Download GameDay PDF Here!
Good News/Bad News! Good; Its the last preseason game for the Bucs. Bad:It’s the last preseason game for the Bucs! You won’t see any starters, but you can take your kids out on a Thursday night 
to an NFL game for 9.oo dollars a seat, and check out former Head Coach Jon Gruden’s brother Jay Gruden coach the Skins on the sidelines!
You won’t be watching Logan Mankins, but you will be watching some major roster spot races heating up in week 4. This is the LAST audition for many players. A lot of NFL dreams will end soon, some will be continued via the practice squad, but a few will result in the culmination of a lifetime dream ending once and for all.
Jeff Demps could be one such player; the fastest man in the NFL, yet that doesn’t translate into NFL skills, as speed is only one of them. Demps, Mike James and Bobby Rainey will be the feature backs tonight. Handing the ball off to him will be Mike Glennon for probably 3 quarters. The only fullback is Jorvorskie Lane, who is not 100% but will probably fight for a spot tonight.
There are many battles at several positions going into this final practice game;
Kicker Connor Barth, given he has take the majority of the kicks, seems to have held off rookie Patrick Murray, but one can’t be sure. Murray can punt and kick, and does both well. Don’t be surprised if Murray ends up on practice squad and this race is revisited for the 2015 season.
Da’Quan Bowers maybe running out of time. Spent last year running the wrong type defense, now this year injured at a time he needs to fend off a competitor, he could have his dreams cut short. Steven Means and William Gholston too have the injury bug, which has allowed Larry English to shine with two sacks last week, and Scott Solomon has done well.
Speaking of Solomon, with the release of Eric Page, Solomon Patton will probably be the kick returner for both Punts and Kick Offs. That means he will make the team as a WR, probably spot #5, with 1 and 2 belonging to V.Jackson and Mike Evans. Louis Murphy seems to be no.3. That leaves Robert Herron Chris Owusu and Russell Shepard duking it out for the No.4 spot. Herron is a rookie with a lot of upside.
As we said Mankins won’t play, but don’t be surprised if you see the other free agent pickup from KC Rishaw Johnson. Rookie Kadeem Edwards, a 5th round pick, still needs work, but the Bucs on high on his future after development.
Anthony Gaitor is playing safety, a position he has not played since his days in High School, and virtual unknown undrafted Keith Lewis will try to make the 9th or 10th DB on the team.
NOTES:
Greatest Redskins Memory: 1999 Divisional Playoffs- Bucs offense is silent, defense holds Skins offense to two field goals, but special teams gives up the 2nd half Kickoff for a Touch Down and a 13-0 lead. Redskin QB Brad Johnson floats a pass that John Lynch picks off, then proceeds to spike violently in front of the Bucs offense as the take the field!! Bucs respond with a TD drive, a dramatic Mike Alstott TD run where he started to the right, ran out of room, then ran back to the left to find open field. This cut the Redskin lead to 6, which Bucs overcame in the 4th quarter.
Worst Redskin Memory: Tied
1986 Preseason Doug Williams appears in Redskins uniform on sideline of Tampa Stadium to mixture of Boos and Cheers. Out of respect, Redskin Coach Joe Gibbs held Williams out of 1987 preseason, the year he won the Super Bowl!
2005 Playoffs- despite holding the Redskins to 120 total yards, the Bucs lost 17-10 by giving the Skins 14 early points in turnovers in the shocking 1st Qtr. QB Chris Simms was intercepted which led to a Washington TD, then a controversial call when Cadillac Williams fumbled and the ball was picked up by Dan Benning, who instead of being called down by contact, was ruled that he too fumbled, returned for a TD by Washington for an early 14-0 lead. In the end, Edell Shepard dropped a sure Tying TD pass from Chris Simms that was identical to the regular season version that he DID catch. Instead of tying the game, the Bucs top ranked Defense was never the same dominating Tampa Two again.
ALL-TIME SERIES – PRESEASON
The Bucs and Redskins have met 12 times in the preseason and all but three of those encounters were in Tampa. Washington leads the series, 7-5, and the Redskins have won the previous three matchups (2012, 2011, 2002). In 1999, the Bucs secured a 
16-13 win at then-Redskins Stadium to cap their first unbeaten preseason in 16 years. They followed it up with a close victory the next year, winning 13-12 in 2000. The first preseason contest between the two teams was on August 4, 1979, a 9- 7 Redskins win. Tampa Bay exacted some revenge a year later with an 11-6 home triumph. The Bucs also picked up wins in 1982 and 1987, with Washington notching victories in 1985, 1986 and 1997. Tampa Bay has met the Redskins in the preseason in six of their 10 playoff seasons.
