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Minus key running backs, Buccaneers host Titans

Oct 14, 2007 - 10:34 AM Tennessee (3-1) at Tampa Bay (3-2) 1:00 pm EDT

TAMPA, Florida (Ticker) -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers keep losing running backs.

Now without their top three running backs from the last season, the Buccaneers will try to regroup for Sunday's game against the Tennessee Titans.

Michael Pittman suffered a severe ankle sprain in last week's 33-14 loss to the Indianapolis Colts and is expected to miss six to eight weeks.

It marks the second time in as many weeks a Tampa Bay running back went down with a serious injury. Last week, it was Carnell "Cadillac" Williams, who suffered a season-ending knee injury.

In training camp, the Buccaneers lost Mike Alstott to a season-ending neck injury.

"It's tough," Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden said. "We've lost Mike Alstott, now Mike Pittman and Carnell Williams, the three guys who were obviously the go-to-ball ball handlers the last couple years around here."

Tampa Bay is down to two healthy running backs in Earnest Graham and rookie Kenneth Darby, who was promoted from the practice squad last week. Combined, the two have only 88 career carries.

The Buccaneers rushed for just 17 yards against the Colts and had a three-game winning streak snapped.

Tennessee's offense also was out of sync last week, committing five turnovers. But the Titans escaped with a 20-13 win over the Atlanta Falcons, who could not score the tying touchdown in the final minute despite a 1st-and-goal at the 1.

Tennessee is off to its best start sionce 2003, the last time the Titans made the playoffs.

"It's been a while since I have been able to say that we are 3-1 after the first quarter of the season," Tennessee coach Jeff Fisher said.

While the Titans are 24th in overall offense, they rank fourth in rushing with one of the league's top tandems in Chris Brown (274 yards) and Lendale White (212 yards).

Tennessee joins the Pittsburgh Steelers as the NFL's only teams to have two runners who have each rushed for more than 200 yards.