You’ve heard of it by now if you didn’t live through it eight years ago.
I was there, and I can tell you, it was a sick as it looks.
Tampa Bay took a 21 point lead over the Indianapolis Colts, who tried to give the win to the Bucs, but Tampa Bay simply would not accept. More on this later.
The Super Bowl followup season started with a 17-0 shutout of Philly on the road, but returning to Raymond James for the first time as a Super Bowl Champion, the Carolina Panthers held a 9-3 lead on the Bucs until the last minute, when a frantic Brad Johnson comeback resulted in a Touchdown, 9-9 tie, and all the Bucs needed was the extra point to win.
It was blocked. Bucs lost in overtime. Coupled with this Colts fiasco, the Bucs could have started out 2003 with a 5-0 record, but instead went down to 2-2 after this Monday Night game.
Injuries played a part, Brian Kelly, the Bucs topflight corner was hurt, as was Mike Alstott. Kelly’s replacement was picked on by Peyton Manning in the final few minutes, of a comeback that could have been ruined so many ways.
The Video is the final 5+ minutes of game time regular time, and the Overtime period, no commercials. Its one hour of video time, so please let it build up. Consider the impossibilities…
The video begins with Ronde fighting with C Jeff Saturday. Barber picks off the ball next play, and thus sticks it to Saturday by returning it all the way. If Barber goes down, this game is won, hands down.
Dungy has said he was benching Manning after this Barber TD, but the kick off return was so promising, he figured, lets see what Peyton can do.
Leaping?
Hits the pole?
Enjoy. And if you know a Bucs player, have him watch this game so he can get pumped up Monday night too.
Watch the Video in your browser HERE.
As a consequence of this game, the ‘mystique’ of the Bucs defense was broken. The Super Bowl/Tony Dungy/Monte Kiffin defense with Sapp/Lynch/Nickerson was finally over. The Bucs would assemble a No.1 defense in 2005, which would be the last semblance of the same type of defense. The 2007 defense would be highly ranked, but offered no feared pass rush. The Bucs streaks of sacks would end in a few games too. It was truly the end of days.
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