Bucs / Eagles info....

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Dungy out if Bucs lose
If Tampa Bay fails to beat Philadelphia on Saturday, team owners have a tentative agreement to replace the Bucs coach with Bill Parcells.
By RICK STROUD, Times Staff Writer
? St. Petersburg Times
published January 11, 2002


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TAMPA -- A loss by the Bucs to the Eagles in Saturday's NFC wild-card playoff game will lead to the dismissal of coach Tony Dungy, unless owner Malcolm Glazer has a last-minute change of heart.

In addition, there are indications the Bucs have a tentative agreement with Bill Parcells to replace Dungy, according to interviews with people close to Parcells, the Bucs and the NFL.

Parcells, who won two Super Bowls with the Giants, is expected to sign a five-year deal that would make him the highest-paid coach in the league should Dungy be fired.

While Parcells likely would have final say on personnel decisions, he may not insist on the joint title of coach and general manager. But it's unlikely Bucs general manager Rich McKay would have a position in the team's new front office.

If Dungy is fired, Parcells would seek to retain some members of his coaching staff, a list that might begin with defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin.

The Glazers seemed ready to make a run at Parcells during the Super Bowl in Tampa last season before deciding to give Dungy another chance. But they fueled speculation about Dungy's future by rebuffing his attempts to negotiate a contract extension at the start of the season, saying they preferred to see how the team performed this season.

After reaching the playoffs as the NFC's sixth seed with a 9-7 record, Dungy will have to take the Bucs to the NFC Championship Game, and possibly win it, to return for the final season of his contract.

The Glazers and McKay repeatedly refused comment Thursday about Dungy's future or the tentative agreement with Parcells. "We have a long standing policy of not responding to rumors or speculation," said Reggie Roberts, the team's public-relations director.

The Glazers, however, have responded in the past to rumors that they said were untrue. Most recently, the Glazers called a news conference during last year's Super Bowl to dispel repeated reports the team was for sale.

Dungy's agent, Raymond Anderson, said he is disappointed with the owners' continued silence on Dungy's future.

"As Tony's friend as well as his agent, I very candidly am bothered and disappointed at the prolonged silence of the Glazers given all speculation swirling around," Anderson said. "I believe Tony Dungy, with all he's done with the organization, should've been given more appropriate treatment. Tony is focused on Saturday's game and chooses not to respond to speculation and will let the matter take its course. It's totally in their control and others who have their sights on the situation."

Dungy, while preparing for his fourth playoff appearance in the past five seasons, said he has been given no indication he is coaching for his job.

Dungy said some of his recent discussions with the Glazers have involved the team's plans for training camp next season.

"I would be very surprised," Dungy said Wednesday of his possible firing. "Whenever I talk to them, it's about what we're going to do about training camp at Disney (World) or something of that nature. It's business as usual."

But behind the scenes, Parcells, who quit coaching the Jets in 1999 and resigned as general manager after last season, has been preparing a return to the sideline. While working as a part-time broadcaster, he has kept rosters of NFL teams along with salary-cap data.

Parcells could not be reached for comment Thursday. But he told Sports Illustrated last month he had not ruled out coaching again.

"I like football," Parcells told SI. "Sometimes I miss 1 o'clock on Sundays. It was my life for a lot of years. But you can't do this forever and guys like me aren't for everyone. I do feel like this is it for me. If I get through January, I'll be in the clear forever."

What makes Tampa Bay attractive to the 60-year-old Parcells is the Bucs are a Super Bowl-caliber team. They have one of the league's best defenses and six Pro Bowl players, including Keyshawn Johnson, whom Parcells traded in 2000 for two No. 1 picks.

Not even the surprising resignation of Steve Spurrier from Florida on Friday has apparently altered the Glazers' choice of Parcells to replace Dungy.

The Glazers offered Spurrier the Bucs job when they took ownership in '95, but he decided to remain with Florida because the Bucs were in a battle for a new stadium and couldn't guarantee the team would remain in Tampa.

Bucs players have become increasingly agitated that the Glazers have remained silent on Dungy's future and feel they are playing for his job Saturday.

"As a person people say is a leader of this ballclub, I'm a little ticked off that somebody who has a little more power hasn't stepped in and said, "Relax,' or say whatever it is," defensive tackle Warren Sapp said. "Just get off the man. Get off the only winning coach this team has ever had. Get off of him."

Dungy, who is in his sixth season with the Bucs, owns a franchise-best 54-42 overall record and has averaged nearly 10 wins the past three seasons. During that time, Tampa Bay's 29 wins are the second-most in the NFC. His team appeared in the NFC Championship Game two years ago and hasn't had a losing record since his first season in '96 (6-10).

The Glazers profited from his efforts, going from a season-ticket base of fewer than 30,000 in Tampa Stadium to a 30,000-person waiting list for season tickets at the 65,000-seat Raymond James Stadium.

But Dungy's teams always have played on an uneven field. While the Bucs defense annually has ranked among the league's elite, the offense never has ranked better than 20th.

As a result, Dungy has used three offensive coordinators and three starting quarterbacks in the last three seasons -- all disappointing end results.

For the fourth straight season, the Bucs slumped to a 3-4 start. Meanwhile, Parcells is regarded as one of the most successful coaches in history. He retired after winning his second NFL title with the Giants in 1991, but returned in '93 to coach the Patriots, leading them to an AFC title in '96.

In '97, Parcells left the Patriots to coach the Jets, turning a 1-15 doormat into AFC East champs in two years. Then he retired from coaching and served one season as director of football operations.

Despite Parcells' success, Dungy's departure would be an unpopular move in the Bucs locker room. Pro Bowl cornerback Ronde Barber said players will be playing hard Saturday.

"Everybody wants to see him stick around," Barber said. "For anybody who needs any extra motivation, and they shouldn't, that's definitely it.

"I think it would be a mistake, personally, to even consider getting rid of Tony. He's the best thing that has ever happened to this town, bar none."



Call me stupid, but I think the Bucs might be a little more motivated than some wouldhave ya believe

 

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TAMPA -- Tight end Dave Moore missed his second straight day of practice Thursday with a right shoulder sprain and the Bucs aren't certain he'll be available for Saturday's game in Philadelphia.

"We don't know, it's a shoulder sprain and we think it'll be better by Saturday and he'll be ready to go," coach Tony Dungy said. "But I would have to say right now, he's questionable."

In recent weeks, Moore has become more active in the passing game, including three catches against the Saints and the Ravens. Should he be unable to play, the Bucs will miss the experience of a 10-year veteran who finished the season with 35 catches for 285 yards and a team-high four receiving touchdowns.

"We'll just see on Saturday," Dungy said. "It's that time of year where if one guy can't go, the next guy will have to step up. If he isn't (ready to play) Todd (Yoder) and Mike (Roberg) will step in and do a good job."

Yoder, his backup, has earned a name for himself recently with solid play on special teams. The second-year player said he's ready.

"Last week's game was really a good tuneup for me because I played a lot," Yoder said. "It's a perfect time for it to happen. I feel comfortable being in there and being able to get the job done. If it happens, I'm looking forward to getting the chance."

DEADLY DONOVAN: The Bucs have seen enough of him to have a strong idea of what his preferences are and in what situations. Either way, Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb presents quite the challenge for any defense with his ability to run or pass.

He has not been as inclined to run as much this season as in the past, but the Bucs plan to prepare for anything.

"It all depends," linebacker Derrick Brooks said. "Whether he runs or passes is up to him. Certain situations, he's decided not to run and throw the ball and others, he's run and made plays. Our job is to go out and play our defense and make him make adjustments to us and not us make adjustments to him."

One thing the Bucs aren't likely to do is assign a linebacker or defensive end to "spy" on McNabb, or follow him wherever he moves.

"We don't really do that type of thing," defensive end Steve White said. "Our thing is getting after the quarterback. Even though he's a special guy running the ball as well as throwing it, we're going to stick to our game plan and stick to our guns. We've faced a lot of mobile quarterbacks this year, so we're ready for this type of situation."

BLOCKING HUGH: One of the more intriguing matchups could occur at left tackle where rookie Kenyatta Walker faces the task on controlling Eagles Pro Bowl defensive end Hugh Douglas.

In last season's playoff game, Douglas tormented Bucs left tackle George Hegamin and his sack/forced fumble late in the second quarter was one of the game's big turning points.

"He's a good player," Walker said. "The good thing is it's not my first time going against somebody good. I think my playing level has stepped up a lot. I've gone from maybe making 10 or 11 missed assignments to making one or two a game. I'm getting familiar with the position.

"There's only so much studying you can do. You can play up this Hugh/Kenyatta thing or whatever, but you just have to go out there and play. What's going to determine it is who wanted it the worst out there."

