By Scott Garbarini Oct 24, 2006, 21:40 GMT
- 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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