1999 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
Encyclopedia
The 1999
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
season began with the team trying to improve on an 8-8 season. Rookie Shaun King
replaced the injured and inconsistent Trent Dilfer
late in the season. King helped rebound the team to their first NFC Central Division title 18 years.
Leading 6-5 late in the NFC Championship game against the Rams
, the Buccaneers lost the lead after a late Ricky Proehl
touchdown. With less than a minute remaining, a controversial instant replay reversal of a catch by Bert Emanuel
foiled their hopes at an upset
victory and a trip to Super Bowl XXXIV
.
threw three interceptions (2 returned for touchdowns), and lost one fumble in a pitiful individual performance against the New York Giants
. Despite the Buccaneer defense holding the Giants to only 91 yards passing, 28 yards rushing, and only 4 first downs, the Giants scored 17 points off of turnovers. Coach Tony Dungy
pulled Dilfer in favor of Eric Zeier
, who did not fare well either.
six times, and recorded nine sacks overall as Tampa Bay won their first game of the 1999 season. Trent Dilfer
threw two touchdown passes, and the Buccaneers rushed for over 150 yards.
rushed for 131 yards and one touchdown, as the Buccaneers defeated the visiting Denver Broncos
. The Tampa Bay defense held Terrell Davis
to only 53 yards ,and quarterback Trent Dilfer
was a noteworthy 15-of-18 with no interceptions. Tampa Bay took a 13-10 lead into halftime, and the second half was scoreless.
blasted out to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter, with Randall Cunningham
throwing three touchdown passes. With Warren Sapp
out with an injury, the Vikings totalled 192 yard of offense. After trimming the deficity to 21-14, the Buccaneers drove late in the fourth quarter looking to tie the game. With two minutes left, Trent Dilfer underthrew the ball to Warrick Dunn
, and was intercepted at the Minnesota 10 yard line. With enough time for one last possession, the Buccaneers drove to the Minnesota 18 yard line. Dilfer's final pass to the endzone was knocked down as time expired.
threw three interceptions and lost one fumble, but appeared to be leading Tampa Bay to a fourth quarter comeback victory on Sunday Night Football
at Lambeau Field
against the Green Bay Packers
.
After falling behind 10-0, the Buccaneers managed a 13-13 tie at haltime. Trailing 19-16 with less than two minutes to go, Mike Alstott
rumbled 22 yards for a go-ahead touchdown. Not to be denied, however, Brett Favre
drove the Packers 73 yards in only 6 plays, and won the game 26-23.
The Buccaneers fell to 2-3 going into their bye week.
suffered through offensive futility, in a division game which both teams combined for only 9 points. Slumping quarterback Trent Dilfer
passed for only 121 yards, while fans booed him throughout the afternoon. Twice in the first quarter, Dilfer missed wide-open receivers in the endzone. Martin Gramatica
scored two field goals in the first half for Tampa Bay's only points. With 45 seconds left, Derrick Brooks
intercepted third-string quarterback Jim Miller
to secure the win.
. Back-up Eric Zeier
was named the starter for week 8. On Sunday Night Football
, the Buccaneers visited the Detroit Lions
.
Trailing 17-3 late in the third quarter, the Buccaneers appeared to reach the endzone and shift the game's momentum. Warrick Dunn
caught a 12-yard touchdown pass from Zeier, and the team lined up for the extra point, and a certain 17-10 score. With only ten men on the field, and confusion among the Buccaneers players, a delay of game penalty was incurred. During the delay, the Lions sidelines took the opportunity to throw the challenge flag
, and the touchdown was reviewed. The replay showed Dunn was down at the one yard line, and play continued. Moments later, Mike Alstott
fumbled away the ball at the 2, and the Lions recovered. A field goal off the turnover iced the game for Detroit.
's stint as starting quarterback lasted only one week, and Trent Dilfer
returned to the lineup. The Buccaneers rolled over the Saints
, with Dilfer passing for 227 yards and three touchdowns. The biggest of the day being an early 62-yard bomb to Jacquez Green
. Mike Alstott
rushed for 117 yards and one touchdown.
passed for 270 yards and two touchdowns (35 yards, 52 yards, respectively), but six turnovers nearly foiled the afternoon. The Buccaneer defense remained firm and held Kansas City
to 5 yards passing in the first half. Dilfer, however, threw one interception and fumbled away a snap and Mike Alstott
lost three fumbles.
Leading 17-10 with 3 minutes to go, the Buccaneers looked to run out the clock. Alstott, however, committed his third fumble, and the Chiefs took over at their own 17. In ten plays, Elvis Grbac
drove the Chiefs 66 yards to the Tampa Bay 13. With 28 seconds remaining in regulation, Hardy Nickerson
intercepted Grbac in the endzone, and Tampa Bay held on to win.
kicked four field goals against Atlanta
, leading the team in scoring for the day. Trailing 9-10 with 53 seconds remaining, Gramatica kicked a 53-yard field goal, and Tampa Bay took a 12-10 lead, their first lead of the day. Just moments later, Donnie Abraham
intercepted Chris Chandler
and returned the ball 47 yards for a touchdown to seal the victory.
, and looked to break a long west coast
losing streak.
A tough first half saw a 3-3 tie. In the third quarter, the season came to a turning point. Quarterback Trent Dilfer
was sacked by Phillip Daniels
and suffered a broken clavicle
. Dilfer would sit out the remainder of the season, and rookie Shaun King
took over as quarterback. King was only 3-for-7, but threw a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter to lead the Buccaneers to victory.
made his first start against division rival Minnesota
on Monday Night Football
. The Buccaneers jumped out to a 7-0 lead after Donnie Abraham
intercepted Jeff George
for a 55-yard touchdown return. King passed for only 93 yards, but threw two touchdowns. Minnesota dominated the first half, but four first half drives into Tampa Bay territory came up empty.
The Buccaneers won their fifth straight game, and snapped Minnesota's five-game winning streak. Tampa Bay sat atop the NFC Central standings, tied for the lead with Detroit.
