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The Bucs' offense allows the wideout to showcase his playmaking ability.
Chris Harry | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted October 7, 2005
TAMPA -- Tampa Bay wide receiver Joey Galloway has blasted into the 2005 season the way he blasts off the line of scrimmage on cornerbacks.
He knows it.
Just don't tell him about it.
"Stop it," Galloway said, covering his ears. "That's like talking to a pitcher about a no-hitter."
While watching tape of what a healthy Galloway has done for the his offense, defensive coordinators on Tampa Bay's schedule may want to cover their eyes.
Though he's 33, Galloway is looking like the big-play threat who came out of Ohio State in 1995 as the eighth pick in the draft. It's as if he's gone back in time -- back to when he scored 41touchdowns in his first four seasons.
"When we got our hands on him, I was really excited," Bucs Coach Jon Gruden said. "You can see why."
Gruden is just in the early phases of unleashing what he believes to be one of the great -- yet virtually forgotten -- weapons in the NFL. Who knows what the two will have in store when the unbeaten Bucs (4-0) travel this weekend to face the New York Jets (1-3)?
"He's always been a heck of a football player," Jets Coach Herman Edwards said. "But he's healthy now."
That hadn't been the case of late.
"Man, are you OK?"
Galloway heard that question a lot in the seasons before coming to the Bucs in April 2004 in a straight-up trade for Keyshawn Johnson.
After six seasons in Seattle, Galloway signed a free-agent deal in 2000 with Dallas, which gave up two first-round picks to land the Seahawks' franchise-designated player. But in the season opener at Philadelphia -- after catching four passes for 62 yards and a touchdown -- Galloway blew out his knee and was done for the year -- and future years, for the most part.
After averaging 65 receptions in his first four seasons with Seattle, Galloway averaged 37 in his four seasons with the Cowboys. Playing with quarterbacks such as Clint Stoerner, Anthony Wright, Quincy Carter and Chad Hutchinson can do that to a guy.
Galloway faded off the NFL radar.
"That's the nature of the sport," he said. "Have one of those years, they write you off."
Gruden didn't.
After the 2003 season, Gruden went looking for offensive sparks and recalled the potential he saw from Galloway coming out of Ohio State. He remembered, as offensive coordinator in Philadelphia, lobbying the Eagles' brass to take Galloway with the seventh overall pick in the draft. They took Mike Mamula instead.
So when Galloway went on the trading block in 2004, Gruden imagined the possibilities and laid them out for Galloway.
Galloway had been labeled as a vertical threat, but Gruden had other ideas. A simple example: "Instead of running you deep and throwing to guys underneath," Gruden said, "how about we just throw to you underneath and let you do something with it?"
Galloway loved the concept, but a severely pulled groin muscle in the '04 opener at Washington set him back. He was inactive for the next six games, brought along slowly, then turned out to be a bright spot in the final weeks of a 5-11 season, scoring five touchdowns over a late four-game stretch.
Galloway used that last season surge from last season as a springboard to 2005.
"More importantly, he did," Galloway said of Gruden, who spent time in the offseason devising ways to get a player with breakaway skills the ball.
Last week, Galloway caught seven passes for a career-high 166 yards, including an 80-yard bomb for a touchdown. Through four games, he's tied with Michael Clayton for the team lead with 17 catches, and tops the Bucs with 316 yards and three touchdowns. Most impressive: 14 of Galloway's catches (82.3 percent) have netted first downs.
With the Bucs' newfound running game (fourth in the league), Galloway has become even more dangerous.
"He's a threat who adds another dimension to our offense," quarterback Brian Griese said. "He can get down the field, and we can get him the ball in situations where he can make big plays."
Gruden saw this coming last year. He didn't foresee the groin pull.
"We're just hoping he can have an injury-free career with the Bucs," Gruden said. "He's just now scratching the surface of what he can be."
Galloway is the fourth-oldest player on a veteran-laden team, but he has played in just two postseason games during his career and lost them both. Now about a month shy of his 34th birthday, Galloway talked about the point in an athlete's career when they think more about what they haven't done versus what they have.
"I'm there now," he said. "I just want to win."
He's doing his part.
Just don't remind him.
Chris Harry can be reached at charry@orlandosentinel.com.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/football/orl-bucs0705oct07,0,1974237.story?coll=orl-sports-football
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Glad things are working out for Galloway. Always liked him. It's amazing what working with a functional QB can do for your career.
