Rice Enables Bucs To Sack Record The Tampa Tribune, published 10 November 2003 They needed one. Simeon Rice got that, then quickly added an additional sack for good measure. Rice's back-to-back sacks of Carolina's Jake Delhomme enabled Tampa Bay to break Dallas' NFL record of 68 consecutive games with at least one sack. It has been more than four years since the Bucs failed to register a sack - Oct. 3, 1999, against Minnesota. Tampa Bay lost 21-14. Sunday's record-setting moment took place in the fourth quarter. The Bucs trailed 20-14 when Rice sacked Delhomme on second-and-10 from Carolina's 30-yard line with 9:34 remaining. Rice dropped him again on the next play, forcing the Panthers to punt. Tampa Bay scored on the next possession to take a 21-20 lead. The celebration was short- lived as Carolina drove for the winning touchdown, putting a damper on the significance of the record. ``That thing doesn't mean anything when you don't win,'' defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin said. ``The only stat that really counts is winning and losing.'' Two for Wansley Tim Wansley would trade his first two career interceptions for a victory. ``I can appreciate it because they're my first,'' Wansley said. ``I appreciate [Delhomme] throwing me that ball.'' Again, the loss dampened any excitement. Kiffin said Wansley would have been a prime-time highlight if the Bucs had won. Instead, his two critical interceptions became an afterthought. Midway through the second quarter, Wansley picked off Delhomme and went 23 yards for the Bucs' first touchdown. It was Wansley who took a lot of heat for his play in the overtime loss to Indianapolis. ``I think each week he's getting more and more comfortable in what's required to be a left corner,'' defensive backs coach Mike Tomlin said. ``It's not that he's trying to go out and make splash plays. He's just reading his keys, playing technique football and good things are happening for him.'' Wansley's second interception came after the Bucs' go-ahead touchdown and led to K Martin Gramatica's 39-yard field goal, which put Tampa Bay ahead by four points with a little more than two minutes remaining. Carolina then drove 78 yards for the game-winning touchdown. ``I don't know what it is,'' said Wansley, who led the team with nine tackles and two passes defensed. ``Maybe we've got a hex on us or something in the [final] two minutes.'' Close but no cigar Karl Williams said he would rather suffer a blowout loss than continue to drop close games. For the second week in a row, the Bucs watched a chance for a victory slip away in the final seconds. ``I'd rather see us flat out get our butts whipped than lose the way we've been losing this season,'' Williams said. ``I think it can take its toll. It seems like every game we get ourselves in trouble, but have been able to fight back. But the time runs out and one play beats us in the end.'' The difference has been three points in four of the team's five losses. Despite the frustrating circumstances, players said they won't let it keep them from their goal of getting to the postseason. ``Hopefully we don't have to lose anymore. That's the worst thing - to get beat the way we've been getting beat,'' RB Michael Pittman said. ``Those are the worst losses. These losses hurt, but we're confident we're going to stay up as a team. We're all going to stick together and not point any fingers and keep plugging away and hopefully turn it around these last seven games.'' Injury report TE Ken Dilger suffered a left elbow sprain in the first quarter. He returned but was limited. S John Howell aggravated a left hamstring strain and LB Derrick Brooks suffered a right wrist sprain.