, and took over sole possession of first place in the NFC Central. Shaun King
passed for 297 yards and two touchdowns.
trounced the Buccaneers 45-0. The Buccaneers were held to under 30 yards rushing, while Shaun King
suffered mightily. The Raiders intercepted King once, returned a King fumble for a touchdown, sacked King four times, and took a 21-0 lead into halftime. In the third quarter, coach Tony Dungy
pulled his starters from the game, and rested them for the upcoming games.
, Tampa Bay hosted Green Bay
in a key division game. Four Packers turnovers turned into 20 Buccaneers points.
Three Gramatica
field goals established a 9-0 lead, but Green Bay took the lead 10-9 at halftime. In the fourth quarter, Mike Alstott
's two touchdown runs put the game out of reach for Green Bay.
With the victory, Tampa Bay improved to 10-5, and win in week 17 would clinch the division title.
to take on the Bears
, with a division title on the line. Tampa Bay easlily handled the 6-9 Bears, and won their first NFC Central
title since 1979
.
Shaun King
threw for 178 yards, and one touchdown. Mike Alstott
scored one touchdown run. The Buccaneers earned a first-round bye for the playoffs.
, Tampa, Florida
The Buccaneers forced two key turnovers in the second half to rally from a 13-0 deficit, while their defense held Washington to just 157 yards, with only 32 in the second half.
After a scoreless first quarter, a 35-yard punt from Mark Royals
gave the Redskins great field position on the Tampa Bay 43-yard line. Brad Johnson
started out the drive with a 19-yard completion to Albert Connell
, and then a 12-yard run by Stephen Davis
set up a 28-yard field goal from Brett Conway
with 5:37 remaining in the second quarter. Then in the second half, Brian Mitchell returned the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown, a playoff record. Later in the third quarter, Darrell Green
intercepted a pass from Buccaneers quarterback Shaun King
and returned it 12 yards to the Buccaneers 36-yard line, setting up Conway's second field goal to take a 13-0 lead. But after a Bucs punt, Tampa Bay safety John Lynch
intercepted a pass from Johnson on the Tampa Bay 27-yard line. Aided by a 31-yard pass interference penalty on Leomont Evans
, the Buccaneers subsequently drove 73 yards in 6 plays and scored on Mike Alstott
's 2-yard touchdown run. Then in the fourth quarter, defensive tackle Steve White
forced a fumble from Brad Johnson
while sacking him and Warren Sapp
recovered the ball on the Redskins 32-yard line. King then went to work, completing a 17-yard pass to Bert Emanuel
and a 13-yard pass to Warrick Dunn
. On fourth down and 1, Alstott's 5-yard run moved the ball to the Washtingon 3-yard line, and King eventually finished the drive with a 1-yard touchdown pass to John Davis.
The Redskins had a chance to win the game with a 52-yard field goal attempt in the final seconds of the game, but the snap from center Dan Turk
to Brad Johnson
, the holder, was off and the Bucs won. Contrary to popular belief, the snap was not to Matt Turk
, the team's punter, and also his brother. This was Dan Turk's last game in the NFL, as he died later that year due to cancer
. Meanwhile, King became the first rookie to lead his team to a playoff win since Pat Haden
in 1976.
The Rams and Buccaneers would slug it out for most of the game, with the Buccaneers defense holding the Rams highly-potent offense in check. Tampa Bay, weak on offense, would only muster two field goals, and gave up a costly safety in the second quarter when a bad snap from center went over the head of rookie quarterback Shaun King
and out of the endzone. Despite this, the Buccaneers nursed an unusual 6-5 lead into the 4th Quarter. The Rams broke open a defense dominated game when Kurt Warner threw a touchdown pass to Ricky Proehl
with 4:44 left in the game. The Buccaneers would mount a drive on their final possession, however a controversial replay overturned what appeared to be a reception by Buccaneers wide receiver Bert Emanuel
, and the Buccaneers never recovered.
On the first play of the game, Bucs defensive end Steve White intercepted a screen pass
from Warner on the Rams 20-yard line, setting up a 25-yard field goal from Martin Gramatica
. But that was all they could manage in the first quarter. On one possession, they moved the ball to the St. Louis 23-yard line, but then King was sacked and fumbled. Tampa Bay recovered the ball, but lost 12 yards and were pushed out of field goal range. Then with 11 seconds left in the period, King threw a pass from the St. Louis 41-yard line that went right into the surprised arms of defensive back Todd Lyght
. The Rams didn't do much better. After Gramatica's field goal, they drove 74 yards in 16 plays before a fumbled handoff from Warner to Marshall Faulk
on third down forced them to settle for a 24-yard field goal by Jeff Wilkins
. Then on their next drive, Wilkins missed a field goal attempt from 44 yards.
In the second quarter, a high snap from Bucs center Tony Mayberry
went over King's head and into the end zone. King managed to knock the ball out of the end zone to prevent a touchdown, but it gave the Rams a safety and a 5-3 lead. This would be the score by halftime, despite the Rams 159-75 advantage over the Buccaneers in total yards.
Just as in the first half, Tampa Bay scored a field goal on their opening drive on the third quarter, set up by a 32-yard reception by Jacquez Green
and a 15-yard facemask penalty on Taje Allen
. Meanwhile, Warner was intercepted three times by the Buccaneers defense, including a costly interception to Hardy Nickerson
on the Tampa Bay 3-yard line. But late in the fourth quarter, Rams defensive back Dre' Bly intercepted a pass from King at the Buccaneers 49-yard line. A few plays later, Warner threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to Proehl with 4:44 left, taking an 11-6 lead after the two point conversion failed.
Despite being sacked twice, King responded by leading the Bucs to the St. Louis 22-yard line. With 47 seconds remaining, King completed an apparent 13-yard reception to Bert Emanuel
at the Rams' 22 yard line, setting up a reasonable 3rd & 10, and a chance at a game-winning touchdown. The ruling on the field was a complete pass. The team called a quick timeout, and huddled. Despite the fact that Emanuel clearly controlled the ball at every point during the catch, booth replay official Jerry Markbreit ordered a review of the call during the timeout. Referee Bill Carollo
determined that the nose of the ball had touched the ground as he brought it into his body. The catch was overturned, ruled incomplete, and Tampa Bay was moved back to a 3rd & 23 at the 35. Faced with a now near impossible task, King threw two incompletions and turned it over on downs. The Rams held on to win 11-6.
