2000 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
Encyclopedia
The 2000
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
season began with the team trying to improve on a 11-5 season. In week 15 they won one of the greatest games in the history of Monday Night Football
against the St. Louis Rams
. They failed to win the NFC Central after losing the final regular season game to the Green Bay Packers
.
drove the Buccaneers to the New England 8 yard line. Faking a spike play (the Dan Marino
"Clock Play"), King lofted a pass to Reidel Anthony
scoring a surprise 8-yard touchdown pass. The Tampa Bay defense sacked Drew Bledsoe
six times, and recovered a fumble to hold a 21-16 lead late in the game. With 14 seconds remaining, at their own 22 yard line, the defense forced four straight incompletions, and held on for the victory.
41-0, setting a franchise record for a shutout. After a scoreless first quarter, the Buccaneers scored 20 points in the second quarter. Shaun King
finished the day with two touchdown passes and one touchdown run. The Buccaneers won their home opener, and started the season 2-0.
passed for 211 yards, one touchdown pass, and had a 6-yard touchdown run, as Tampa Bay beat Detroit
at the Silverdome
. The Buccaneers defense held the Lions to only 17 yards rushing, and made two interceptions.
had been traded to the Buccaneers over the offseason, and for the first time, would meet his former club, the New York Jets
.
In the rain, quarterback Shaun King
struggled, but led the Buccaneers to a 10-6 lead at halftime. In the third quarter, Ronde Barber
returned an interception 37 yards to extend the lead to 17-6. With two minutes to go, Jets quarterback Vinny Testaverde
scored a 6-yard touchdown pass to Curtis Martin
. Martin followed with a two-point conversion run to narrow the score to 17-14. On the ensuing drive, Buccaneers fullback Mike Alstott
lost a fumble, and it was recovered by the Jets. With 52 seconds remaining, Curtis Martin executed a halfback option pass to Wayne Chrebet
, to score an improbable game-winning touchdown, and a 21-17 final score.
After considerable media attention going into the game, Keyshawn Johnson was held to one catch for 1 yard. In light of the attention that was placed on the matchup, and the embarrassing last-minute loss, the game eventually became known as the "Keyshawn Bowl."
went up by a score of 17-7. With 3:36 to go, Shaun King
faced 3rd & 10 at the Washington 46. King was stripped of the ball, and fumbled. He recovered the ball, picked it up, and threw an improbable 46-yard touchdown pass to Reidel Anthony
. With 43 seconds remaining, the Buccaneers blocked a field goal by the Redskins, and recovered the ball at the 25. Martin Gramatica
kicked a game-tying 42-yard field goal as time expired in regulation, and sent the game to overtime. In the overtime period, Deion Sanders
returned a Tampa Bay punt 57 yards, setting the Redskins up for a game winning 20-yard field goal.
on Monday Night Football
. With 12 minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Buccaneers blocked a field goal attempt. Donnie Abraham
returned the ball 53-yards for a touchdown, and a 23-20 lead.
Trailing 27-23 with just under 9 minutes left, Shaun King
drove the Buccaneers to the Minnesota 47 yard line. On 4th down & 1, a trick play saw Mike Alstott
loft a pass to Todd Yoder
, but it fell incomplete. Tampa Bay lost by a score of 30-23, and dropped their third straight game, falling to 3-3.
on a Thursday night game. A 9-0 lead was fizzled away as Lions running back James Stewart rushed for 116 yards, three touchdowns, and a two-point conversion. Shaun King
threw three interceptions in the second half, and Tampa Bay fell to 3-4.
in their second meeting of the season. Shaun King
threw for 267 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions. Derrick Brooks
added a 34-yard interception return. With the victory, Tampa Bay stopped the Vikings then-undefeated season for the second time in three years.
scored two touchdown catches as Tampa Bay beat Atlanta
at the Georgia Dome
. The Buccaneers held a 27-7 lead until a "garbage time
" touchdown with 3 seconds to go trimmed the margin slightly.
