Bucs at Redskins is really not a rivalry, nor has it ever been one in Bucs history. There were times when the Bucs would play the Skins often, sometimes twice a year, back during the NFLs old scheduling system. Then there was the 1999 playoff game that featured one of the best Mike Alstott TD runs and overall Bucs comebacks of all time. Which is my tie in to todays Bucs.
In that 1999 game, but trailed 3-0 at half. Redskins took the 2nd half kickoff and returned it for a TD and a 10-0 lead. It would soon become 13-0 and obvious rookie QB Shawn King was over his head.
Then, Redskin QB Brad Johnson floated a pass that was intercepted by John Lynch. Here is the kicker: Lynch Spiked the ball right in front of the Bucs offense as they were coming onto the field! He got in their face, without words challenged them.
That very drive the Bucs scored a TD, and scored one more late for a 14-13 divisional playoff win and a date with the Greatest Show on Turf that the Bucs would lose on the road 11-5. There is NO ONE on this defense that can do what John Lynch did, save maybe Gerald McCoy or Lavonte David. To run the Tampa Two, you need a John Lynch, and no I don’t mean his hard hitting as that won’t work anymore in the NFL. But his ball hawking skills. That man was always around the Ball! Its hard to remember how many games ended on a Lynch interception.
Bucs fans watching this game, keep your eyes on the young players. Some of these guys are the future of the Bucs. The Mcdougalls, the Smiths, the young players you really don’t know, who are playing hungrier than Mark Barron was.
Watch the offense, as players like Mike Evans and Austin Sefarian-Jenkins take on more of a leadership role, as the offense seems to be the side that has more of its parts in place for the future. Other than QB of course.
Charles Sims is now about to play in his second game now, so first game jitters are behind him. Vincent Jackson will be making a case for the Bucs to hold onto him for the next year, proving his worth for his salary. And kicker Patrick Murray is quietly approaching the record books as he nails 50+ yard FGs like he’s Iggy or something.
Remember, be patient. Don’t worry about who on the bucs told you what, this is a rebuilding process, and if you don’t like rebuilding processes, stop calling for coaching changes.
THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR…
LB Lavonte David
• David has 8.0 career sacks, and needs two more to pass Hardy Nickerson
(9.0 from 1993-99) for eighth-most sacks by a linebacker in franchise history.
• David has six career interceptions, and needs two more to pass Hardy
Nickerson (seven from 1993-99) for sixth-most interceptions by a
linebacker in franchise history.
WR Mike Evans
• Evans has caught at least four passes in all eight games he has played
this season. If he catches at least four passes at Washington, he will
be first Buccaneers rookie to ever record at least four receptions in nine
staight games and will tie Keenan McCardell for the fourth-longest streak in
franchise history (nine games: 10/26/03 vs. Dallas-12/20/03 vs. Atlanta).
• Evans has recorded consecutive games with 100+ receiving yards. If
he records 100 or more receiving yards at Washington, he will be the first
Buccaneer to do so since Antonio Bryant (three consecutive: 12/8/08
at Carolina-12/21/08 vs. San Diego). Bryant also recorded at least one
touchdown reception in each of those games, a feat which Evans could
match with a touchdown reception at Washington.
• Evans has recorded a touchdown in each of his last two games. With a
touchdown reception at Washington, he will be the first Buccaneers rookie
to record at least one touchdown reception in three consecutive games
since Mike Williams (12/19/10 vs. Detroit-1/2/11 at New Orleans).
• Evans has at least seven receptions in each of his past two games. With
seven or more receptions against Washington, he can become the first
Buccaneer to do so in at least three consecutive games since Keyshawn
Johnson (three consecutive: 12/2/01 at Cincinnati-12/16/01 at Chicago).
• Evans has five receiving touchdowns this season and with two more
can tie Michael Clayton (seven in 2004) for the second-most receiving
touchdowns by a rookie in team history.
• Evans has 585 receiving yards and needs 49 more to pass Horace Copeland
(633 in 1993) for fourth-most receiving yards by a rookie in team history.
• Evans has two 100-receiving yard games this season and, with one
more, can pass Michael Clayton (two in 2004) and Horace Copeland (two
in 1993) for the most 100-receiving yard games by a Buccaneers rookie.
