Probable starters
Bucs offense
WR: Mike Williams 19
LT: Donald Penn 70
LG: Jeremy Zuttah 76
C: Jeff Faine 52
RG: Davin Joseph 75
RT: Jeremy Trueblood 65
TE: Kellen Winslow 82
WR: Arrelious Benn 17
QB: Josh Freeman 5
RB: LeGarrette Blount 27
FB: Earnest Graham 34
Bucs defense
LDE: Michael Bennett 71
DT: Gerald McCoy 93
DT: Brian Price 92
RDE: Adrian Clayborn 94
SLB: Dekoda Watson 56
MLB: Mason Foster 59
WLB: Geno Hayes 54
LCB: Aqib Talib 25
RCB: Ronde Barber 20
SS: Sean Jones 26
FS: Cody Grimm 35
special teams
P: Michael Koenen 9
PK: Connor Barth 10
KO: Michael Koenen 9
PR/KR: Preston Parker 87
Colts Offense
WR: Pierre Garcon 85
LT: Anthony Castonzo 74
LG: Joe Reitz 76
C: Jeff Saturday 63
RG: Ryan Diem 71
RT: Jeffrey Linkenbach 72
TE: Dallas Clark 44
TE: Bobby Eldridge 81
WR: Reggie Wayne 87
QB: Matt Painter 7
RB: Joseph Addai 29
Colts Defense
LDE: Robert Mathis 98
DT: Antonio Johnson 99
DT: Filil Moala 95
RDE: Dwight Freeney 93
SLB: Pat Angerer 51
MLB: Nate Triplett 54
WLB: Kavell Conner 53
LCB: Jacob Lacey 23
RCB: Jerraud Powers 25
SS: Melvin Bullitt 33
FS: Antoine Bethea 41
special teams
P: Pat McAfee 1
PK/KO: Adam Vinatieri 4
PR: Blair White 15
KR: Joe Lefeged 35
Injury report
BUCS — Out: T James Lee (knee), WR Sammie Stroughter (foot). Questionable: LB Quincy Black (ankle). Probable: QB Josh Johnson (ankle), TE Zack Pianalto (calf), TE Kellen Winslow (knee).
Colts — Out: QB Peyton Manning (neck). Questionable: S Antoine Bethea (heel), QB Kerry Collins (head), G Ryan Diem (ankle), TE Brody Eldridge (knee), DE Dwight Freeney (ankle), DT Fili Moala (ankle), G Joe Reitz (ankle), LB Ernie Sims (knee).
Stat pack *
8:30 p.m., Raymond James Stadium, Tampa | TV/radio: Ch. 28, ESPN; 620-AM, 103.5-FM | Line, O/U: Bucs by 10; 401/2
Avg. Rushing yards
Avg. passing Avg. yards
Avg. total yards
Avg. Rushing yards allowed
Avg. passing yards allowed
total yards allowed
Bucs
Colts
92 (20th)
90 (21st)
The Colts haven't lost five games in a row since Nov. 11-Dec. 10, 2001, and it's easy to see why. Without franchise quarterback Peyton Manning, the Colts aren't built to succeed. They are a team constructed to work with Manning at the controls. With Curtis Painter making his first start, there's going to be yet another transition process tonight.
Colts' best offensive player
Right now, that appears to be Joseph Addai, right. He's gaining 4.8 yards per carry, and each yard he musters takes that much more heat off whoever is playing quarterback. That's something that can only benefit the Colts given the circumstances.
Colts' best defensive player
End Dwight Freeney, left, has been as much of a constant on the defensive side as Peyton Manning has been on the offensive. Coming off a two-sack performance against the Steelers, the 10-year vet shows no sign of slowing down. The matchup of Freeney against left tackle Donald Penn will be one of the game's primary subplots.
Prediction Bucs 24, Colts 14
The Bucs must avoid …
Falling behind early. That would play right into the Colts' hands, allowing them to pound the ball on the ground and play its Cover 2-style defense to prevent big plays. This also would adversely affect the Bucs' run-pass ratio, which is not conducive to winning.
Stephen Holder, Times staff writer
What the Colts do best
Play physical on defense. They harassed Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger throughout last week's game. Josh Freeman has a similar game and is susceptible to the same kind of pressure. Both players like to keep plays alive as long as possible, meaning they will at some point have to elude defenders.
You can beat the Colts if …
You load up against the run — like in last week's Bucs win over the Falcons — and put the game in the hands of the quarterback. If Joseph Addai can't get untracked, the Colts will have to go to the air more than they'd like. That, in turn, creates opportunities for cornerbacks Aqib Talib and Ronde Barber.
223 (21st)
164 (27th)
315 (24th)
254 (29th)
114 (23rd)
113.3 (22nd)
271 (23rd)
252 (18th)
384.7 (24th)
365 (19th)
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