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WR Joey Galloway (Official Thread)

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stumbled across this interview recently

http://pewterpirates.blogspot.com/2006/03/joey-galloway-on-espn-rapid-fire.html
Tuesday, March 07, 2006

Joey Galloway on ESPN Rapid Fire.



Well I have not commented too much on this great player, number 86, Wide Receiver for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Lets face it, probably one of the greatest trades in Buccaneers history; Keyshawn Johnson to Dallas for Joey Galloway.

Well tonight he was on ESPN's Rapid Fire: Here is the questions and answers from the 15 minute rapid fire.

Q: Better Buccaneer Uniforms, current one or the old orange ones?

A: The old ones.

Q: You get to make the call on T.O. coming to Tampa. Do you say yes or no?

A: No.

Q: If you had not gone to Ohio State where would you have gone?

A: No where else, that it, Ohio State is it.

Q: First thing Chris Simms said to you win Texas beat Ohio State?

A: Where is my money.

Q: Better Ohio State Receivers,Ted Ginn or Santonio Holmes?

A: Santonio Holmes

Q: Quarterback you would draft first, Vince Young or Matt Leinart?

A: Matt Leinart

Q: Who is the toughest NFL Cornerback to get free from?

A: Champ Bailey.

Q: Who is the Cornerback that is the most fun to burn?

A: Shawn Springs.

Q: Who has hit you hard then anybody in your NFL career?

A: Derrick Brooks caught me one time.

Q: Was this in practice or was it in a game, when you were in Dallas?

A: It was in a game, when I was actually in Seattle. I ran a slant and he is fast.

Q: What did it feel like?

A: It was one of those I was running and the next thing I know I was getting up.

Q: You don't remember the hit?

A: No

Q: Has he brought that up to you as a Buccaneer?

A: I don't think he remembers, he's had so many hits, I don't think that one stands out.

Q: The Seahawks sent you to Dallas for two number one picks, who got the better end of that deal?

A: Tampa Bay.

Q: Who did you route for in the Super Bowl.

A: Pittsburgh.

Q: Did you really?

A: I grew up 45 minutes from Pittsburgh. I grew up a Lynn Swann fan.

Q: So Nothing against Seattle, you just grew up a Steelers fan?

A: I grew up a Pittsburgh fan.

If you want to watch it here is the link. Rapid Fire
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Canton

5/21/06

Former Ohio State wide receiver Joey Galloway, now playing for Tampa Bay of the NFL, took batting practice with the Devil Rays on Wednesday. Galloway was not able to hit a home run while using a bat borrowed from outfielder Carl Crawford.
“I was hoping when I walked out here I would look at the fence and say, ‘Hey, that’s a little closer than I thought,’ ” Galloway told reporters afterward. “It’s not. It’s out there. And I couldn’t get it there.”
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JOEY GALLOWAY

Galloway's Numbers Are No Joke
By KATHERINE SMITH The Tampa Tribune

Published: Jul 31, 2006

LAKE BUENA VISTA - His teammates call him "Old Man." They like to tease about the gray hair in his beard.

Bucs cornerback Brian Kelly joked about how impressive it is that Joey Galloway is "50 years old, running 4.1 [seconds in the 40-yard dash]."

The jokes about Galloway's age stop the second he takes the field.

"They give me a little grief until I run past them, then put all the jokes aside after that," Galloway said. "They quit joking when I run past them."

Entering his 12th NFL season, the wide receiver almost feels like a rookie. That's in part to the special schedule the Bucs devised for him. Just like they did during last year's training camp, Galloway is limited to one practice a day.

That regimen resulted in Galloway remaining healthy for the entire regular season - the first time since 2002 he played all 16 games.

"I think it keeps me fresher than in the past," said Galloway, who has endured serious injuries to both knees and a groin.

Galloway led the team in receiving last year and was seventh in the NFL with a career-high 1,287 yards and seventh in the NFC with a career-high 83 receptions. It was the first time since 1998 he surpassed the 1,000-yard mark.

Those numbers were the result of Galloway developing into quarterback Chris Simms' go-to guy. Given a full training camp to work together, the duo's on-field relationship should continue to flourish.

"He's been fun to be around," Galloway said. "I've had 15 or 16 quarterbacks in my career. I've seen them old and young, and to be around a young guy who has matured the way he has in such a short period of time has been something I've never seen before. And hopefully that will mean success for us as a team."