. In the third quarter, Warren Sapp
sacked Brett Favre
, and knocked him out of the game with a sprained foot. Martin Gramatica
saved the game for the Buccaneers, connecting on two long field goals (54, 51 yards) in the fourth quarter.
threw two interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), and gained only 91 yards of passing, as the Buccaneers fell to the division rival Bears
.
. Warrick Dunn
scored two rushing touchdowns, and Karl "The Truth" Williams
scored a 73-yard punt return touchdown.
. Running back Warrick Dunn
finished with two touchdowns and 210 rushing yards, just 9 short of the team single-game record. Dunn's 76-yard touchdown run in the first quarter was a franchise record at the time.
. Steady rain made for sloppy conditions, but the Buccaneer defense dominated the game. Tampa Bay intercepted Jay Fiedler
four times, and forced a fumble midway through the fourth quarter. With just over 8 minutes remaining, Martin Gramatica
made a 46-yard field goal in the pouring rain, and the Buccaneers held on to win.
in one of the most memorable Monday Night Football
games in history. It was a rematch of the previous season's NFC Championship (which was won by the Rams).
With 5:18 to go, Kurt Warner
connected with a 72-yard touchdown pass to Torry Holt
to take a 35-31 lead. Tampa Bay, with no timeouts remaining, started their next drive at their own 20 yard line, with a playoff berth on the line for both teams. Quarterback Shaun King
led the team on a remarkable 80-yard drive to win 38-35. The drive included a swing pass play from King to Warrick Dunn
, which lost 14 yards, but Dunn pitched the ball backwards back to King, who scrambled 29 yards for a first down.
The win secured, at minimum, a wild card playoff spot for Tampa Bay, and is regarded as one of the greatest regular season games in Buccaneer history.
, Tampa Bay traveled to Lambeau Field
to meet the division rival Green Bay Packers
. A Tampa Bay win, coupled with a loss by Minnesota
would clinch the NFC Central title for the Buccaneers, as well as a first-round bye in the playoffs. In addition, a win by the Buccaneers would break an 11-game losing streak at Green Bay dating back to 1989
, and an 0-18 record in games under 40°.
On a frigid, windy, snowy, 18° day, Green Bay took a 14-0 lead into halftime, while Tampa Bay's offense sputtered. Shaun King
narrowed the Buccaneers to a 14-3 deficit to start the fourth quarter, but it was the Buccaneer defense which kept the team in the game. King finally got the offense going, and drove 74 yards for Tampa Bay's first touchdown. A two-point conversion try appeared to be a busted play salvaged with some trickery. King handed off to Warrick Dunn
, who handed off to Mike Alstott
, but pitched the ball back to King, who crossed the endzone, and made the score 14-11 with just over nine minutes remaining.
On Green Bay's next drive, John Lynch
intercepted Brett Favre
, and returned the ball to the Packers' 35 yard line. After going 3-and-out, coach Tony Dungy
took a timeout to decide whether to go for it on 4th & 1. After consideration, Martin Gramatica
was brought in for a field goal try, and the score was tied 14-14 with just under 8 minutes remaining.
Late in the fourth quarter, Favre drove the Packers into Tampa Bay territory, looking to win the game. With 1:54 to go in regulation, Favre was intercepted by Jamie Duncan
at the 28, and Duncan returned the ball 15 yards to the 43. In just over a minute and a half, King drove the Buccaneers to the Green Bay 22 yard line. With 13 seconds to go, Gramatica attempted a potential game-winning 40-yard field goal, but the kick sailed wide right. The game went into overtime, and the Packers kicker Ryan Longwell
won the game for Green Bay.
The loss was devastating for Tampa Bay, especially when Minnesota
lost later that afternoon. After forcing four turnovers, and battling back from a 14-point deficit, Tampa Bay's postseason outlook changed dramatically. Instead of winning their division and securing a first-round bye (and a legitimate shot at a "home game" for Super Bowl XXXV
held at their very own Raymond James Stadium
), the Buccaneers instead saw themselves fall to a wild card, having to play on the road at the Eagles
. The loss also meant Tampa Bay fell to 0-19 in games under 40°, and their losing streak at Green Bay extended to 11 games. Afterwards, Gramatica took blame for the loss saying "It hurts because I let the guys down."