ALL-TIME SERIES – REGULAR SEASON
Washington leads the all-time series 9-8 in the regular season, including the previous two meetings. Most recently, in 2012, the Redskins defeated the Buccaneers, 24-22, at Raymond James Stadium. Washington was also victorious the last time it hosted the Buccaneers, winning 16-10 in 2009. In 2007, Tampa Bay posted a
19-13 victory at Raymond James Stadium, and also prevailed with victories in 2005 and 2006. The two teams have also met twice during the postseason, with the Buccaneers rallying for a 14-13 victory in a 1999 NFC Divisional playoff game in Tampa, along with the 2005 NFC Wild Card meeting, which Washington won 17-10. The early part of the series was marked by streaks, with the Redskins winning the first four meetings followed by four consecutive victories for the Bucs. Washington’s 20-16 victory during the 1998 season snapped Tampa Bay’s win streak, which had occurred within a three-year span. The Redskins downed the Bucs, 20-17, in overtime at Washington in 2000 before the Bucs won, 35-13, at Washington in 2003. In 2004, the Redskins won, 16-10, in Head Coach Joe Gibbs’ first game back with the Redskins in Washington. Tampa
Bay won twice in 1994, and once in 1995 and 1996. Three of the victories came at Tampa Stadium – with the one road win a tough one for Washington. Tampa Bay’s 17-14 victory (12/18/94) capped the Redskins’ only winless season at RFK Stadium. The Redskins won the first-ever
meeting between the teams, 10-0, in 1977 in Tampa, and also beat the Bucs, 21-13, in 1982 en route to their first Super Bowl title.
LAST MEETING (PRESEASON)
Washington 30, Tampa Bay 12
Thursday, August 29, 2013
TAMPA – In the final game of the 2013 preseason, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hosted the Washington Redskins. The Buccaneers won the coin 
toss and elected to defer, giving the Redskins the ball first. Three plays into the drive, Washington quarterback Pat White connected with wide receiver Dezmon Briscoe on a 66-yard pass that was brought to the Tampa Bay four-yard line with the addition of a Buccaneers penalty. Two plays later, running back Evan Royster punched the ball into the end zone for the 7-0 Washington lead. On the ensuing kickoff, Tampa Bay kick returner Eric Page broke away from defenders on a 105-yard run, but the return was negated by penalty, and the Buccaneers were then forced to punt on the drive. Later in the first quarter, Redskins kicker Kai Forbath hit a 37-yard field goal, which was followed by a quick three-and-out from the Buccaneers. Redskins running back Chris Thompson extended the Washington lead to 17-0, taking the Bucanneers’ punt 69 yards for a touchdown. Tampa Bay put its first points on the board in the second quarter, as linebacker Najee Goode intercepted White and returned the ball 37 yards for the score, which stood at 17-6 following a missed extra point attempt. On a later drive, Buccaneers quarterback Mike Glennon fumbled the ball, which was recovered by the Redskins and turned into a 30-yard field goal by Forbath. Glennon was then intercepted on the next drive and Washington scored three plays later, making the score 27-6 at halftime. Tampa Bay opened the second half of play with a 30-yard field goal of its own, following a 65-yard drive which was aided by two Glennon passes of 20+ yards. Washington tacked on an additional Forbath field goal at the end of the third quarter, which was followed by Tampa Bay kicker Rian Lindell hitting a 50-yard field goal to bring the score to 30-12. The Buccaneers had another chance at a field goal late in the fourth quarter, but kicker Derek Dimke missed the 45-yarder and the Redskins then ran down the clock to end the game.
