2006 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
Encyclopedia
The 2006
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
season began with the team trying to improve on their 11-5 record in 2005
.
, WR Michael Clayton, RB Carnell Williams
, DE Simeon Rice
, CB Brian Kelly, and QB Chris Simms
all being placed on injured reserve at some point in the season. The season also saw a lot of rookies starting for the Bucs, such as QB Bruce Gradkowski
, T Jeremy Trueblood
, and G Davin Joseph
. The league schedule was also unfriendly to the Bucs, scheduling them for 3 games (two of them away games) within 11 days of each other.
There was more to the lost season than just injuries however, as most of the players put on injured reserve had been done so after the team's 0-3 start, and offensive shutouts in the first two games in which no touchdowns were scored by the Buccaneers. The departure of several key defensive coaches and assistants didn't bode well with players, who complained to some in the media of not being able to hear coaches in team meetings.
Inconsistent and unorganized are how some players referred to one of the newcomers, who most players had a hard time making the transition from long time favorites Rod Marinelli
and others. Some believe the problems in 2006 were rooted in recent years mistakes, lack of salary cap room to bring in high impact free agents, lack of top 50 draft picks over the last 5 or 6 years due to trades, and maybe even a failure to properly assess talent resulting in a lack of contribution from second day draft picks in recent history.
The Bucs started off the season 0-3, with QB Chris Simms
throwing only 1 touchdown to 7 interceptions. In the third game of the season, a last-minute loss to the Carolina Panthers, Simms's spleen
was ruptured, and he was placed on injured reserve for the rest of the season. After their bye week, the Bucs elected to start rookie quarterback Bruce Gradkowski
, a 6th-round pick from Toledo.
Gradkowski started off performing decently. People who in hindsight claim the Bucs should have started the more experienced Tim Rattay
forget the Bucs nearly upset the New Orleans Saints, and then went on to win two narrow victories: one, against the Cincinnati Bengals
, winning on an overturned call resulting in a touchdown; and another against the Philadelphia Eagles, thanks to Matt Bryant
's 62-yard field goal. After these victories, though, Gradkowski's performance declined. After a 3-17 loss to the New York Giants in heavy winds, the Bucs proceeded to lose 5 of their next 6 games, leading them to a record of 3-10 (0-6 in their division). In the loss to the Atlanta Falcons, Gradkowski was replaced in the 4th quarter by Rattay.
In the first half of the Bucs' next game, against the Chicago Bears, Gradkowski was again replaced by Rattay, who led the team from a 24-3 deficit to a score of 31-31, with three touchdowns in the fourth quarter. However, the Bucs then lost the game in overtime, 34-31. Rattay was then named the new starting quarterback for the last two games for the season. The Bucs finished their season with a 4-12 record, tied for third worst in the NFL. The overall defense was ranked in the low 20's, the first time time a Tampa defense was not ranked in the top ten since 1996.
The Bucs sent three players to the 2007 Pro Bowl
, cornerback Ronde Barber
, tight end/long snapper Dave Moore (A "Need" player according to Saints coach Sean Payton
), and late addition outside linebacker Derrick Brooks
(as an injury replacement). This would be Brooks's 10th consecutive Pro Bowl and 10th Pro Bowl overall.
, the Buccaneers used their first pick on Oklahoma Guard Davin Joseph
. They then used their next pick on Boston College OT Jeremy Trueblood
. The rest of their picks included Notre Dame WR Maurice Stovall
, Penn St. CB Alan Zemaitis
, Stanford DE Julian Jenkins
, Toledo QB Bruce Gradkowski
, North Carolina St. TE T.J. Williams (who was lost for the upcoming season to injury when he tore his right Achilles tendon the week of June 19), Oregon CB Justin Phinisee
, Clemson DE Charles Bennett
, and Michigan TE Tim Massaquoi
.
After a potential season-ending injury to backup quarterback
Luke McCown
, the Buccaneers signed veteran quarterback Jay Fiedler
to back up Chris Simms
on June 29. The signing maintains the four-deep status of the backup quarterback position, as Tim Rattay
, Jared Allen
, and Bruce Gradkowski
are still on the roster (as of July 18). Additionally, the team signed two-year veteran tight end
Matt Kranchick
to replace T.J. Williams, who was lost for the season due to injury, as noted above.
. The home team is in capital letters.
on September 10 with a shutout, their first since Week 14 of the 2005 season. The game began with the Ravens scoring a touchdown after a clock-killing 80-yard drive, and the Bucs were never able to respond. Bucs QB Chris Simms
threw three interceptions and many of his passes were batted down at the line of scrimmage, an issue that was present during the pre-season and would continue to plague Simms in the next two games. In addition, second-year RB Carnell "Cadillac" Williams
struggled with back spasms and was held to just 22 rushing yards on 8 carries.
for a Week 2 contest against their division rival, the Atlanta Falcons
. Historically, the Buccaneers had been able to effectively contain Falcons' QB Michael Vick
, shutting down the Falcons' offense in the process. However, the Bucs' performance here had not improved much from Week 1. The defense was unable to stop the running duo of Vick and RB Warrick Dunn
, whose combined performance netted 261 yards, and 306 for Atlanta as a team—a new Falcons team record. Also illustrating their sharp fall in performance from their #1 NFL ranking the previous season, the Bucs' defense also allowed a 1-yard QB TD run by Vick and a 4-yard TD pass to RB Fred McCrary
. Bucs QB Chris Simms
continued to struggle, throwing another three interceptions, while Carnell "Cadillac" Williams
was held to just 37 yards on 15 carries. The Bucs' only points came on a chip-shot 22-yard field goal by kicker Matt Bryant
.
The Bucs played one of their most heated rivals, the Carolina Panthers
, at home. In the first half, it was a rout 20-7 with Bucs QB Chris Simms
' first pass intercepted by the Panthers' Chris Gamble
. In the second quarter, Tampa Bay finally scored its first touchdown of the season on a short pass from Simms to Joey Galloway
, then followed that up in the third quarter with Carnell Williams
scoring his first TD run of the season. Later that quarter, Simms led a drive that was wrapped up by a 2-yard bootleg by Simms on a fake to Mike Alstott
, but Simms was hit hard on the play, and had to leave the game momentarily to let rookie Bruce Gradkowski
take over. Simms returned in the fourth quarter to lead another scoring drive which ended with a long field goal by Matt Bryant
. Unfortunately for the Bucs, the Panthers' kicker John Kasay
hit his fourth field goal of the day, winning the game for the Panthers with only six seconds to spare. After the game, it was learned that Simms had a ruptured spleen
and went into emergency surgery to remove it. Originally diagnosed as bruised ribs, it was only discovered shortly after the game ended. If discovery had been delayed any longer, Simms would have died. The injury cost Simms the rest of the season.
for their third divisional match-up in a row—this time, against the New Orleans Saints
. The Bucs scored first as rookie QB Bruce Gradkowski
threw a 18-yard TD pass to WR Joey Galloway
in the first quarter; the Saints responded with a 21-yard field goal from kicker John Carney. The Saints continued scoring, with a 24-yard TD run from RB Deuce McAllister
in the second quarter, and a 9-yard TD pass to TE Ernie Conwell
in the third quarter. The Bucs finally responded with a 1-yard TD run from FB Mike Alstott
, and took the lead in the fourth quarter with Gradkowski's 3-yard TD pass to TE Alex Smith
. Unfortunately for the Bucs, a special teams breakdown led to Saints RB Reggie Bush
getting his inaugural NFL touchdown on a 65-yard punt return, which sealed the win for the Saints.
determined that Clayton had possession of the football when he crossed the plain of the goal line. The call was reversed, and the Buccaneers were awarded the touchdown. At the end of regulation, Shayne Graham
had a chance to win the game with a 62-yard field goal, but missed it wide right, giving the Bucs their first win of 2006.
