by Ray Glier

Filed under: Buccaneers, NFC South

I saw Derrick Ward run the ball Saturday night for the Buccaneers. He was all knee pads and shoulder pads, not alibis and promises. There was something there with this guy, finally.

The stats showed Ward with four carries for 19 yards, but there was one 12-yard run where the pad level was dominant and defenders bounced off him. The Bucs have to have that.

Mike Williams is an acrobatic receiver and Kellen Winslow a more than solid tight end, but the Bucs have to run. Cadillac Williams has to run. Ward has to run.

Ward carried 17 times for just 31 yards in the first two preseason games and complained about the conditions in one game. The conditions were bad, but after coming off a subpar season in 2009, people did not want to hear that from the millionaire.