- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have to be getting used to playing
down-to-the-wire games. It also looks like they're getting pretty good at
handling those pressure-packed situations.
Tampa Bay recorded its second straight victory in the final minute on Sunday,
this time under the most unlikely of circumstances. The previously-struggling
Matt Bryant delivered the kick of his life, a 62-yarder on the game's final
play, to lift the Bucs to an improbable 23-21 victory over the Philadelphia
Eagles and renewed hope after the team's disappointing 0-4 start.
I'm sure most of the nearly 66,000 in attendance at Raymond James Stadium
weren't truly expecting Bryant, who entered the day 2-for-5 on field-goal
attempts for the season and had never made one beyond 50 yards during his
five-year career, to come through with the second-longest kick in NFL history.
Almost as unlikely was the fact Tampa Bay pulled out a victory in a game where
it blew a 17-0 lead, its offense failed to score a touchdown and the team was
outgained by over a 2 1/2-to-1 ratio (506 yards to 196).
'Obviously, Matt Bryant gets his own room when we go on the road now and
anything else he wants, he gets,' joked Buccaneers head coach Jon Gruden
afterward. 'That's one of the most dramatic finishes to a football game any of
us will ever see. To beat a team like Philadelphia is a great accomplishment.
I don't care what the statistics say.'
Each of Tampa Bay's last four games has been decided by three points or less,
with the outcome determined during the final minute in three of those outings.
The Bucs were burned by a last-second field goal in a 26-24 loss to Carolina
during Week 3, but got their long-awaited first victory of the year in
dramatic fashion one week ago, when rookie quarterback Bruce Gradkowski's
eight-yard touchdown pass to Michael Clayton with 35 seconds left produced a
14-13 win.
'It's like we've been on both ends.' said linebacker Derrick Brooks, whose
costly missed open-field tackle on the Eagles' Brian Westbrook contributed to
the running back's 52-yard TD catch that put Philly briefly ahead, 21-20, with
just 33 seconds to go. '(Bryant's kick) just teaches us again that the game is
not over until it's over.'
That goes for the Bucs' season as well, although a treacherous upcoming
schedule and a well-stocked NFC South could still be too much to overcome for
a club that's still languishing in the division basement.
'We beat last week what's considered the best AFC team (Cincinnati), and we
beat what's considered the best NFC team,' said running back Cadillac
Williams. 'So that gives us the confidence to know we can play with the best
of them.'
BARBER COMES UP BIG IN BUCS' CLOSE SHAVE
Bryant wasn't the only hero in Sunday's win, which would not have been
possible if not for cornerback Ronde Barber's two interception returns for
touchdowns. The veteran standout broke a scoreless tie early in the second
quarter when he jumped a slant route and raced untouched 37 yards into the end
zone. He later stepped in front of Philadelphia's Greg Lewis and snared a
Donovan McNabb pass before scampering down the sideline for a 66-yard score
which gave the Bucs a seemingly comfortable 17-0 lead in the third quarter.
'You get opportunities,' said Barber. 'We've had a bunch of them in the course
of the season. In the secondary, especially, and we haven't taken advantage of
them. I told these guys it's not alright anymore to leave these opportunities
out there. I talked the talk, I guess I walked the walk.'
The two picks -- Barber's 29th and 30th of his career -- moved him past Cedric
Brown for second place on the franchise's all-time list in that category. They
also brought back nightmares for Philly fans who can't forget the three-time
Pro Bowl honoree's backbreaking 92-yard interception touchdown that sealed
Tampa Bay's victory over the Eagles in the 2003 NFC Championship Game.
The Bucs forced four Philadelphia turnovers, including three INTs of McNabb,
and did not commit a miscue during the course of the game. McNabb had thrown
only two picks over the Eagles' first six contests of 2006.
HEROES, CONT.
Reserve running back Michael Pittman also deserves a mention for his 37-yard
kick return which helped put the Buccaneers in position for Bryant's final-
second try. Gradkowski only finished with 104 yards on 13-of-26 passing, but
the young signal-caller followed an 11-yard strike to Clayton with a key nine-
yard scramble on the game-winning drive.
'I credit our offensive football team and Michael Pittman for getting a good
return, collecting some yardage to put ourselves in a position for a chance,'
Gruden remarked.
BYE BYE BOOGER
Tampa Bay made a significant move during last Tuesday's trade deadline,
shipping starting defensive tackle Anthony 'Booger' McFarland to the Colts in
exchange for a second round pick in the 2007 draft. The Buccaneers' first-
round selection in 1999, McFarland started 84 regular season contests during
his eight-year tenure with the club, but hasn't lived up to expectations at
the under tackle position this season. The 28-year-old mustered only eight
tackles and no sacks through the first five games.
Ellis Wyms took McFarland's place in the starting lineup and rewarded the Bucs
a productive afternoon against the Eagles. The sixth-year pro finished with
three tackles and a sack of McNabb.
Tampa Bay filled the roster spot by signing cornerback Phillip Buchanon on
Tuesday, one day after the veteran was released by Houston. A former first-
round choice by Oakland, Buchanon has compiled 11 career interceptions and is
an outstanding punt returner as well, averaging 10.5 yards per runback during
his five-year career. The 26-year-old has scored seven lifetime touchdowns,
four on interceptions and three on punt returns.
NEW YORK STATE OF MIND
The Buccaneers will strive for their first road victory of the season when
they travel to the Meadowlands this Sunday for a battle with the defending NFC
East champion New York Giants. The teams will be meeting for the first time
since a 19-13 Tampa Bay triumph at Raymond James Stadium in 2003. The Bucs
last played the G-Man at Giants Stadium on November 30, 1997, when they came
away with a 20-8 victory.
© 2006 The Sports Network
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