, who returned two Donovan McNabb
interceptions for touchdowns. The Bucs however blew a 17-point lead when Brian Westbrook
scored on a 52 yard touchdown with 33 seconds left. With two timeouts remaining, the Bucs drove to the Philadelphia 45 yard line with 4 seconds left. Kicker Matt Bryant
then converted on an improbable, franchise record 62-yard field goal as time expired to give the Bucs a 23-21 victory. Ironically, the kick was the same distance Bengals
' Shayne Graham
missed from the previous week. The Bucs improved to 2-4. The kick was one yard short of the NFL record (63 yards) and the second-longest game-winning field goal in NFL history.
for their Week 8 game with the New York Giants
. Bucs CB Ronde Barber
would be facing his brother, RB Tiki Barber
for the last time in NFL competition as the latter planned to retire after the season. In the first quarter, Tampa Bay fell behind early, as QB Eli Manning
completed a 7-yard TD pass to WR Plaxico Burress
for the only score of the period. In the second quarter, the Bucs' woes continued as Giants RB Brandon Jacobs
got a 1-yard TD run. Kicker Matt Bryant
would get Tampa Bay a 43-yard field goal, but that would all of the points that the Bucs would get, because after a scoreless third quarter, Giants kicker Jay Feely
kicked a 31-yard field goal to put the game away. With their loss, the Buccaneers fell to 2-5.
. In the first quarter, the Bucs trailed early as Saints QB Drew Brees
completed a 15-yard TD pass to WR Marques Colston
and a 52-yard TD pass to WR Devery Henderson
. In the second quarter, kicker John Carney helped New Orleans improve its lead with a 46-yard field goal. Tampa Bay would valiantly fight back, as QB Bruce Gradkowski
completed a 44-yard TD pass and a 17-yard TD pass to WR Joey Galloway
, but that would be as close as they would get. In the third quarter, Saints pulled away with RB Deuce McAllister
completing a 3-yard TD run and Bree completing a 45-yard TD pass to Henderson. With a scoreless second half, the Bucs would fall to 2-6.
for an NFC South rematch on Monday Night Football
with the Carolina Panthers
. In the first quarter, QB Bruce Gradkowski
completed a 6-yard TD pass to WR Ike Hilliard
for the only score of the period and the first half. However, in the third quarter, the Panthers struck back with a vengeance as kicker John Kasay
nailed a 28-yard field goal, QB Jake Delhomme
completing a 4-yard TD pass to WR Keyshawn Johnson
, and FB Brad Hoover
contributing a 5-yard TD run. In the fourth quarter, even though kicker Matt Bryant
would nail 28-yard field goal, Carolina managed to put the game away with Delhomme completing a 36-yard TD pass to WR Steve Smith. With the loss, the Bucs fell to 2-7.
. In the first quarter, the Bucs drew first blood with kicker Matt Bryant
nailing a 26-yard field goal, while Redskins kicker Nick Novak
got a 45-yard field goal. After a scoreless second quarter, Washington took the lead in the third quarter with QB Jason Campbell
completed a 3-yard TD pass to TE Chris Cooley. Tampa Bay would respond with QB Bruce Gradkowski
completed a 2-yard TD pass to TE Anthony Becht
. In the fourth quarter, the Bucs managed to wrap-up the game with Gradkowski completing a 34-yard TD pass to WR Joey Galloway
, while Bryant kicked a 31-yard field goal. Even though the Redskins would get a 4-yard TD pass from Campbell to TE Todd Yoder
, the Bucs held on to win and advance to 3-7.
for a Thanksgiving
fight with the Dallas Cowboys
. In the first quarter, the Bucs capped off their opening driver with FB Mike Alstott
getting a 1-yard TD run. However, the Cowboys responded with QB Tony Romo
getting a 30-yard TD pass to WR Terry Glenn
. In the second quarter, Romo and Glenn hooked up with each other again on a 2-yard TD pass. The Bucs could only respond with kicker Matt Bryant
getting a 46-yard field goal. Dallas would respond with Romo getting a 1-yard TD pass to RB Marion Barber
. In the third quarter, Romo and Barber would hook up with each other again on a 2-yard TD pass, with Romo also hooking up with WR Terrell Owens
on a 7-yard TD pass. In the fourth quarter, kicker Mike Vanderjagt
would close out the scoring with a 22-yard field goal. With the loss, the Bucs fell to 3-8.
homecoming was also his worst game of the season. In the first quarter, Ben Roethlisberger
threw his only interception early in the game to linebacker
Derrick Brooks
. Later in the quarter, Gradkowski tossed his first interception to Steeler linebacker Larry Foote
. In the final seconds of the first quarter, Roethlisberger threw a short touchdown pass to tight end
Jerame Tuman
. Later in the first half, Gradkowski tossed another interception in the red zone to Bryant McFadden
. Steeler kicker Jeff Reed
, kicked a fifty-yard field goal
to end the first half. After another interception of Gradkowski in the second half, Roethlisberger completed a touchdown pass in the early fourth quarter. By the two-minute warning
, the score was 20-0, in the favor of the Steelers. Tampa Bay kicker Matt Bryant
, made sure the Bucs did not get shut out with a 27-yard field goal in the last seconds of regulation.
. In the first half, the Bucs jumped out to an early lead as kicker Matt Bryant
got a 42-yard field goal in the first quarter, while nailing a 24-yard field goal in the second quarter. However, for the rest of the game, it was all Atlanta. In the third quarter, the Falcons took the lead with OLB Demorrio Williams
returning a fumble 54 yards for a touchdown, while FB Justin Griffith
got a 21-yard TD run. In the fourth quarter, Atlanta wrapped up their season sweep over Tampa Bay with kicker Morten Andersen
nailing a 23-yard field goal. With the loss, the Buccaneers fell to 3-10.
entered week 15 of the NFL season hoping to secure a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. The Bears led 24-3 win 5:22 left in the third quarter and were en route to winning their third straight, but the Buccaneers had other plans. During the first quarter, the Bucs had only reached 80 yards in total offense. Coach Jon Gruden
sent in back-up Tim Rattay
who completed 20 of 35 for 268 yards with 3 touchdowns and one interception as the Bucs battled back to tie the game up at 31 during the 4th quarter. A controversial move was made by Chicago Bear's head coach Lovie Smith
as he decided to let time expire during the 4th quarter and thus send the game into overtime. Tampa Bay won the coin toss, and both teams had three possessions in overtime. After missing earlier in the overtime period, Robbie Gould
connected on a 27-yard field goal with 3:37 remaining to give the Bears the victory, 34-31. This loss sent the struggling Buccaneers to 3-11 which secured last place in the NFC South standings.
for a Week 16 interconference fight with the Cleveland Browns
on Christmas Eve
. In the first half, the Bucs got off to a decent start with kicker Matt Bryant
nailing a 23-yard field goal in the first quarter and a 24-yard field goal in the second quarter. In the third quarter, Tampa Bay increased its lead RB Michael Pittman
's 11-yard TD run (following PAT was blocked). In the fourth quarter, the Pewter Pirates' defense got a chance to score with OLB Derrick Brooks
returning an interception 21 yards for a touchdown. Afterwards, the Browns would get their only score of the game as CB Daven Holly
returned a fumble 40 yards for a touchdown. After that, the Bucs wrapped the game up with Bryant's 37-yard field goal. With the win, the Buccaneers improved to 4-11.