Chris Harry | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted October 7, 2005
TAMPA -- Tampa Bay wide receiver Joey Galloway has blasted into the 2005 season the way he blasts off the line of scrimmage on cornerbacks.
He knows it.
Just don't tell him about it.
"Stop it," Galloway said, covering his ears. "That's like talking to a pitcher about a no-hitter."
While watching tape of what a healthy Galloway has done for the his offense, defensive coordinators on Tampa Bay's schedule may want to cover their eyes.
Though he's 33, Galloway is looking like the big-play threat who came out of Ohio State in 1995 as the eighth pick in the draft. It's as if he's gone back in time -- back to when he scored 41touchdowns in his first four seasons.
"When we got our hands on him, I was really excited," Bucs Coach Jon Gruden said. "You can see why."
Gruden is just in the early phases of unleashing what he believes to be one of the great -- yet virtually forgotten -- weapons in the NFL. Who knows what the two will have in store when the unbeaten Bucs (4-0) travel this weekend to face the New York Jets (1-3)?
"He's always been a heck of a football player," Jets Coach Herman Edwards said. "But he's healthy now."
That hadn't been the case of late.
"Man, are you OK?"
Galloway heard that question a lot in the seasons before coming to the Bucs in April 2004 in a straight-up trade for Keyshawn Johnson.
After six seasons in Seattle, Galloway signed a free-agent deal in 2000 with Dallas, which gave up two first-round picks to land the Seahawks' franchise-designated player. But in the season opener at Philadelphia -- after catching four passes for 62 yards and a touchdown -- Galloway blew out his knee and was done for the year -- and future years, for the most part.
After averaging 65 receptions in his first four seasons with Seattle, Galloway averaged 37 in his four seasons with the Cowboys. Playing with quarterbacks such as Clint Stoerner, Anthony Wright, Quincy Carter and Chad Hutchinson can do that to a guy.
Galloway faded off the NFL radar.
"That's the nature of the sport," he said. "Have one of those years, they write you off."
Gruden didn't.
After the 2003 season, Gruden went looking for offensive sparks and recalled the potential he saw from Galloway coming out of Ohio State. He remembered, as offensive coordinator in Philadelphia, lobbying the Eagles' brass to take Galloway with the seventh overall pick in the draft. They took Mike Mamula instead.
So when Galloway went on the trading block in 2004, Gruden imagined the possibilities and laid them out for Galloway.
Galloway had been labeled as a vertical threat, but Gruden had other ideas. A simple example: "Instead of running you deep and throwing to guys underneath," Gruden said, "how about we just throw to you underneath and let you do something with it?"
Galloway loved the concept, but a severely pulled groin muscle in the '04 opener at Washington set him back. He was inactive for the next six games, brought along slowly, then turned out to be a bright spot in the final weeks of a 5-11 season, scoring five touchdowns over a late four-game stretch.
Galloway used that last season surge from last season as a springboard to 2005.
"More importantly, he did," Galloway said of Gruden, who spent time in the offseason devising ways to get a player with breakaway skills the ball.
Last week, Galloway caught seven passes for a career-high 166 yards, including an 80-yard bomb for a touchdown. Through four games, he's tied with Michael Clayton for the team lead with 17 catches, and tops the Bucs with 316 yards and three touchdowns. Most impressive: 14 of Galloway's catches (82.3 percent) have netted first downs.
With the Bucs' newfound running game (fourth in the league), Galloway has become even more dangerous.
"He's a threat who adds another dimension to our offense," quarterback Brian Griese said. "He can get down the field, and we can get him the ball in situations where he can make big plays."
Gruden saw this coming last year. He didn't foresee the groin pull.
"We're just hoping he can have an injury-free career with the Bucs," Gruden said. "He's just now scratching the surface of what he can be."
Galloway is the fourth-oldest player on a veteran-laden team, but he has played in just two postseason games during his career and lost them both. Now about a month shy of his 34th birthday, Galloway talked about the point in an athlete's career when they think more about what they haven't done versus what they have.
"I'm there now," he said. "I just want to win."
He's doing his part.
Just don't remind him.
Chris Harry can be reached at charry@orlandosentinel.com.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/football/orl-bucs0705oct07,0,1974237.story?coll=orl-sports-football
---------
Glad things are working out for Galloway. Always liked him. It's amazing what working with a functional QB can do for your career.
