The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have already given game starts to 40 different players in 2010, including nine rookies.  That number should rise by at least one on Sunday as the team looks for the right lineup combination to cover the loss of rookie defensive tackle Gerald McCoy to a season-ending injury.

Most likely to step in on the defensive line for the game's first snap will be Al Woods, Frank Okam or Michael Bennett.  None have a start yet this season, so one should be the 41st Buccaneer starter in 2010, and that would be the highest number the Bucs have had in that category since 46 different players logged starts in 1993.

Exactly who will be that 41st starter, or for that matter who will be on the field for the first defensive snap at strongside linebacker, isn't as certain.  As the Buccaneers once again adjust to the loss of several key starters – McCoy and strongside linebacker Quincy Black are the latest to go down – there are opportunities for several more young players to step up.  If so, they would join the likes of Ted Larsen, LeGarrette Blount, Corey Lynch and James Lee, all former reserves who kept the team's playoff hopes on track.

With a critical Week 15 game against the Detroit Lions looming, Head Coach Raheem Morris is trying to keep all the potential replacements invested in the process.  For instance, he has yet to announce whether Adam Hayward or Dekoda Watson will start in place of Black, though both are expected to play extensively.

"I've just got so many young guys," said Morris.  "I like these guys to keep going to practice every day, being detailed.  I like them going out there and fighting for that spot.  You've got two guys in that [SLB] spot and you want it all to be detailed.  Tomorrow we've got a walk-through and I want those guys to come out in the walk-through more detailed, so when I make that decision of who's starting it really shouldn't matter.  They both should be ready.

"It's no different at three-technique, and really you'd like it if you could have it all across the board.  I had it for a long time at the nickel spot with Myron Lewis and E.J. Biggers and Nook [Elbert Mack], those guys going out and competing the way they do.  It's been a really good thing."

While the loss of Black hurts, as he had proven to be one of the team's most productive defenders this season (88 tackles, two sacks, six passes defensed), the Bucs already have some experience replacing his contributions.  Black missed two games in November with an ankle injury and the Bucs started Hayward in one game and Watson in the other, both victories.

At McCoy's spot, however, the experiment is just beginning.  The three-technique defensive tackle position that McCoy occupied has different duties than the other interior-line spot in the Bucs' scheme, which is more of a nose tackle.  The three-technique spot is so named because the defender lines up along the shoulder of one of the opposing blockers (one is straight up across from the center, two is the center's shoulder, three is the guard's shoulder, etc.) and tries to penetrate gaps and get into the backfield.  All of the Bucs' linemen try to get upfield at times, of course, but the nose tackle is often called upon to take on blockers more directly.

Miller has started every game at nose tackle and been one of the team's steadiest defenders.  However, the Bucs will now get him playing time at the three-technique spot as well.  Third-year man Frank Okam, who was picked up from the Houston Texans at midseason, will also play at that spot after being inactive for the past three weeks.  And Bennett, primarily a defensive end for the first 13 games, will move inside and give the Bucs' snaps at McCoy's spot on pass-rushing downs.  Woods, a promising rookie the Bucs grabbed off Pittsburgh's practice squad at midseason, will mostly play nose tackle but could be in on the game's first snap, especially if Miller is playing the three-technique.

"We'll have different bodies in there," said Morris.  "It will be Roy Miller, it will be Okam – it all depends on what [the Lions] come out in their personnel groups.  You could see either Roy Miller in there at three-technique or Okam in there at three-technique.  I'm not saying you won't see Mike Bennett; I don't know if they're going to come out in a pass situation in their first snap.  But you certainly will see him go in there in passing downs and situations.

"We always have a nice rotation inside but now you particularly get a rotation inside when you lose one of your franchise guys."

Morris said that Miller may need some time to adjust to the new position after concentrating so heavily on nose tackle duties all season.  After drafting McCoy and Brian Price, who can also play both tackle spots, the Buccaneers wanted to get their young players a majority of the reps at the three-technique spot and thus had different plans for Miller.  Injuries have changed the plan, however, and Miller will gladly take on any role the Bucs have devised for him.

"He's certainly more comfortable at nose tackle; he's certainly more suited for nose tackle," said Miller.  "He'll go out there and be super for us.  He's one of the better teammates that we have on our team, being able to move around and do whatever you ask him to do.  I certainly don't worry about him doing his job to the best of his ability."

The Bucs haven't let their forced lineup changes slow down their playoff chase to this point, and they don't plan to fold after the losses of McCoy and Black.  The lineup may be getting younger and less experienced by the day, but the team's sense of purpose hasn't slackened since opening day.

"I think we put ourselves in that position in October, the opening game against Cleveland," said Morris.  "We put ourselves in a position of urgency.  You're coming off a 3-13 season and you've got a whole bunch of rookies in there, and not due to popular choice.  You didn't go out and get the so-called big free agents.  We wanted to do it together, with our young guys, building a team for longevity.  So I think we put the urgency in these guys in September.  That's the heartbeat of where we are right now.  The urgency's here for everybody."