Proehl was the sole offensive star of the game, finishing with 6 catches for 100 yards and one touchdown.
The enusing controversy prompted the NFL to clarify the rule regarding what constitutes a valid pass reception. This would come to be known as "The Bert Emanuel Rule."
1999 NFL season
The 1999 NFL season was the 80th regular season of the National Football League. The Cleveland Browns returned to the field for the first time since the 1995 season...
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
season began with the team trying to improve on an 8-8 season. Rookie Shaun King
Shaun King
Shaun Earl King is a former Tulane University and National Football League quarterback.-High School:King is a 1995 graduate of Gibbs High School .-College:...
replaced the injured and inconsistent Trent Dilfer
Trent Dilfer
Trent Farris Dilfer is a former football quarterback in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers sixth overall in the 1994 NFL Draft and went on to play for the Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks, Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers. He played college football...
late in the season. King helped rebound the team to their first NFC Central Division title 18 years.
Leading 6-5 late in the NFC Championship game against the Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
, the Buccaneers lost the lead after a late Ricky Proehl
Ricky Proehl
Richard Scott Proehl is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. Proehl played 17 seasons with the Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, St. Louis Rams, Carolina Panthers, and Indianapolis Colts...
touchdown. With less than a minute remaining, a controversial instant replay reversal of a catch by Bert Emanuel
Bert Emanuel
Bert Tyrone Emanuel is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the second round of the 1994 NFL Draft...
foiled their hopes at an upset
Underdog (competition)
An underdog is a person or group in a competition, frequently in electoral politics, sports and creative works, who is popularly expected to lose. The party, team or individual expected to win is called the favorite or top dog. In the rare case where an underdog wins, the outcome is an upset. These...
victory and a trip to Super Bowl XXXIV
Super Bowl XXXIV
Super Bowl XXXIV featured the National Football Conference champion St. Louis Rams and the American Football Conference champion Tennessee Titans in an American football game to decide the National Football League champion for the 1999 regular season...
.
Staff
| 1999 Tampa Bay Buccaneers staff | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Front Office
Head Coaches
Offensive Coaches
|
Defensive Coaches
Special Teams Coaches
Strength and Conditioning
|
|||||
Schedule
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 12, 1999 | New York Giants New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 17-13 | |
| 2 | September 19, 1999 | at Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 19-5 | |
| 3 | September 26, 1999 | Denver Broncos Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 13-10 | |
| 4 | October 3, 1999 | at Minnesota Vikings Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960... |
L 21-14 | |
| 5 | October 10, 1999 | at Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... |
L 26-23 | |
| 6 | Bye | |||
| 7 | October 24, 1999 | Chicago Bears Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 6-3 | |
| 8 | October 31, 1999 | at Detroit Lions Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and... |
L 20-3 | |
| 9 | November 7, 1999 | at New Orleans Saints New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League .... |
W 31-16 | |
| 10 | November 14, 1999 | Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a... |
W 17-10 | |
| 11 | November 21, 1999 | Atlanta Falcons Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 19-10 | |
| 12 | November 28, 1999 | at Seattle Seahawks Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team... |
W 16-3 | |
| 13 | December 6, 1999 | Minnesota Vikings Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960... |
W 24-17 | |
| 14 | December 12, 1999 | Detroit Lions Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and... |
W 23-16 | |
| 15 | December 19, 1999 | at Oakland Raiders Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 45-0 | |
| 16 | December 26, 1999 | Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... |
W 29-10 | |
| 17 | January 2, 2000 | at Chicago Bears Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 20-6 | |
Standings
| NFC Central | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA | STK | |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 270 | 235 | W-2 |
| Minnesota Vikings 1999 Minnesota Vikings season 1999 was the 39th year of season play for the Minnesota Vikings and the 80th regular season of the National Football League.After going 15-1 in 1998 the Vikings began the 1999 season with high hopes of another great season. Randall Cunningham resumed duties again in 1999, but after a lukewarm 2-4... |
10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 399 | 335 | W-3 |
| Detroit Lions 1999 Detroit Lions season The 1999 Detroit Lions season was their 70th in the league. The team improved upon their previous season's output of 5–11 and qualified for the playoffs, where they lost to the Washington Redskins in the Wild Card round... |
9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 322 | 323 | L-4 |
| Green Bay Packers 1999 Green Bay Packers season The 1999 Green Bay Packers season was the first and last season for head coach Ray Rhodes. The Packers finished 8-8, posting their worst record since Brett Favre took over the helm as the Packers' starting quarterback.-1999 NFL draft:... |
8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 357 | 341 | W-1 |
| Chicago Bears 1999 Chicago Bears season The 1999 Chicago Bears season was their 80th regular season completed in the National Football League. On January 24, Dick Jauron was named head coach. The club posted a 6-10 record under first year head coach Dick Jauron who replaced Dave Wannstedt.... |
6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 272 | 341 | L-2 |
Week 1: New York Giants (lost 13-17)
Quarterback Trent DilferTrent Dilfer
Trent Farris Dilfer is a former football quarterback in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers sixth overall in the 1994 NFL Draft and went on to play for the Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks, Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers. He played college football...
threw three interceptions (2 returned for touchdowns), and lost one fumble in a pitiful individual performance against the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Despite the Buccaneer defense holding the Giants to only 91 yards passing, 28 yards rushing, and only 4 first downs, the Giants scored 17 points off of turnovers. Coach Tony Dungy
Tony Dungy
Anthony Kevin "Tony" Dungy [DUN-jee] is a former professional American football player and coach in the National Football League. Dungy was head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1996 to 2001, and head coach of the Indianapolis Colts from 2002 to 2008...
pulled Dilfer in favor of Eric Zeier
Eric Zeier
Eric Royce Zeier is a former American football quarterback. In his five years in the NFL, he played for the Cleveland Browns , Baltimore Ravens , and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers . Zeier started his career at Heidelberg American High School in Heidelberg, Germany where he led them to a championship...
, who did not fare well either.
