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Welcome to GAME DAY! I encourage you to download the .pdf game day link above, you wont find more information anywhere!
It’s week two, and Bucs offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford is back to work installing the offense for the week. There will be a different feel to the offense today, or at least there should be!
If the 4th quarter was any indication of it, the Bucs have some potential to move the ball and score. But how much of that was potential, and how much was desperation.
Some new players on defense give the Bucs a little hope that the change up will be for the better. No more excuses for the defensive line, without pressure this defense by Lovie Smith will not be able to stop opposing offenses, QBs will be able to pick open windows in coverage and keep the defense on the field even longer.
As we’ve seen, this Bucs offense needs to be on the field to get into a groove. ….and to score more than 14 points.
WHAT TO LOOK 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, three more to pass Winston Moss (10.5 from 1987-90) for seventh and five more to pass Kevin Murphy (12.0 from 1986-91) and Hugh Green (12.4 from 1981-85) for the fourth-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, three more to pass Scot Brantley (eight from 1980-87), four more to pass Cecil Johnson (nine from 1977- 85) and Richard Wood (nine from 1976-84) for third and five more to pass Dave Lewis (10 from 1977-81) for the second-most interceptions by a linebacker in franchise history.
LB Mason Foster
• Foster has two career interceptions returned for a touchdown this season 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.
WR Vincent Jackson
• Jackson has nine 100-yard receiving games as a Buccaneer, the fifth- most in franchise history. He needs three more to tie Joey Galloway (11 from 2004-08) for fourth-most, four more to tie Keyshawn Johnson (12 from 2000-03 – one in postseason) for third-most 100-yard receiving games in franchise history.
• Jackson has 15 receiving touchdowns as a Buccaneer and needs one more to tie Reidel Anthony (16 from 1997-2001) for 10th-most, two more to tie Gerald Carter (17 from 1981-87) and Keyshawn Johnson (17 from 2000-03) for eighth-most in franchise history.
RB Doug Martin
• Martin has 1,919 rushing yards as a Buccaneer and needs 21 more to pass LeGarrette Blount (1,939 from 2010-12) for the 10th-most and 137 more to pass Earnest Graham (2,047 from 2004-11) for ninth-most rushing yards in team history.
• 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 12 rushing touchdowns as a Buccaneer and needs one more to tie Doug Williams (13 from 1978-1982) and LeGarrette Blount (13 from 2010-12) for 10th-most, three more to tie Earnest Graham (15 from 2004- 11) and Lars Tate (15 from 1988-89) for eighth-most in franchise history.
DT Gerald McCoy
• McCoy has four career multi-sack games and needs one more to tie Chidi Ahanatou (five from 1993-2004) for the sixth-most, two more to tie David Logan (six from 1979-86) for fifth-most and three more to tie Broderick Thomas (seven from 1989-93) for fourth-most multi-sack games in franchise history.
• McCoy has 19.5 career sacks and needs one more to pass Anthony McFarland (20.0 from 1999-2006) for the fourth-most sacks by a defensive tackle in team history.
ALL TIME SERIES
The Rams lead the all-time regular season series 11-8, but Tampa Bay has knocked off St. Louis in six of the last nine regular season meetings. The Buccaneers have squared off against the Rams in Week 16 of their last two seasons, dropping each contest; 28-13 in Tampa in 2012, and 23-13 in St. Louis in 2013. Tampa Bay kept St. Louis scoreless in the second half to come back from an 11-point deficit and win 18-17 in 2010. The Bucs rallied for a wild 38-35 victory in Tampa in 2000, held off St. Louis in a 24-17 win in 2001 at the Dome at America’s Center and knocked off the Rams, 26-14, in Tampa in 2002 before St. Louis won in a closely contested 28-21 Monday Night Football matchup in 2004. The Buccaneers won at Raymond James Stadium by a score of 24-3 in 2007. St. Louis also owns victories over the Buccaneers in the 1979 and 1999 NFC Championship games, but in each occasion, the Buccaneers avenged their Championship Game loss with a downing of the Rams the following season in Tampa. Those paybacks included the thrilling 38-35 victory in 2000, one of the most memorable regular season games in team history. The Rams were the opponent the first time the Tampa Bay franchise ever took the field, for a preseason contest at the Los Angeles Coliseum (7/31/76) – L.A. won, 26-3. The Bucs first played the Rams in regular season action in 1977, a 31-0 Rams victory. After Los Angeles won again at home in 1978, the Bucs earned their first win of the series with a 21-6 victory in Tampa in 1979. But the Rams gained revenge later that season in the NFC title game. Tampa Bay won 10-9 the following season in a prime-time affair, but proceeded to lose six consecutive games to the Rams over an eight-year span. The Bucs ended that skid with a 24-14 win in Tampa (12/11/94). The Rams moved the following season.