LAST METING (REGULAR SEASON)
Washington 24, Tampa Bay 22
Sunday,September 30, 2012
TAMPA – Depite overcoming an 18-point deficit to take the lead
late in the game, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were beaten by the visiting Washington Redskins, 24-22, with a last-second Washington field goal. After trading punts to open the game, the Buccaneers put up the first points of the day, when K Connor Barth cleared a 50-yard field goal for the 3-0 lead. The Redskins responded, with QB Robert Griffin III leading his team deep into Buccaneers territory. Tampa Bay S Mark Barron forced a Griffn fumble, but the ball was recovered by Washington in the end zone for the touchdown. In the second quarter, Washington K Billy Cundiff set up for a 41-yard field goal, but his attempt went wide right, keeping the score 7-3. However, on Tampa Bay’s following possession, QB Josh Freeman was picked off by Washington CB DeAngelo Hall, returning the ball to Griffin and the Redskins offense at the Buccaneers’ 35-yard line. Washington turned the interception into a scoring drive that ended with a 5-yard touchdown rush by Griffin. After holding the Buccaneers to a punt, the Redskins found their way to the end zone yet again, with a 39-yard run by RB Alfred Morris, giving Washington the 21-3 lead. The Buccaneers then drove over midfield, where Barth kicked a 57-yard field goal to bring the score to 21-6. Though Washington was able to drive into position for a field goal before halftime, Cundiff’s own 57-yard attempt was short, preserving the score at the break. Late in the third quarter, Freeman found WR Mike Williams on a deep pass for 65 yards, setting up a seven-yard touchdown pass to WR Vincent Jackson three plays later. With the game at 21-13 at the beginning of the fourth quarter, the Redskins drove to the Tampa Bay 13, where DT Gerald McCoy tackled Griffin on third-and-2, forcing a field goal attempt. Cundiff missed the 31-yarder, however, and the Buccaneers made the most of the error. Freeman hit Jackson on a 54-yard pass on the first play of the Tampa Bay series, and RB LeGarrette Blount punched the ball into the end zone two plays later for the touchdown. The Buccaneers attempted a two-point conversion, but the pass was incomplete, putting the score at 21-19. Later in the quarter, Tampa Bay took a one-point lead as Barth made his third field goal of the night, this time a 47-yard attempt. However, with less than two minutes left in the game, Washington was able to bring the ball within field goal range, and, despite earlier struggles, Cundiff was able to make his final kick, giving the Redskins the close victory.
PRESEASON SERIES HIGHLIGHTS
Mark Moseley kicks three field goals to lift the Redskins to a 9-7 win in Tampa (8/4/79)… The Bucs averaged 29 yards on five punts… ”We thought the punting was going to be atrocious, but it was worse,” head coach John McKay said… Tampa Bay rallies from 13-0 halftime deficit to beat eventual Super Bowl champion Washington 28-13 in Tampa (8/21/82)… QB Jerry Golsteyn completes 8 of 10 passes for 145 yards and three TDs… CB Darrell Green intercepts Steve DeBerg twice, including 42-yard TD return, in 20-7 Redskins win (8/30/85)… LB Scot Brantley paces Bucs with six tackles… DeBerg hits RB James Wilder on a 4-yard TD pass with 1:43 left, lifting the Bucs to a 17-10 victory (8/29/87) over the eventual Super Bowl champs… CB Bobby Futrell returns a punt 72 yards for a score… Third-string QB Shaun King hits fellow rookie WR Darnell McDonald on a three-yard TD pass with seven seconds left, lifting Tampa Bay to a 16-13 win over Washington at Redskins Stadium (9/3/99)… The victory capped an undefeated preseason campaign for the Bucs, their first since 1983… The Buccaneers struggled to convert on third down going 2-of-12 for a 17% conversion rate, and were unable to capitalize on scoring opportunities (8/4/00)… Martin Gramatica was unable to connect on field goals from 46 and 28 yards out, and the Buccaneers failed to convert a two-point conversion in the fourth quarter which would have put them ahead by one point… Turnovers played a major role in the 40-10 defeat at the hands of the Redskins at Raymond James