Cincinnati (3-1) at Tampa Bay (0-4)

SCOUTING REPORT

Lewis will test Gradkowski's knowledge Before the season started, this looked like an excellent matchup between up-and-coming teams. Then the season started. Times have changed -- for the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay might have the worst overall offense in the league and its defense is starting to show its age, as it spends far too much time on the field. At 0-4, Tampa Bay's playoff hopes are now a real longshot after losing a close game to the Saints. The Bucs did show some progress on offense with Bruce Gradkowski, a rookie quarterback who started his first professional game last week. Cincinnati, on the other hand, should be fresh and rested after its bye week, and that extra week allowed the Bengals to get some injured starters back on the field. The Bengals need this game to keep pace in the AFC North, while the Bucs try to get their first win.

· Full Scouting Report

Matchup
	W-L	PF	PA	HOME	ROAD	DIV	CONF
CIN	8-8	373	331	4-4	4-4	4-2	6-6
TAM	4-12	211	353	3-5	1-7	0-6	2-10
· Complete Standings

Individual Leaders

Cincinnati Passing   CMP% YDS TD INT Palmer 61.5 2217 14 8

Tampa Bay Passing   CMP% YDS TD INT Johnso... 50.4 685 4 8 Leftwi... 54.2 594 4 3

Cincinnati Rushing   CAR YDS AVG TD Benson 205 859 4.2 6 Scott 50 214 4.3 0

Tampa Bay Rushing   CAR YDS AVG TD Willia... 117 450 3.8 3 Ward 66 243 3.7 1

Cincinnati Receiving   REC YDS AVG TD Ochoci... 50 735 14.7 5 Coles 29 355 12.2 3

Tampa Bay Receiving   REC YDS AVG TD Winslo... 47 483 10.3 5 Bryant 19 269 14.2 2

Full Player Stats: Cincinnati | Tampa Bay

TEAM AVERAGES & NFL RANKS
TEAM OFFENSE	TEAM	PER GAME AVERAGE
Total Yards	CIN	341.0
	TAM	270.0
Yards Passing	CIN	239.6
	TAM	174.9
Yards Rushing	CIN	101.8
	TAM	95.2
TEAM DEFENSE	TEAM	PER GAME AVERAGE
Yards Allowed	CIN	355.1
	TAM	329.4
Pass Yds Allowed	CIN	238.6
	TAM	209.6
Rush Yds Allowed	CIN	116.4
	TAM	119.8

HEAD TO HEAD MATCHUPS (SINCE 2001)
Tampa Bay leads 3-0
Sep 29, 2002	CIN 7, @TAM 35
Dec 2, 2001	CIN 13, @TAM 16

Cincinnati (3-1) at Tampa Bay (0-4) Sunday 1:00 pm EDT

TAMPA, Florida (Ticker) - The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have their ship in reverse. The Cincinnati Bengals are right on course. Headed in opposite directions, the teams cross paths in an interconference game Sunday.

Last season, the Bucs started 4-0 en route to the NFC South title. Now Tampa Bay is trying to avert its first 0-5 start since 1996.

The Bengals also were 4-0 last year en route to the AFC North crown. They did not match that this season but are right behind first-place Baltimore (4-1) and comfortably ahead of defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh (1-3).

This is the first of three games against NFC South opponents for the Bengals, who host Carolina and Atlanta the next two weeks. But they should not underestimate the Bucs, who totaled 406 yards in last week's 24-21 loss at New Orleans.

Tampa Bay appeared to be on the verge of its first win before rookie Reggie Bush returned a punt 65 yards for a touchdown with 4:17 left in the fourth quarter.

Bucs rookie Bruce Gradkowski made quite an impression in his first NFL start, completing 20-of-31 passes for 225 yards and two touchdowns. The sixth-round pick from Toledo was not intercepted but lost a fumble at his 20-yard line that led to a touchdown for the Saints.

"I like everything about him," Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden said. "Not a lot of rookies can handle the stuff we throw at him. He's a very exciting young prospect."

Gradkowski beat out Tim Rattay and Luke McCown for the backup job and got the opportunity to start after Chris Simms needed an emergency splenectomy on September 24 after a loss to Carolina. There is no timetable for Simms' return.

Look for the Bucs to try and establish a running game against the Bengals, who were steamrolled for 236 yards on the ground by New England in a 38-13 loss October 1.

Cincinnati has lost two starting linebackers - David Pollack and Odell Thurman - for the remainder of the year. Pollack suffered a neck injury in a September 17 win over Cleveland and Thurman has been suspended after violating the substance abuse policy and an arrest for DUI.

Brian Simmons has moved from the outside to replace Thurman in the middle and Rashad Jeanty has replaced Pollack on the outside. Until both players adjust, the Bengals are vulnerable to the run.

That should make for a heavy dose of Carnell "Cadillac" Williams, who rushed for 111 yards on 20 carries vs. New Orleans.

Joey Galloway and Michael Clayton will match up against Bengals playmaking cornerbacks Deltha O'Neal and Tory James, who combined for 15 interceptions last season. However, they have just one in Cincinnati's first four games.

Galloway caught four passes for 110 yards and a touchdown in the loss at New Orleans.

The Bucs will need defensive end Simeon Rice, who has 119 career sacks, to put some heat on Carson Palmer. Rice has just one sack this season.

A Pro Bowler last season, Palmer has come back from a torn ACL and completed more than 62 percent of his passes for 917 yards, six touchdowns and four interceptions. Receivers Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh will match up against cornerbacks Brian Kelly and three-time Pro Bowler Ronde Barber.

Johnson led the AFC with 97 catches for 1,432 yards last season. But he is off to a slow start with 18 receptions for 201 yards and a touchdown. Houshmandzadeh has 13 catches for 189 yards and two scores in just two games after missing the first two weeks with a heel injury.

The Buccaneers have won the last four meetings. This is Cincinnati's first trip to Tampa Bay since 1995.

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