Week 2: at Philadelphia Eagles (won 19-5)
Tampa Bay sacked rookie Donovan McNabbDonovan McNabb
Donovan Jamal McNabb is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was the Philadelphia Eagles' quarterback from 1999 to 2009 and spent the 2010 season with the Washington Redskins and a portion of the 2011 season with the Minnesota Vikings. In college, McNabb played...
six times, and recorded nine sacks overall as Tampa Bay won their first game of the 1999 season. Trent Dilfer
Trent Dilfer
Trent Farris Dilfer is a former football quarterback in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers sixth overall in the 1994 NFL Draft and went on to play for the Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks, Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers. He played college football...
threw two touchdown passes, and the Buccaneers rushed for over 150 yards.
Week 3: Denver Broncos (won 13-10)
Mike AlstottMike Alstott
Michael Joseph Alstott , nicknamed "A-Train", is a former American football fullback in the National Football League. He spent his entire 12-year career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football at Purdue...
rushed for 131 yards and one touchdown, as the Buccaneers defeated the visiting Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. The Tampa Bay defense held Terrell Davis
Terrell Davis
Terrell Lamar Davis is a former American football running back who played for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League from 1995 to 2001. Davis was drafted by the Broncos in the sixth round of the 1995 NFL Draft. Davis is the Denver Broncos all-time leading rusher, with 7,607 rushing...
to only 53 yards ,and quarterback Trent Dilfer
Trent Dilfer
Trent Farris Dilfer is a former football quarterback in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers sixth overall in the 1994 NFL Draft and went on to play for the Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks, Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers. He played college football...
was a noteworthy 15-of-18 with no interceptions. Tampa Bay took a 13-10 lead into halftime, and the second half was scoreless.
Week 4: at Minnesota Vikings (lost 14-21)
The Minnesota VikingsMinnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
blasted out to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter, with Randall Cunningham
Randall Cunningham
Randall W. Cunningham is a former American football quarterback.After playing college football at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, he was selected in the second round of the 1985 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, with whom he remained through the 1995 season...
throwing three touchdown passes. With Warren Sapp
Warren Sapp
Warren Carlos Sapp is a retired American football player who played defensive tackle in the National Football League. He played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Oakland Raiders during his 13 year professional career, and college football for the University of Miami Hurricanes. He was then...
out with an injury, the Vikings totalled 192 yard of offense. After trimming the deficity to 21-14, the Buccaneers drove late in the fourth quarter looking to tie the game. With two minutes left, Trent Dilfer underthrew the ball to Warrick Dunn
Warrick Dunn
Warrick De'Mon Dunn is a former American football running back, and current minority owner of the Atlanta Falcons. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 12th overall in the 1997 NFL Draft, after playing college football at Florida State...
, and was intercepted at the Minnesota 10 yard line. With enough time for one last possession, the Buccaneers drove to the Minnesota 18 yard line. Dilfer's final pass to the endzone was knocked down as time expired.
Week 5: at Green Bay Packers (lost 23-26)
Trent DilferTrent Dilfer
Trent Farris Dilfer is a former football quarterback in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers sixth overall in the 1994 NFL Draft and went on to play for the Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks, Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers. He played college football...
threw three interceptions and lost one fumble, but appeared to be leading Tampa Bay to a fourth quarter comeback victory on Sunday Night Football
ESPN Sunday Night Football
ESPN Sunday Night Football is the ESPN cable network's weekly television broadcasts of Sunday evening National Football League games. The first ESPN Sunday night broadcast occurred on November 8, 1987, while the last one aired on January 1, 2006....
at Lambeau Field
Lambeau Field
Lambeau Field is an outdoor football stadium in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the home of the NFL's Green Bay Packers. Opened in 1957 as City Stadium, it replaced the original City Stadium as the Packers' home field...
against the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
.
After falling behind 10-0, the Buccaneers managed a 13-13 tie at haltime. Trailing 19-16 with less than two minutes to go, Mike Alstott
Mike Alstott
Michael Joseph Alstott , nicknamed "A-Train", is a former American football fullback in the National Football League. He spent his entire 12-year career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football at Purdue...
rumbled 22 yards for a go-ahead touchdown. Not to be denied, however, Brett Favre
Brett Favre
Brett Lorenzo Favre is a former American football quarterback who spent the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was a 20-year veteran of the NFL, having played quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons , Green Bay Packers , New York Jets and Minnesota...
drove the Packers 73 yards in only 6 plays, and won the game 26-23.
The Buccaneers fell to 2-3 going into their bye week.
Week 7: Chicago Bears (won 6-3)
Both the Buccaneers and Chicago BearsChicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
suffered through offensive futility, in a division game which both teams combined for only 9 points. Slumping quarterback Trent Dilfer
Trent Dilfer
Trent Farris Dilfer is a former football quarterback in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers sixth overall in the 1994 NFL Draft and went on to play for the Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks, Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers. He played college football...
passed for only 121 yards, while fans booed him throughout the afternoon. Twice in the first quarter, Dilfer missed wide-open receivers in the endzone. Martin Gramatica
Martin Gramatica
Martín Gramática is an Argentine-American former football placekicker.Gramática was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft after playing college football at Kansas State, and has also been a member of the Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, Dallas...
scored two field goals in the first half for Tampa Bay's only points. With 45 seconds left, Derrick Brooks
Derrick Brooks
Derrick Dewan Brooks is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buccaneers 28th overall in the 1995 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida State....
intercepted third-string quarterback Jim Miller
Jim Miller (quarterback)
James Donald Miller is a former NFL quarterback, last under contract with the New York Giants. He was drafted in the 6th round of the 1994 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, 178th overall. Miller attended Waterford Kettering High School and graduated in 1989...
to secure the win.
Week 8: at Detroit Lions (lost 3-20)
The biggest news going into the game was the benching of quarterback Trent DilferTrent Dilfer
Trent Farris Dilfer is a former football quarterback in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers sixth overall in the 1994 NFL Draft and went on to play for the Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks, Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers. He played college football...
. Back-up Eric Zeier
Eric Zeier
Eric Royce Zeier is a former American football quarterback. In his five years in the NFL, he played for the Cleveland Browns , Baltimore Ravens , and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers . Zeier started his career at Heidelberg American High School in Heidelberg, Germany where he led them to a championship...
was named the starter for week 8. On Sunday Night Football
ESPN Sunday Night Football
ESPN Sunday Night Football is the ESPN cable network's weekly television broadcasts of Sunday evening National Football League games. The first ESPN Sunday night broadcast occurred on November 8, 1987, while the last one aired on January 1, 2006....