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Playoff Race Update

Only one thing changed in the NFC playoff standings last week, and it was good for the Buccaneers.

Atlanta, Chicago, Philadelphia and St. Louis held on to their division leads (though the Bears and Rams lost), and New Orleans and the New York Giants stayed in control of the two Wild Card spots with victories over St. Louis and Minnesota, respectively.

It was just below the cutoff line where the picture changed a little bit, thanks to the Buccaneers win at Washington and Green Bay's loss at Detroit.  That put the Bucs and Packers into a tie at 8-5, one game behind the Giants and the conference's sixth seed.  That is one fewer team the Buccaneers have to reel in, as long as they can continue to win over the final three weeks of the season.

Here's a look at the current standings in the NFC South and the NFC overall:

The division standings didn't change, as all three teams at the top won.  Looking at it another way, however, they did get worse for the Buccaneers because they essentially lost a week to gain ground.  In fact, the window on a fourth NFC South title closed for the Buccaneers last Sunday when the Falcons won.  At this point, Tampa Bay could still forge an 11-5 tie with either Atlanta or both Atlanta and New Orleans, but the Falcons would win the tiebreaker in both scenarios thanks to head-to-head records.  At worst, Atlanta would be 3-1 against the Bucs and Saints, or 2-0 against just the Bucs.

On the other hand, the Wild Card picture improved for the Buccaneers, as they moved up a slot to the seventh overall position in the conference.  They get that spot over Green Bay thanks to a better record in conference games (6-3 to 6-4) and would maintain that edge if they won out.

The results of last weekend eliminated Minnesota and Washington, two 5-8 teams that could finish 8-8 at best.  Since there are six teams in the NFC that have already won nine games, that would not be enough for the Redskins or Vikings to get in.  On the other hand, San Francisco is still alive despite being 5-9, but only because the NFC West division leader is just 6-7.

The Seahawks also remain alive at 6-7 but would be extreme long shots, as they are three games behind the final spot with three to play.  All of this further strengthens the notion from last week that it is a four-team race for two Wild Card spots between the Bucs, Packers, Giants and Saints.  Of course, those latter three teams could all still catch their respective division leaders, so Tampa Bay may end up battling it out against Philadelphia and/or Chicago instead.

Using the four teams currently in the Wild Card race, the Bucs do have an apparent advantage in the remaining schedule.  Their final three opponents – Detroit, Seattle and New Orleans – have a combined winning percentage of just .487, as compared to a mark of .564 for New York, .718 for New Orleans and .744 for Green Bay.  On the other hand, both Seattle and New Orleans may still need wins in their own playoff chases in Weeks 16 and 17, so those will represent two highly-motivated opponents.

The Giants still hold a slight edge over the Buccaneers in the first tiebreaker that would apply between them, conference record.  New York has a 7-2 mark against NFC teams but in the next two weeks will host Philadelphia and pay a visit to Green Bay.  The Bucs are 6-3, as mentioned above.

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Injury Reports

As has been evident all week, there is little of concern on the Bucs' Week 15 injury report, in part due to all the fresh legs recently added to the active roster.  Wide receiver Mike Williams and tight end Kellen Winslow were the only two names on Tampa Bay's list this week, and both are considered probable after having little difficulty practicing this week.  Both Williams and Winslow have played through various leg ailments this season and are likely to do so again Sunday against the Lions.

Detroit's Friday injury report was of considerable more interest, in part because it could impact who starts at quarterback for the Lions on Sunday.

Opening-day starter Matthew Stafford was ruled out with his right shoulder injury, as expected, but the Lions have still not announced whether the start will go to Drew Stanton or Shaun Hill.

Hill was Stafford's replacement for a good portion of the season, making eight starts before he too was felled by a finger injury.  Stanton has started the last three games, including the Lions' 7-3 win over the Green Bay Packers last Sunday, and compiled a passer rating of 72.6.

Hill returned to practice this week in a limited fashion but is still considered questionable on Friday's injury report.  Offensive Coordinator Scott Linehan said that Stanton took the majority of the first-team reps and the Lions are comfortable sticking with the young passer if need be.

Morris said the Lions' unannounced quarterback situation didn't much affect Tampa Bay's preparation this week.

"I think you've got to prepare for Scott Linehan," said Morris.  "You've got to prepare for what he's going to do versus the Bucs. You've got to know their different strengths and what they like to do.  You've got to know that Stanton's a little bit better athlete.  You've got to know he's more set to run the football a little bit more.  You've also got to know that Shaun has a little bit more experience and he's going to have more active reads.  But I think they're both qualified, capable quarterbacks.  The Lions are not struggling to put up points by any means.  They're not struggling to go out and execute what they want to get done.  They just haven't been able to go out and get the win."

Linebacker Landon Johnson, who sustained a neck injury on a big hit against the Packers last Sunday, has been designated as doubtful for the Bucs game.  In addition to Hill, the Lions have also tabbed defensive end Cliff Avril (rib), linebacker Vinny Ciurciu (concussion) and wide receiver Brian Clark (not injury related) as questionable.