TAMPA - The Bucs are battered and bruised and with one game to go before a desperately needed bye week, much of the talk Monday at Jon Gruden's press conference centered on his battered backfield and injured strong safety Jermaine Phillips.

Gruden fired first letting those in attendance know updates would be given Wednesday. But he did acknowledge a concern that Phillips may have broken his left forearm.

"That's our fear, yes," Gruden said. 

The Bucs strong safety had two tackles in 13-9 loss at Dallas on Sunday before leaving the game in the first half. He had entered the game second on the team in tackles with 51.

Phillips suffered a broken right forearm in 2004 that forced him to
miss the final five games and landed him on injured reserve.

-- IZZY GOULD
Times staff writer