, the Buccaneers visited the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
.
Trailing 17-3 late in the third quarter, the Buccaneers appeared to reach the endzone and shift the game's momentum. Warrick Dunn
Warrick Dunn
Warrick De'Mon Dunn is a former American football running back, and current minority owner of the Atlanta Falcons. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 12th overall in the 1997 NFL Draft, after playing college football at Florida State...
caught a 12-yard touchdown pass from Zeier, and the team lined up for the extra point, and a certain 17-10 score. With only ten men on the field, and confusion among the Buccaneers players, a delay of game penalty was incurred. During the delay, the Lions sidelines took the opportunity to throw the challenge flag
Instant replay in American football
In American and Canadian football, instant replay is a method of reviewing a play using cameras at various angles to determine the accuracy of the initial call of the officials...
, and the touchdown was reviewed. The replay showed Dunn was down at the one yard line, and play continued. Moments later, Mike Alstott
Mike Alstott
Michael Joseph Alstott , nicknamed "A-Train", is a former American football fullback in the National Football League. He spent his entire 12-year career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football at Purdue...
fumbled away the ball at the 2, and the Lions recovered. A field goal off the turnover iced the game for Detroit.
Week 9: at New Orleans Saints (won 31-16)
Eric ZeierEric Zeier
Eric Royce Zeier is a former American football quarterback. In his five years in the NFL, he played for the Cleveland Browns , Baltimore Ravens , and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers . Zeier started his career at Heidelberg American High School in Heidelberg, Germany where he led them to a championship...
's stint as starting quarterback lasted only one week, and Trent Dilfer
Trent Dilfer
Trent Farris Dilfer is a former football quarterback in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers sixth overall in the 1994 NFL Draft and went on to play for the Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks, Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers. He played college football...
returned to the lineup. The Buccaneers rolled over the Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
, with Dilfer passing for 227 yards and three touchdowns. The biggest of the day being an early 62-yard bomb to Jacquez Green
Jacquez Green
D'Tanyian Jacquez Green is a former American college and professional football player who was a wide receiver and punt returner in the National Football League for five seasons in the 1990s and early 2000s...
. Mike Alstott
Mike Alstott
Michael Joseph Alstott , nicknamed "A-Train", is a former American football fullback in the National Football League. He spent his entire 12-year career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football at Purdue...
rushed for 117 yards and one touchdown.
Week 10: Kansas City Chiefs (won 17-10)
Trent DilferTrent Dilfer
Trent Farris Dilfer is a former football quarterback in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers sixth overall in the 1994 NFL Draft and went on to play for the Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks, Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers. He played college football...
passed for 270 yards and two touchdowns (35 yards, 52 yards, respectively), but six turnovers nearly foiled the afternoon. The Buccaneer defense remained firm and held Kansas City
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
to 5 yards passing in the first half. Dilfer, however, threw one interception and fumbled away a snap and Mike Alstott
Mike Alstott
Michael Joseph Alstott , nicknamed "A-Train", is a former American football fullback in the National Football League. He spent his entire 12-year career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football at Purdue...
lost three fumbles.
Leading 17-10 with 3 minutes to go, the Buccaneers looked to run out the clock. Alstott, however, committed his third fumble, and the Chiefs took over at their own 17. In ten plays, Elvis Grbac
Elvis Grbac
Elvis M. Grbac is a retired American football quarterback who played in the NFL. During his career he was a starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, the Kansas City Chiefs, and Baltimore Ravens...
drove the Chiefs 66 yards to the Tampa Bay 13. With 28 seconds remaining in regulation, Hardy Nickerson
Hardy Nickerson
Hardy Otto Nickerson is a former American football linebacker who played 16 seasons for four teams from 1987 to 2002 in the National Football League and is currently the head football coach at Bishop O'Dowd High School in Oakland, Calif. He attended Verbum Dei High School, a Catholic school...
intercepted Grbac in the endzone, and Tampa Bay held on to win.
Week 11: Atlanta Falcons (won 19-10)
Martin GramaticaMartin Gramatica
Martín Gramática is an Argentine-American former football placekicker.Gramática was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft after playing college football at Kansas State, and has also been a member of the Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, Dallas...
kicked four field goals against Atlanta
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, leading the team in scoring for the day. Trailing 9-10 with 53 seconds remaining, Gramatica kicked a 53-yard field goal, and Tampa Bay took a 12-10 lead, their first lead of the day. Just moments later, Donnie Abraham
Donnie Abraham
Nathaniel Donnell "Donnie" Abraham , is a former American football cornerback. In his career, he played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New York Jets . After considering retirement since the 2004 season ended, he finally decided to do so on July 15, 2005. He is now the head coach for Gibbs...
intercepted Chris Chandler
Chris Chandler
Christopher Mark Chandler is a retired American football player, who played as a quarterback in the National Football League for 17 seasons. He is known for leading the Atlanta Falcons to a 14-2 season in 1998, followed up with an appearance in Super Bowl XXXIII.-Early years:Chris Chandler was...
and returned the ball 47 yards for a touchdown to seal the victory.
Week 12: at Seattle Seahawks (won 16-3)
Tampa Bay traveled to the west coast to take on the 8-2 SeahawksSeattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
, and looked to break a long west coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
losing streak.
A tough first half saw a 3-3 tie. In the third quarter, the season came to a turning point. Quarterback Trent Dilfer
Trent Dilfer
Trent Farris Dilfer is a former football quarterback in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers sixth overall in the 1994 NFL Draft and went on to play for the Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks, Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers. He played college football...
was sacked by Phillip Daniels
Phillip Daniels
Phillip Bernard Daniels is an American football defensive end who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth round of the 1996 NFL Draft...
and suffered a broken clavicle
Clavicle
In human anatomy, the clavicle or collar bone is a long bone of short length that serves as a strut between the scapula and the sternum. It is the only long bone in body that lies horizontally...