Eagles coach Andy Reid, who described Walker as a "pretty good player," agrees the matchup could prove critical. "We figure there will be some great individual battles within this game and I think that will be one of them," Reid said.

BUCS BIT: Adamant to get off on good footing, the Bucs will leave for Philadelphia early this morning. The Bucs usually leave around midafternoon the day before games, but the team plans to conduct a walk-through practice on Veterans Stadium this afternoon.

INJURY UPDATE: Defensive tackle James Cannida (abdominal strain) and running back Rabih Abdullah (foot) didn't practice, and along with linebacker Nate Webster (shoulder) and defensive end Marcus Jones (shoulder) are questionable.

 

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The no-holds-barred Eagles have a message for opposing offenses: Bring It On
By DARRELL FRY, Times Staff Writer
? St. Petersburg Times
published January 12, 2002
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The Eagles defense is going to get beat. And it's liable to happen more than once. Coach Andy Reid concedes that much.

But it's the other 1,000 or so plays that Reid is more concerned with, the ones when the gamble pays off and the guy with the ball ends up flat on his back.

It's about percentages, and the Eagles, one of the league's most blitz-happy teams, have been playing them -- and winning with them -- all season.

Philadelphia plays an attack-style defense that is predicated on aggressively going after the ball carrier or quarterback instead of playing certain gaps.

It's ideally run with undersized yet quick, physical players with good pursuit and excellent instincts, and the Eagles have some of the best of that type. Defensive end Hugh Douglas, who wreaked havoc on the Bucs in last season's 21-3 playoff loss, free safety Brian Dawkins and cornerback Troy Vincent were Pro Bowl selections. Plus, linebacker Jeremiah Trotter and defensive tackle Corey Simon are two of the best young prospects in the NFC.

Because of the unit's rich talent, defensive coordinator Jim Johnson is able to put them in man-to-man situations, which allows them to blitz opponents constantly.

"That's our style," Reid said. "A lot times you'll see defenses come in with a blitz plan and if they get beat once or twice, they're going to stop blitzing. But that's what we do and we're going to do it. It doesn't matter who we play. If we get beat once or twice, we understand that. It happens. But we're going to keep bringing it."

It's hard to argue with the results. The Eagles allowed 208 points (an average of 13 a game). Only the Bears allowed less, giving up 201 (12.7). No other Eagles team ever surrendered less in a 16-game season.

Four times they held opponents without a touchdown (Seahawks, Giants, Cowboys and Redskins). And only once in their final eight regular-season games did they allow more than 14 points.

They have shut down some of the league's most explosive offenses. The Rams scored 20 (but needed overtime to do it), as did the Raiders. The 49ers managed 13.

Going into Saturday's NFC wild-card game against the Bucs in Philadelphia, the Eagles have gone 32 straight games without allowing more than 24 points, the longest streak since the Vikings went 41 consecutive games from 1968 to 1971.

And no one has to remind the Bucs of the defensive job the Eagles did on them in a playoff loss a year ago. Tampa Bay was held to 11 first downs and less than 200 total yards.

"When you attack the way we do, it doesn't give the other team a chance to get a bead on us," Douglas said. "It gives us an opportunity to make a play and not let the offense dictate things.

"Sometimes we make mistakes, but it's always an aggressive mistake."

Despite often being in single-coverage situations, the Eagles have been surprisingly strong against the pass. They were second in the league, allowing an average of 179 passing yards.

They also seem to play their best when they need to the most. They have been especially tough in the second half of games, an ominous sign for any team they will face in the postseason. They are giving up an average of 5.2 points in the third and fourth quarters, lowest in the NFL.

But the Eagles defense perhaps has been at its best in the red zone. They are tops in the league in opponent's touchdown percentage (30.4) and touchdowns allowed (14) inside the 20-yard line.

A lot of teams try to throw against them in the red zone, which plays into their hands because their secondary is so skilled at playing tight coverage.

"We don't do a lot when we get in the red zone," Dawkins said. "We're either blitzing or in coverage, and we do those things pretty good."

There is a good chance this Eagles defense will remain one of the league leaders for a while. Most of its stars are young and all, except Trotter, are signed through 2003.

"They've played together for five or six years and they really adjust with each other very well," Bucs quarterback Brad Johnson said. "They do some tremendous things on defense and the fact that they've played together for a while is pretty evident."

 

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The No. 6 seed
By Times staff
? St. Petersburg Times
published January 12, 2002


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Since the NFL adopted its current 12-team playoff system in 1990, road teams have a 12-32 record in the wild-card round, winning 27.3 percent of the time. Since 1995, their first-round survival rate drops to 20.8 percent, and in the NFC, it's 16.7 percent. The lone two NFC wins in the last 12 chances were hardly major upsets -- a 9-7 Arizona team beat a 10-6 Dallas squad on the road in 1998, and a 9-7 Minnesota team won at a 10-5-1 New York Giants team in 1997.

NOT SO BAD: The Buccaneers have the sixth and lowest seed in the NFC, but that isn't as much a curse as it might be in other sports' brackets. Because the sixth seed faces the conference's worst division champion, which is seeded third, that's often a better fate than meets the No. 5 seed, which faces the conference's top wild card, seeded fourth.

Thirteen times in 11 years, a No. 5 seed has faced a team with a better record than what its respective No. 6 team faced. On average, No. 3 seeds since 1990 have a .646 winning percentage; in the same span, No. 4 seeds have won at a .680 clip.

For an example of why it can be good to be bad, look no further than this week: San Francisco went 12-4, three games better than Tampa Bay, and as a reward for doing so, they must travel to Green Bay, where the Packers (12-4) have never lost a playoff game. Tampa, as the conference's lowest seed, travels to Philadelphia, where the Eagles (11-5) went 4-4 this year.

By no coincidence, No. 6 seeds have fared better in the first round than No. 5 seeds since 1990: sixth seeds are 7-15, while fifth seeds are 5-17.

TOUGH ROAD: Some would say that Bucs coach Tony Dungy needs to win two playoff games to save his job. If that's the case, he would have to do what no coach in NFL history has been able to do: reach the conference championships as a No. 6 seed.

In 22 attempts, sixth seeds have won their opening playoff game just seven times, and then faced with the twin adversities of playing on the road again, against a team that just enjoyed a week off, all seven teams have lost in the second round.

Not only have they lost, they've lost badly. The average margin of victory in the seven second-round losses is 37-15 -- no No. 6 seed has come closer than 10 points since 1992, has scored more than 22 points in losing or given up fewer than 20 points in defeat.

Only twice in 11 years has a team that played on the road in the wild-card round advanced to the conference championships, and in both cases, those teams were seeded fifth and lost.

WHY BOTHER: In the wake of the Sept. 11 tragedies, one option the NFL considered to make up for the one-week delay would have trimmed the playoff field from 12 teams to eight, thus shortening the playoffs by one week. That scenario was widely panned because it pushed four teams out of the postseason, but in reality, those teams historically have never factored in a Super Bowl.

The teams that would have missed the playoffs under the revised system -- the fifth and sixth seeds in each conference -- have reached the conference championships only twice in 44 attempts, and the NFC's lowlies are a combined 0-for-22.

The challenge of winning on the road three straight weeks has been too much for any NFL playoff team -- the two teams that won their second game on the road (Indianapolis in 1995 and Jacksonville in 1996) did so by only a field goal and lost on the road the next week.

When you hear inspirational stories of wild-card teams advancing to the Super Bowl -- or even winning, as the 1997 Denver Broncos and 2000 Baltimore Ravens did -- what you forget is that all four wild cards to reach the Super Bowl started their playoff runs at home. All were from the AFC, and all won at least 11 regular-season games.

 

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Record in Games Played at 40 Degrees and Below
By Times staff
? St. Petersburg Times
published January 12, 2002
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Temp. -- Date -- W/L -- Score -- Site

39 -- 12/24/89 -- L -- 31-22 -- vs. Pittsburgh

38 -- 11/26/78 -- L -- 14-3 -- at Chicago

37 -- 11/19/00 -- L -- 13-10 -- at Chicago

37 -- 12/7/86 -- L -- 48-14 -- at Chicago

34 -- 12/31/00 -- L -- 21-3 -- at Philadelphia

34 -- 11/26/95 -- L -- 35-13 -- at Green Bay

34 -- 12/17/95 -- L -- 31-10 -- at Chicago

33 -- 12/2/84 -- L -- 27-14 -- at Green Bay

32 -- 11/13/83 -- L -- 20-0 -- at Cleveland

32 -- 11/29/92 -- L -- 19-14 -- vs. Green Bay at Milwaukee

30 -- 12/1/85 -- L -- 21-0 -- at Green Bay

29 -- 11/28/93 -- L -- 13-10 -- at Green Bay

29 -- 11/23/97 -- L -- 13-7 -- at Chicago

28 -- 12/5/76 -- L -- 42-0 -- at Pittsburgh

28 -- 12/14/91 -- L -- 27-0 -- at Chicago

28 -- 1/4/98 -- L -- 21-7 -- at Green Bay

23 -- 12/12/82 -- L -- 32-17 -- at Jets

18 -- 12/11/88 -- L -- 10-7 (OT) -- at New England

15 -- 12/24/00 -- L -- 17-14 (OT) -- at Green Bay

11 -- 12/23/90 -- L -- 27-14 -- at Chicago

 

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Offense still is hoping for the best
The Bucs brought in Brad Johnson to lift the offense. The results have been mixed, but the final verdict isn't in just yet.
By ROGER MILLS, Times Staff Writer
? St. Petersburg Times
published January 12, 2002


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It was a bitterly cold New Year's Eve, and the Bucs had just been humbled by the Eagles 21-3 in the first round of last season's playoffs.