LB Mason Foster
• Foster has two career interceptions returned for a touchdown and, with
one more, can tie CB Wayne Haddix (three from 1990-91), CB Aqib Talib
(three from 2008-12) and CB Mike Washington (three from 1976-1984) for
the third-most interceptions returned for a touchdown in franchise history.
QB Mike Glennon
• Glennon has 29 career passing touchdowns and needs three more to tie QB Brian
Griese (32 from 2004-08) for the eighth-most passing touchdowns in franchise history
• Glennon has 4,025 passing yards and needs 40 more to pass QB Shaun King
(4,064 from 1999-03) for the 10th-most passing yards in franchise history.
WR Vincent Jackson
• Jackson has 10 100-receiving yard games as a Buccaneer, the fifth-most in
franchise history. He needs one more to tie Joey Galloway (11 from 2004-08)
for fourth-most and two more to tie Keyshawn Johnson (12 from 2000-03 – one
in postseason) for third-most 100-yard receiving games in franchise history.
• Jackson has 17 receiving touchdowns as a Buccaneer and needs one
more to pass Gerald Carter (17 from 1981-87) and Keyshawn Johnson (17
from 2000-03) for eighth-most in franchise history.
LB Danny Lansanah
• Lansanah has two interceptions returned for a touchdown this season
and, with one more, can tie LB Derrick Brooks (three in 2002) and CB Wayne
Haddix (three in 1990) for the most in a single season in franchise history.
• Lansanah has two career interceptions returned for a touchdown and,
with one more, can tie CB Wayne Haddix (three from 1990-91), CB Aqib Talib
(three from 2008-12) and CB Mike Washington (three from 1976-1984) for
the third-most interceptions returned for a touchdown in franchise history.
RB Doug Martin
• Martin has six 100-yard rushing games as a Buccaneer and needs one
more to tie Mike Alstott (seven from 1996-06), LeGarrette Blount (seven
from 2010-12) and Reggie Cobb (seven from 1990-93) for seventh-most
100-yard rushing games in franchise history.
• Martin has 13 rushing touchdowns as a Buccaneer and needs one more
to pass Doug Williams (13 from 1978-1982) and LeGarrette Blount (13 from
2010-12) for 10th-most, two more to tie Earnest Graham (15 from 2004-11)
and Lars Tate (15 from 1988-89) for eighth-most in franchise history.
QB Josh McCown
• McCown threw for 301 yards and two touchdowns against Atlanta. With
300 or more passing yards and two or more touchdowns at Washington, he
can become the fifth quarterback in team history to do so in consecutive
games, and the first since Josh Freeman (10/14/12 vs. Kansas City-
10/21/14 vs. New Orleans). Freeman was also the last Buccaneers passer
to throw for 300 yards in consecutive games.
DT Gerald McCoy
• McCoy has five career multi-sack games and needs one more to tie
David Logan (six from 1979-1986) for the fifth-most in franchise history
and the third-most by a defensive tackle in team history.
K Patrick Murray
• Murray has connected on four field goals of at least 50 yards on the
season. With one more he can tie Martin Gramatica (five in 2000 & 2002)
for the second-most field goals of 50 or more yards in a single season in
franchise history.
TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins
• Seferian-Jenkins has two touchdown receptions this season and, with
one more, can tie Calvin Magee for the second-most by a rookie tight end
in franchise history (three in 1985).
PR/KR Marcus Thigpen
• Thigpen had a 53-yard punt return against Atlanta. With a return of
50 or more yards against Washington, he can become the second player
in team history to record consecutive games with 50+ yard punts (Karl
Williams: 72 yards, 12/15/1996 at Minnesota-88 yards, 12/22/1996, vs.
Chicago).
NOTES FROM LAST GAME
– On the Buccaneers opening drive, the team held the ball for 8:36, their
longest drive of the season and the longest since playing at St. Louis
in 2012 (12/23/12), The drive consisted of 17 plays, the most by a
Buccaneers scoring drive this season and their most since an 18-play
drive against Atlanta last season (10/20/13) and the most in a game-
opening drive in the NFL this season. The drive culminated in a 51-yard
field goal by K Patrick Murray
.