. Dilfer would sit out the remainder of the season, and rookie Shaun King
Shaun King
Shaun Earl King is a former Tulane University and National Football League quarterback.-High School:King is a 1995 graduate of Gibbs High School .-College:...
took over as quarterback. King was only 3-for-7, but threw a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter to lead the Buccaneers to victory.
Week 13: Minnesota Vikings (won 24-17)
Shaun KingShaun King
Shaun Earl King is a former Tulane University and National Football League quarterback.-High School:King is a 1995 graduate of Gibbs High School .-College:...
made his first start against division rival Minnesota
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
on Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
. The Buccaneers jumped out to a 7-0 lead after Donnie Abraham
Donnie Abraham
Nathaniel Donnell "Donnie" Abraham , is a former American football cornerback. In his career, he played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New York Jets . After considering retirement since the 2004 season ended, he finally decided to do so on July 15, 2005. He is now the head coach for Gibbs...
intercepted Jeff George
Jeff George
Jeffrey Scott "Jeff" George is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts with the first overall pick of the 1990 NFL Draft...
for a 55-yard touchdown return. King passed for only 93 yards, but threw two touchdowns. Minnesota dominated the first half, but four first half drives into Tampa Bay territory came up empty.
The Buccaneers won their fifth straight game, and snapped Minnesota's five-game winning streak. Tampa Bay sat atop the NFC Central standings, tied for the lead with Detroit.
Week 14: Detroit Lions (won 23-16)
Tampa Bay evened the series against DetroitDetroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
, and took over sole possession of first place in the NFC Central. Shaun King
Shaun King
Shaun Earl King is a former Tulane University and National Football League quarterback.-High School:King is a 1995 graduate of Gibbs High School .-College:...
passed for 297 yards and two touchdowns.
Week 15: at Oakland Raiders (lost 0-45)
Tampa Bay's franchise record six consecutive wins came to a screeching halt, as the Oakland RaidersOakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
trounced the Buccaneers 45-0. The Buccaneers were held to under 30 yards rushing, while Shaun King
Shaun King
Shaun Earl King is a former Tulane University and National Football League quarterback.-High School:King is a 1995 graduate of Gibbs High School .-College:...
suffered mightily. The Raiders intercepted King once, returned a King fumble for a touchdown, sacked King four times, and took a 21-0 lead into halftime. In the third quarter, coach Tony Dungy
Tony Dungy
Anthony Kevin "Tony" Dungy [DUN-jee] is a former professional American football player and coach in the National Football League. Dungy was head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1996 to 2001, and head coach of the Indianapolis Colts from 2002 to 2008...
pulled his starters from the game, and rested them for the upcoming games.
Week 16: Green Bay Packers (won 29-10)
On the day after ChristmasChristmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
, Tampa Bay hosted Green Bay
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
in a key division game. Four Packers turnovers turned into 20 Buccaneers points.
Three Gramatica
Martin Gramatica
Martín Gramática is an Argentine-American former football placekicker.Gramática was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft after playing college football at Kansas State, and has also been a member of the Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, Dallas...
field goals established a 9-0 lead, but Green Bay took the lead 10-9 at halftime. In the fourth quarter, Mike Alstott
Mike Alstott
Michael Joseph Alstott , nicknamed "A-Train", is a former American football fullback in the National Football League. He spent his entire 12-year career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football at Purdue...
's two touchdown runs put the game out of reach for Green Bay.
With the victory, Tampa Bay improved to 10-5, and win in week 17 would clinch the division title.
Week 17: at Chicago Bears (won 20-6)
Tampa Bay traveled to Soldier FieldSoldier Field
Soldier Field is located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois, United States, in the Near South Side. It is home to the NFL's Chicago Bears...
to take on the Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, with a division title on the line. Tampa Bay easlily handled the 6-9 Bears, and won their first NFC Central
NFC North
The NFC North is a division of the National Football League's National Football Conference, based in the Upper Midwest region of the United States...
title since 1979
1979 NFL season
The 1979 NFL season was the 60th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XIV when the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Los Angeles Rams...
.
Shaun King
Shaun King
Shaun Earl King is a former Tulane University and National Football League quarterback.-High School:King is a 1995 graduate of Gibbs High School .-College:...
threw for 178 yards, and one touchdown. Mike Alstott
Mike Alstott
Michael Joseph Alstott , nicknamed "A-Train", is a former American football fullback in the National Football League. He spent his entire 12-year career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football at Purdue...
scored one touchdown run. The Buccaneers earned a first-round bye for the playoffs.
NFC Divisional playoffs: Washington Redskins (won 14-13)
at Raymond James StadiumRaymond James Stadium
Raymond James Stadium, also known as the "Ray Jay", is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Tampa, Florida. It is home to the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers as well as the NCAA's South Florida Bulls football team. The stadium seats 65,857 , and it is expandable to 75,000 for special events...
, Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
- Game time: 4:00 p.m. EST
- Game weather: 68 °F (20 °C), clear
- TV announcers (FOX): Dick StocktonDick StocktonDick Stockton is an American sportscaster. He is currently employed by Fox Sports and Turner Sports as a football, baseball, and basketball play-by-play announcer.-Early life and career:...
(play-by-play) and Matt MillenMatt MillenMatthew George "Matt" Millen is an American former National Football League linebacker and a former executive. Millen played for the Oakland Raiders, the San Francisco 49ers and the Washington Redskins. In Millen's 12-year NFL playing career, he played on four Super Bowl-winning teams...
(color commentator) - Referee: Dick HantakDick HantakDick Hantak was an American football official in the National Football League for 25 years between 1978 and 2003. He began his NFL officiating career as a back judge and became a referee eight years later...
- Game attendance: 65,835
The Buccaneers forced two key turnovers in the second half to rally from a 13-0 deficit, while their defense held Washington to just 157 yards, with only 32 in the second half.