For the second straight postseason game, Tampa Bay's offense had failed to score a touchdown, and among many of the offensive players there was disgust and disappointment.

In the offseason that followed, the Bucs made a switch at offensive coordinator by firing Les Steckel and promoting Clyde Christensen. But the move that was supposed to push Tampa Bay over the top was the acquisition of free-agent quarterback Brad Johnson.

The Bucs had hoped Johnson, a 10-year veteran known for his passing efficiency, would make a perfect duo with receiver Keyshawn Johnson.

Today, Tampa Bay returns to Veterans Stadium in a first-round rematch of last season knowing the quarterback in place is experienced, versed in dealing with adverse conditions and comfortable with the team's primary receiver.

"We certainly had high expectations, and there was a lot of excitement about the two of them (teaming up)," Christensen said about entering training camp with Johnson throwing to Johnson. "I wasn't sure when it would hit its stride. I was nervous the first week of training camp when Brad got hurt and missed that amount of training camp, since we were looking at some new things.

"We weren't sure when it would hit, but you did feel good about it. I think both their strengths complement each other. Keyshawn is so good on the deep crosses and the intermediate stuff, and Brad is really good at throwing the deep crosses and the intermediate stuff."

The Bucs enter the playoffs with one less victory than the team did last year, but little blame can be cast on the passing game. Brad Johnson has thrown for 3,406 yards and 13 touchdowns and Keyshawn Johnson, who made his third Pro Bowl, had a career-high and NFC-best 106 catches, many of which were critical.

"It's true, Keyshawn has been the workhorse all season long, and there may be a game when he needs 10 catches," Brad Johnson said. "You have to look at where a lot of his catches came. His catches came in the third down area and in the two-minute drill. Look how many times we were in the two-minute drill? A lot of times. It's not like all the calls are for him, but the coverages dictates where the ball goes, and obviously sometimes he's the primary guy."

Keyshawn Johnson, who sat out Sunday's regular-season finale, said Brad Johnson's presence coupled with the maturation of the coaching staff explains the turnaround in the final few weeks.

"I think every one has gotten better as the season went on, and I think our offensive staff got better too, as the season went on," Keyshawn Johnson said. "They got more familiar with what they should be doing, and it's been working for us."

But Johnsons and Christensen agree that despite the security of knowing how well the duo connect, Tampa Bay's fortunes against the Eagles rely on the Bucs being able to run the ball as well as they have in recent weeks and on Brad Johnson's ability to find receivers other than Keyshawn.

"If you look at the ratio of the second receiver, whoever it's been, they are right where they need to be," Brad Johnson said. "It just hasn't been that one guy. At the beginning of the season, that's where you wanted Warrick (Dunn), that's where you wanted Mike (Alstott), Dave (Moore) got the right number of catches. The ratio is there, it just hasn't been one guy."

In key wins over the Saints and the Ravens, the Bucs were able to involve more than just Keyshawn Johnson in the passing game. Against New Orleans, Tampa Bay had seven receivers make catches, including a game-high five by Dunn. There were 13 passes shared by five receivers against Baltimore.

"It's great, what it'll do is get them off my back," Keyshawn Johnson said. "I told them to throw them the ball and make me the decoy. I want to sneak up and get you. It's good for us. Brad and I know we're on the same page, we've been on the same page all year, even in the games when he hasn't thrown a lot of balls to me."

Added Christensen: "I think those guys are going to be the key for the playoffs, I really do. I don't know who it'll be, who would step up. Whether it's Karl (Williams), Reidel (Anthony), Jacquez (Green), Frank Murphy or Milton Wynn. You know Dave Moore is always good for a big play or two.

"So as we go into the playoffs, a lot of teams are going to show us double coverage on Keyshawn, and it's what we get coming out of that two spot. That other spot has to make big plays for us. It's real critical. I don't know who it will be, but we're going to need to get some big plays out of somebody else."

 

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The 'real' game should be hot
By SHARON GINN
? St. Petersburg Times
published January 12, 2002
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ESPN analyst Paul Maguire, who will call the Bucs-Eagles game for ABC alongside colleagues Mike Patrick and Joe Theismann, shared his thoughts about the game with the Times' Sharon Ginn.


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You can't even consider Sunday's game between the Bucs and the Eagles to be relevant to this matchup. Neither team would ever look at the film, I don't think. It just didn't matter.

Both these teams were playing well at the end of the season, especially defensively. (Eagles quarterback) Donovan McNabb, in the final game he played this season -- not the last one, but the one they played the week before -- was terrific. But this is going to be a hell of a defensive battle. I really don't see a whole lot of points being scored. They're going to do the things they do the very best, and that's run the football, especially Tampa Bay. That's what the Bucs do. They only have one receiver (Keyshawn Johnson) they really throw to.

In the cold, I think it's Mike Alstott's game. Warrick Dunn will be ready to play, and he will do some things on the receiving end. Down the road, I don't know if Dunn and Alstott can co-exist. I think they have to make a decision on their offense as to what they really want to do. This is the time to do it. They've already committed to Alstott, and for this game they've got to go with him.

I don't believe that stuff about "they can't win under 40 degrees." At Green Bay (last year), they had one of the best field goal kickers in the game, and he misses. Talk like that just fires up a team. You can write some kind of scenario for everything that happens, every year. The players really don't listen to it, or even think about it.

The big play has got to be made in this game by someone who's not the star. Not Warren Sapp, not John Lynch, not Ronde Barber. Someone's got to play better than he's played all year to really make the difference -- for either team. Somebody has got to step up and take charge. It's going to be interesting.

Tony Dungy is so well-respected by everybody and liked by everybody, but when you get to the owners, what they're thinking about his future, I don't know. All the players are in favor of him, because he's a players' coach. He respects the players, and players like that. If you ask everybody on the team, except maybe some of the guys he doesn't play, they want Tony Dungy as their coach. Would I like to see him back? Yeah. If he isn't going to be with the Bucs, he's going to be somewhere. The outcome of this game is going to tell a lot about whether he stays or goes.

 

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Bucs: Game-by-game
By Times staff
? St. Petersburg Times
published January 12, 2002


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GAME 1
Bucs 10, Cowboys 6
(Sept. 9, Texas Stadium, Dallas)

THE BIG PICTURE: The Bucs opened the regular season in Big D the way they ended the 1-3 preseason, when they averaged less than 12 points a game. Tampa Bay rushed for only 71 yards, but quarterback Brad Johnson, in his first regular-season game for Tampa Bay, completed 26 of 35 passes for 192 yards and the Bucs controlled the ball for 36:32 to Dallas' 23:28. With the Bucs trailing 6-3, Johnson hit 5 of 6 passes and drove the Bucs 77 yards in 13 plays, scoring the only touchdown on a 1-yard sneak 2:35 into the fourth quarter. "That was too close for comfort. ... It was frustrating because we didn't take advantage of our opportunities," running back Warrick Dunn said.

KEY PLAY: Safety John Lynch intercepted Quincy Carter's fourth-down bomb and went down at the Bucs 14 with 1:15 remaining to secure the victory.

WORTH REMEMBERING: With its first possession, Dallas had a third-and-goal at the Tampa Bay 1-yard line. But as running back Emmitt Smith swept to the left, cornerback Brian Kelly grabbed the future Hall of Famer and wrestled him down. "It was like, they didn't get in then, they're not getting in the rest of the day," linebacker Derrick Brooks said.

WORTH FORGETTING: The Bucs settled for a 39-yard field goal by Martin Gramatica to end a 13-play opening drive, and a 15-play, 68-yard march ended with a fumble by Dunn.

KEY STATISTIC: Keyshawn Johnson, limping through most of the game with a deep thigh bruise, caught seven passes for 71 yards. "I think the effort Keyshawn gave us was amazing after getting that leg hurt early. ... I think he had to do it on blood and guts," offensive coordinator Clyde Christensen said.