With Michael Clayton suffering through his sophomore slump last year, Galloway became the undisputed No. 1 receiver. His speed, along with Simms' strong arm, opened up several options for the offense.

General Manager Bruce Allen recently showed film of Galloway's 2005 season to a gathering of fans. Much of the film focused on Galloway's 10 touchdown receptions, but also highlighted several near misses - illuminating the potential and possibilities for the offense this year.

"He's a really good player," Coach Jon Gruden said. "You know, he had arguably one of the great seasons in Buccaneer history as a wideout last year, so we expect more from him."

Richard Mann said the receivers have a common saying: "Just because they come up and want to press us, [it doesn't] mean they're any good at it."

The Bucs' receivers coach saw many defenders try to press Galloway last season. That strategy never lasted long in games.

"I know one of the things we found out was during the games, sometimes [defenders] would come up, but they wouldn't stay up there," Mann said. "That's probably a good thing to do if I was them."

Reporter Katherine Smith can be reached at (813) 259-7860 or [email protected].
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http://www.tbo.com/sports/bucs/MGBYVSI7AQE.html
 
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[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Galloway's turning back the clock in Tampa Bay[/FONT]
 [FONT=Times New Roman, serif]
BY DAVID DORSEY
FLORIDA TODAY [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]LAKE BUENA VISTA - Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon first set foot in Florida almost 500 years ago, searching for the mythical Fountain of Youth.[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Joey Galloway appeared to have found it last season. During his second year as a wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Galloway caught 83 passes for 1,287 yards, both career highs. He also scored 10 touchdowns.[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Now 34, Galloway appears primed to repeat those numbers, sprinting more like a 24-year-old at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex, where the Bucs have their training camp.[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]"They give me a little grief until I run past them, and then all jokes aside after that," Galloway said of his age.[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Of the 89 players in the Bucs' training camp, only tight end Dave Moore, 36, and linebacker Shelton Quarles, also 34, have been on this earth longer than Galloway.[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]"They joke with it when we're in the locker room," Galloway said of his teammates, "and they see the grays and the beard, but when we're on the field there are not too many jokes on the age."[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Most NFL receivers tend to break out during their third season, right around age 25.[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Galloway has bucked that trend. The 5-foot-11, 197-pound speedster from The Ohio State University had 1,000-yard receiving seasons as a rookie with the Seattle Seahawks in 1995 and again in 1997-98 (at 25 and 26).[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Injuries and the presence of other receivers limited Galloway's production to worse than 700 yards during five of the following six seasons, heading into last year.[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]"Joey Galloway, when the calendar strikes a certain date, begins a training regimen that not a lot of guys could do, human beings, that's for sure," Bucs coach Jon Gruden said. "It's a credit to him. It really is a credit to him, and we're trying to do everything we can to make sure we maintain what we have here, which is a great receiver with blinding speed."[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Gruden has allowed Galloway to use that speed, setting him up with short pass routes.[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]"That is something that I would like to give coach Gruden a hug for, to be honest with you, because the things he allows me to do in this system that I have found some success with are things that I have never been given a chance to do before," Galloway said.[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]"I am excited every single day when we go over this offense, and we install these plays. I see routes where I get a chance to go inside. I get a chance to work a one-on-one versus a safety or a linebacker. My eyes light up. That's fun, and I'm happy to be doing that stuff."[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Last season, Gruden gave Galloway frequent breaks during training camp, making him sit out several afternoon practice sessions to preserve his legs for the regular season. That has been the case again so far during this training camp.[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]"Well, I think it kept me fresher than in the past," Galloway said. "We had a schedule last year that worked out well. I think because it worked out so well, then we'll try it again. We'll try to stick with it."[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Galloway did not want to miss any of the training camp practices last season but deferred to Gruden's wishes.[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]"It's not my schedule," Galloway said. "Coach Gruden will tell me when he wants me to go and when he doesn't want me to."[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Limiting Galloway's practices helped him have one of the most prolific seasons in franchise history.[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]His 83 catches rank No. 5 all-time, and his 1,287 yards rank No. 2.[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]"You know, he had arguably one of the great seasons in Buccaneer history as a wideout last year, so we expect more from him," Gruden said.[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]"We're going to try to get a lot more out of him this year, and if today is any indication, he's pretty doggone good."[/FONT]
 
