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JET NOTES

TOKYO – Keyshawn Johnson has taken Bucs backup QB Chris Simms under his wing on this trip. The two planned to roam Tokyo yesterday and shop for electronics.

“I get to hang with the blond bombshell,” Johnson joked of Simms, the son of Phil Simms. “I think he’s going to be like [soccer star David] Beckham in a couple of minutes when we get outside.”

Johnson, the former Jet, was talking up Simms, saying, “If he learns the offense and can handle the pressure [Bucs’ head coach Jon] Gruden is going to put on him, he’s going to be good. I don’t see any difference between him and [No. 1 overall draft pick] Carson Palmer. Both played at a high level and won big games. Who’s to say that Cincinnati got the better quarterback of the two [in Palmer]?”

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Herm Edwards said, after yesterday’s practice that Curtis Martin will not play in tomorrow’s game (kickoff is 5 a.m. EST) due to a slightly strained neck he suffered in practice. The injury does not appear to be serious. Edwards also announced that Vinny Testaverde will not play because of a little pain he’s been experiencing in his lower back.

Chad Pennington is expected to start and play about two offensive series before giving way to rookie draft pick Brooks Bollinger, who will play most of the game.

Edwards also said that rookie No. 1 draft pick Dewayne Robertson will start at DT and play more than the regular starters.

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Gruden joked that Shinzo Yamada, Tampa Bay’s designated Japanese player, “saved the day” upon the team’s arrival on Wednesday.

“We had a near tragedy,” Gruden quipped. “One of our players, [kicker] Martin Gramatica, had to go the bathroom at the airport and had it not been for Shinzo there’s no telling what might have happened.”

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Edwards praised the way Santana Moss was moving around. Part of what might makes Moss a player to watch tomorrow is the fast-track artificial turf on which Moss caught a nifty 50-yard TD pass from Pennington in yesterday’s practice.

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