Quarterbacks: Chris Simms spread the ball around, but that's about the best that can be said for him. He threw three balls into the dirt in front of Joey Galloway and two of his passes were picked off. He had a couple of moments where he got the ball to his receivers and made sound decisions, but for the most part he looked like the inexperienced kid he is.

Running backs: Cadillac Williams had a 15-yard run on a third-and-26 play in the first half. On his other 12 carries he gained a total of just 5 yards. Michael Pittman wasn't any better. He gained 5 yards on four carries for a unit that averaged 2.2 yards per run. Mike Alstott was probably the group's best player. He caught three passes for 24 yards.

Receivers: Joey Galloway turned in the biggest offensive play of the game, running for a 78-yard touchdown after taking a short pass from Simms. He had seven other receptions to lead the team with eight. Michael Clayton had four receptions and tight end Alex Smith had two for 43 yards. This group made some plays but didn't really get a chance to shine.

Offensive line: If you include tight end Anthony Becht, this group was penalized three times for false starts during the first quarter alone. Those penalties and a slow break off the snap allowed the 49ers to consistently get the best of the battle at the line of scrimmage. The effort was there, but the pass protection and the run blocking were substandard.

Defensive line: It's hard to say just how much Simeon Rice was missed. The Bucs didn't generate much of a pass rush but it was the 49ers' running game that really hurt them. Dewayne White had four tackles playing in place of Rice while Greg Spires led the group with nine. These guys played well at times, but not quite well enough.

Linebackers: You don't give up 158 yards rushing without somebody missing some tackles. These guys didn't do as good a job of filling their gaps as they did in the first six games. Ryan Nece may have been the best player on the field during the first half but he was part of a group that failed to get a big stop or turnover when it was really needed.

Secondary: Ronde Barber had eight tackles and applied pressure on the quarterback several times. He also had a pass defensed for a unit that spent most of its time keying on the run. This group could have turned the tide with a turnover but the opportunity to make a big play was seldom there. Jermaine Phillips chipped in with four tackles.

Special teams: Penalties hurt the Bucs on a couple occasions, but overall the play of this group was solid. P Josh Bidwell wasn't as consistent as he has been but it's hard to knock his effort or that of the coverage units. Matt Bryant helped keep the Bucs in the game but couldn't come up big when he really needed to on a 52-yard field goal try.

Coaching: Asking Bryant to try a 52-yard field goal when his career best is 47 yards was a risky move. Scratching Simeon Rice was risky, too, but it had to be done. Sticking with Simms was probably the best call, too. He wasn't on target Sunday, but right now he's the best the Bucs have.