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Bucs' Galloway sipping from Fountain of Youth



swapContent('firstHeader','applyHeader'); By David Dorsey, The (Fort Myers, Fla.) News-Press
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon first set foot in Florida almost 500 years ago, searching for the mythical Fountain of Youth.
Joey Galloway appeared to have found it last season.
During his second year as a wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Galloway caught 83 passes for 1,287 yards, both career highs. He also scored 10 touchdowns.
Now 34, Galloway appears primed to repeat those numbers, sprinting more like a 24-year-old at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex, where the Bucs have their training camp.
"They give me a little grief until I run past them, and then all jokes aside after that," Galloway said of his age.
Of the 89 players in the Bucs training camp, only tight end Dave Moore, 36, and linebacker Shelton Quarles, also 34, are older than Galloway.
"They quit joking when I run past them," Galloway said of his teammates. "They joke with it when we're in the locker room ... but when we're on the field there are not too many jokes on the age."
Most NFL receivers tend to break out during their third season, right around age 25.
Galloway has bucked that trend. The 5-foot-11, 197-pound speedster from Ohio State had 1,000-yard receiving yards as a rookie with the Seattle Seahawks in 1995 and again in 1997 and '98 (age 25 and 26).
Injuries and the presence of other receivers limited Galloway's production to below 700 yards during five of the following six seasons, heading into last year.
"Joey Galloway, when the calendar strikes a certain date, begins a training regimen that not a lot of guys could do ... that's for sure," Bucs coach Jon Gruden said. "It's a credit to him. It really is a credit to him, and we're trying to do everything we can to make sure we maintain what we have here, which is a great receiver with blinding speed."
Gruden has allowed Galloway to use that speed, setting him up with short pass routes.
"That is something that I would like to give Coach Gruden a hug for, to be honest with you, because the things he allows me to do in this system that I have found some success with are things that I have never been given a chance to do before," Galloway said. "I am excited every single day when we go over this offense, and we install these plays, and I see routes where I get a chance to go inside, I get a chance to work a one-on-one vs. a safety or a linebacker. My eyes light up, that's fun, and I'm happy to be doing that stuff."
Last season, Gruden gave Galloway frequent breaks during training camp, allowing him — making him — sit out several afternoon practice sessions in order to preserve his legs for the regular season.
That has been the case again so far during this training camp.
"Well, I think it kept me fresher than in the past," Galloway said. "We had a schedule last year that worked out well. I think because it worked out so well, then we'll try it again, we'll try to stick with it."
Galloway did not want to miss any of the training camp practices last season but deferred to Gruden's wishes.
"It's not my schedule," Galloway said. "Coach Gruden will tell me when he wants me to go and when he doesn't want me to."
Limiting Galloway's practices may have helped him have one of the most prolific seasons in franchise history.
His 83 catches rank No. 5 all-time, and his 1,287 yards rank No. 2.
"You know, he had arguably one of the great seasons in Buccaneer history as a wideout last year, so we expect more from him," Gruden said. "We're going to try to get a lot more out of him this year, and if today is any indication, he's pretty doggone good."
 
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Galloway saw his first action of the preseason catching 2 passes for 28 yards.

capt.a75050283d3642678af640377f970871.buccaneers_jaguars_football_flpc206.jpg

Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Joey Galloway, left, tries to get away from Jacksonville Jaguars defender Deon Grant after catching a first-quarter pass during an NFL football game Saturday, Aug. 26, 2006, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phil Coale)
 