Stadium (8/24/02)… Tampa Bay threw three interceptions and lost four fumbles, and the Redskins were able to capitalize on the opportunities… Tampa Bay overcame a 14-point halftime deficit, but fell to the Redskins 29-24 at FedExField in a closely contested preseason finale… QB Jonathan Crompton connected with RB Armando Allen, Jr. on a 20 yard touchdown pass with 2:07 remaining in the fourth quarter to take the lead, but the Redskins proceeded to drive down field for one last touchdown to seal the victory (9/1/11)…Tampa Bay committed three turnovers, two that led to touchdowns, and Washington defeated the Buccaneers 30-3 to close out the preseason (8/29/12)…Redskins RB Roy Helu led Washington’s offense with 90 yards on 15 carries and 2 touchdowns…
REGULAR SEASON SERIES HIGHLIGHTS
RB Mike Thomas scored on a six-yard TD run, lifting the Redskins to a 10-0 win in Tampa (10/9/77)… Washington limited the Bucs to 136 total yards… RB John Riggins rushed for 136 yards as Redskins won 21-13 in a driving Tampa rainstorm (9/19/82)… WR Kevin House caught four passes for 105 yards and one TD… Tampa Bay scored three TDs in the fourth quarter, but Redskins held on for 32-28 win at RFK Stadium (10/22/89)… CB Ricky Reynolds scored on a blocked punt return – the Bucs’ first special teams TD in 11 years… RB Errict Rhett racked up 192 rushing yards – the second-best performance in club history – leading Bucs to 26-21 win in Tampa (12/4/94)… QB Craig Erickson plunged in from one yard out for winning score with 32 seconds left… Rhett rushed for two TDs as Bucs earned season sweep with 17-14 win at RFK Stadium (12/18/94)… Rhett and rookie FB Mike Alstott combined for 164 yards on the ground en route to 24-10 Bucs win (12/8/96)… Washington rallied for 13 points in the final quarter to defeat the Buccaneers 20-16 at Jack Kent Cooke Stadium (12/19/98)… A pair of Buccaneers accomplished a rare feat in 2003 as both QB Brad Johnson and DE Simeon Rice won Player of the Week honors for their performances at Washington… Johnson, the NFC Offensive Player of the Week, passed for four touchdowns and 268 yards to compile a QB rating of 140.0… Rice, the NFC Defensive Player of the Week, totaled a career-high and club-record tying four sacks, along with one forced fumble and one fumble recovery (10/12/03)… CB Rondé Barber picked up a QB Mark Brunell fumble and returned it nine yards for a touchdown (9/12/04)… FB Mike Alstott’s decisive two-point conversion following two Redskins penalties with 58 seconds left in the game propelled Tampa Bay to a 36-35 victory (11/13/05)… Tampa Bay churned out 181 yards on the ground, including 122 rushing yards by RB Carnell “Cadillac” Williams, and scored 17 straight points to take control in the second half for a 20-17 victory (11/19/06)…Tampa Bay forced six turnovers, as Rondé Barber becomes the all-time interception leader in team history (32) and Earnest Graham has a one yard touchdown run as the Bucs finish off the Redskins 19-13 (11/25/07)… Tampa Bay CB Aqib Talib intercepted Redskins QB Jason Campbell three times, but it wasn’t enough as Washington came from behind to defeat the Buccaneers by a score of 16- 13 (10/4/09). Campbell threw for two touchdowns, while RB Clinton Portis rushed for 98 yards on 25 carries. Buccaneers WR Antonio Bryant caught four passes for 44 yards and a touchdown, but Washington erased a 10-point halftime defect to get to get the three-point victory…Despite overcoming an 18-point deficit to take a late one point lead, the Buccaneers fell to the Redskins, 24-22, on Redskins K Billy Cundiff’s last-second 41-yard field goal (9/30/12)…Redskins rookie RB Alfred Morris rushed for 113 yards and one touchdown, while QB Robert Griffin III added 323 yards passing and one rushing touchdown to lead the way for Washington
AGAINST THE OPPOSITION
Below are highlights of how selected Buccaneers have performed during their careers against the Washington Redskins.
S Mark Barron: Tallied eight tackles and a forced fumble against Washington (9/30/12)…
K Connor Barth: Has gone 6-of-6 in field goal attempts in two games against Washington (12/12/10;
9/30/12), including hitting a career-long 57 yard field goal in 2012.