, Philadelphia
The Eagles defense held Tampa Bay to only 199 total yards and 11 first downs. The Buccaneers scored first early in the second quarter with Martin Gramatica
's 29-yard field goal. But late in the period, the Eagles' Hugh Douglas forced Tampa Bay quarterback Shaun King
to fumble, and Mike Mamula recovered the loose ball at the Buccaneers 15-yard line. The turnover set up Philadelphia quarterback Donovan McNabb
's 5-yard touchdown run. Tampa Bay then punted on their next possession and the Eagles marched 69 yards on 8 plays to take a 14-3 on Na Brown's 5-yard touchdown reception with 12 seconds left in the half. Philadelphia then shut out the Buccaneers in the second half, while McNabb threw a 2-yard pass to Jeff Thomason with less than a minute left in the game to seal the victory. The Eagle's victory meant for the 35th consecutive year that the team hosting the Super Bowl would not be playing in it.
2000 NFL season
The 2000 NFL season was the 81st regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXXV when the Baltimore Ravens defeated the New York Giants.Week 1 of the season reverted to Labor Day weekend in 2000...
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 a 11-5 season. In week 15 they won one of the greatest games in the history of 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...
against the St. Louis 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,...
. They failed to win the NFC Central after losing the final regular season game to 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...
.
Staff
| 2000 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 3, 2000 | at New England Patriots New England Patriots The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National... |
W 21-16 | |
| 2 | September 10, 2000 | 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 41-0 | |
| 3 | September 17, 2000 | 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... |
W 31-10 | |
| 4 | September 24, 2000 | New York Jets New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 21-17 | |
| 5 | October 1, 2000 | at Washington Redskins Washington Redskins The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,... |
L 20-17 | |
| 6 | October 9, 2000 | 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 30-23 | |
| 7 | Bye | |||
| 8 | October 19, 2000 | 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 28-14 | |
| 9 | October 29, 2000 | 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 41-13 | |
| 10 | November 5, 2000 | at 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 27-14 | |
| 11 | November 12, 2000 | 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 20-15 | |
| 12 | November 19, 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... |
L 13-10 | |
| 13 | November 26, 2000 | Buffalo Bills Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 31-17 | |
| 14 | December 3, 2000 | Dallas Cowboys Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas... |
W 27-7 | |
| 15 | December 10, 2000 | at Miami Dolphins Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 16-13 | |
| 16 | December 18, 2000 | St. Louis 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,... |
W 38-35 | |
| 17 | December 24, 2000 | 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 17-14 | |
Standings
| NFC Central | ||||||
| Team | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Vikings 2000 Minnesota Vikings season -NFC Championship Game:-Awards and records:*Gary Anderson, NFC Special Teams Player of the Week, Week 8 *Mitch Berger, NFC Special Teams Player of the Week, Week 14 *Mitch Berger, NFC Special Teams Player of the Month, December... |
11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 397 | 371 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 388 | 269 |
| Green Bay Packers 2000 Green Bay Packers season The 2000 Green Bay Packers season was the first season for which Mike Sherman was the head coach of the team. Sherman was the thirteenth head coach in franchise history. The Packers finished 9-7, failing to qualify for the playoffs... |
9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 353 | 323 |
| Detroit Lions 2000 Detroit Lions season The 2000 Detroit Lions season was the team's 71st season in the National Football League. The Lions' home attendance was 606,716 while their attendance on the road was 523,383 for a total attendance of 1,130,099. Bobby Ross resigned after the ninth game of the season and was replaced by Gary... |
9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 307 | 307 |
| Chicago Bears 2000 Chicago Bears season The 2000 Chicago Bears season was their 81st regular season completed in the National Football League. The club posted a disappointing 5-11 record under head coach Dick Jauron... |
5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 216 | 355 |
Roster
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers roster | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Wide Receivers
Tight Ends
|
Offensive Linemen
Defensive Linemen
|
Linebackers
Defensive Backs
Special Teams
|
Reserve Lists
Practice Squad
Rookies in italics |
|||||
Week 1 at New England Patriots
With time running out before halftime, 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:...
drove the Buccaneers to the New England 8 yard line. Faking a spike play (the Dan Marino
Dan Marino
Daniel Constantine "Dan" Marino, Jr. is a retired American football quarterback who played for the Miami Dolphins in the National Football League...