, the Buccaneers hosted the NFC West
champion Seattle Seahawks
. Tampa Bay trailed early as Seahawks kicker Josh Brown nailed a 35-yard field goal, which was followed by RB Shaun Alexander
's one-yard TD run. In the second quarter, the Bucs got their only score of the game with QB Tim Rattay
completing a 4-yard TD pass to WR Joey Galloway
. Afterwards, Seattle continued its dominance with QB Matt Hasselbeck
completing a 5-yard TD pass to WR D.J. Hackett
. After that, the Seahawks wrapped up the game in the second half with Brown getting a 30-yard field goal in the third quarter and a 23-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. With the loss, the Buccaneers ended their year at 4-12.
2006 NFL season
The 2006 NFL season was the 87th regular season of the National Football League.Regular season play was held from September 7 to December 31, 2006...
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 their 11-5 record in 2005
2005 NFL season
The 2005 NFL season was the 86th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 8, 2005 to January 1, 2006...
.
Summary
After winning the division in 2005, the Buccaneers suffered through an abysmal 2006 season. The season was plagued by injuries, with starters such as G Dan BuenningDan Buenning
Dan Robert Buenning is an American football guard for the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Wisconsin.Buenning has also been a member of the Chicago Bears.-External...
, WR Michael Clayton, RB Carnell Williams
Carnell Williams
Carnell Lamar "Cadillac" Williams is an American football running back for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
, DE Simeon Rice
Simeon Rice
Simeon James Rice [] is a former American football defensive end, last playing in 2009. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals third overall in the 1996 NFL Draft...
, CB Brian Kelly, and QB Chris Simms
Chris Simms
Christopher David Simms is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at Texas.Simms has also played for the Denver Broncos and Tampa Bay Buccaneers...
all being placed on injured reserve at some point in the season. The season also saw a lot of rookies starting for the Bucs, such as QB Bruce Gradkowski
Bruce Gradkowski
Bruce Raymond Gradkowski is an American Football quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL Draft after playing college football at Toledo.Gradkowski has previously been a member of the Tampa...
, T Jeremy Trueblood
Jeremy Trueblood
Jeremy Tyler Trueblood is an American football offensive tackle for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buccaneers in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
, and G Davin Joseph
Davin Joseph
Davin Joseph is an American football guard for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Buccaneers 23rd overall in the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Oklahoma.-Early years:Joseph played high school football at Hallandale High School...
. The league schedule was also unfriendly to the Bucs, scheduling them for 3 games (two of them away games) within 11 days of each other.
There was more to the lost season than just injuries however, as most of the players put on injured reserve had been done so after the team's 0-3 start, and offensive shutouts in the first two games in which no touchdowns were scored by the Buccaneers. The departure of several key defensive coaches and assistants didn't bode well with players, who complained to some in the media of not being able to hear coaches in team meetings.
Inconsistent and unorganized are how some players referred to one of the newcomers, who most players had a hard time making the transition from long time favorites Rod Marinelli
Rod Marinelli
Rodney Marinelli is the defensive coordinator and assistant head coach of the Chicago Bears. He is the former head coach of the Detroit Lions...
and others. Some believe the problems in 2006 were rooted in recent years mistakes, lack of salary cap room to bring in high impact free agents, lack of top 50 draft picks over the last 5 or 6 years due to trades, and maybe even a failure to properly assess talent resulting in a lack of contribution from second day draft picks in recent history.
The Bucs started off the season 0-3, with QB Chris Simms
Chris Simms
Christopher David Simms is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at Texas.Simms has also played for the Denver Broncos and Tampa Bay Buccaneers...
throwing only 1 touchdown to 7 interceptions. In the third game of the season, a last-minute loss to the Carolina Panthers, Simms's spleen
Spleen
The spleen is an organ found in virtually all vertebrate animals with important roles in regard to red blood cells and the immune system. In humans, it is located in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen. It removes old red blood cells and holds a reserve of blood in case of hemorrhagic shock...
was ruptured, and he was placed on injured reserve for the rest of the season. After their bye week, the Bucs elected to start rookie quarterback Bruce Gradkowski
Bruce Gradkowski
Bruce Raymond Gradkowski is an American Football quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL Draft after playing college football at Toledo.Gradkowski has previously been a member of the Tampa...
, a 6th-round pick from Toledo.
Gradkowski started off performing decently. People who in hindsight claim the Bucs should have started the more experienced Tim Rattay
Tim Rattay
Timothy F. Rattay [] is a former professional American football quarterback who played in the National Football League and United Football League. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the seventh round of the 2000 NFL Draft...
forget the Bucs nearly upset the New Orleans Saints, and then went on to win two narrow victories: one, against the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
, winning on an overturned call resulting in a touchdown; and another against the Philadelphia Eagles, thanks to Matt Bryant
Matt Bryant
Steven Matt Bryant is an American football placekicker for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. He was signed by the Frankfurt Galaxy as a street free agent in 2002...
's 62-yard field goal. After these victories, though, Gradkowski's performance declined. After a 3-17 loss to the New York Giants in heavy winds, the Bucs proceeded to lose 5 of their next 6 games, leading them to a record of 3-10 (0-6 in their division). In the loss to the Atlanta Falcons, Gradkowski was replaced in the 4th quarter by Rattay.
In the first half of the Bucs' next game, against the Chicago Bears, Gradkowski was again replaced by Rattay, who led the team from a 24-3 deficit to a score of 31-31, with three touchdowns in the fourth quarter. However, the Bucs then lost the game in overtime, 34-31. Rattay was then named the new starting quarterback for the last two games for the season. The Bucs finished their season with a 4-12 record, tied for third worst in the NFL. The overall defense was ranked in the low 20's, the first time time a Tampa defense was not ranked in the top ten since 1996.
The Bucs sent three players to the 2007 Pro Bowl
2007 Pro Bowl
The 2007 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl took place on February 10, 2007, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The game was held on a Saturday instead of the usual Sunday after the Super Bowl because of a request by broadcaster CBS....
, cornerback 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...
, tight end/long snapper Dave Moore (A "Need" player according to Saints coach Sean Payton
Sean Payton
Patrick Sean Payton is the current head coach of the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. Payton was a quarterback at Naperville Central High School and Eastern Illinois University and played professionally in 1987 and 1988...
), and late addition outside linebacker 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....
(as an injury replacement). This would be Brooks's 10th consecutive Pro Bowl and 10th Pro Bowl overall.
Offseason
In the 2006 NFL Draft2006 NFL Draft
The 2006 National Football League Draft, the 71st in league history, took place in New York City at Radio City Music Hall on April 29 and April 30, 2006. For the 27th consecutive year, the draft was telecast on ESPN and ESPN2, with additional coverage offered by ESPNU and, for the first time, by...
, the Buccaneers used their first pick on Oklahoma Guard Davin Joseph
Davin Joseph
Davin Joseph is an American football guard for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Buccaneers 23rd overall in the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Oklahoma.-Early years:Joseph played high school football at Hallandale High School...
. They then used their next pick on Boston College OT Jeremy Trueblood
Jeremy Trueblood
Jeremy Tyler Trueblood is an American football offensive tackle for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buccaneers in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
. The rest of their picks included Notre Dame WR Maurice Stovall
Maurice Stovall
Maurice Aurilius Stovall is an American football wide receiver for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.-Early years:Stovall grew up in Philadelphia and went...