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usatoday.com

By Jim Corbett, USA TODAY

Joey Galloway might well be the poster boy for the seemingly overlooked Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The guy can still fly at 34.
Galloway says he hasn't lost a bit of that 4.1-second 40-yard speed he flashed when he came into the league 12 years ago.
He posted more receiving yards last season than fellow 30-something pass catchers Marvin Harrison and Rod Smith. Harrison and Smith went to the Pro Bowl. Galloway did not.
Few realize he enjoyed a career year highlighted by 83 receptions, a team-record 10 touchdowns and 1,287 receiving yards.
What's more, Galloway ranked second in the league in third-down receiving yards (476), and his 15.5 yards a catch ranked third among receivers with 70 or more catches.
So, no, it doesn't surprise the 12th-year veteran that his Bucs, who went 11-5 last season, are getting overlooked by those filling up the Carolina Panthers' bandwagon.
"I don't know if anybody even recognizes us or cares about us," Galloway says by phone. "It's been that way. No one expected us to do anything last season. In fact, if you asked the average fan who won our division last year, they'd probably say Carolina.
"We've worked extremely hard, and I truly believe we've improved in certain areas. We intend to go out and defend our title."
If they can shore up some pass protection, the Bucs might finally have a high-scoring offense capable of matching the explosiveness of the north end zone of Raymond James Stadium, where touchdowns are celebrated with thundering cannon fire.
There's no shortage of weapons, starting with quarterback Chris Simms and last year's NFL offensive rookie of the year, 1,178-yard running back Carnell "Cadillac" Williams.
What should make the Simms-to-Galloway combination even more threatening is the development of young players such as Williams and second-year tight end Alex Smith, poised to emerge a key target in coach Jon Gruden's West Coast attack.
Gruden wants Williams to be more involved as a pass catcher. And Galloway says the Bucs are loaded at receiver. David Boston was added as a free agent, and Michael Clayton is looking to distance himself from a sophomore slump. There's Ike Hilliard, third-round draft choice Maurice Stovall, and Edell Shepard, Paris Warren and Chas Gessner are fighting to fill out the depth chart.
Simms, who turned 26 on Aug. 29, and Galloway established a strong connection forged during last season's playoff run.
Simms has worked hard this offseason to make the most of his opportunity as the undisputed starter. But his success still comes down to protection. Simms has been sacked five times in three preseason games and had two passes batted down by the Jacksonville Jaguars defensive line Aug. 26.
Gruden seems to be opening the playbook to take more advantage of Simms' ability to air it out. "Chris has the big arm and throws it as well as anyone I've been around," Galloway says. "I'm running just as strong as I have in the past and we've improved offensively."
Since Dec. 5, 2004, Galloway ranks second to Harrison's 16 touchdown receptions with 15. The Arizona Cardinals' Larry Fitzgerald and the Cincinnati Bengals' Chad Johnson each caught 14 during that span.
And yet Galloway remains an afterthought in most conversations regarding big-play receivers.
Simms has cemented Galloway's and Gruden's confidence with his patient progressions, clutch play-making and his ability to make all the throws.
"Chris is excited about his opportunity, and he's worked hard to make the most of it," Galloway says. "With Chris coming in last year (replacing injured Brian Griese for the last 11 games), we didn't know how good we could be. Now we expect to be successful."
Says CBS analyst Randy Cross: "If Chris has one of those take-the-next-step years, there's not much of a limit to what the Bucs can do."
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Receiving duo in fine form at last

Joey Galloway and Michael Clayton seem to have shaken injury woes.

​
By B y STEPHEN F. HOLDER
Published September 9, 2006
TAMPA - Bucs quarterback Chris Simms has enough problems, to be sure.
With a relentless Ravens defense coming to town Sunday, he has defenders Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and others on the brain. Yet, here comes another problem, albeit one Simms probably doesn't mind: two big-time receivers, only one football.
What to do?
"The main thing for me right now is keeping these guys happy," Simms said, referring to age-defying Joey Galloway and reinvigorated Michael Clayton.
This is what the Bucs have long hoped their starting receiver duo would be, which is to say a potent combination of size (6-foot-4, 215-pound Clayton) and sizzling speed (Galloway). It didn't happen in 2004 when Galloway missed six games with a groin injury in the midst of Clayton's remarkable rookie season.
And it didn't happen last season when Galloway turned in a career year but Clayton fell far short of expectations because of a shoulder and foot injury.
Clayton looks completely healthy for the first time in a year. As for the 34-year-old Galloway, well, he remains a "freak of nature," according to Simms. Suddenly, the 1-2 punch no longer seems one-sided.
"I think it can be a great combination," said Clayton, who ranked fifth on the team in receiving in 2005 with 32 receptions and no touchdowns. Consider that in 2004 Clayton caught 80 passes for 1,193 yards.
Conversely, Galloway raised his production by more than 800 yards last season over 2004, posting a career-high 1,287 receiving yards on 83 catches.
"I had a hell of a year my rookie year, then Joey had a hell of a year last year," Clayton said. "With everybody healthy at the same time, you can guess what this offense can be like. It's a different story. We've been prepared since Day 1 but we're both healthy now."
Too often last season, Galloway was attracting a bevy of defensive backs, only to find Clayton was unable to trump the single coverage on his side. This season the team's starting duo hopes to make defenses pay from the flanker and split end position.
Imagine what Galloway could do if defenses were forced to pay heed to Clayton's hard-charging slant routes. Or how dangerous Clayton could be going over the middle when Galloway is taking half the secondary downfield with him.
This is all very exciting for Clayton. He didn't always air his true feelings publicly during 2005, but his struggles took a personal toll.
"It was real tough on him," friend and running back Cadillac Williams said. "Me and Mike are real close and he shared a lot of things with me that he didn't share with everybody else, and I'm here to tell you it was eating at him.
"I actually felt real bad for the guy. But everything happens for a reason and I think him having that season has made him a better person and a better all-around player. I think the future is big for that guy."
Simms put it this way: "People always ask me, 'Why didn't you guys sign anybody in free agency?' We have a healthy Mike Clayton and that's all that matters. He's our free-agent signing."
Clayton's humbling sophomore season has him preferring to speak with actions rather than hollow words.
"Inside, I've been waiting on this a long, long time," Clayton says of the opener. "But I'm not going to say anything or make predictions. We're just going to see what happens. I know that I'm ready to play and I'm healthy."
Galloway, as always, is ready. His brutal summer workouts practically ensure it. Details are hard to come by because Galloway is tight-lipped about his habits, but he did allow that during workouts with fellow Ohio State alums Eddie George, Shawn Springs and others over the years, "it would be common for a guy to fall (from fatigue) but then get back up. Me, I would never go down."
Said Clayton: "I really don't know what that guy does. But whatever he does, he definitely does it well."
Galloway gets started in January, almost immediately after the season, and doesn't let up until offseason team workouts begin. Plus, he remains health conscious in his diet and lifestyle, avoiding things such as alcohol.
If he and Clayton can avoid injuries, defenses could be hard-pressed to prevent big plays. Stopping one of them will come with a price: allowing the other a chance to make a play.
"Sometimes I joke with Clayton that he has the best police escort anybody could ask for," Galloway said. "Sometimes my job is to run down and take (defenders) with me. I do open some doors, but those doors are also opened for me by (other) guys. We all have a job to do."
Finally, Clayton and Galloway will be able to do it simultaneously.
 
