Like many, Brad Johnson (14) is concerned about the Bucs' running attack
*(Editor's note: The Buccaneers remain in the NFC playoff hunt despite Sunday's 27-3 loss at Chicago. QB Brad Johnson talks about that game and about Tampa Bay's wild-card hopes.) *
I guess you could say things are as good, and as bad, as they can get. The loss to Chicago hurt us from the standpoint of winning a game, but we still are in position to make the playoffs.
We expected to play better, and pretty much went up there and got dominated on both sides of the football. Chicago is a team that's kind of peaking at the right time, and that really showed on Sunday.
I don't think we ran the ball at all -- we've had a lot of negative-yardage plays this year.
It was an embarrassing loss. Each week is an emotional roller coaster. We were coming off winning a game against Detroit in the final seconds, then we were embarrassed against Chicago. Every team fighting for the last playoff position lost, so we're in the same position we were before the Bears game.
The loss ended our three-game winning streak -- we're 7-6 -- and it makes our game this weekend at home against New Orleans huge. It'll be the most important game we'll play all season because of record and tiebreakers.
We're in a three-game season, with the most important game being the Saints. After that, we'll play the Ravens and the Eagles. All three teams we're playing are fighting for playoff spots -- so if we're to make the playoffs, we'll have to earn it.
We're the only team in the league with its last three games at home, and hopefully that will play into our hands. We're 3-2 at home so far.
Hopefully, the fact the Saints played an emotional game on Monday night against the Rams and have to travel here will benefit us.