, Penn St. CB Alan Zemaitis
Alan Zemaitis
Alan Zemaitis is a professional American football cornerback. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 4th round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
, Stanford DE Julian Jenkins
Julian Jenkins
Julian Jenkins is an American and Canadian Football defensive end free agent. He attended Woodward Academy in College Park, Georgia, where he was a three-sport athlete in football, basketball and track and field. Jenkins played both defensive end and defensive tackle in college at Stanford...
, Toledo QB Bruce Gradkowski
Bruce Gradkowski
Bruce Raymond Gradkowski is an American Football quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL Draft after playing college football at Toledo.Gradkowski has previously been a member of the Tampa...
, North Carolina St. TE T.J. Williams (who was lost for the upcoming season to injury when he tore his right Achilles tendon the week of June 19), Oregon CB Justin Phinisee
Justin Phinisee
Justin Miles Phinisee is an American football cornerback and punt returner for the Utah Blaze of the Arena Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Oregon.Phinisee has also been a member of the Kansas City...
, Clemson DE Charles Bennett
Charles Bennett (football player)
Charles Dantonja Bennett is an American football defensive end who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
, and Michigan TE Tim Massaquoi
Tim Massaquoi
Arnold Timothy Massaquoi is an American football tight end who is currently a free agent. He was originally drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan...
.
After a potential season-ending injury to backup quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Luke McCown
Luke McCown
Lucas Patrick McCown is an American football quarterback for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League...
, the Buccaneers signed veteran quarterback 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...
to back up Chris Simms
Chris Simms
Christopher David Simms is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at Texas.Simms has also played for the Denver Broncos and Tampa Bay Buccaneers...
on June 29. The signing maintains the four-deep status of the backup quarterback position, as Tim Rattay
Tim Rattay
Timothy F. Rattay [] is a former professional American football quarterback who played in the National Football League and United Football League. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the seventh round of the 2000 NFL Draft...
, Jared Allen
Jared Allen
-Kansas City Chiefs:Allen was drafted by the Chiefs in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL Draft, and signed for a one-year, $100,000 contract. On May 21, 2007, Allen, as a restricted free agent, signed the Chiefs' one-year tender offer of $2.35 million for the 2007 season. Allen credited his early...
, and Bruce Gradkowski
Bruce Gradkowski
Bruce Raymond Gradkowski is an American Football quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL Draft after playing college football at Toledo.Gradkowski has previously been a member of the Tampa...
are still on the roster (as of July 18). Additionally, the team signed two-year veteran tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
Matt Kranchick
Matt Kranchick
Matthew Alan Kranchick is an American football tight end who has played in the National Football League....
to replace T.J. Williams, who was lost for the season due to injury, as noted above.
Preseason
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers played four preseason gamesNational Football League exhibition season
The National Football League preseason refers to the period each year during which NFL teams play several not-for-the-record exhibition games before the actual "championship" or "regular" season starts. Beginning with the featured Pro Football Hall of Fame game in early August, five weekends of...
. The home team is in capital letters.
- BUCCANEERS 16, JetsNew York JetsThe 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...
3 - DolphinsMiami DolphinsThe 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...
13, BUCCANEERS 10 - JAGUARSJacksonville JaguarsThe Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
29, Buccaneers 18 - TEXANSHouston TexansThe Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
16, Buccaneers 13
Schedule
| Week | Date | Kickoff (ET) | Opponent | Results | Game Site | TV | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final score | Team record | |||||||
| 1 | September 10 | 1:00 pm | Baltimore Ravens 2006 Baltimore Ravens season The 2006 Baltimore Ravens season began with the team trying to improve on their 6–10 record in 2005. The Ravens, for the first time in franchise history, started 4–0. The Ravens' ended the regular season with a team-best 13–3 record. The Ravens clinched the AFC North title, 1st-round bye... |
L 0–27 | 0–1 | 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... |
CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
|
| 2 | September 17 | 1:00 pm | at Atlanta Falcons 2006 Atlanta Falcons season -Roster:-Schedule:-Week 1: at Carolina Panthers:at Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina The Falcons opened the regular season on the road against the Carolina Panthers on September 10... |
L 3–14 | 0–2 | 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... |
Fox NFL on FOX NFL on Fox is the brand name of the Fox Broadcasting Company's coverage of the National Football League's National Football Conference games, produced by Fox Sports... |
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| 3 | September 24 | 1:00 pm | Carolina Panthers 2006 Carolina Panthers season -Regular season:-Week 1: vs. Atlanta Falcons:at Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North CarolinaThe Panthers opened the regular season at home against the Atlanta Falcons on September 10. They lost, in what many fans and players alike referred to as an embarrassing game, 20-6. Kicker John Kasay... |
L 24–26 | 0–3 | Raymond James Stadium | Fox | |
| 4 | Bye Week Bye (sports) A bye, in sports and other competitive activities, most commonly refers to the practice of allowing a player or team to advance to the next round of a playoff tournament without playing... |
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| 5 | October 8 | 1:00 pm | at New Orleans Saints 2006 New Orleans Saints season The 2006 New Orleans Saints season began with the team trying to improve on their 3-13 record in 2005. All of the team's 2006 regular season home games were played in the Louisiana Superdome, which had been damaged all of the previous season by Hurricane Katrina... |
L 21-24 | 0–4 | Louisiana Superdome Louisiana Superdome The Mercedes-Benz Superdome, previously known as the Louisiana Superdome and colloquially known as the Superdome, is a sports and exhibition arena located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA... |
Fox | |
| 6 | October 15 | 1:00 pm | Cincinnati Bengals 2006 Cincinnati Bengals season The 2006 Cincinnati Bengals season began with the team trying to improve on their 11–5 record in 2005, defending their AFC North Division Championship title, and progress further through the playoffs than they made in the 2005 season having lost to Pittsburgh in the 1st round after losing star... |
W 14-13 | 1-4 | Raymond James Stadium | CBS | |
| 7 | October 22 | 1:00 pm | Philadelphia Eagles 2006 Philadelphia Eagles season The 2006 Philadelphia Eagles season ended in the Eagles finishing 10–6, reclaiming the NFC East, and winning a playoff game at home. The season ended in a Divisional Round playoff loss to the New Orleans Saints, but was seen as a success in the face of the adversity of losing starting quarterback... |
W 23-21 | 2-4 | Raymond James Stadium | Fox | |
| 8 | October 29 | 1:00 pm | at New York Giants 2006 New York Giants season The 2006 New York Giants season began with the team trying to improve on their 11–5 record in 2005, which saw them win the NFC East. They did not win the NFC East or improve on that record, falling to 8-8 on the season after starting 6-2... |
L 3-17 | 2-5 | Giants Stadium Giants Stadium Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to... |
Fox | |
| 9 | November 5 | 1:00 pm | New Orleans Saints 2006 New Orleans Saints season The 2006 New Orleans Saints season began with the team trying to improve on their 3-13 record in 2005. All of the team's 2006 regular season home games were played in the Louisiana Superdome, which had been damaged all of the previous season by Hurricane Katrina... |
L 14-31 | 2-6 | Raymond James Stadium | Fox | |
| 10 | November 13 | 8:00 pm | at Carolina Panthers 2006 Carolina Panthers season -Regular season:-Week 1: vs. Atlanta Falcons:at Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North CarolinaThe Panthers opened the regular season at home against the Atlanta Falcons on September 10. They lost, in what many fans and players alike referred to as an embarrassing game, 20-6. Kicker John Kasay... |
L 10-24 | 2-7 | Bank of America Stadium Bank of America Stadium Bank of America Stadium is a 73,778-seat football stadium located on of land in uptown Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. It is the home facility of the Carolina Panthers NFL franchise. It also hosts the annual Belk Bowl which features teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Big East... |