"Clock Play"), King lofted a pass to Reidel Anthony
Reidel Anthony
Reidel Clarence Anthony is a former American college and professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League for five seasons in the 1990s and early 2000s...
scoring a surprise 8-yard touchdown pass. The Tampa Bay defense sacked Drew Bledsoe
Drew Bledsoe
Drew McQueen Bledsoe is a former football quarterback in the National Football League, best known as the starting quarterback for the New England Patriots from 1993-2001. During the 1990s, he was considered the face of the Patriots franchise...
six times, and recovered a fumble to hold a 21-16 lead late in the game. With 14 seconds remaining, at their own 22 yard line, the defense forced four straight incompletions, and held on for the victory.
Week 2 Chicago Bears
Tampa Bay crushed the visiting 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...
41-0, setting a franchise record for a shutout. After a scoreless first quarter, the Buccaneers scored 20 points in the second quarter. 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:...
finished the day with two touchdown passes and one touchdown run. The Buccaneers won their home opener, and started the season 2-0.
Week 3 at Detroit Lions
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:...
passed for 211 yards, one touchdown pass, and had a 6-yard touchdown run, as Tampa Bay beat Detroit
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...
at the Silverdome
Pontiac Silverdome
The Silverdome is a domed stadium located in the city of Pontiac, Michigan, USA, which sits on . It was the largest stadium in the National Football League until FedEx Field in suburban Washington, D.C...
. The Buccaneers defense held the Lions to only 17 yards rushing, and made two interceptions.
Week 4 New York Jets
Tampa Bay entered week four undefeated at 3-0. Wide receiver Keyshawn JohnsonKeyshawn Johnson
Joseph Keyshawn Johnson is a former American football wide receiver, interior designer, business executive, author and current television broadcaster for sports channel ESPN. He retired from football on May 23, 2007 after an eleven-year career in the National Football League...
had been traded to the Buccaneers over the offseason, and for the first time, would meet his former club, the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
In the rain, 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:...
struggled, but led the Buccaneers to a 10-6 lead at halftime. In the third quarter, Ronde Barber
Ronde Barber
Jamael Orondé "Rondé" Barber is an American football cornerback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was drafted in the third round of the 1997 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers...
returned an interception 37 yards to extend the lead to 17-6. With two minutes to go, Jets quarterback Vinny Testaverde
Vinny Testaverde
Vincent Frank Testaverde is a former NFL quarterback. Testaverde last played for the Carolina Panthers and had previously played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys and New England Patriots. Testaverde holds the NFL record for having...
scored a 6-yard touchdown pass to Curtis Martin
Curtis Martin
Curtis James Martin, Jr. is a former American football running back. He is an alumnus of Taylor Allderdice High School in Pittsburgh and the University of Pittsburgh...
. Martin followed with a two-point conversion run to narrow the score to 17-14. On the ensuing drive, Buccaneers fullback 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 a fumble, and it was recovered by the Jets. With 52 seconds remaining, Curtis Martin executed a halfback option pass to Wayne Chrebet
Wayne Chrebet
Wayne Chrebet is a former football player who played 11 seasons as a wide receiver for the New York Jets of the NFL from 1995 to 2005.- High school and college career :...
, to score an improbable game-winning touchdown, and a 21-17 final score.
After considerable media attention going into the game, Keyshawn Johnson was held to one catch for 1 yard. In light of the attention that was placed on the matchup, and the embarrassing last-minute loss, the game eventually became known as the "Keyshawn Bowl."
Week 5 at Washington Redskins
With just under 4 minutes to go in the fourth quarter, WashingtonWashington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
went up by a score of 17-7. With 3:36 to go, 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:...
faced 3rd & 10 at the Washington 46. King was stripped of the ball, and fumbled. He recovered the ball, picked it up, and threw an improbable 46-yard touchdown pass to Reidel Anthony
Reidel Anthony
Reidel Clarence Anthony is a former American college and professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League for five seasons in the 1990s and early 2000s...