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Bucs are expecting bigger things from offense

Carnell Williams and Joey Galloway give Tampa Bay a nice ground-air attack.

Chris Harry | Sentinel Staff Writer

Posted September 10, 2006

TAMPA -- Wide receiver Joey Galloway turns 34 in November, so he can appreciate the exuberance Tampa Bay teammate Carnell "Cadillac'' Williams displayed in games during his rookie season. He especially liked the banter and bounce of Williams when they were in huddles together.

"I don't expect that to change," Galloway said. "Of course, we haven't seen each other in a huddle very much lately."

In four exhibitions, Galloway and Williams lined up together for all of five plays, all in the third exhibition at Jacksonville. The first-team offense scored its only touchdown of the preseason that night, marching 43 yards in eight plays after a turnover to take an early lead.

Beyond that tease, everything about Tampa Bay's offense is speculation to this point. Today's season opener against Baltimore will change that.

"We expect big things," quarterback Chris Simms said. "We're not going to go crazy -- we've got the best defense in the NFL -- but as an offensive unit, we're extremely confident in what we can do, and we're just going to feel the game out and try to go from there."

Look for the feeling-out process to begin with Williams, the 2005 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year after rushing for 1,178 yards and six touchdowns. This time last year, Williams was an unknown entity. There are no mysteries now.

"The difference is, I know what to expect," Williams said. "Last year, I didn't know what I was getting myself into."

By vaulting from 29th in rushing offense in 2004 to 14th in '05, the Bucs established they could run the ball. Now, they want to establish a lot more.

"They have some great young players, and they're starting to get a certain maturity about them," Ravens Coach Brian Billick said. "You begin with the quarterback position."

Simms has had the entire offseason to practice with the No. 1 offense and work on timing with receivers. He has intelligence, touch and possibly the strongest arm of any Tampa Bay quarterback since Vinny Testaverde.

"I'm completely confident in my knowledge of the offense and in my ability," Simms said. "A lot of that has to do with the guys around me."

In Galloway, who is coming off a career season (83 catches, 1,287 yards, 10 TDs), the Bucs have a speed-burner who can stretch a secondary. Wide receiver Michael Clayton looks healthy following an injury-ravaged '05 season. There's also second-year tight end Alex Smith (41 catches as a rookie) and the versatility of a backfield that includes Williams, Michael Pittman and fullback Mike Alstott.

"The great thing about this offense, I don't think you can key on one guy," Smith said.