GAME 2
Vikings 20, Bucs 16
(Sept. 30, Metrodome, Minneapolis)

THE BIG PICTURE: After a two-week hiatus -- because of the Sept. 11 terrorist attack and a scheduled third-week bye -- the Bucs returned with a loss. Quarterback Daunte Culpepper drove Minnesota 96 yards, culminating in an 8-yard touchdown run with 1:03 remaining. The Bucs had one more possession with only one timeout and moved the ball to the Minnesota 18, but cornerback Eric Kelly's interception at the 3 killed the comeback. Again, the Bucs scored just one touchdown, Warrick Dunn's run early in the fourth quarter. And that was a gift: Cornerback Kenny Wright was penalized for taunting, giving the Bucs an automatic first down at the Minnesota 6.

KEY PLAY: Culpepper bootlegged to his right and floated a pass to tight end Byron Chamberlain. Linebacker Derrick Brooks deflected the ball and cornerback Donnie Abraham leaped behind Chamberlain to intercept it, but Chamberlain made the catch. "We had Brooks, Donnie and John Lynch there," defensive tackle Warren Sapp said. "That's our three best players, and he still made the catch." The 37-yard pass and run play put the ball at the Bucs 2 and, after a Vikings penalty, Culpepper scored the winning touchdown.

WORTH REMEMBERING: Martin Gramatica was good on all three field-goal attempts, one a 49-yarder.

WORTH FORGETTING: Just about everything else. Dunn left the game in the fourth quarter with a foot injury. Culpepper completed 30 of 44 passes for 322 yards and led scoring drives of 11, 18, 12 and 11 plays that gave Minnesota an advantage of nearly 12 minutes in time of possession.

KEY STATISTIC: Minnesota converted 9 of 12 third downs, including the first six. The biggest: Culpepper's 4-yard run on third and 3, one play before his clutch pass to Chamberlain.

GAME 3
Bucs 14, Packers 10
(Oct. 7, Raymond James Stadium, Tampa)

THE BIG PICTURE: This time it was the Bucs offense that put together a long fourth-quarter scoring drive and the defense that protected the winning margin. The 95-yard march was capped by Mike Alstott's 39-yard touchdown run with 6:45 to play. Until then, Green Bay's No. 1-ranked defense had not allowed a point in the second half of the season. The Packers took over with 4:17 and two timeouts remaining and quarterback Brett Favre drove them from the Green Bay 16-yard line to the Tampa Bay 8 before safety John Lynch batted down a fourth-down end-zone pass as time ran out. "Brett fired in there and I could've sworn it bounced off a receiver's chest or hands or something," Packers guard Marco Rivera said. "It looked like there was 100 guys in there." With injured Warrick Dunn absent, Alstott started at running back and finished with 77 yards on 15 carries.

KEY PLAYS: Besides Lynch's? With the Packers leading 10-7 in the fourth quarter and looking for more, defensive end Simeon Rice tackled receiver Antonio Freeman for a 5-yard loss on a reverse on third and 10 at the Tampa Bay 31. After the punt, the Bucs drove 95 yards to win.

WORTH REMEMBERING: Linebacker Shelton Quarles returned an interception 98 yards for a touchdown early in the second quarter. It was the longest scoring play in Bucs history.

WORTH FORGETTING: Brad Johnson was sacked five times, three by defensive end Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, who abused rookie left tackle Kenyatta Walker.

KEY STATISTIC: The Bucs intercepted Favre three times, beating him for only the fifth time in 19 starts against them.

GAME 4
Titans 31, Bucs 28 (OT)
(Oct. 14, Adelphia Coliseum, Nashville, Tenn.)

THE BIG PICTURE: The Bucs' fourth-quarter anguish lasted into a fifth, when the Titans' Joe Nedney kicked a 49-yard field goal 2:38 into overtime. To make it worse, he did it after Brad Johnson rallied the Bucs from two touchdowns down, throwing scoring passes of 6 yards to Jacquez Green with 5:09 remaining in regulation and 5 yards to tight end Dave Moore with 54 seconds left -- and after Tampa Bay won the coin toss to get the overtime kickoff. The Bucs went three and out and Tennessee took possession at the Tampa Bay 46. Steve McNair passed for a first down, and Nedney, who had missed from 47 yards in the fourth quarter, kicked the winner. Until then, the Bucs under coach Tony Dungy were 15-0 when scoring 28 or more points. "If 28 ain't enough for this defense, we're in trouble," defensive tackle Warren Sapp said.

KEY PLAY: A holding penalty on rookie John Howell on the overtime kickoff return forced the Bucs to start at their 9.

WORTH REMEMBERING: Brad Johnson passed for three touchdowns. Keyshawn Johnson caught eight passes for 140 yards, the third-highest yardage in a game for his career and most as a Buc. And Warrick Dunn, playing with a foot sprain, ran 5 yards for one touchdown and 26 yards with a screen pass for another.

WORTH FORGETTING: McNair was sacked twice but did damage by rushing nine times for 54 yards.

KEY STATISTIC: Tennessee entered the game having coverted on 16.7 percent of its third-down situations, but made 8 of 16, including 6 of 8 in the first half, against the Bucs.

GAME 5
Steelers 17, Bucs 10
(Oct. 21, Raymond James Stadium, Tampa)

THE BIG PICTURE: The Bus ran over Tampa Bay's once-feared defense, picking up 143 yards and a touchdown. Jerome Bettis, a running back, also threw a 32-yard halfback pass to tight end Jerame Tuman for a touchdown. "Right now, we're playing hard, but we're just breaking down," cornerback Ronde Barber said. "And the breakdowns are killing us. It's not like we're having wholesale breakdowns. A guy will miss an assignment or somebody else will miss a tackle. Those things will kill you." The Bucs rushed for 64 yards on 19 carries while their defense allowed 220 rushing yards, much of it coming on runs of 46 and 29 yards by Bettis, the first for a score to stake Pittsburgh to a 14-3 halftime lead. On a typical series, the Bucs had first and goal at the Pittsburgh 8 early in the second quarter, but settled for a 31-yard field goal and a 3-0 lead.

KEY PLAYS: Rather than take a shot into the end zone with that first and goal, offensive coordinator Clyde Christensen ran Mike Alstott twice for a total of 3 yards and Brad Johnson was sacked on third down.

WORTH REMEMBERING: The Bucs forced three turnovers, all by Barber. Brad Johnson completed 24 of 40 passes for 283 yards. Keyshawn Johnson caught 10 passes for 159 yards.

WORTH FORGETTING: Brad Johnson's 5-yard scoring pass to Frank Murphy with 28 seconds left put the Bucs down by a touchdown. They appeared to recover their onside kick, but replays showed Brian Kelly never had a firm grip on the ball and lost it in the pile to the Steelers' Mark Bruener.

KEY STATISTIC: Brad Johnson was sacked 10 times, setting a Bucs record and tying Pittsburgh's team record.

 

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GAME 6
Bucs 41, Vikings 14
(Oct. 28, Raymond James Stadium, Tampa)

THE BIG PICTURE: The Bucs played a near-perfect game as coach Tony Dungy, Minnesota's defensive coordinator from 1992-95, beat his former team for the fifth time in six home games. The Bucs led 28-0 at halftime, by which time they held a 20-0 advantage in first downs, a 22:47 to 7:13 margin in time of possession and a 297-44 edge in total yards. Minnesota quarterback Daunte Culpepper, who had dissected the Tampa Bay defense four weeks earlier, was limited to 150 yards passing. Tampa Bay's rushing attack, ranked 30th entering the game, rolled over the Vikings for 177 yards, 129 by Mike Alstott, who tied a team record with three touchdowns. "Those guys didn't really want to tackle him after a couple times of running into him," receiver Keyshawn Johnson said. "It was kind of like, "Nah, we don't want any part of that.' Once you sense that, you just kind of know they're in for a pretty good butt-kicking."

KEY PLAY: On the Vikings' first drive, Culpepper scrambled for a 4-yard gain but took a hit from linebacker Derrick Brooks that prompted a Minnesota timeout to stop the bleeding in the quarterback's nose, which turned out to be broken.

WORTH REMEMBERING: The Vikings' first seven possessions included five three-and-outs, a one-play drive that ended the first half and an interception.

WORTH FORGETTING: On the opening kickoff, rookie Dwight Smith fumbled and regained control just before stepping out of bounds at the Tampa Bay 4.

KEY STATISTIC: The Bucs did not allow a first down until 10:05 was left in the third quarter.

