Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27 Philadelphia Eagles 10 Sunday 19 January 2003 at Veterans Stadium FOX COMMENTARY CREW Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Cris Collinsworth
For the third time in as many years, the Buccaneers found themselves in Philadelphia for a playoff encounter and once again, the temperature was below 40 degrees. But all the old curses had gone out of the window with these new Bucs and despite falling behind in the first minute after a long kickoff return set up Duce Staley’s 20-yard TD run, Jon Gruden’s team fought their way back. Joe Jurevicius had a momentum- changing 71-yard play on a third down to set up one score and the defense shut down Donovan McNabb and the Eagle offense. Ronde Barber’s interception return was the most memorable in franchise history and the Buccaneers were finally going to the Super Bowl.
GAME SCORING PHI 14:08-1Q Staley 20 run (Akers kick) TB 10:01-1Q Gramatica FG48 TB 0:40-1Q Alstott 1 run (Gramatica kick) PHI 8:04-2Q Akers FG30 TB 2:28-2Q KJohnson 9 pass from BJohnson (Gramatica kick) TB 1:02-3Q Gramatica FG27 TB 3:12-4Q Barber 92 interception return (Gramatica kick)
GAME REPORTS Roy Cummings' take on the game Martin Fennelly's award-winning column Ronde Barber takes it to the house All worthwhile for the Glazers The win brought back memories The heroes are the offensive line Game notes and anecdotes Joe is the hero Analysing the TV coverage Game summary The Raiders are waiting The gamebook and the play by play of the game
STARTERS OFFENSE DEFENSE LT 72 Oben LDE 94 Spires LG 71 Jenkins UT 91 Darby C 62 Christy DT 99 Sapp RG 60 Coleman RDE 97 Rice RT 67 Walker LLB 51 Singleton TE 85 Dilger MLB 53 Quarles WR 83 Jurevicius RLB 55 Brooks WR 87 McCardell LCB 25 Kelly WR 19 Johnson SS 47 Lynch RB 32 Pittman FS 34 Jackson QB 14 Johnson RCB 20 Barber PLAYED 7 Gramatica, 9 Tupa, 23 Phillips, 26 Smith, 27 Stecker, 30 Barnes, 35 Ivy, 38 Howell, 40 Alstott, 43 Cook, 52 Webster, 58 Golden, 66 Benjamin, 74 Green, 75 Brown, 77 Washington, 80 Yoder, 86 Williams, 88 Dudley, 93 Claybrooks, 95 Warner, 96 Wyms DID NOT PLAY 11 Johnson INACTIVE 10 King, 31 Wansley, 64 Goodspeed, 84 Barlow, 89 Crawford, 90 Gurley
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING BUCS: Alstott 17-25, Pittman 8-17, Stecker 1-9, B.Johnson 6-(-2). EAGLES: Staley 13-58, McNabb 3-17, Westbrook 2-5, Levens 3-0. PASSING BUCS: B.Johnson 33-20-259-1-1. EAGLES: McNabb 49-26-243-1-0. RECEIVING BUCS: Pittman 5-53, McCardell 5-37, Dilger 3-41, K.Johnson 3-40, Jurevicius 1-71, Williams 1-7, Dudley 1-7, Stecker 1-3. EAGLES: Lewis 6-65, Staley 6-26, Freeman 5-66, Thrash 4-23, Pinkston 3- 51, Westbrook 1-8, Martin 1-4. INTERCEPTIONS BUCS: Barber 1-92. EAGLES: Taylor 1-1. KICK RETURNS BUCS: Stecker 2-33. EAGLES: Mitchell 4-125, Whiting 1-4, Sletchta 1-0, Thrash 0-3. PUNT RETURNS BUCS: Williams 2-8. EAGLES: Mitchell 4-34. SACKS BUCS: Rice 1-6, Barber 1-5. EAGLES: none.
VIDEO CLIPS Click on the boxes for the main plays from the game Joe Jurevicius’ famous play on third down - you go Joe! Keyshawn put the Bucs ahead to stay late in the second quarter Then the most famous play in franchise history - over to you Ronde