Tampa Bay Buccaneers 22 Cleveland Browns 7 Sunday 24 December 2006 at Cleveland Browns Stadium
SCORING TB 7:05-1Q Bryant FG23 TB 6:18-2Q Bryant FG24 TB 9:20-3Q Pittman 11 run (kick failed) TB 14:12-4Q Brooks 21 interception return (Bryant kick) CLE 11:33-4Q Holly 40 fumble return (Dawson kick) TB 5:47-4Q Bryant FG37
The Bucs got themselves their 4th win of the season but it came at the expense of a similarly-bad Cleveland team that gave up four interceptions including the last one of Derrick Brooks’ illustrious career. Mike Alstott and Michael Pittman brought back memories of the Super Bowl with their ground work on the day and Tim Rattay won his first start as a Buccaneer.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING BUCS: Pittman 16-86, Alstott 22-56, Graham 5-12, Rattay 1-(-1). BROWNS: Droughns 19-92, Anderson 1-(-1). PASSING BUCS: Rattay 26-16-212-1-0. BROWNS: Anderson 27-10-123-4-0, Dorsey 1-0-0-0-0. RECEIVING BUCS: Hilliard 4-67, Smith 4-45, Pittman 4-21, Stovall 2-45, Galloway 2-34. BROWNS: Jurevicius 4-58, Northcutt 2-31, Winslow 2-27, Edwards 2-7. INTERCEPTIONS BUCS: Phillips 2-45, Brooks 1-21, Buchanon 1-0. BROWNS: Holly 1-8. KICK RETURNS BUCS: Cox 1-22, Sowell 1-11. BROWNS: Cribbs 4-77, Friedman 1-2. PUNT RETURNS BUCS: none. BROWNS: Northcutt 1-13. SACKS BUCS: Spires 2-15, Hovan 1-12. BROWNS: Wimbley 2-6, Williams 1-4.
STARTERS OFFENSE DEFENSE LT 69 Davis DE 94 Spires LG 79 Mahan DT 95 Hovan C 76 Wade DT 96 Wyms RG 75 Joseph DE 90 White RT 65 Trueblood LLB 56 Nece TE 88 Becht MLB 53 Quarles WR 85 Stovall RLB 55 Brooks WR 84 Galloway LCB 31 Buchanon RB 40 Alstott RCB 20 Barber RB 32 Pittman SS 23 Phillips QB 13 Rattay FS 37 Allen PLAYED 3 Bryant, 9 Bidwell, 19 Hilliard, 21 Bolden, 27 Cox, 30 Nicholson, 33 Sowell, 34 Graham, 39 Pearson, 46 Adams, 50 Winborn, 51 Ruud, 52 Cash, 54 Mallard, 71 Haye, 74 Green, 77 Terry, 81 Smith, 82 Warren, 83 Moore, 89 Jones, 91 Jenkins DID NOT PLAY 7 Gradkowski INACTIVES 12 McCown, 24 Williams , 29 Zemaitis, 66 Mihlhauser, 70 Penn, 86 Jolley, 93 Bennett, 98 Bradley
GAME REPORTS How Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune saw it unfold Rick Stroud of the St.Petersburg Times offers his comments Mike Alstott brought back old memories on the ground The Buc defense also brings back old memories Gary Shelton looks at Tim Rattay's first Buc start at QB Team notes and anecdotes The game report from Cleveland The gamebook and the play-by-play from the game
COMMENTARY CREW Matt Vasgerian and JC Pearson