GAME 7
Packers 21, Bucs 20
(Nov. 4, Lambeau Field, Green Bay)

THE BIG PICTURE: The Bucs had a chance to end the Packers' dominance at Lambeau Field in their last visit there until 2005 because of realignment. Instead, Tampa Bay blew a 10-point second-half lead and was beaten by Ahman Green's 63-yard run in the third quarter and Allen Rossum's 55-yard punt return with 3:03 remaining. "We didn't play well enough," coach Tony Dungy said. "We had a chance to get way out in front. We got a (17-7) lead and to lose with two big plays that you give up, you didn't play well enough." All the Bucs' points came off turnovers. Donnie Abraham's interception led to a field goal. Warren Sapp's recovery of a Green fumble led to Brad Johnson's 11-yard touchdown pass to tight end Dave Moore, and Jamie Duncan's interception led to a 19-yard scoring pass to Mike Alstott.

KEY PLAY: Rossum's return was the first return of a kick for a score against the Bucs this season. Linebacker Shelton Quarles was the only Buc to lay a hand on Rossum, and he was flagged for a face-mask penalty on the play.

WORTH REMEMBERING: Moore's touchdown catch was his third in four games.

WORTH FORGETTING: Johnson was sacked seven times, Alstott was held to 30 yards on 17 carries and the Bucs had just 194 yards in total offense.

KEY STATISTIC: The Bucs gave up 352 total yards, 169 to Green.

GAME 8
Bucs 20, Lions 17
(Nov. 11, Silverdome, Pontiac, Mich.)

THE BIG PICTURE: The Bucs blew another lead, 10 points in the fourth quarter to the winless Lions. But this time they had enough time -- barely -- to rally as Brad Johnson led a 63-yard march in 1:45 climaxed by Martin Gramatica's 35-yard field goal with 4 seconds remaining. "The guys did a great job of not panicking, believing we could score on the final drive," Johnson said. "And that drive, no doubt, was big for our season." Tampa Bay led 17-7 after Karl Williams returned a John Jett punt 84 yards for a touchdown on the final play of the third quarter. But that came one series after Williams' fumble of Jett's punt led to the Lions' first score -- a 1-yard run by fullback Cory Schlesinger that cut the Bucs' lead to a field goal. The Lions then tied it on a 38-yard field goal by Jason Hanson and an 8-yard pass from quarterback Charlie Batch to Reuben Droughns with 1:49 to play.

KEY PLAY: An 18-yard, third-down pass to Keyshawn Johnson during the final drive, giving the Bucs a first down at their 45. "If we didn't get that," Brad Johnson said, "we were going to hand them the ball back with a minute and a half to go. So that was a big, big play for us."

WORTH REMEMBERING: The Bucs sacked Batch a season-high five times, including two by defensive tackle Warren Sapp.

WORTH FORGETTING: Reidel Anthony, getting his second consecutive start in place of injured Jacquez Green, dropped a first-quarter touchdown pass on third down at the Lions 5. The Bucs had to settle for a field-goal attempt that failed when a bad snap resulted in Gramatica's scramble and incomplete pass intended for Dave Moore.

KEY STATISTIC: Cornerback Ronde Barber intercepted Batch twice, saving at least one touchdown.

GAME 9
Bears 27, Bucs 24
(Nov. 18, Raymond James Stadium, Tampa)

THE BIG PICTURE: In an 11-minute stretch to start the third quarter, Bears quarterback Jim Miller ripped apart Tampa Bay's defense with touchdown passes of 44 and 66 yards to Marty Booker. Miller also passed 28 yards to Booker for the Bears' first touchdown. "Coming into this game, they hadn't really taken the ball downfield in the passing game," safety John Lynch said. "Maybe that factored into it. We just didn't expect that out of them." The Bucs, trailing 24-16 and at their 26 with 9:37 remaining, called for a fake punt, then called it off. But punter Mark Royals never saw the latter and the play failed. It led to the Bears' winning field goal, a 40-yarder by Paul Edinger. Instead of needing a touchdown and 2-point conversion -- which they eventually got -- to tie the score, the Bucs trailed by 11. Martin Gramatica's 48-yard field-goal attempt to send the game to overtime failed.

KEY PLAY: Gramatica's attempt bounced off the right upright. WORTH REMEMBERING: Brad Johnson set a team-record with 40 completions in 56 attempts for 399 yards. He cut Chicago's lead to 24-16 early in the fourth quarter by leading a 78-yard drive capped by Mike Alstott's 1-yard run, then pulled the Bucs to within a field goal on his 1-yard scoring run and two-point conversion pass to Mike Alstott with 2:29 left.

WORTH FORGETTING: Tampa Bay's four turnovers, including an interception by safety Tony Parrish with 1:53 remaining, and the fake punt.

KEY STATISTIC: The Bucs faced fourth and 6 when Royals completed a 5-yard pass to Aaron Stecker on the fake punt.

 

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GAME 10
Bucs 24, Rams 17
(Nov. 26, Dome at America's Center, St. Louis)

THE BIG PICTURE: The Bucs have had an interesting recent history with the Rams: losing the NFC Championship Game 11-6 to cap the 1999 season, then winning a Monday night thriller at Raymond James 38-35 in 2000. This season, Tampa Bay was dangerously close to falling out of contention at 4-5, meeting the host 8-1 Rams in what turned out to be another Monday night thriller. The Bucs forced five turnovers and engineered two long second-half touchdown drives. The first started with the second-half kickoff and ended 68 yards later with Mike Alstott's 8-yard run, his second touchdown of the game. The winning drive, breaking a 17-17 tie, was a 90-yarder climaxed by Warrick Dunn's 21-yard touchdown run with 11:13 left in the fourth quarter. "The only way to start a streak is to win the first one," defensive tackle Warren Sapp said. "That's what we did." The Bucs held the NFL's most prolific offense to one touchdown, Kurt Warner's 1-yard toss to tight end Brandon Manumaleuna midway in the third quarter.

KEY PLAYS: Donnie Abraham and John Lynch intercepted Warner on St. Louis' final two possessions to squelch threatened rallies.

WORTH REMEMBERING: Sapp sacked Warner twice, forced one fumble and recovered another.

WORTH FORGETTING: Martin Gramatica had a chance to put behind him the failed field-goal attempt that ended the loss in Chicago. Instead, his first kick against the Rams, a 26-yard chip shot in the first quarter, was wide left. It was his first miss in 21 attempts under 30 yards in his three pro seasons.

KEY STATISTIC: Running back Marshall Faulk was limited to 55 yards on 12 carries and 11 yards on two receptions.

GAME 11
Bucs 16, Bengals 13 (OT)
(Dec. 2, Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati)

THE BIG PICTURE: All week, coach Tony Dungy told the Bucs that winning in Cincinnati would be tougher than beating the Rams. What he didn't tell them was that only 12 percent of NFL teams win a game on the road after playing a Monday night game on the road. The win wasn't just tough; it was ugly. Tampa Bay blew a 10-point lead with 6:23 remaining in regulation. It won despite Martin Gramatica's missed field-goal attempts of 43 and 51 yards, and despite failing to score an offensive touchdown. After giving up Corey Dillon's 6-yard game-tying touchdown reception from Jon Kitna with eight seconds left, the Bucs won on Gramatica's 21-yard field goal with 9:58 remaining in overtime. "A win is a win," linebacker Derrick Brooks said. "That's one thing we did ... that we didn't do in previous games, and that's finish a team off in overtime. You take it. We got on a streak last year. We didn't care how we won."

KEY PLAY: John Lynch punched the ball out of Dillon's grasp and pounced on it at the Cincinnati 3-yard line in overtime. "I said, "Just stay down, let Martin end this thing and let's get out of here with our lives,' " Lynch said. On the next play, Gramatica kicked the winner that enabled the Bucs to post back-to-back wins for the first time in nearly a year.

WORTH REMEMBERING: The only Buc to reach the end zone was tight end Todd Yoder, who scooped up a punt blocked by Ronde Barber in the second quarter and returned it 11 yards for his first career touchdown.

WORTH FORGETTING: Tampa Bay gained 65 yards on 30 rushes, a 2.2 average, and Brad Johnson was sacked six times, once in overtime that knocked the Bucs out of field-goal range.

KEY STATISTIC: The Bucs held Dillon to 79 yards on 23 carries.

GAME 12
Bucs 15, Lions 12
(Dec. 9, Raymond James Stadium, Tampa)

THE BIG PICTURE: Keyshawn Johnson's first touchdown catch of the season, with 45 seconds remaining, kept the Bucs in the playoff picture and the Lions winless. The 13-yard catch in the left side of the end zone, Johnson leaping over cornerback Jimmy Wyrick for the ball, capped a four-minute, 80-yard drive in which Brad Johnson completed 8 of 12 passes, four to Keyshawn Johnson for 59 yards. "The whole drive, I was the primary receiver," Keyshawn Johnson said. "I knew that and I told Coach (Tony) Dungy that before we got the ball. I went to Coach Dungy first and went to Clyde (Christensen, offensive coordinator) and said, "You've got to put the football in my hands.' Coach Dungy is not going to say much, but he said, "We are, we are, we are.' "

KEY PLAY: Two plays before the winning play, with Tampa Bay facing fourth and 8 at the Detroit 28, Johnson and Johnson teamed for a 15-yard completion.

