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QB Rattay makes first start of season for Bucs

Dec 24, 2006 - 5:49 PM Tampa Bay (3-11) at Cleveland (4-10) Sunday 1:00 pm EST

CLEVELAND (Ticker) -- Coach Jon Gruden will turn to Tim Rattay at quarterback when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers visit the Cleveland Browns in an interconference game on Sunday.

The Bucs began the season with Chris Simms as their starting quarterback, but Simms underwent a splenectomy after a September 24 game against Carolina. Rookie Bruce Gradkowski took over from there and threw for 1,161 yards and nine touchdowns with nine interceptions for a passer rating of 65.9.

Last week, Rattay replaced Gradkowski in the first half and threw three fourth-quarter touchdown passes as the Bucs rallied from a 21-point deficit to force overtime against the Chicago Bears, who eventually won, 34-31.

But Rattay was spectacular in relief against the NFC's best defense, throwing for 268 yards. He hit tight end Alex Smith with a nine-yard touchdown pass, connected with Joey Galloway on a 64-yard scoring pass and hooked up with Ike Hilliard on a 44-yard scoring play in the fourth quarter.

The loss was the seventh in eight games for the Bucs, who own the third-worst record in the NFL.

The Browns have just one more win than Tampa Bay. Derek Anderson has started the last two games at quarterback with Charlie Frye sidelined with a wrist injury.

A sixth-round pick in 2005 who was claimed off waivers by the Browns, Anderson completed 23-of-32 passes for 223 yards and two touchdowns, but was intercepted twice in the Browns' 27-17 loss at Baltimore last week.

Kellen Winslow Jr. of the Browns leads all NFL tight ends with 76 catches, but was not selected to the Pro Bowl. Cleveland, Tennessee and Detroit were the only teams not to have a Pro Bowl representative.

Cornerback Ronde Barber of the Buccaneers was named to the Pro Bowl for the third time in his 10-year career.