"We have weapons to do some damage."

Chris Harry can be reached at [email protected].
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Though Sunday?s loss to the Falcons was disappointing, the Bucs did show signs of life in the passing game?The next step: Get the ball in the end zone Air Time
WR Joey Galloway had a big day statistically in Atlanta - nine catches for 161 yards - but he was left far from satisfied
Sep 18, 2006 -

As evidenced by their 0-2 record, the 2006 Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a work in progress in some areas of their game. On Sunday in Atlanta, there was definite progress made in the passing game, particularly in regards to getting the wide receivers more involved.

The bottom line, of course, is that the Bucs still scored just three points against the Falcons, in part because they matched their Week One total with three interceptions. That and the team?s first loss in four meetings with the Falcons made it difficult to enjoy any particular statistic from the game, including Chris Simms? career-high 313 passing yards. But it?s worth noting that most of that yardage was piled up by the team?s three main wideouts after the majority of the passing game went through the backs and tight ends on opening day.

?We just gave him some alleys to throw the ball today,? said wide receiver Michael Clayton. ?If we do our job well, then when Chris has enough time to deliver the ball, he delivers a great ball. But we would do something so good and then shoot ourselves in the foot by the mistakes we made. We just didn?t ever get anything going.?

Perhaps the receivers? increased involvement was the product of better pass protection. The Bucs? offensive line successfully picked up several Atlanta blitzes, and Simms was sacked only once in 53 attempts for just two yards.

Perhaps it was a pointed emphasis on finding the purported playmakers in the passing game. Head Coach Jon Gruden stressed that idea this past week, saying the team?s wide receivers, particularly Galloway, had to be involved in the offense.

" We were just able to make some plays this week that we weren?t able to make last week. All in all, we didn?t play well enough." Maybe it was a combination of both. Whatever the case, the Bucs passing attack had more bite and more downfield depth on Sunday. In all, 20 of Simms? 28 completions went to wide receivers. Last week, only three of his 17 completions found their way to a wide receiver ? and that was all to Clayton, who had all three catches for 34 yards.

This week Joey Galloway led the way with a career-high nine catches for 161 yards, including a 55-yard bomb from Simms in the third quarter that put the Bucs inside the 10 with a chance to severely tighten the game. Even from the Bucs? opening possession, Galloway was involved, turning a short Simms pass into a 26-yard gain on a well-executed bubble screen.

?We just found some success on some plays today,? Galloway said. ?That?s what we?re going to have to do to be successful in this offense. We?ve got to make plays. We have to throw the ball. We have to run the ball. Right now, we?re just not clicking on all cylinders.?

Obviously, despite the big numbers on Sunday, Galloway is far from content. From two-a-days in Orlando this summer to practices during the week, whenever Galloway has been asked about his career year last season in which he caught more passes and gained more yards than at any point in his NFL career, the veteran receiver has always put it in the context of how it helped the Bucs win games. On Sunday, Galloway failed to notch the one stat that matters to him ? a win.

?I don?t know that our timing improved,? Galloway said, addressing his emerging stats on Sunday. ?I don?t know that we were getting in sync. We were just able to make some plays this week that we weren?t able to make last week. All in all, we didn?t play well enough ? whether it was me making plays or [Chris Simms] making plays. We didn?t play well enough.?

The main problem, Galloway said, was an inability to fully take advantage of their opportunities. Throughout the game, there were instances where the Bucs could have shifted the momentum in their favor, especially in the red zone, but they were unable to put the ball in the end zone despite three incursions inside the 10.

?Offensively, we got down in the red zone a few times and we didn?t capitalize,? Galloway said. ?To win on the road, to beat a team like Atlanta, you?ve got to capitalize when you have your opportunities. We didn?t do that today. We had breakdowns. We didn?t execute the way we needed to execute, and when you do that you only get three points.

?At the end of a game when you only get three points you always feel like you left something out there. What I do know is that we didn?t play well enough to score points. We had breakdowns, we made mistakes ? we?ve got to play better, simple as that. We have got to play better. It doesn?t matter what we left out there. What does matter is we?ve got to eliminate our mistakes, and we?ve got to play better. And then you score points.?

As frustrating as these past two weeks have been for the Buccaneers? players and coaches, Galloway remains optimistic. He?s got 11 years under his belt, and he knows the postseason hunt is a marathon, not a race. Still, the urgency in Galloway?s voice and comments is evident ? it?s time for the team to play better, much better.