WORTH REMEMBERING: On third and 2 at the Bucs 28, linebacker Shelton Quarles sacked Mike McMahon for 6-yard loss. The play, with 5:54 remaining, prevented the Lions from running time off the clock with a new set of downs and took them out of field-goal range.

WORTH FORGETTING: Tight end Dave Moore caught a 5-yard third-down pass to the Detroit 1-yard line with five seconds remaining in the half and linebacker Clint Kriewaldt draped over him. The Bucs could take the penalty (third and goal at the 3), or decline it (fourth down on the 1). They took the penalty, figuring they could get off two plays in five seconds. Brad Johnson was supposed to throw a quick slant to Keyshawn Johnson, or throw the ball away. But Keyshawn Johnson was covered, Brad Johnson hesitated, defensive end Robert Porcher tackled him and Johnson threw a desperation left-handed, underhanded lob that fell incomplete as time expired.

KEY STATISTIC: Brad Johnson completed 31 of 54 passes for 305 yards. Going into the game, the Bucs were 0-9 for Dungy when attempting 40 or more passes.

GAME 13
Bears 27, Bucs 3
(Dec. 16, Soldier Field, Chicago)

THE BIG PICTURE: It wasn't just rookie Anthony Thomas' running (173 yards and a touchdown) that knocked Tampa Bay out of the chase for the NFC Central title. Neither was just it Jim Miller's passing (two touchdowns). Mostly it was the Bucs' inability to run or pass or even hold on to the ball. Warrick Dunn and Mike Alstott rushed for a combined 50 yards. Quarterback Brad Johnson completed 18 of 40 passes for 191. And the Bucs turned the ball over four times (two fumbles, two interceptions). One pick came on Johnson's attempt to pass to Karl Williams in the end zone. One fumble, with the Bucs down 10-3, came after Keyshawn Johnson turned a short reception into a 47-yard gain to the Chicago 8 before being stripped by cornerback Walt Harris. "We tried to make plays and it seemed like nothing would work," Brad Johnson said. "For us, offensively, it felt like there was about 20 guys out there with about 50 different arms batting down the balls." The loss in Tampa Bay's final NFC Central game -- it moves to the new NFC South next season -- coupled with a Monday night loss by New Orleans, sent the Bucs and the Saints into Raymond James Stadium with 7-6 records, one team almost certainly heading to the playoffs, the other to oblivion.

KEY PLAYS: The Bucs took the second-half kickoff, went three and out, and the Bears took the punt and drove 69 yards for a touchdown and a 20-3 lead. "We haven't had a loss like this in a long time, where basically at 10 minutes in the third quarter, we were out of it," coach Tony Dungy said.

WORTH REMEMBERING: Nothing.

WORTH FORGETTING: Everything.

KEY STATISTIC: Thomas was held to 27 yards rushing in the first half, then helped the Bears play keep-away with 146 yards in the second half.

GAME 14
Bucs 48, Saints 21
(Dec. 23, Raymond James Stadium, Tampa)

THE BIG PICTURE: Aaron Stecker almost made history with the opening kickoff and by halftime the Bucs virtually made the playoffs. Stecker went 86 yards before being dragged down 14 yards short of the end zone, where no Tampa Bay player has ever taken a kickoff. The play set up the first of Brad Johnson's three touchdowns, a 14-yarder to Karl Williams. Cornerback Ronde Barber then made the first of his club-record three interceptions, on New Orleans quarterback Aaron Brooks' first pass. That led to Mike Alstott's 1-yard touchdown run, one of his 101 rushing yards. Sixty-six seconds into the game, the Bucs led 14-0. By halftime it was 30-0. The victory put Tampa Bay in control in the chase for the final NFC wild-card spot; a Game 15 victory over the Ravens and a loss by Atlanta and the Bucs were in. Or win the final two games (Baltimore and Philadelphia), and they were in. "It's a relief to know we don't have to count on somebody else winning now," coach Tony Dungy said after the Bucs tied their record for points in a game. "That's what I told the team, "It's not like the BCS where you've got to hope somebody votes you in, we can control it. Here we are, we know if we win our two games, we're in.' "

KEY PLAY: Stecker's run. "That play let the Saints know we were coming to play today," safety John Lynch said. "Plays like that lift the whole team. Those plays raise the electricity in the stadium."

WORTH REMEMBERING: What else? Stecker's run.

WORTH FORGETTING: Martin Gramatica strained the hamstring in his right (kicking) leg on the last of his four field goals.

KEY STATISTIC: By halftime Tampa Bay had outgained the Saints 269-34 while limiting them to one first down.

 

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Bucs playoff review
By BRUCE LOWITT, ROGER MILLS and MIKE STEPHENSON
? St. Petersburg Times
published January 12, 2002


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1979 SEASON
Bucs 24, Eagles 17
WHAT: NFC Divisional Game.

WHEN: Dec. 29, 1979.

WHERE: Tampa Stadium.

KEY MOMENT: After the Eagles cut Tampa Bay's lead to 17-10, quarterback Doug Williams hit tight end Jimmie Giles for a 9-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter to put the game away.

RECAP: The Bucs used an 18-play, 80-yard opening drive that took more than nine minutes to give Tampa Bay a 7-0 lead on a 4-yard run by Ricky Bell, who carried nine times for 37 yards in the march. . . . The Bucs held the Eagles to 48 yards rushing. . . . With fourth and goal at the Eagles 1-yard line in the second quarter, Bell followed left tackle Darryl Carlton's block to give Tampa Bay a 17-0 lead.

By the numbers

2 -- Sacks by Bucs DE Lee Roy Selmon.

38 -- Carries by RB Ricky Bell.

142 -- Yards gained by Bell.

186 -- Rushing yards by Bucs

Rams 9, Bucs 0
WHAT: NFC Championship Game.

WHEN: Jan. 6, 1980.

WHERE: Tampa Stadium.

KEY MOMENT: Tight end Jimmie Giles caught what appeared to be a 31-yard touchdown pass from backup quarterback Mike Rae in the fourth quarter that would have narrowed the Rams' lead to 9-6. But a false-start penalty by rookie offensive lineman Greg Roberts negated the play.

RECAP: It was the first NFC Championship Game in which neither team scored a touchdown. . . . The Bucs were held to 177 yards of offense and allowed the Rams to rush for 216 yards on 53 carries. . . . Frank Corral gave the Rams a 3-0 second-quarter lead with the first of his three field goals, a 19-yarder after Bucs defensive end Wally Chambers stopped running back Wendell Tyler on third and goal from the Bucs 1. . . . Rams defensive end Jack Youngblood, the former Florida standout, earned a spot in NFL lore by playing the entire game with a fractured leg.

By the numbers

3 -- Field goals by the Rams' Frank Corral.

7 -- First downs for Bucs.

8 -- Punts by Bucs for an average of 37.1 yards.

85 -- Yards passing for Bucs.

* * *

1981 SEASON
Cowboys 38, Bucs 0
WHAT: NFC Divisional Game.

WHEN: Jan. 2, 1982.

WHERE: Texas Stadium, Irving.

KEY MOMENT: RB Tony Dorsett had runs of 25 and 26 yards as part of an 80-yard drive to open the third quarter. Dallas scored on 5-yard run by Ron Springs to take a 17-0 lead.

RECAP: Bucs quarterback Doug Williams was sacked four times, hurried countless more and threw four interceptions, two picked off by cornerback Dennis Thurman. Not surprisingly, Tampa Bay could barely get into Dallas territory. . . . After a scoreless first quarter, Cowboys quarterback Danny White engineered a 53-yard drive capped by a 9-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Tony Hill. A 21-yard field goal by Rafael Septien made it 10-0 at the half, then the Cowboys scored 21 points in the third quarter to put the game away. The closest the Bucs came to a score started with a first and goal at the Dallas 5. Four plays later, on fourth down from the 9, Williams, under pressure, threw incomplete to Giles in the end zone.

By the numbers

4 -- Sacks given up by Bucs.

8 -- Consecutive playoff quarters the Bucs were held scoreless.

10 -- Penalties given up for 105 yards.

212 -- Rushing yards by Cowboys.

* * *

1982 SEASON
Cowboys 30, Bucs 17
WHAT: NFC first-round game.

WHEN: Jan. 9, 1983.