After a scoreless first quarter, a 35-yard punt from Mark Royals
Mark Royals
Mark Alan Royals is a former American football punter in the National Football League. He is currently a color commentator for coverage of the Arena Football League's Tampa Bay Storm on the regional sports television network Bright House Sports Network. He has also co-hosted various sports radio...
gave the Redskins great field position on the Tampa Bay 43-yard line. Brad Johnson
Brad Johnson (American football)
James Bradley Johnson is a former National Football League Super Bowl-winning quarterback. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the ninth round of the 1992 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida State.-Early years:Brad went to Charles D...
started out the drive with a 19-yard completion to Albert Connell
Albert Connell
Albert Gene Anthony Connell is a former American football wide receiver who played for the Washington Redskins and the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League, and for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League.-College career:He played college football at Trinity Valley...
, and then a 12-yard run by Stephen Davis
Stephen Davis (American football)
Stephen Lamont Davis is a former American football running back in the National Football League. Davis will be the Carolina Panthers' minority coaching intern for the 2010-11 season.-College career:...
set up a 28-yard field goal from Brett Conway
Brett Conway
Brett Alan Conway is a former professional American football player. He was a placekicker for seven seasons with various teams in the National Football League. He was drafted in the third round by the Green Bay Packers in the 1997 NFL Draft...
with 5:37 remaining in the second quarter. Then in the second half, Brian Mitchell returned the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown, a playoff record. Later in the third quarter, Darrell Green
Darrell Green
Darrell Ray Green is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League who played for the Washington Redskins from 1983 to 2002. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest cornerbacks to ever play football...
intercepted a pass from Buccaneers quarterback Shaun King
Shaun King
Shaun Earl King is a former Tulane University and National Football League quarterback.-High School:King is a 1995 graduate of Gibbs High School .-College:...
and returned it 12 yards to the Buccaneers 36-yard line, setting up Conway's second field goal to take a 13-0 lead. But after a Bucs punt, Tampa Bay safety John Lynch
John Lynch (American football)
John Terrence Lynch, Jr. is a former National Football League strong safety and current NFL on Fox color commentator. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Stanford.A nine-time Pro Bowl selection, Lynch earned a Super...
intercepted a pass from Johnson on the Tampa Bay 27-yard line. Aided by a 31-yard pass interference penalty on Leomont Evans
Leomont Evans
Leomont Dozier Evans is a former American football safety in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins. He played college football at Clemson University and was drafted in the fifth round of the 1996 NFL Draft....
, the Buccaneers subsequently drove 73 yards in 6 plays and scored on Mike Alstott
Mike Alstott
Michael Joseph Alstott , nicknamed "A-Train", is a former American football fullback in the National Football League. He spent his entire 12-year career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football at Purdue...
's 2-yard touchdown run. Then in the fourth quarter, defensive tackle Steve White
Steve White (American football)
Stephen Gregory White is a former professional American football player who played defensive end for seven seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New York Jets.-External links:...
forced a fumble from Brad Johnson
Brad Johnson (American football)
James Bradley Johnson is a former National Football League Super Bowl-winning quarterback. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the ninth round of the 1992 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida State.-Early years:Brad went to Charles D...
while sacking him and Warren Sapp
Warren Sapp
Warren Carlos Sapp is a retired American football player who played defensive tackle in the National Football League. He played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Oakland Raiders during his 13 year professional career, and college football for the University of Miami Hurricanes. He was then...
recovered the ball on the Redskins 32-yard line. King then went to work, completing a 17-yard pass to Bert Emanuel
Bert Emanuel
Bert Tyrone Emanuel is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the second round of the 1994 NFL Draft...
and a 13-yard pass to Warrick Dunn
Warrick Dunn
Warrick De'Mon Dunn is a former American football running back, and current minority owner of the Atlanta Falcons. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 12th overall in the 1997 NFL Draft, after playing college football at Florida State...
. On fourth down and 1, Alstott's 5-yard run moved the ball to the Washtingon 3-yard line, and King eventually finished the drive with a 1-yard touchdown pass to John Davis.
The Redskins had a chance to win the game with a 52-yard field goal attempt in the final seconds of the game, but the snap from center Dan Turk
Dan Turk
Daniel Anthony Turk was an American football center in the National Football League from 1985 to 1999 for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Oakland Raiders, and Washington Redskins. Turk was mainly used as a long snapper and reserve center...
to Brad Johnson
Brad Johnson (American football)
James Bradley Johnson is a former National Football League Super Bowl-winning quarterback. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the ninth round of the 1992 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida State.-Early years:Brad went to Charles D...
, the holder, was off and the Bucs won. Contrary to popular belief, the snap was not to Matt Turk
Matt Turk
Matthew Edward Turk is an American football punter who is currently a free agent. He was originally signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 1993...
, the team's punter, and also his brother. This was Dan Turk's last game in the NFL, as he died later that year due to cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
. Meanwhile, King became the first rookie to lead his team to a playoff win since Pat Haden
Pat Haden
Patrick Capper "Pat" Haden is the athletic director at the University of Southern California. He played quarterback for the USC Trojans before playing professionally in the NFL for the Los Angeles Rams from 1976 to 1981...
in 1976.
- Scoring
- WAS - field goal Conway 28 WAS 3-0
- WAS - Mitchell 100 kickoff return WAS 10-0
- WAS - field goal Conway 48 WAS 13-0
- TB - Alstott 2 run (Gramatica kick) WAS 13-7
- TB - Davis 1 pass from King (Gramatica kick) TB 14-13
NFC Championship game: at St. Louis Rams (lost 6-11)
at Trans World Dome, St. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
- Game time: 4:00 p.m. EST/3:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: Played indoors, domeDomeA dome is a structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere. Dome structures made of various materials have a long architectural lineage extending into prehistory....
d stadium - TV announcers (FOX): Pat SummerallPat SummerallGeorge Allen "Pat" Summerall is a former American football player and television sportscaster, having worked at CBS, Fox, and ESPN.Summerall is best known for his work with John Madden on NFL telecasts for CBS and Fox.-High school:...
(play-by-play) and John Madden (color commentator) - Referee: Bill CarolloBill CarolloWilliam F. "Bill" Carollo is a retired American football official who officiated National Football League games from the 1989 through 2008. He wore uniform number 63. Carollo officiated in two Super Bowls and seven conference championship games...