ESPN | |
| 11 | November 19 | 1:00 pm | Washington Redskins 2006 Washington Redskins season The 2006 Washington Redskins began with the team trying to improve on their 10-6 record from 2005.-Offseason:After the end of the 2005 season, the Redskins were reported to be $20 million over the salary cap... |
W 20-17 | 3-7 | Raymond James Stadium | Fox | |
| 12 | November 23 | 4:15 pm | at Dallas Cowboys 2006 Dallas Cowboys season The 2006 Dallas Cowboys season began with the team trying to improve on their 9–7 record in 2005. The base offense was changed to a 2-TE formation. Several high profile free agents were signed including controversial wide receiver Terrell Owens and kicker Mike Vanderjagt... |
L 10–38 | 3–8 | Texas Stadium Texas Stadium Texas Stadium was a football stadium in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. The stadium opened on September 17, 1971.Built to replace the aging Cotton Bowl, it was the home field of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, and had a seating capacity of 65,675... |
Fox | |
| 13 | December 3 | 1:00 pm | at Pittsburgh Steelers 2006 Pittsburgh Steelers season The 2006 Pittsburgh Steelers season began with the team trying to improve on their 11–5 record from 2005 and trying to defend their Super Bowl XL championship.-Offseason:... |
L 3-20 | 3–9 | Heinz Field Heinz Field Heinz Field is a stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It primarily serves as the home to the Pittsburgh Steelers and University of Pittsburgh Panthers American football teams, members of the National Football League and National Collegiate Athletic Association respectively... |
Fox | |
| 14 | December 10 | 1:00 pm | Atlanta Falcons 2006 Atlanta Falcons season -Roster:-Schedule:-Week 1: at Carolina Panthers:at Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina The Falcons opened the regular season on the road against the Carolina Panthers on September 10... |
L 6-17 | 3-10 | Raymond James Stadium | Fox | |
| 15 | December 17 | 1:00 pm | at Chicago Bears 2006 Chicago Bears season The 2006 Chicago Bears season was their 87th regular season and 25th post-season completed in the National Football League. The club posted a 13-3 regular season record, the best in the NFC, improving on their previous year’s record of 11-5... |
L 31-34 | 3-11 | Soldier Field Soldier 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... |
Fox | |
| 16 | December 24 | 1:00 pm | at Cleveland Browns 2006 Cleveland Browns season The 2006 Cleveland Browns season marked the 60th anniversary of the Browns franchise. It began with the team attempting to improve upon their win-loss record from 2005, where the team ended the year at 6–10. They were one of the most active teams during the free agency period, and looked to be one... |
W 22-7 | 4-11 | Cleveland Browns Stadium Cleveland Browns Stadium -See also:* List of current National Football League stadiums* Chronology of home stadiums for current National Football League teams* List of American football stadiums by capacity* List of U.S. stadiums by capacity* List of North American stadiums by capacity... |
Fox | |
| 17 | December 31 | 1:00 pm | Seattle Seahawks 2006 Seattle Seahawks season The 2006 Seattle Seahawks season was the team's 31st season in the National Football League. The season began with the team attempting to improve on their 13-3 record from 2005, repeat as National Football Conference champions, and return to the Super Bowl... |
L 7-23 | 4-12 | Raymond James Stadium | Fox | |
| Division games are in bold text. | ||||||||
- Tan indicates the Thanksgiving ClassicThanksgiving ClassicThe National Football League's Thanksgiving Classic is a series of games played during the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States. It has been a regular occurrence since the league's inception in 1920. Since 2006, three games are played every Thanksgiving...
held on Thanksgiving. - Indicates game is Monday Night FootballMonday Night FootballMonday 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...
.
Week 1: vs. Baltimore Ravens
The Buccaneers opened the regular season at home against the Baltimore RavensBaltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
on September 10 with a shutout, their first since Week 14 of the 2005 season. The game began with the Ravens scoring a touchdown after a clock-killing 80-yard drive, and the Bucs were never able to respond. Bucs QB Chris Simms
Chris Simms
Christopher David Simms is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at Texas.Simms has also played for the Denver Broncos and Tampa Bay Buccaneers...
threw three interceptions and many of his passes were batted down at the line of scrimmage, an issue that was present during the pre-season and would continue to plague Simms in the next two games. In addition, second-year RB Carnell "Cadillac" Williams
Carnell Williams
Carnell Lamar "Cadillac" Williams is an American football running back for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
struggled with back spasms and was held to just 22 rushing yards on 8 carries.
Week 2: at Atlanta Falcons
The Bucs went to the Georgia DomeGeorgia 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...
for a Week 2 contest against their division rival, the 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...
. Historically, the Buccaneers had been able to effectively contain Falcons' QB Michael Vick
Michael Vick
Michael Dwayne Vick is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League...
, shutting down the Falcons' offense in the process. However, the Bucs' performance here had not improved much from Week 1. The defense was unable to stop the running duo of Vick and RB 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...
, whose combined performance netted 261 yards, and 306 for Atlanta as a team—a new Falcons team record. Also illustrating their sharp fall in performance from their #1 NFL ranking the previous season, the Bucs' defense also allowed a 1-yard QB TD run by Vick and a 4-yard TD pass to RB Fred McCrary
Fred McCrary
Fred Demetrius McCrary was an American football fullback who played in the NFL.-Early years:McCrary attended Naples High School in Naples, Florida and was a letterman in football, basketball, and track...
. Bucs QB Chris Simms
Chris Simms
Christopher David Simms is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at Texas.Simms has also played for the Denver Broncos and Tampa Bay Buccaneers...
continued to struggle, throwing another three interceptions, while Carnell "Cadillac" Williams
Carnell Williams
Carnell Lamar "Cadillac" Williams is an American football running back for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
was held to just 37 yards on 15 carries. The Bucs' only points came on a chip-shot 22-yard field goal by kicker Matt Bryant
Matt Bryant
Steven Matt Bryant is an American football placekicker for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. He was signed by the Frankfurt Galaxy as a street free agent in 2002...
.
Week 3: vs. Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
, at home. In the first half, it was a rout 20-7 with Bucs QB Chris Simms
Chris Simms
Christopher David Simms is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at Texas.Simms has also played for the Denver Broncos and Tampa Bay Buccaneers...
' first pass intercepted by the Panthers' Chris Gamble
Chris Gamble
Chris Lee Gamble is an American football player with the Carolina Panthers. During his NFL career Gamble has only played cornerback, but was briefly a wide receiver at the Ohio State University. He was converted into a cornerback during his sophomore year...
. In the second quarter, Tampa Bay finally scored its first touchdown of the season on a short pass from Simms to Joey Galloway
Joey Galloway
Joseph Scott Galloway is an American football wide receiver. He most recently played for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks eighth overall in the 1995 NFL Draft...
, then followed that up in the third quarter with Carnell Williams
Carnell Williams
Carnell Lamar "Cadillac" Williams is an American football running back for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
scoring his first TD run of the season. Later that quarter, Simms led a drive that was wrapped up by a 2-yard bootleg by Simms on a fake 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 Simms was hit hard on the play, and had to leave the game momentarily to let rookie Bruce Gradkowski
Bruce Gradkowski
Bruce Raymond Gradkowski is an American Football quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL Draft after playing college football at Toledo.Gradkowski has previously been a member of the Tampa...
take over. Simms returned in the fourth quarter to lead another scoring drive which ended with a long field goal by Matt Bryant
Matt Bryant
Steven Matt Bryant is an American football placekicker for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. He was signed by the Frankfurt Galaxy as a street free agent in 2002...