. With 43 seconds remaining, the Buccaneers blocked a field goal by the Redskins, and recovered the ball at the 25. 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...
kicked a game-tying 42-yard field goal as time expired in regulation, and sent the game to overtime. In the overtime period, Deion Sanders
Deion Sanders
Deion Luwynn Sanders , nicknamed "Prime Time" and "Neon Deion", is a former National Football League cornerback and Major League Baseball outfielder who currently works as an NFL Network analyst...
returned a Tampa Bay punt 57 yards, setting the Redskins up for a game winning 20-yard field goal.
Week 6 at Minnesota Vikings
Tampa Bay fell to their division rival MinnesotaMinnesota 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...
. With 12 minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Buccaneers blocked a field goal attempt. 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...
returned the ball 53-yards for a touchdown, and a 23-20 lead.
Trailing 27-23 with just under 9 minutes left, 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:...
drove the Buccaneers to the Minnesota 47 yard line. On 4th down & 1, a trick play saw 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...
loft a pass to Todd Yoder
Todd Yoder
Todd Yoder is an American football tight end who is currently a free agent. Yoder was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2000. He played college football at...
, but it fell incomplete. Tampa Bay lost by a score of 30-23, and dropped their third straight game, falling to 3-3.
Week 8 Detroit Lions
Tampa Bay hosted 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...
on a Thursday night game. A 9-0 lead was fizzled away as Lions running back James Stewart rushed for 116 yards, three touchdowns, and a two-point conversion. 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 three interceptions in the second half, and Tampa Bay fell to 3-4.
Week 9 Minnesota Vikings
Tampa Bay snapped a four-game losing streak by beating their division rivals 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...
in their second meeting of the season. 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 267 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions. 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....
added a 34-yard interception return. With the victory, Tampa Bay stopped the Vikings then-undefeated season for the second time in three years.
Week 10 at Atlanta Falcons
Keyshawn JohnsonKeyshawn Johnson
Joseph Keyshawn Johnson is a former American football wide receiver, interior designer, business executive, author and current television broadcaster for sports channel ESPN. He retired from football on May 23, 2007 after an eleven-year career in the National Football League...
scored two touchdown catches as Tampa Bay beat 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...
at the Georgia Dome
Georgia Dome
The Georgia Dome is a domed stadium located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, between downtown to the east and Vine City to the west. It is primarily the home stadium for the NFL Atlanta Falcons and the NCAA Division I FCS Georgia State Panthers football team. It is owned and operated by the...
. The Buccaneers held a 27-7 lead until a "garbage time
Garbage time
Garbage time, also known as "junk time", is a term used to refer to the period at the end of a timed sporting event that has become a blowout when the outcome of the game has already been decided, and the coaches of one or both teams will decide to replace their best players with substitutes...
" touchdown with 3 seconds to go trimmed the margin slightly.
Week 11 Green Bay Packers
Tampa Bay pulled out to a 14-3 halftime lead against Green BayGreen 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 the third quarter, 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...
sacked 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...
, and knocked him out of the game with a sprained foot. 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...
saved the game for the Buccaneers, connecting on two long field goals (54, 51 yards) in the fourth quarter.
Week 12 at Chicago Bears
Quarterback 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:...
threw two interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), and gained only 91 yards of passing, as the Buccaneers fell to the division rival 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...
.
Week 13 Buffalo Bills
Tampa Bay gained less than 200 yards of offense, but so-called "Buc Ball" still prevailed over the visiting BillsBuffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. 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...
scored two rushing touchdowns, and Karl "The Truth" Williams
Karl Williams
Karl "The Truth" Williams is a former professional American football player who played wide receiver for nine seasons for the Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He currently plays in the Arena Football League for the Tampa Bay Storm. His nickname was The Truth.His cousin, Mondray Gee, is...
scored a 73-yard punt return touchdown.
Week 14 Dallas Cowboys
Tampa Bay scored 17 points in the first quarter, and dominated the visiting CowboysDallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
. Running back 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...
finished with two touchdowns and 210 rushing yards, just 9 short of the team single-game record. Dunn's 76-yard touchdown run in the first quarter was a franchise record at the time.