WHERE: Texas Stadium, Irving.

KEY MOMENT: Leading 17-16 in the fourth quarter, Bucs quarterback Doug Williams' pass to wide receiver Kevin House was picked off by safety Monty Hunter, who returned it 19 yards for a touchdown. The Bucs didn't score after that.

RECAP: Thanks to five sacks, three takeaways and two long scoring plays, the Bucs seemed in command until the bottom fell out in the fourth quarter. . . . Trailing 6-0, the Bucs scored 10 unanswered points on a 60-yard fumble return for a touchdown by linebacker Hugh Green and a 32-yard field goal by Bill Capece. But the Cowboys replied with a 10-play, 75-yard drive. Danny White, who passed for 312 yards, threw 6 yards to running back Ron Springs for a touchdown and, after Hunter's interception, the Cowboys sealed the victory with an 81-yard drive, White passing 10 yards for a touchdown to running back Timmy Newsome.

By the numbers

5 -- Sacks by Bucs.

40 -- Minutes the Cowboys had the ball.

92 -- Offensive plays run by Cowboys.

179 -- Rushing yards by Cowboys.

* * *

1997 SEASON
Bucs 20, Lions 10
WHAT: NFC Wild-Card Game.

WHEN: Dec. 28, 1997.

WHERE: Houlihan's Stadium, Tampa.

KEY MOMENT: Already leading 13-0 in the third quarter, the Bucs put the game away in a fashion befitting their style as running back Mike Alstott bulldozed 31 yards for a touchdown that gave the Bucs a 20-0 cushion.

RECAP: The Bucs, hosting their first home playoff game since the '79 season, made it memorable by running out to a big lead and holding off the Lions with a dramatic fourth-quarter play. After Detroit cut the lead to 20-10, the ensuing kickoff left the Bucs at their 5-yard line. Two plays later, on third and 5, quarterback Trent Dilfer and wide receiver Robb Thomas connected on a crossing pattern for 52 yards to end Detroit's comeback hopes.

By the numbers

65 -- Yards rushing for the Lions' Barry Sanders.

141 -- Rushing yards for Bucs.

175 -- Passing yards for Trent Dilfer.

73,361 -- Fans in attendance.

Packers 21, Bucs 7
WHAT: NFC Divisional Game

WHEN: Jan. 4, 1998.

WHERE: Lambeau Field, Green Bay.

KEY MOMENT: With Tampa Bay trailing 13-7, the Packers faced a third and 18. But quarterback Brett Favre passed 22 yards to wide receiver Derrick Mayes, who caught the ball between the thigh and the calf of his leg for the first down. The Packers scored on a 2-yard run by Dorsey Levens.

RECAP: After Packers defensive tackle Bob Kuberski blocked Michael Husted's 43-yard field goal attempt in the first quarter, Green Bay marched 67 yards in seven plays with Favre passing 3 yards to tight end Mark Chmura for a touchdown. . . . The Bucs also failed to convert on a fake punt as tight end John Davis was stopped for no gain on a shovel pass from holder Steve Walsh, and a bad snap on another field-goal attempt eliminated another Bucs scoring chance. They trailed 13-0 at halftime. . . . Bucs cornerback Donnie Abraham intercepted Favre on the Bucs 4 and Tampa Bay went on its longest drive in its playoff history, 96 yards. Fifty-two came on wide receiver Reidel Anthony's catch and run, and Mike Alstott ran in from the 6 for the Bucs' only score.

By the numbers

2 -- Interceptions by Bucs CB Donnie Abraham.

3 -- Sacks for Bucs DT Warren Sapp.

171 -- Passing yards by Favre.

173 -- Passing yards by Trent Dilfer.

* * *

 

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1999 SEASON
Bucs 14, Redskins 13
WHAT: NFC Divisional Game.

WHEN: Jan. 15, 2000.

WHERE: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa.

KEY MOMENT: With the Bucs trailing 13-0, safety John Lynch intercepted Brad Johnson's pass late in the third quarter and challenged the offense to respond.

RECAP: The Bucs rallied from 13 points down and stopped the league's second-ranked offense. Following Lynch's interception, the Bucs reached Washington's 2-yard line and running back Mike Alstott bulled in for a touchdown. . . . Two series later, Bucs defensive tackle Steve White forced a Johnson fumble at the 32. The Bucs moved to the 1 and Shaun King flipped a scoring pass under heavy pressure to tight end John Davis. . . . With the Bucs leading and 1:17 remaining, center Dan Turk's bad snap on a 52-yard field goal attempt killed the Redskins' comeback.

By the numbers

0 -- Offensive touchdowns by Washington.

2 -- Rank of Redskins offense entering the game.

23 -- Seasons since a rookie quarterback had won a playoff game before the Bucs' Shaun King.

100 -- Record-setting return yardage by the Redskins' Brian Mitchell with the opening kickoff of the second half.

157 -- Total yards of offense by the Redskins.

Rams 11, Bucs 6
WHAT: NFC Championship Game.

WHEN: Jan. 23, 2000.

WHERE: Trans World Dome, St. Louis.

KEY MOMENT: Trailing 6-5, Rams quarterback Kurt Warner hit wide receiver Ricky Proehl with a 30-yard pass to put St. Louis ahead with 4:44 remaining.

RECAP: Bucs defensive end Steve White intercepted Warner on the game's first play to set up a 25-yard field goal by Martin Gramatica. . . . The Rams tied it with a field goal and took a 5-3 lead when Shaun King knocked the ball out of the end zone for a safety following a bad snap from center Tony Mayberry. . . . Gramatica's 23-yard field goal in the third quarter gave the Bucs a 1-point lead. But with about eight minutes remaining, Rams cornerback Dre Bly intercepted King to set up the winning drive. The Bucs tried to answer, but Bert Emanuel's apparent 13-yard reception to the Rams 22 with 47 seconds left was reversed by replay officials, stalling the drive.

By the numbers

3 -- Interceptions thrown by Warner.

5 -- Times Bucs QB Shaun King was sacked by the Rams.

141/2 -- Points by which the Rams were favored.

309 -- Total yards offense by Rams

400.8 -- Yards of average total offense per game by Rams.

* * *

2000 SEASON
Eagles 21, Bucs 3
WHAT: NFC Wild-Card Game.

WHEN: Dec. 31, 2000.

WHERE: Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia.

KEY MOMENT: Actually, it occurred a week earlier at Lambeau Field in Green Bay when Martin Gramatica was narrowly wide right on a 40-yard field goal attempt with nine seconds remaining in the fourth quarter that would have beaten the Packers. Instead, the Bucs loss in overtime (yes, it was below 40 degrees) cost them the NFC Central championship, a bye week, homefield advantage in a divisional playoff, and momentum.

RECAP: Quarterback Donovan McNabb threw a pair of touchdown passes and ran for another score while Tampa Bay's ground game vanished as the Eagles handed the Bucs their biggest margin of defeat all season. . . . Philadelphia scored its first two touchdowns in the final four minutes of the first half. Shaun King, sacked by defensive end Hugh Douglas, fumbled. Mike Mamula recovered at the Tampa Bay 15 and McNabb scored on a 5-yard draw play. On their next possession, the Eagles marched 69 yards on eight plays, McNabb throwing a 5-yard pass to Na Brown 17 seconds before halftime. . . . The Bucs' best scoring chance came in the second quarter when they faced third and 7 at the Philadelphia 14. King had completed four passes on the drive, but offensive coordinator Les Steckel called a Warrick Dunn draw play. He got 3 yards and the Bucs settled for Gramatica's 29-yard field goal.

By the numbers

1 -- Yard rushing by Dunn on 8 carries.

3 -- Conversions by the Bucs on 13 third downs.

4 -- Sacks of King.

34 -- Degrees (a wind chill of 11) at kickoff. The Bucs' below-40 record dropped to 0-20.

50 -- Yards rushing by the Bucs, 76 fewer than the Eagles.

 

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GAME 15
Bucs 22, Ravens 10
(Dec. 29, Raymond James Stadium, Tampa)

THE BIG PICTURE: The Ravens were back on the Bucs' turf where 11 months earlier they -- and former Bucs quarterback Trent Dilfer -- had won Super Bowl XXXV. This was payback of sorts. "We outplayed the defending Super Bowl champions and put on a great show in our house, in front of our fans and in front of a national television audience," defensive tackle Warren Sapp said. "We expect to be in the playoffs (they got in the next day when Atlanta lost to Miami) and we expect to do some damage once we get in there." Tampa Bay's defense outplayed Baltimore's, one of the league's best. The Ravens didn't have a sack; the Bucs nailed Elvis Grbac five times. Brad Johnson didn't throw an interception; the Bucs picked Grbac twice, one by linebacker Derrick Brooks, who rumbled 53 yards to the Ravens 1 before being knocked out of bounds. And Doug Brien, replacing injured kicker Martin Gramatica, hit his first three field-goal attempts. Ten of the Bucs' first 16 points were set up by Todd Yoder's blocked punt (Brien's third field goal) and Brooks' interception return (Johnson's 1-yard sneak). And when the Ravens cut the lead to 16-10, the Bucs stopped them on downs and Mike Alstott put the game away with a 32-yard scoring run with 1:35 to play.