?I?ve been through a lot of offensive struggles,? Galloway said. ?I think the key thing now is we?re 0-2, and we?ve got a tough game next week. We get to go back home. Tomorrow we start getting ready, and we just have to be better than we were these past two games.

?We put a lot of work into this, and even though the outcome hasn?t been what we wanted it to be, we've still worked extremely hard, and we?ll continue to work hard, we?ll continue to try and learn from our mistakes and we?ll continue to try and play better.?
 
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USAToday

Return of Bucs' Galloway a reminder of what might've been for Cowboys


Updated 11/22/2006 3:25 PM ET
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IRVING, Texas ? The theory was sound. Troy Aikman would throw deep passes, Joey Galloway would track them down and the Dallas Cowboys would rack up points and wins.
The reality was a disaster.
Galloway never caught a pass from Aikman. They played only one game together, the 2000 opener, and neither was around for the end of it. Aikman was knocked out early with a concussion and Galloway went out late with a torn knee ligament that ended his season. By the time the receiver returned in 2001, the quarterback had become a broadcaster.
Although Galloway went on to put up solid statistics for Dallas, he was traded to Tampa Bay for Keyshawn Johnson in May 2004. With him went the bad memory of a foiled plan, as well as the two first-round picks and $42 million contract Jerry Jones spent to acquire him from Seattle.
Between Johnson and Terrell Owens, receivers have made enough news for Cowboys fans to have forgotten about Galloway. Well, they'll get a big reminder Thursday when he and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-7) play Dallas (6-4) in the annual Thanksgiving game at Texas Stadium.
Galloway said Tuesday he is looking forward to the game for the chance to catch up with some friends and to take part in the tradition surrounding the holiday game. As for reminiscing about his days wearing the star on his helmet, he's as willing to forget about them as anyone else.
"I truly think if we could've won more games in Dallas, it would've been fun," he said. "I think it was the losing that always sours the taste in your mouth."
Of course, the whole Aikman thing factored in, too, compounded by the fact Galloway was brought in to replace Michael Irvin as the team's top receiving threat.
"Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to play with Troy long enough for us to get on the same page," Galloway said. "That's something I regret, but it's not something I can do anything about."
Galloway says similar things about his entire career. He's had about 16 starting quarterbacks combine on his 588 career catches, a revolving door that's kept him from developing the kind of bond Marvin Harrison has with Peyton Manning, or even Terry Glenn with Drew Bledsoe.
"Somebody told me last week that in my career Quincy Carter has thrown me the most passes. I chuckled because that's funny," said Galloway, who turned 35 on Monday but still runs like someone in his early 20s, as evidenced by his stats: 38 catches for 626 yards and five touchdowns, all team bests.
Bruce Gradkowski is the most recent addition to Galloway's QB list. The rookie has gone 3-4 since replacing injured Chris Simms and is coming off a solid performance (14-of-21 for 178 yards with two touchdowns and an interception) in a victory over Washington that ended a three-game losing streak.
Coach Jon Gruden said he saw some things in that game to indicate the sixth-round pick from Toledo is starting to get a better grasp on his job.
"He looked a lot more comfortable," Gruden said. "Early in football games, he's had a tendency to be a little wild. He's a very emotional kid. He's an excitable kind of guy. He's not nervous, just a little too pumped up to begin games.
"I think the game is starting to come back to him a little bit in terms of speed, tempo and the concentration and poise it takes to play play-in and play-out. The more he plays, the more he'll improve."
Some of the same things could be said about Dallas' new quarterback, Tony Romo.
Although he's made fewer starts than Gradkowski, coach Bill Parcells doesn't grade Romo like he's a rookie because this is his fourth season.
Romo is showing that he paid plenty of attention during his time on the sidelines. He's won three of four starts and done well in all four games. His stock is especially high after leading the Cowboys past the previously unbeaten Indianapolis Colts just a few days ago; in fact, a local paper wrote Tuesday about his chances of making the Pro Bowl.
"All that stuff is just talk," Romo said. "As soon as you start thinking about things like that, you're bound for failure. I keep the tunnel-vision I kind of have going in the season and just go forward each week."
Romo and Galloway overlapped in Dallas for one season. It was long enough for Galloway not to be surprised by Romo's success.
"I thought he would be a good quarterback when given the chance," Galloway said. "I don't look back and say I wish I would have played with him or things like that. I am happy for him and happy for the success he's having."
Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 
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