– Murray has four field goals of 50 or more yards on the season, tying Rian
Lindell (2013) for the fourth-most in a single season in team history.
– With the Falcons facing first-and-goal in the second quarter, DT
Clinton
McDonald
recorded his second sack of the season, dropping Falcons QB
Matt Ryan
for a seven-yard loss. It was brings his career total to 7.5. The
drive ended with an Atlanta field goal.
– With 2:31 remaining in the first half, Tampa Bay drove 86 yards,
culminating in a 22-yard touchdown reception by WR Mike Evans
from QB Josh McCown
. The touchdown pass was the third of the year for McCown.
The touchdown reception was Evans’ fifth of the year.
– Evans finished the game with seven catches for a career-high 125 yards,
along with a touchdown. He now ranks fifth in receiving yards by a rookie
with 585 and tied for third in receiving touchdowns by rookie with five in
Buccaneers history.
– Evans is the first rookie in Buccaneers history to post consecutive
100-receiving yard games. He is the first Buccaneer to post 100 or
more receiving yards and one or more touchdowns in consecutive
games since Vincent Jackson last season (two games: 10/13/13 v.
Philadelphia-10/20/13 at Atlanta) and is only the fifth player in franchise
history to accomplish the feat (Jackson, Antonio Bryant, Mark Carrier (2x)
and Kevin House).
– Evans has caught at least four passes in each of his first eight games
played. He is the first Buccaneer to have at least eight consecutive games
with four or more receptions since Kellen Winslow (11 consecutive: 11/8/09
vs. Green Bay-9/19/10 at Carolina) and matches Michael Clayton’s mark
for the most consecutive games with at least four receptions by a rookie
(eight consecutive: 10/3/04 vs. Denver-11/28/04 at Carolina).
– WR
Vincent Jackson
recorded a season-high eight catches in the game,
the most he has had since tying a career high with 10 against Atlanta
last season (11/17/13). Jackson finished the game with eight receptions
for 75 yards.
– In the third quarter of the game, WR
Marcus Thigpen returned a punt 53 yards, the longest by a Buccaneer since Michael Spurlock’s 77-yard return
for a TD in 2009 (12/27/09 at New Orleans).
– Following Thigpen’s punt return, the Buccaneers drove 34 yards in
eight plays, capping the drive off with a one-yard touchdown reception
by TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins. It was Seferian-Jenkins’ second career
touchdown reception. He had a career-high five receptions for 30 yards
and the touchdown.
– McCown finished the game completing 27-of-43 passes for 301 yards
with two touchdowns, to go along with 39 rushing yards. McCown’s 301
passing yards are a season high and his 39 rushing yards are the most by
a Buccaneers quarterback since Josh Johnson in 2011 (45 rushing yards
vs. Carolina, 12/4/11).
– LB
Lavonte David
led all players with 14 total tackles, matching a
season high. David entered the game leading the league in solo tackles,
while ranking second in total tackles. David has posted 14 tackles in four
of his past five games.
The Buccaneers converted 12 third downs in the game, matching the
most in a single game in franchise history. The team’s conversion rate of
70.6 (12-17) ranks third in team history.
The Buccaneers totaled a season-high 373 yards in the game, the most
they have had since recording 410 against Atlanta in 2013 (11/17/13).
The team’s 23 total first downs are also a season high and match the
most since that contest vs. Atlanta.
– RB
Charles Sims
made his NFL debut in the game, finishing the contest
with eight carries for 23 yards and two receptions for 17 yards.