- Game attendance: 66,396
The Rams and Buccaneers would slug it out for most of the game, with the Buccaneers defense holding the Rams highly-potent offense in check. Tampa Bay, weak on offense, would only muster two field goals, and gave up a costly safety in the second quarter when a bad snap from center went over the head of rookie quarterback Shaun King
Shaun King
Shaun Earl King is a former Tulane University and National Football League quarterback.-High School:King is a 1995 graduate of Gibbs High School .-College:...
and out of the endzone. Despite this, the Buccaneers nursed an unusual 6-5 lead into the 4th Quarter. The Rams broke open a defense dominated game when Kurt Warner threw a touchdown pass to Ricky Proehl
Ricky Proehl
Richard Scott Proehl is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. Proehl played 17 seasons with the Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, St. Louis Rams, Carolina Panthers, and Indianapolis Colts...
with 4:44 left in the game. The Buccaneers would mount a drive on their final possession, however a controversial replay overturned what appeared to be a reception by Buccaneers wide receiver Bert Emanuel
Bert Emanuel
Bert Tyrone Emanuel is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the second round of the 1994 NFL Draft...
, and the Buccaneers never recovered.
On the first play of the game, Bucs defensive end Steve White intercepted a screen pass
Screen pass
A screen pass is a type of play in American football. During a screen pass, a number of things happen concurrently in order to fool the defense into thinking a long pass is being thrown, when in fact the pass is merely a short one, just beyond the defensive linemen. Screens are usually deployed...
from Warner on the Rams 20-yard line, setting up a 25-yard field goal from Martin Gramatica
Martin Gramatica
Martín Gramática is an Argentine-American former football placekicker.Gramática was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft after playing college football at Kansas State, and has also been a member of the Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, Dallas...
. But that was all they could manage in the first quarter. On one possession, they moved the ball to the St. Louis 23-yard line, but then King was sacked and fumbled. Tampa Bay recovered the ball, but lost 12 yards and were pushed out of field goal range. Then with 11 seconds left in the period, King threw a pass from the St. Louis 41-yard line that went right into the surprised arms of defensive back Todd Lyght
Todd Lyght
Todd William Lyght , is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the 1st round of the 1991 NFL Draft. A 6'0", 191-lb. cornerback from the University of Notre Dame and Flint Powers Catholic High School, Lyght played in 12 NFL seasons from 1991 to 2002...
. The Rams didn't do much better. After Gramatica's field goal, they drove 74 yards in 16 plays before a fumbled handoff from Warner to Marshall Faulk
Marshall Faulk
Marshall William Faulk is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League. He is currently an analyst for NFL Total Access, Thursday Night Football, and NFL GameDay Morning on the NFL Network...
on third down forced them to settle for a 24-yard field goal by Jeff Wilkins
Jeff Wilkins
For the American basketball player, see Jeff Wilkins .Jeffrey Allen Wilkins nicknamed "Money" is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League for the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles and St Louis Rams. He played college football at Youngstown State University...
. Then on their next drive, Wilkins missed a field goal attempt from 44 yards.
In the second quarter, a high snap from Bucs center Tony Mayberry
Tony Mayberry
Anthony Mayberry was an American football player who played center for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1990 to 1999. He was selected to three Pro Bowls...
went over King's head and into the end zone. King managed to knock the ball out of the end zone to prevent a touchdown, but it gave the Rams a safety and a 5-3 lead. This would be the score by halftime, despite the Rams 159-75 advantage over the Buccaneers in total yards.
Just as in the first half, Tampa Bay scored a field goal on their opening drive on the third quarter, set up by a 32-yard reception by Jacquez Green
Jacquez Green
D'Tanyian Jacquez Green is a former American college and professional football player who was a wide receiver and punt returner in the National Football League for five seasons in the 1990s and early 2000s...
and a 15-yard facemask penalty on Taje Allen
Taje Allen
Taje LaQuane Allen is a former professional American football player who played cornerback for six seasons for the St. Louis Rams and Kansas City Chiefs in the National Football League....
. Meanwhile, Warner was intercepted three times by the Buccaneers defense, including a costly interception to Hardy Nickerson
Hardy Nickerson
Hardy Otto Nickerson is a former American football linebacker who played 16 seasons for four teams from 1987 to 2002 in the National Football League and is currently the head football coach at Bishop O'Dowd High School in Oakland, Calif. He attended Verbum Dei High School, a Catholic school...
on the Tampa Bay 3-yard line. But late in the fourth quarter, Rams defensive back Dre' Bly intercepted a pass from King at the Buccaneers 49-yard line. A few plays later, Warner threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to Proehl with 4:44 left, taking an 11-6 lead after the two point conversion failed.
Despite being sacked twice, King responded by leading the Bucs to the St. Louis 22-yard line. With 47 seconds remaining, King completed an apparent 13-yard reception to Bert Emanuel
Bert Emanuel
Bert Tyrone Emanuel is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the second round of the 1994 NFL Draft...
at the Rams' 22 yard line, setting up a reasonable 3rd & 10, and a chance at a game-winning touchdown. The ruling on the field was a complete pass. The team called a quick timeout, and huddled. Despite the fact that Emanuel clearly controlled the ball at every point during the catch, booth replay official Jerry Markbreit ordered a review of the call during the timeout. Referee Bill Carollo
Bill Carollo
William F. "Bill" Carollo is a retired American football official who officiated National Football League games from the 1989 through 2008. He wore uniform number 63. Carollo officiated in two Super Bowls and seven conference championship games...
determined that the nose of the ball had touched the ground as he brought it into his body. The catch was overturned, ruled incomplete, and Tampa Bay was moved back to a 3rd & 23 at the 35. Faced with a now near impossible task, King threw two incompletions and turned it over on downs. The Rams held on to win 11-6.
Proehl was the sole offensive star of the game, finishing with 6 catches for 100 yards and one touchdown.
The enusing controversy prompted the NFL to clarify the rule regarding what constitutes a valid pass reception. This would come to be known as "The Bert Emanuel Rule."
- Scoring
- TB - field goal Gramatica 25 TB 3-0
- STL - field goal Wilkins 24 Tie 3-3
- STL - Safety, Tampa Bay snap went out of end zone STL 5-3
- TB - field goal Gramatica 25 TB 6-5
- STL - Proehl 30 pass from Warner (Two-point conversion failed) STL 11-6