. Unfortunately for the Bucs, the Panthers' kicker John Kasay
John Kasay
John David Kasay is an American football kicker for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth round of the 1991 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia...
hit his fourth field goal of the day, winning the game for the Panthers with only six seconds to spare. After the game, it was learned that Simms had a ruptured spleen
Spleen
The spleen is an organ found in virtually all vertebrate animals with important roles in regard to red blood cells and the immune system. In humans, it is located in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen. It removes old red blood cells and holds a reserve of blood in case of hemorrhagic shock...
and went into emergency surgery to remove it. Originally diagnosed as bruised ribs, it was only discovered shortly after the game ended. If discovery had been delayed any longer, Simms would have died. The injury cost Simms the rest of the season.
Week 5: at New Orleans Saints
Coming off their bye week, the Buccaneers were still looking for their first win of the season. The Bucs traveled to the Louisiana SuperdomeLouisiana Superdome
The Mercedes-Benz Superdome, previously known as the Louisiana Superdome and colloquially known as the Superdome, is a sports and exhibition arena located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA...
for their third divisional match-up in a row—this time, against the 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 ....
. The Bucs scored first as rookie QB Bruce Gradkowski
Bruce Gradkowski
Bruce Raymond Gradkowski is an American Football quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL Draft after playing college football at Toledo.Gradkowski has previously been a member of the Tampa...
threw a 18-yard TD pass to WR Joey Galloway
Joey Galloway
Joseph Scott Galloway is an American football wide receiver. He most recently played for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks eighth overall in the 1995 NFL Draft...
in the first quarter; the Saints responded with a 21-yard field goal from kicker John Carney. The Saints continued scoring, with a 24-yard TD run from RB Deuce McAllister
Deuce McAllister
Dulymus Jenod "Deuce" McAllister is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft...
in the second quarter, and a 9-yard TD pass to TE Ernie Conwell
Ernie Conwell
Ernest Harold Conwell is a former American football tight end in the National Football League. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft. He played college football at Washington....
in the third quarter. The Bucs finally responded with a 1-yard TD run from FB 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...
, and took the lead in the fourth quarter with Gradkowski's 3-yard TD pass to TE Alex Smith
Alex Smith (tight end)
Edwin Alexander "Alex" Smith , is an American football tight end for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
. Unfortunately for the Bucs, a special teams breakdown led to Saints RB Reggie Bush
Reggie Bush
Reginald Alfred "Reggie" Bush II is an American football running back for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
getting his inaugural NFL touchdown on a 65-yard punt return, which sealed the win for the Saints.
Week 6: vs. Cincinnati Bengals
The Bucs were predicted by many as an underdog by several sports commentators to defeat the 3-1 Bengals, and they pulled off an upset win, with Bruce Gradkowski throwing 2 touchdowns, and Cadillac Williams running for 94 yards. With 34 seconds remaining in the 4th quarter, Gradkowkski threw a pass to wide receiver Michael Clayton, who appeared to cross the goal line in a dive, but dropped the football in the end zone. The pass was initially ruled incomplete. The replay official initiated a review, and 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...
determined that Clayton had possession of the football when he crossed the plain of the goal line. The call was reversed, and the Buccaneers were awarded the touchdown. At the end of regulation, Shayne Graham
Shayne Graham
Michael Shayne Graham is an American football placekicker. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2000, and most recently played with the New England Patriots...
had a chance to win the game with a 62-yard field goal, but missed it wide right, giving the Bucs their first win of 2006.
Week 7: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
The Bucs entered week 7 against an Eagles team looking to build upon their 14-13 win over the Bengals. The Bucs defense stepped up big early, particularly Ronde BarberRonde 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...
, who returned two 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...
interceptions for touchdowns. The Bucs however blew a 17-point lead when Brian Westbrook
Brian Westbrook
Brian Collins Westbrook is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the third round of the 2002 NFL Draft after playing college football at Villanova...
scored on a 52 yard touchdown with 33 seconds left. With two timeouts remaining, the Bucs drove to the Philadelphia 45 yard line with 4 seconds left. Kicker Matt Bryant
Matt Bryant
Steven Matt Bryant is an American football placekicker for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. He was signed by the Frankfurt Galaxy as a street free agent in 2002...
then converted on an improbable, franchise record 62-yard field goal as time expired to give the Bucs a 23-21 victory. Ironically, the kick was the same distance Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
' Shayne Graham
Shayne Graham
Michael Shayne Graham is an American football placekicker. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2000, and most recently played with the New England Patriots...
missed from the previous week. The Bucs improved to 2-4. The kick was one yard short of the NFL record (63 yards) and the second-longest game-winning field goal in NFL history.
Week 8: at New York Giants
Hoping to build off their dramatic home win over the Eagles, the Buccaneers flew to Giants StadiumGiants Stadium
Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to...
for their Week 8 game with 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...
. Bucs CB 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...
would be facing his brother, RB Tiki Barber
Tiki Barber
Atiim Kiambu Hakeem-Ah "Tiki" Barber is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft. He played college football at Virginia....
for the last time in NFL competition as the latter planned to retire after the season. In the first quarter, Tampa Bay fell behind early, as QB Eli Manning
Eli Manning
Eli Nelson Manning is an American football quarterback for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He is the younger brother of NFL quarterback Peyton Manning and the son of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning...
completed a 7-yard TD pass to WR Plaxico Burress
Plaxico Burress
Plaxico Antonio Burress is an American football wide receiver who currently plays for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers eighth overall in the 2000 NFL Draft...
for the only score of the period. In the second quarter, the Bucs' woes continued as Giants RB Brandon Jacobs
Brandon Jacobs
-New York Giants:Going into the 2006 season Jacobs stated that he studied film of famed power running back Eddie George in an effort to refine his running style. George, like Jacobs, was a large, power running back. In the 2006 season, Jacobs carried the ball 96 times for 423 yards and nine...
got a 1-yard TD run. Kicker Matt Bryant
Matt Bryant
Steven Matt Bryant is an American football placekicker for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. He was signed by the Frankfurt Galaxy as a street free agent in 2002...
would get Tampa Bay a 43-yard field goal, but that would all of the points that the Bucs would get, because after a scoreless third quarter, Giants kicker Jay Feely
Jay Feely
Thomas James "Jay" Feely is an American football placekicker for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. Jay played for the Temple Terrace Spirit Soccer team that won the National Championships when he was 16....
kicked a 31-yard field goal to put the game away. With their loss, the Buccaneers fell to 2-5.
Week 9: vs. New Orleans Saints
Hoping to rebound from their road loss to the Giants, the Buccaneers went home for an NFC South rematch with the New Orleans SaintsNew 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 ....
. In the first quarter, the Bucs trailed early as Saints QB Drew Brees
Drew Brees
Drew Christopher Brees is a quarterback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Purdue....
completed a 15-yard TD pass to WR Marques Colston
Marques Colston
Marques Colston is an American football wide receiver for the New Orleans Saints of the NFL. He was selected in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL Draft as a supplemental compensatory pick. Following the trade of receiver Donté Stallworth, Colston was inserted into the starting lineup for week 1 of...
and a 52-yard TD pass to WR Devery Henderson
Devery Henderson
-New Orleans Saints:On November 5, 2006, Devery had his best day as a professional in a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he caught 3 passes for 111 yards and 2 touchdowns. Henderson had 158 receiving yards on 5 catches, including a 76 yard touchdown, against the Atlanta Falcons on November...
