Sherman, Sapp Exchange Words After Game

Green Bay Coach Mike Sherman angrily confronted Tampa Bay’s Warren Sapp after the Packers’ 21-7 loss to the Buccaneers on Sunday at Tampa, Fla., complaining that the All-Pro defensive tackle knocked one of his players out of the game with a cheap shot.

Sapp denied the accusation and said he was stunned Sherman came up to him and initiated an obscenity-laced exchange after the player finished a television interview on the field.

“He cursed at me. He said something to set me off,” Sapp said, declining to say what Sherman said.

When Sapp responded to the coach, a member of the Buccaneer public-relations staff intervened and held the player away from Sherman, who was restrained by a Packer assistant coach. At one point in the shouting match, Sapp screamed at Sherman: “If you think you’re so tough, why don’t you put on a jersey?”

Sherman was upset about a block Sapp made on Packer offensive tackle Chad Clifton during Brian Kelly’s return of a third-quarter interception. Clifton was pursuing Kelly, but was not close to him.

Sapp appeared to hit Clifton in the front of the right shoulder. Clifton injured his right hip and was taken to the locker room on a cart. Sherman felt Sapp celebrated Clifton being down on the ground.

“When a guy is numb on the ground, you’re responsible, and you’re happy about it, it bothers me a little bit. Warren’s a great player. I just said I didn’t appreciate that type of play.”

Some of Clifton’s teammates, including Brett Favre, said they’d have to see the film before commenting on whether the hit was legal. Sherman thought it was questionable and felt Sapp made it worse by celebrating.

“I just don’t think there’s any place in the game for that,” Sherman said. “Maybe I overreacted to the hit. But what I saw looked kind of cheap. But who knows?”

Sapp was not penalized on the play.

“I’ve got two or three blockers on me. We get a pick, Brian Kelly is running all over the field. I see a guy going at my man, I put a lick on him. What’s the problem?” Sapp said. “I didn’t hit him below the waist, there’s no flag on the play. Is this not a contact sport?

“Nine referees on the field didn’t find anything wrong with it, and I’m sure they’re looking at 99 [Sapp’s number],” Sapp said. “I don’t care if they review it. It’s nothing but the man’s running after the ball and I put a lick on him.”

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Denver kicker Jason Elam missed his first extra-point attempt since his rookie season of 1993 Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts.

Elam had made an NFL-record 371 consecutive extra points until his miss. His kick hit the left upright and caromed left. He has made 397 of 399 extra points in his career.

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Sunday’s key injuries:

* Chicago quarterback Chris Chandler sprained his left ankle in the third quarter against Detroit.

* Atlanta linebacker John Holecek broke his right arm against Carolina.

* St. Louis left guard Tom Nutten suffered a broken leg against Washington.

-- Compiled by Houston Mitchell