KEY PLAY: Brooks' interception and return. "You know it is going to be a tight game and you need big plays," coach Tony Dungy said. "That changed the field position and we got a score and got up nine points, so that was a huge play."

WORTH REMEMBERING: Dexter Jackson had two of Tampa Bay's five sacks with safety blitzes. Bucs rookie Dwight Smith downed a pair of punts at the Baltimore 2. And when the Ravens had a first down at the Tampa Bay 2, the defense forced them to settle for a field goal.

WORTH FORGETTING: Call this charity. Baltimore scored its only touchdown on Grbac's 14-yard pass to Travis Taylor in the second quarter. Taylor appeared to push off Donnie Abraham to get free, but no flag was thrown. Ahh, forget it.

KEY STATISTIC: Zero turnovers by the Bucs.

GAME 16
Eagles 17, Bucs 13
(Jan. 6, Raymond James Stadium, Tampa)

THE BIG PICTURE: Not that it mattered -- the Bucs were going to Philadelphia for a wild-card game no matter who won -- but, as cornerback Brian Kelly said afterward: "10-6 looks a lot better than 9-7. But if we win next week, it means a lot more than winning this week." This originally was the second game of the season. It was postponed following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and wound up as little more than an end-of-season preseason game. Most of the starters sat out or played an obligatory one or two series. It appeared wild-card Tampa Bay and NFC East-champion Philadelphia would each carry a 10-6 record into Veterans Stadium, where the Bucs were embarrassed 21-3 in the wild-card game a year ago. Tampa Bay led 13-3 in the fourth quarter on Aaron Stecker's 4-yard touchdown run, set up by safety John Lynch's interception, and two Doug Brien field goals. Then Eagles third-string quarterback A.J. Feeley replaced second-stringer Koy Detmer (who replaced starter Donovan McNabb following a pair of game-opening handoffs). Feeley, a rookie from Oregon, threw two touchdown passes to Dameane Douglas in 26 seconds, a 2-yarder with 2:12 remaining and a 24-yarder two plays after Karl Williams fumbled the kickoff return and Rashard Williams recovered it.

KEY PLAY: Williams' fumble. "One play just cost us the game right at the end," he said. "I let all my teammates and the city of Tampa down."

WORTH REMEMBERING: Bucs receiver Keyshawn Johnson, running back Warrick Dunn and defensive tackle Warren Sapp, among others, didn't suit up. Quarterback Brad Johnson played one series and a lot of other starters not much more. Then again, the Eagles did the same with their starters.

WORTH FORGETTING: The final score. The final record.

KEY STATISTIC: The Bucs and Eagles each passed for 194 yards. Oh, wait, that didn't matter, either.

 

[barfly]

Monte and Clyde
By Times staff
? St. Petersburg Times
published January 12, 2002


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bucs defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin
On stopping Eagles running back Duce Staley:

"He's a tough back. I think he has 66 receptions going into the last game. He's a tough runner. He's a bulldog. If you don't put some wood on him, you're going to be in trouble. He's tough, and so is the young guy (Correll) Buckhalter we saw last week. They'll play both."

On the favorite targets of Donovan McNabb:

"James Thrash is their go-to guy. They've got a good corps of receivers. And they have a good tight end. Chad Lewis is up there in receptions, too. It's the Green Bay offense because they were with Mike Holmgren. Remember when they had Mark Chmura? It's the same offense. The West Coast offense is a lot of five out (in the pass pattern), but not always when they play us."

On whether the swagger has returned to the defense:

"I think our defense really finished strong. We kept relating it back to 1999 when we went out to Oakland, had a bad ballgame and we came on strong at the end of the year."

* * *

Bucs offensive coordinator Clyde Christensen.
On blocking Eagles defensive end Hugh Douglas:

"You start with having a strong sense of him. Last year was a great example of how he changes a football game with a sack and caused fumble, and that changes the whole momentum. Another matchup is our wideouts on their corners. They are very good players and if we're not controlling them, we're going to have trouble."

On running behind Mike Alstott and fullback Jameel Cook:

"I think it'll be really important to run the ball inside. It would be hard to turn it into a wide open thing against them with how good their corners are. You've got to get the running game established and stay out of the long third-down situations. It's hard to rely on the passing game when you're playing an exceptional defense in an exceptionally tough place to play."

On the Eagles' array of blitzes:

"Their blitzing creates more concern than opportunity. One of the keys to the game is we have to handle their blitz. They're not shy about bringing it, and they're good blitzers. The second half gets ugly if you have to throw it against what I think is the best defense in the league."

 

[barfly]

The Top Line
By ROGER MILLS, Times Staff Writer
? St. Petersburg Times
published January 12, 2002
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When they take the field around 4 p.m. today, the Bucs know they will be embarking on a journey never accomplished in the NFL: No team has won three road games en route to a Super Bowl appearance.

And while winning on the road appears to have been a common trend this season, the Bucs accept that such generosity disappears come playoff time, particularly in the NFC.

"That's the neat thing about the playoffs, there are 12 teams in it and they are all 0-0," coach Tony Dungy said. "Some teams have a little edge, having a bye and not having to play a game. But eventually, you're going to have to play a game and have to win them. It doesn't really matter what you did before, you're going to have to win your games. Baltimore proved that last year. Not a lot of people thought they could go to Tennessee and Oakland and win but they did because they were playing well and believed in themselves."

To win three road games, the Bucs not only will have to execute the game plan and limit turnovers, they also must exorcise two demons: their inability to win a playoff game on the road and their inability to win a game in temperatures of less than 40 degrees.

"We do (realize what's ahead), but that's where we are," Dungy said. "It's been difficult lately in the NFC to go on the road and win. In the AFC it has been done a little bit more. We have to zero in on what we have to do. History gives you some indications, but it doesn't predict the future. We know it's going to be difficult. It's an uphill battle. But our goal right now is to be the first ones to do it."

FIGURATIVELY SPEAKING
0 -- Road playoff wins in Bucs history.

3 -- Sacks given up by the Bucs in their past three games.

11 -- Offensive first downs for the Bucs in last season's playoff game.

28 -- Interceptions for the Bucs this season.

50 -- Rushing yards for Tampa Bay against the Eagles last season.

YOU AGAIN!
Okay, so the Bucs and Eagles played just six days ago with Philadelphia claiming a 17-13 win. But let's face it, with few starters in the game for more than a quarter, it doesn't count. The last time the teams met in a meaningful game was Dec. 31, 2000, at Veterans Stadium, and Philadelphia won that one too, 21-3. In that game, Donovan McNabb was 24-of-33 for 161 yards and two touchdowns and the Eagles held the Bucs to 199 total yards. Warrick Dunn was held to one yard on eight carries.

NOW THAT'S INTERESTING
Running back Warrick Dunn may have struggled running the ball, but he certainly had no problem catching it. Dunn, in his fifth season, finished with a career-high 68 receptions for 557 yards and three touchdowns. . . . Don't look now, but rookie cornerback Dwight Smith leads the Bucs with 22 special teams tackles. Running back Rabih Abdullah, who had led the team for the bulk of the season, is second with 21. . . . In case you missed it, cornerback Donnie Abraham finished the season with six interceptions despite losing his starting job to Brian Kelly six games into the season. Abraham, a Pro Bowl player last season with seven picks, now has 31 interceptions in six seasons. Kelly, by the way, has no interceptions this year.

THE BOTTOM LINE
"Linda came with that (Monday) morning, and I was like, "You're right!' Whenever I listen to her, I'm all right. Whichever way you want to twist it, it's fine. That sounds good to me." -- Pro Bowl safety John Lynch on his wife's take that it's hard for a team (i.e. Philadelphia) to beat a team (i.e. Tampa Bay) three times in a row.

-- Compiled by Roger Mills.

 

[Cow]

Whilst I probly won't read alla the dope what you've foisted upon my melon on this game, I do look forward to buying you a cocktail at the Super Bowl. Besta luck, my friend.

(psst. eagles, barfly, eagles.)

 

[barfly]

Really glad to see ya coming this year Cow!! Just remember to make mine a double I believe you've got a cocktail or two coming your way as well.

 

[ferdville]

So, tell me, Barfly - who do you really like?

 

[TIME TO MAKE $$$]

FLY LOVES THE BIRDS