. In the second quarter, kicker John Carney helped New Orleans improve its lead with a 46-yard field goal. Tampa Bay would valiantly fight back, as QB Bruce Gradkowski
Bruce Gradkowski
Bruce Raymond Gradkowski is an American Football quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL Draft after playing college football at Toledo.Gradkowski has previously been a member of the Tampa...
completed a 44-yard TD pass and a 17-yard TD pass to WR Joey Galloway
Joey Galloway
Joseph Scott Galloway is an American football wide receiver. He most recently played for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks eighth overall in the 1995 NFL Draft...
, but that would be as close as they would get. In the third quarter, Saints pulled away with RB Deuce McAllister
Deuce McAllister
Dulymus Jenod "Deuce" McAllister is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft...
completing a 3-yard TD run and Bree completing a 45-yard TD pass to Henderson. With a scoreless second half, the Bucs would fall to 2-6.
Week 10: at Carolina Panthers
The Buccaneers travelled to Bank of America StadiumBank of America Stadium
Bank of America Stadium is a 73,778-seat football stadium located on of land in uptown Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. It is the home facility of the Carolina Panthers NFL franchise. It also hosts the annual Belk Bowl which features teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Big East...
for an NFC South rematch 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 the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
. In the first quarter, QB Bruce Gradkowski
Bruce Gradkowski
Bruce Raymond Gradkowski is an American Football quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL Draft after playing college football at Toledo.Gradkowski has previously been a member of the Tampa...
completed a 6-yard TD pass to WR Ike Hilliard
Ike Hilliard
Isaac Jason "Ike" Hilliard is a former American college and professional football player who was a wide receiver for twelve seasons in the National Football League during the 1990s and 2000s. He played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter, he played professionally for...
for the only score of the period and the first half. However, in the third quarter, the Panthers struck back with a vengeance as kicker John Kasay
John Kasay
John David Kasay is an American football kicker for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth round of the 1991 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia...
nailed a 28-yard field goal, QB Jake Delhomme
Jake Delhomme
Jake Christopher Delhomme is an American football quarterback for the Houston Texans of the National Football League. Delhomme played college football at Louisiana-Lafayette before being signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 1997...
completing a 4-yard TD pass to WR Keyshawn Johnson
Keyshawn 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...
, and FB Brad Hoover
Brad Hoover
Bradley R. Hoover is an American football fullback who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent in 2000...
contributing a 5-yard TD run. In the fourth quarter, even though kicker Matt Bryant
Matt Bryant
Steven Matt Bryant is an American football placekicker for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. He was signed by the Frankfurt Galaxy as a street free agent in 2002...
would nail 28-yard field goal, Carolina managed to put the game away with Delhomme completing a 36-yard TD pass to WR Steve Smith. With the loss, the Bucs fell to 2-7.
Week 11: vs. Washington Redskins
Hoping to rebound from their three-game losing streak, the Buccaneers went home for rematch of last year's NFC Wildcard match-up with the Washington RedskinsWashington 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,...
. In the first quarter, the Bucs drew first blood with kicker Matt Bryant
Matt Bryant
Steven Matt Bryant is an American football placekicker for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. He was signed by the Frankfurt Galaxy as a street free agent in 2002...
nailing a 26-yard field goal, while Redskins kicker Nick Novak
Nick Novak
Nicholas Ryan "Nick" Novak is an American football placekicker for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2005...
got a 45-yard field goal. After a scoreless second quarter, Washington took the lead in the third quarter with QB Jason Campbell
Jason Campbell
Jason Campbell is an American football quarterback for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
completed a 3-yard TD pass to TE Chris Cooley. Tampa Bay would respond with QB Bruce Gradkowski
Bruce Gradkowski
Bruce Raymond Gradkowski is an American Football quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL Draft after playing college football at Toledo.Gradkowski has previously been a member of the Tampa...
completed a 2-yard TD pass to TE Anthony Becht
Anthony Becht
Anthony G. Becht is an American football tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Jets 27th overall in the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at West Virginia. He has Swedish relatives, brother Francis and nephew Carl and...
. In the fourth quarter, the Bucs managed to wrap-up the game with Gradkowski completing a 34-yard TD pass to WR Joey Galloway
Joey Galloway
Joseph Scott Galloway is an American football wide receiver. He most recently played for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks eighth overall in the 1995 NFL Draft...
, while Bryant kicked a 31-yard field goal. Even though the Redskins would get a 4-yard TD pass from Campbell to TE 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...
, the Bucs held on to win and advance to 3-7.
Week 12: at Dallas Cowboys
Hoping to build off of their home win over the Redskins, the Buccaneers flew to Texas StadiumTexas Stadium
Texas Stadium was a football stadium in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. The stadium opened on September 17, 1971.Built to replace the aging Cotton Bowl, it was the home field of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, and had a seating capacity of 65,675...
for a Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Classic
The National Football League's Thanksgiving Classic is a series of games played during the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States. It has been a regular occurrence since the league's inception in 1920. Since 2006, three games are played every Thanksgiving...
fight with the 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...
. In the first quarter, the Bucs capped off their opening driver with FB 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...
getting a 1-yard TD run. However, the Cowboys responded with QB Tony Romo
Tony Romo
Antonio Ramiro "Tony" Romo is a professional American football quarterback in the NFL for the Dallas Cowboys. Romo's career passer rating - at 95.8 - ranks third-best all time. Tony Romo didn't play in the regular season in 2003, 2004, or 2005...
getting a 30-yard TD pass to WR Terry Glenn
Terry Glenn
Terry Tyree Glenn is a retired American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the New England Patriots seventh overall in the 1996 NFL Draft...
. In the second quarter, Romo and Glenn hooked up with each other again on a 2-yard TD pass. The Bucs could only respond with kicker Matt Bryant
Matt Bryant
Steven Matt Bryant is an American football placekicker for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. He was signed by the Frankfurt Galaxy as a street free agent in 2002...
getting a 46-yard field goal. Dallas would respond with Romo getting a 1-yard TD pass to RB Marion Barber
Marion Barber III
Marion Sylvester Barber III is an American football running back for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Minnesota....
. In the third quarter, Romo and Barber would hook up with each other again on a 2-yard TD pass, with Romo also hooking up with WR Terrell Owens
Terrell Owens
Terrell Owens is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. A six-time Pro Bowl selection, Owens has been one of the dominant receivers of his era...
on a 7-yard TD pass. In the fourth quarter, kicker Mike Vanderjagt
Mike Vanderjagt
Michael John "Mike" Vanderjagt , is a professional American and Canadian football placekicker and punter who has played in the Arena Football League, the Canadian Football League and National Football League...
would close out the scoring with a 22-yard field goal. With the loss, the Bucs fell to 3-8.
Week 13: at Pittsburgh Steelers
Bruce Gradkowski'sBruce Gradkowski
Bruce Raymond Gradkowski is an American Football quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL Draft after playing college football at Toledo.Gradkowski has previously been a member of the Tampa...
homecoming was also his worst game of the season. In the first quarter, Ben Roethlisberger
Ben Roethlisberger
Benjamin Todd "Ben" Roethlisberger , nicknamed Big Ben, is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the first round in the 2004 NFL Draft...
threw his only interception early in the game to linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
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....
. Later in the quarter, Gradkowski tossed his first interception to Steeler linebacker Larry Foote
Larry Foote
Lawrence Edward Foote, Jr. is an American football linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the fourth round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan....
. In the final seconds of the first quarter, Roethlisberger threw a short touchdown pass to tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
Jerame Tuman
Jerame Tuman
Jerame Dean Tuman is an American football tight end who is a free agent. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fifth round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan....
