's game between the Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers so important.

Even though it's only Week 4.

Don't discount the importance of taking the undisputed division lead or the headway a win today gives one of the teams toward securing the even more important tie-breaker.

You just never know. By the time the Panthers and Bucs meet again in Tampa Bay on the last Sunday of the regular season (Dec. 30), it might be too late to make any difference in the standings.

The question now is, who will be playing quarterback for Carolina and will it make any difference in the game plan for either side? As of Friday, the folks in Vegas still weren't sure (Jake Delhomme is listed as doubtful). Regardless of whether it's on or off the board, odds are it's going to be a big game.

QB Jake Delhomme vs. QB David Carr: The Panthers signed Carr last summer for just such an emergency. Though Delhomme has been been effective in his first three starts, compiling a quarterback rating of 111.9, last week showed that there isn't much of a drop off should Carr be forced into action. Either way ...

Advantage: Carolina
RB DeShaun Foster vs. RB Cadillac Williams: Foster is off to the best start of his career, but he hasn't played well historically against Tampa Bay, especially at home. Williams, though highly talented, hasn't played well against anybody, anywhere yet this season.
Advantage: Carolina
CB Ken Lucas vs. WR Joey Galloway: For some reason, Atlanta thought it could pick on Lucas last week, with varying success. Galloway is a big-play threat who has feasted on the Panthers in the past.
Advantage: Tampa Bay
The Panthers do have one thing going for them today. They'll be wearing their alternate blue jerseys, which have usually meant good luck. Other than that, though, the numbers are as ominous as an approaching thunderhead. Here are a few:

The Panthers are 3-9 all-time in their fourth game of the season.
Buccaneers quarterback Jeff Garcia has won his past three starts against Carolina, throwing for more than 300 yards in each.
In each of the past four seasons, the team that finished last in the NFC South has rallied to finish first the following year. Last year, that team was the Bucs.
Advantage: Tampa Bay
Of course, it has to do with the quarterback. But not injured Jake Delhomme or David Carr, who is almost certain to end up with his first start as a Panther.

It's Garcia, and the amount of pressure Carolina's underachieving defensive line can put on him. To this point, the Panthers have just two sacks in three games and none by ends Julius Peppers or Mike Rucker. That's a big reason why they rank 21st in the NFL, allowing 247.7 passing yards per game.

If the Panthers can put Garcia under pressure, they can rattle him and force turnovers ― another glaring problem thus far. But if they don't, the veteran quarterback will beat them like he has in the past.

Advantage: Toss-up
Home field hasn't been kind lately for the Panthers, but they did sweep the Bucs last season and they do have better talent ― especially offensively (no matter who's playing quarterback).
Panthers 19, Buccaneers 17