– DE
Jacquies Smith
made his first career start in the game
LAST GAME RECAP- Atlanta 27, Tampa Bay 17 (Sunday, November 9, 2014)
– Facing the Atlanta Falcons in the division rivalry’s second
meeting of the year, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers fell, 27-17. The Buccaneers
offense took the field with quarterback Josh McCown under center and
drove to the Atlanta 33, where kicker Patrick Murray completed a 51-
yard field goal to put Tampa Bay up 3-0. The Falcons responded quickly,
moving into Buccaneers territory, where a defensive pass interference
call on third-and-5 from the Tampa Bay 11 set Atlanta up for a one-yard
touchdown rush by running back Steven Jackson to give the Falcons a
7-3 lead at the end of the first quarter. Following a Tampa Bay punt, the
Falcons were able to tack on an additional three points when kicker Matt
Bryant connected on a 37-yard field goal after a near-touchdown pass on
third-and-19 was dropped. After trading punts, Tampa Bay bounced back
with an 86-yard drive that was capped off by a 22-yard touchdown pass
from McCown to wide receiver Mike Evans, tying the game at 10-10 with
under a minute left before the break. The Falcons, however, managed to
take a 13-10 lead as the quarter expired, as wide receiver Devin Hester
returned the Tampa Bay kickoff 48 yards, setting up a 43-yard Bryant
field goal six plays later. To open the second half of play, Atlanta drove to
the Tampa Bay 31, but linebacker Lavonte David stopped Hester short of
converting on third down, forcing the Falcons to settle for another Bryant
field goal – this time of 44 yards – and the 16-10 lead. On the following
Tampa Bay drive, the Buccaneers drove across midfield, but a fumble,
forced by Falcons defensive end Malliciah Goodman, was recovered by
defensive end Stansly Maponga, turning the ball over to Atlanta. However,
Tampa Bay was able to force a three-and-out and wide receiver Marcus
Thigpen fielded the punt and weaved his way through defenders for a
53-yard return to the Atlanta 34. The Buccaneers were able to turn the
favorable field position into points, driving down field and scoring on a
one-yard touchdown from McCown to tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins
and giving Tampa Bay a 17-16 lead. The Falcons responded in kind on
the ensuing drive, however, driving 65 yards in 10 plays and scoring on
a five-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Matt Ryan to wide receiver
Roddy White. Atlanta then successfully completed a two-point conversion,
making the score 24-17 in the fourth quarter. After a short Buccaneers
punt, Atlanta drove to the Tampa Bay 24, where Bryant kicked a 33-yard
field goal to extend the Falcons lead to 27-17. The Buccaneers then put
together a drive that reached the Atlanta 5, but, at just under the two-
minute warning, McCown was picked off in the end zone by safety Dwight
Lowery, ending the scoring threat. Despite forcing the Falcons to punt,
getting the ball back with 1:29 left to play, the Buccaneers’ hopes for a
late comeback ended after a deep pass on fourth-and-17 was intercepted
at the Atlanta 9, allowing the Falcons to re-take possession and run out
the remaining time.
HISTORY: SERIES HIGHLIGHTS!
TAMPA BAY VS. WASHINGTON
7
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 – then 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… Recording their fifth fourth-quarter comeback of the year,
Tampa Bay marched back from an early deficit to defeat the Redskins
17-16 in Washington (12/12/10)… Despite 100-yard receiving games
from WRs
Vincent Jackson
and
Mike Williams
, the Redskins topped the
Buccaneers on a
Billy Cundiff
field goal as time expired, winning 24-22
in Tampa (9/30/12)…
SERIES HIGHLIGHTS
Below are highlights of how select Buccaneers have performed during
their careers against the Washington Redskins:
LB
Lavonte David
: Recorded 14 tackles and a career-high three tackles
for loss (9/30/12).
S
Dashon Goldson
: Tallied five tackles, one pass defensed and an
interception in a win as a member of the San Francisco 49ers (11/6/11).
WR Vincent Jackson
: Caught six passes for 100 yards and one touchdown
(9/30/12).
DE
Michael Johnson
: Earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week in Week
3 of 2012 (9/23/12) after recording three sacks as a member of the
Cincinnati Bengals.
QB
Josh McCown
: Completed 14-of-20 passes for 204 yards and one
touchdown as a member of the Chicago Bears (10/20/13), entering the
game in place of injured starter Jay Cutler.
TE
Brandon Myers
: Caught five passes for 61 yards and one touchdown
in 24-17 victory (12/1/13) as a member of the New York Giants.
CONNECTIONS!!
TAMPA BAY VS. WASHINGTON
FORMER BUCCANEERS
JAY GRUDEN: WASHINGTON REDSKINS HEAD COACH
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
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