Week 15 at Miami Dolphins
Tampa Bay traveled to take on their in-state rivals, the Miami DolphinsMiami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Steady rain made for sloppy conditions, but the Buccaneer defense dominated the game. Tampa Bay intercepted Jay Fiedler
Jay Fiedler
Jay Brian Fiedler is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League.-Early life and high school years:Fiedler was born to a Jewish family on Long Island in Oceanside, New York...
four times, and forced a fumble midway through the fourth quarter. With just over 8 minutes remaining, 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...
made a 46-yard field goal in the pouring rain, and the Buccaneers held on to win.
Week 16 St. Louis Rams
The Buccaneers hosted the St. Louis RamsSt. 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,...
in one of the most memorable 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...
games in history. It was a rematch of the previous season's NFC Championship (which was won by the Rams).
With 5:18 to go, Kurt Warner
Kurt Warner
Kurtis Eugene "Kurt" Warner is a retired American football player. He played quarterback for three National Football League teams: the St. Louis Rams, the New York Giants, and the Arizona Cardinals. He was originally signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 1994 after playing...
connected with a 72-yard touchdown pass to Torry Holt
Torry Holt
After injuring his knee at the Senior Bowl, Holt, at 192 pounds, ran a 4.44 second 40-yard dash and had a vertical jump of 37 inches at the 1999 NFL Combine-St. Louis Rams:...
to take a 35-31 lead. Tampa Bay, with no timeouts remaining, started their next drive at their own 20 yard line, with a playoff berth on the line for both teams. 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:...
led the team on a remarkable 80-yard drive to win 38-35. The drive included a swing pass play from King 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...
, which lost 14 yards, but Dunn pitched the ball backwards back to King, who scrambled 29 yards for a first down.
The win secured, at minimum, a wild card playoff spot for Tampa Bay, and is regarded as one of the greatest regular season games in Buccaneer history.
Week 17 at Green Bay
On Christmas EveChristmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
, Tampa Bay traveled to 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...
to meet the division rival 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...
. A Tampa Bay win, coupled with a loss by 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...
would clinch the NFC Central title for the Buccaneers, as well as a first-round bye in the playoffs. In addition, a win by the Buccaneers would break an 11-game losing streak at Green Bay dating back to 1989
1989 NFL season
The 1989 NFL season was the 70th regular season of the National Football League. Before the season, NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle announced his retirement...
, and an 0-18 record in games under 40°.
On a frigid, windy, snowy, 18° day, Green Bay took a 14-0 lead into halftime, while Tampa Bay's offense sputtered. 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:...
narrowed the Buccaneers to a 14-3 deficit to start the fourth quarter, but it was the Buccaneer defense which kept the team in the game. King finally got the offense going, and drove 74 yards for Tampa Bay's first touchdown. A two-point conversion try appeared to be a busted play salvaged with some trickery. King handed off 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...
, who handed off to 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...
, but pitched the ball back to King, who crossed the endzone, and made the score 14-11 with just over nine minutes remaining.
On Green Bay's next drive, 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 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...
, and returned the ball to the Packers' 35 yard line. After going 3-and-out, 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...
took a timeout to decide whether to go for it on 4th & 1. After consideration, 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...
was brought in for a field goal try, and the score was tied 14-14 with just under 8 minutes remaining.
Late in the fourth quarter, Favre drove the Packers into Tampa Bay territory, looking to win the game. With 1:54 to go in regulation, Favre was intercepted by Jamie Duncan
Jamie Duncan
Jamie Robert Duncan to James and Bertina Duncan, is a former American football linebacker in the NFL. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 1998 NFL Draft. He also played for the St...
at the 28, and Duncan returned the ball 15 yards to the 43. In just over a minute and a half, King drove the Buccaneers to the Green Bay 22 yard line. With 13 seconds to go, Gramatica attempted a potential game-winning 40-yard field goal, but the kick sailed wide right. The game went into overtime, and the Packers kicker Ryan Longwell
Ryan Longwell
Ryan Walker Longwell is an American football placekicker for the Minnesota Vikings in the National Football League. After playing college football for the California Golden Bears, he started his professional football career with the San Francisco 49ers, but never played a game for the franchise...
won the game for Green Bay.