LB Lavonte David: Recorded 14 tackles in a loss to Washington (9/30/12)…
LB Dane Fletcher: As a member of the New England Patriots, tallied a career-high 10 tackles, while also adding a special teams tackle in a win at Washington (12/11/11)…
LB Mason Foster: Registered 10 tackles against Washington (9/30/12)…
S Dashon Goldson: Recorded five tackles, one interception and one pass defensed as a member of the
San Francisco 49ers, in a win at Washington (11/6/11)…
WR Vincent Jackson: Made six catches for 100 yards and a touchdown in a loss to Washington (9/30/12)…
DE Michael Johnson: As a member of the Cincinnati Bengals, earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors after recording 3.0 sacks in a win at Washington (9/23/12)…
P Michael Koenen: Recorded a 64-yard punt against Washington (9/30/12), tied for the fifth-longest punt in franchise history…
QB Josh McCown: Replacing injured Chicago Bears starting QB Jay Cutler, McCown went 14-of-20 (70 pct.) for 204 yards and one touchdown, with a passer rating of 119.6 in a Bears loss at Washington (10/20/13)…
TE Brandon Myers: While playing with the New York Giants, caught five passes for 61 yards and a touchdown in a win at Washigton (12/1/13)…
CONNECTIONS- (For Connections, a 2-3 page list of all personnel for Bucs and Redskins who have something in common with the other, please check out the full GAME DAY PDF HERE)
WASHINGTON REDSKINS HEAD COACH JAY GRUDEN
Jay Gruden was named the 29th head coach of the Washington Redskins on January 9, 2014.
Excluding interim coaches, Gruden, 46, became the team’s youngest head coaching hire since hiring eventual Pro Football Hall of Famer Joe Gibbs at 40 years of age in 1981. He became the first Redskins coach hired directly from an offensive coordinator role on another team since Norv Turner in 1994.
Before joining the Redskins, Gruden spent his previous three seasons as offensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals. In his tenure in Cincinnati, the Bengals averaged 10 wins a season, making three consecutive playoff appearances and earning an AFC North championship in 2013. Members of the Bengals’ offense accounted for seven Pro Bowl selections in his three seasons in Cincinnati.
Gruden was tasked with the development of quarterback Andy Dalton, a 2011 second-round pick. In three seasons together, Gruden helped Dalton to a 30-18 regular season record as a starter (.625), as Dalton’s 30 wins in that time frame ranked tied for fifth-most among NFL quarterbacks. Dalton’s 80 passing touchdowns rank third-most in NFL history for a quarterback in his first three seasons, trailing only Dan Marino (98) and Peyton Manning (85).
Prior to joining the Bengals, Gruden served two years with the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League from 2009-10. In 2009, Gruden served as offensive coordinator under current Redskins defensive coordinator Jim Haslett as the Tuskers compiled a 6-0 regular season record and earned a UFL championship game berth. In 2010, he assumed the roles of head coach and general manager and led the Tuskers to their second consecutive championship game appearance.
Gruden coached for seven seasons (2002-08) with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, earning a Super Bowl championship ring as an offensive assistant in 2002. There he worked under his brother, Jon, then the Bucs’ head coach, and current Redskins Executive Vice President/General Manager Bruce Allen, the Bucs’ general manager from 2004-08. Gruden helped guide the Buccaneers to the team’s first league championship, a 48-21 victory in Super Bowl XXXVII.
Gruden also ranks among the most outstanding players and coaches in the history of the Arena Football League, having won six combined league championships – four as a quarterback and two as a head coach. Gruden played quarterback (2002-03) and served as head coach (2004-08) of the AFL’s Orlando Predators, all while simultaneously working as an offensive assistant with the Buccaneers. In all, Gruden served as head coach of the Predators for nine seasons (1998-2001 and 2004-08), leading the Predators to four championship game appearances and two league titles as a coach. During a two-year hiatus from coaching the Predators in 2002-03, he returned to the playing field as Orlando’s quarterback, leading the Predators to playoff appearances in both seasons.
In his eight seasons as a player in the AFL, Gruden completed 1,673-of-2,775 passes (60.3 percent) for 21,578 yards with 398 touchdowns and 99 interceptions. In addition to his time with Orlando, he spent six seasons (1991-96) at quarterback for the Tampa Bay Storm, winning four AFL titles and being named MVP of ArenaBowl VII in 1993. He was also named the 1992 AFL Most Valuable Player and was honored with induction into the AFL Hall of Fame in 1999.
Gruden played quarterback for four seasons for former Redskins draft pick Howard Schnellenberger at the University of Louisville (1985-88) and was a two-time team MVP.
Gruden was born March 4, 1967 in Tiffin, Ohio. He and his wife, Sherry, have three sons — J.J., Joey and Jack.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