. Later in the first half, Gradkowski tossed another interception in the red zone to Bryant McFadden
Bryant McFadden
Bryant McFadden is an American football cornerback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida State.McFadden has also played for the Arizona Cardinals...
. Steeler kicker Jeff Reed
Jeff Reed (football)
Jeffrey "Jeff" Montgomery Reed is a National Football League placekicker who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2002...
, kicked a fifty-yard field goal
Field goal (football)
A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
to end the first half. After another interception of Gradkowski in the second half, Roethlisberger completed a touchdown pass in the early fourth quarter. By the two-minute warning
Two-minute warning
In the National Football League, the two-minute warning is given when two minutes of game time remain on the game clock in each half of a game, i.e. near the end of the second and fourth quarters. There is an additional two-minute warning in the rare event only two minutes remain in an overtime...
, the score was 20-0, in the favor of the Steelers. Tampa Bay kicker Matt Bryant
Matt Bryant
Steven Matt Bryant is an American football placekicker for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. He was signed by the Frankfurt Galaxy as a street free agent in 2002...
, made sure the Bucs did not get shut out with a 27-yard field goal in the last seconds of regulation.
Week 14: vs. Atlanta Falcons
Trying to snap a two-game losing skid, the Buccaneers went home for an NFC South rematch with the Atlanta FalconsAtlanta 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...
. In the first half, the Bucs jumped out to an early lead as kicker Matt Bryant
Matt Bryant
Steven Matt Bryant is an American football placekicker for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. He was signed by the Frankfurt Galaxy as a street free agent in 2002...
got a 42-yard field goal in the first quarter, while nailing a 24-yard field goal in the second quarter. However, for the rest of the game, it was all Atlanta. In the third quarter, the Falcons took the lead with OLB Demorrio Williams
Demorrio Williams
Demorrio Dwain Williams is an American football linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL Draft...
returning a fumble 54 yards for a touchdown, while FB Justin Griffith
Justin Griffith
Justin Montrel Griffith is an American football fullback for the Houston Texans of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
got a 21-yard TD run. In the fourth quarter, Atlanta wrapped up their season sweep over Tampa Bay with kicker Morten Andersen
Morten Andersen
Morten Andersen , nicknamed "The Great Dane", is a former National Football League kicker. He holds the distinction of being the all-time leading scorer in NFL history, as well as being the all-time leading scorer for two different teams; the New Orleans Saints, with whom he spent 13 seasons, and...
nailing a 23-yard field goal. With the loss, the Buccaneers fell to 3-10.
Week 15: vs. Chicago Bears
The 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...
entered week 15 of the NFL season hoping to secure a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. The Bears led 24-3 win 5:22 left in the third quarter and were en route to winning their third straight, but the Buccaneers had other plans. During the first quarter, the Bucs had only reached 80 yards in total offense. Coach Jon Gruden
Jon Gruden
Jon David Gruden is an American football analyst and former head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for seven seasons and prior to that the Oakland Raiders for four seasons. In his first year as the head coach of Tampa Bay, the Buccaneers won Super Bowl XXXVII, defeating the Raiders whom he had...
sent in back-up Tim Rattay
Tim Rattay
Timothy F. Rattay [] is a former professional American football quarterback who played in the National Football League and United Football League. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the seventh round of the 2000 NFL Draft...
who completed 20 of 35 for 268 yards with 3 touchdowns and one interception as the Bucs battled back to tie the game up at 31 during the 4th quarter. A controversial move was made by Chicago Bear's head coach Lovie Smith
Lovie Smith
Lovie Lee Smith is the head coach of the Chicago Bears professional football team of the NFL. Smith has been to the Super Bowl twice, as the defensive coordinator for the 2001 Saint Louis Rams and as the head coach for the Chicago Bears in 2006....
as he decided to let time expire during the 4th quarter and thus send the game into overtime. Tampa Bay won the coin toss, and both teams had three possessions in overtime. After missing earlier in the overtime period, Robbie Gould
Robbie Gould
Robert Paul "Robbie" Gould III is an American football placekicker for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He played college football at Penn State...
connected on a 27-yard field goal with 3:37 remaining to give the Bears the victory, 34-31. This loss sent the struggling Buccaneers to 3-11 which secured last place in the NFC South standings.
Week 16: at Cleveland Browns
Trying to end a four-game losing skid, the Buccaneers flew to Cleveland Browns StadiumCleveland Browns Stadium
-See also:* List of current National Football League stadiums* Chronology of home stadiums for current National Football League teams* List of American football stadiums by capacity* List of U.S. stadiums by capacity* List of North American stadiums by capacity...
for a Week 16 interconference fight with the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on Christmas Eve
Christmas 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...
. In the first half, the Bucs got off to a decent start with kicker Matt Bryant
Matt Bryant
Steven Matt Bryant is an American football placekicker for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. He was signed by the Frankfurt Galaxy as a street free agent in 2002...
nailing a 23-yard field goal in the first quarter and a 24-yard field goal in the second quarter. In the third quarter, Tampa Bay increased its lead RB Michael Pittman
Michael Pittman
Michael Pittman is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the fourth round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He played college football at Fresno State....
's 11-yard TD run (following PAT was blocked). In the fourth quarter, the Pewter Pirates' defense got a chance to score with OLB 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....
returning an interception 21 yards for a touchdown. Afterwards, the Browns would get their only score of the game as CB Daven Holly
Daven Holly
Daven Holly is an American football cornerback who is currently a Free Agent. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
returned a fumble 40 yards for a touchdown. After that, the Bucs wrapped the game up with Bryant's 37-yard field goal. With the win, the Buccaneers improved to 4-11.
Week 17: vs. Seattle Seahawks
Trying to end their season on a high note on New Year's EveNew Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
, the Buccaneers hosted the NFC West
NFC West
The NFC West is a division of the National Football League's National Football Conference. It currently has four members: Arizona Cardinals, St...
champion 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...
. Tampa Bay trailed early as Seahawks kicker Josh Brown nailed a 35-yard field goal, which was followed by RB Shaun Alexander
Shaun Alexander
Shaun Edward Alexander is a former American football running back who played for the Seattle Seahawks and the Washington Redskins. He was drafted by the Seahawks 19th overall in the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Alabama.- Early career :Alexander was born and...
's one-yard TD run. In the second quarter, the Bucs got their only score of the game with QB Tim Rattay
Tim Rattay
Timothy F. Rattay [] is a former professional American football quarterback who played in the National Football League and United Football League. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the seventh round of the 2000 NFL Draft...
completing a 4-yard TD pass to WR Joey Galloway
Joey Galloway
Joseph Scott Galloway is an American football wide receiver. He most recently played for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks eighth overall in the 1995 NFL Draft...
. Afterwards, Seattle continued its dominance with QB Matt Hasselbeck
Matt Hasselbeck
Matthew Michael Hasselbeck is a National Football League quarterback for the Tennessee Titans. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the sixth round of the 1998 NFL Draft, and traded to Seattle in 2001. After becoming the starter in 2003, Hasselbeck led Seattle to six playoff appearances and...
completing a 5-yard TD pass to WR D.J. Hackett
D.J. Hackett
DeAndre James "D. J." Hackett is an American football wide receiver who is currently a Free Agent. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the fifth round of the 2004 NFL Draft...
. After that, the Seahawks wrapped up the game in the second half with Brown getting a 30-yard field goal in the third quarter and a 23-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. With the loss, the Buccaneers ended their year at 4-12.