The loss was devastating for Tampa Bay, especially when 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...
lost later that afternoon. After forcing four turnovers, and battling back from a 14-point deficit, Tampa Bay's postseason outlook changed dramatically. Instead of winning their division and securing a first-round bye (and a legitimate shot at a "home game" for Super Bowl XXXV
Super Bowl XXXV
Super Bowl XXXV was played on January 28, 2001 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 2000 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Baltimore Ravens defeated the National Football Conference champion New York...
held at their very own Raymond James Stadium
Raymond 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...
), the Buccaneers instead saw themselves fall to a wild card, having to play on the road at the 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...
. The loss also meant Tampa Bay fell to 0-19 in games under 40°, and their losing streak at Green Bay extended to 11 games. Afterwards, Gramatica took blame for the loss saying "It hurts because I let the guys down."
Wild Card playoffs at Philadelphia
at Veterans StadiumVeterans Stadium
Philadelphia Veterans Stadium was a professional-sports, multi-purpose stadium, located at the northeast corner of Broad Street and Pattison Avenue, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex...
, Philadelphia
- Game time: 4:00 p.m. EST
- Game weather: 35 °F (Cloudy)
- TV announcers (FOXFox Broadcasting CompanyFox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
): 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:...
and John Madden - Referee: Mike CareyMike Carey (American football official)Michael "Mike" Carey is an American football official in the National Football League since the 1990 NFL season. His uniform number is 94. Prior to his officiating career, he played college football as a running back for Santa Clara University .Carey is a respected official in the NFL for his...
- Game Attendance: 65,813
The Eagles defense held Tampa Bay to only 199 total yards and 11 first downs. The Buccaneers scored first early in the second quarter with 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...
's 29-yard field goal. But late in the period, the Eagles' Hugh Douglas forced Tampa Bay 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:...
to fumble, and Mike Mamula recovered the loose ball at the Buccaneers 15-yard line. The turnover set up Philadelphia quarterback Donovan McNabb
Donovan 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...
's 5-yard touchdown run. Tampa Bay then punted on their next possession and the Eagles marched 69 yards on 8 plays to take a 14-3 on Na Brown's 5-yard touchdown reception with 12 seconds left in the half. Philadelphia then shut out the Buccaneers in the second half, while McNabb threw a 2-yard pass to Jeff Thomason with less than a minute left in the game to seal the victory. The Eagle's victory meant for the 35th consecutive year that the team hosting the Super Bowl would not be playing in it.
- Scoring
- TB - FG Gramatica 29 TB 3-0
- PHI - McNabb 5 run (Akers kick) PHI 7-3
- PHI - Brown 5 pass from McNabb (Akers kick) PHI 14-3
- PHI - Thomason 2 pass from McNabb (Akers kick) PHI 21-3
Awards and records
- Led NFC, Takeaways/Giveaways (+17)
- Ronde Barber, NFC Defensive Player of the Week, Week 2
- Derrick Brooks, NFC Defensive Player of the Week, Week 1
- Warrick DunnWarrick DunnWarrick 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...
, NFC Offensive Player of the Week, Week 14 - Martin GramaticaMartin GramaticaMartín 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...
, NFC Special Teams Player of the Week, Week 15 - Shaun King, NFC Offensive Player of the Week, Week 9
- Warren Sapp, NFC Defensive Player of the Week, Week 3
- Warren SappWarren SappWarren 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...
, All-NFL Team (selected by Associated Press and Pro Football Weekly) - Karl Williams, NFC Special Teams Player of the Week, Week 13
Pro Bowl selections
- Donnie Abraham, Defensive Back, Reserve
- Mike AlstottMike AlstottMichael 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...
, Running Back, Starter - Derrick Brooks, Outside Linebacker, Starter
- Jeff Christy, Center, Starter
- Warrick Dunn, Running Back, Reserve
- Martin Gramatica, Kicker, Reserve
- John Lynch, Strong Safety, Starter
- Randall McDaniel, Guard, Starter
- Warren Sapp, Defensive Tackle, Starter