LAST GAME
Carolina 20, Tampa Bay 14 (Sunday, September 7, 2014)
TAMPA – In the opening game of the 2014 regular season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers faced off against the division-rival Carolina Panthers, but, despite an active fourth quarter, the Buccaneers were unable to overcome a slow start and fell, 20-14. Tampa Bay’s defense held strong on the opening drive, with defensive tackle Gerald McCoy stopping running back Mike Tolbert on third-and-1 to force a punt. With the offense on the field, Tampa Bay converted a big third down as rookie tight end Austin Seferian- Jenkins nabbed a pass for 29 yards on third-and-9, but the Buccaneers were unable to sustain the drive and also punted. Carolina’s next punt set Tampa Bay up at its own five-yard line, where fullback Jorvorskie Lane took the ball 54 yards on the first play from scrimmage. Unfortunately for the Buccaneers, quarterback Josh McCown’s next pass was intercepted by cornerback Antoine Cason, returning possession to the Panthers, who parlayed the pick into seven points following a touchdown pass from quarterback Derek Anderson to tight end Greg Olsen. Before halftime, the Panthers were able to extend their lead to 10-0 with a 28-yard field goal by kicker Graham Gano. The teams traded punts to open the second half of play, but Tampa Bay’s subsequent drive was prematurely ended with a second interception, as safety Roman Harper picked off McCown. Carolina
then upped the score to 17-0 following a 26-yard touchdown pass from Anderson to wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin. After another punt by Tampa Bay, Carolina’s Gano attempted a 48-yard field goal on the team’s next drive, but the kick went wide right. Late in the fourth quarter, Tampa Bay looked for a late comeback, putting together two late touchdown drives. First McCown put together a 62-yard drive where he found wide receiver Chris Owusu on a 19-yard touchdown pass, putting the score at 17-7. Next, McCoy forced a Carolina punt with a sack on third down, and Buccaneers return man Solomon Patton brought the punt back 33 yards to the Carolina 39. Tampa Bay then drove down the field and put the game within one possession after McCown scrambled 13 yards to set up a six- yard touchdown pass to running back Bobby Rainey right before the two- minute warning. With the score now 17-14, Tampa Bay’s defense nearly came up with a timely interception, but despite missing that chance, the unit forced a punt. The Buccaneers took possession of the ball with 1:36 left on the clock, but a Rainey fumble forced by linebacker Luke Kuechly was recovered by Carolina at the Tampa Bay 23, which led to a 33-yard field goal by Gano four plays later, giving Carolina the 20-14 victory.
LAST MEETING OF TWO TEAMS
St. Louis 23, Tampa Bay 13 (December 22, 2013)
ST. LOUIS – The Tampa Bay Buccaneers faced the St. Louis Rams in Week 16, falling 23-13 on the road. Both teams went three-and-out on their opening possessions, but the Buccaneers were first to score following two key receptions by wide receiver Vincent Jackson, one for 22 yards on second-and-9 and one for 30 yards on third-and-10, keeping the drive alive and allowing running back Bobby Rainey to score on a one-yard rush, giving Tampa Bay the 7-0 lead. St. Louis responded on the ensuing drive, going 80 yards in 13 plays and finishing with a one-yard touchdown rush by running back Zac Stacy. Tampa Bay then turned the ball over on a Rainey fumble that was recovered by St. Louis defensive end William Hayes at the Buccaneers’ 27-yard line. On the first play from scrimmage, wide receiver Stedman Bailey took the ball 27 yards for a second Rams touchdown, putting the game at 14-7, St. Louis. After a Tampa Bay punt, St. Louis converted a third-and-10 to extend its drive, reaching the two-yard line, where Buccaneers defensive end Adrian Clayborn forced quarterback Kellen Clemens to fumble. Defensive back Keith Tandy recovered the ball, ending the scoring threat and giving the Buccaneers possession at the Tampa Bay 4. However, the Buccaneers were forced to punt after quarterback Mike Glennon was sacked on third down. The Rams took over at the Tampa Bay 38, but Stacey then fumbled, which was recovered by linebacker Lavonte David. The Buccaneers traveled to the St. Louis 9, but consecutive sacks of Glennon forced a field goal attempt. Kicker Rian Lindell’s 35-yarder was good, and Tampa Bay went into halftime down four points, 14-10. The Buccaneers defense forced a Rams punt to open the second half. When Tampa Bay’s offense took the field, Glennon successfully converted a fourth-and-inches situation and the Buccaneers scored five plays later on a 32-yard Lindell field goal. Tampa Bay then attempted an onside kick, but the ball went out of bounds before it was able to be recovered. St. Louis added a 54-yard field goal by kicker Greg Zuerlein to cap off the next drive, making the score 17-13. The Buccaneers punted on their next possession, and the Rams tacked on another three points, this time with a 25-yard field goal by Zuerlein. On Tampa Bay’s next drive, Glennon was sacked and fumbled the ball, which St. Louis turned into a third Zuerlein field goal for the 23-13 lead. With just over three minutes left in the game, the Buccaneers were unable to sustain their drive, turning the ball over on downs following consecutive sacks of Glennon on third and fourth down. The Rams then also turned the ball over on downs, but, left deep in their own territory with only 45 seconds to play, the Buccaneers could not overcome their deficit and the game ended on the 23-13 score.
SERIES HIGHLIGHTS
If you follow Bucstop.com regularly, you know about Bucs/Rams history. Here is some more depth into that!
QB Pat Haden throws for two TDs, leading Rams to 31-0 win at the Los Angeles Coliseum (11/6/77)… RB Ricky Bell runs for 104 yards and one score, but five Bucs turnovers lead to 26-23 loss (11/5/78)… DE Lee Roy Selmon paces dominant defensive effort with two sacks in 21-6 Bucs win (9/23/79)… Frank Corral boots three FGs (19, 21, 23), leading Rams to 9-0 win in NFC title game in Tampa (1/6/80)… QB Doug Williams scores on one-yard run with 57 seconds left, lifting Bucs to 10-9 win (9/11/80)… The game was televised on ABC, Tampa Bay’s first prime-time telecast… Rams RB Eric Dickerson scampers 42 yards for a score in overtime, handing Los Angeles a 26-20 victory (10/5/86)… Dickerson carries 30 times for 207 yards… Rams rally from 27-3 halftime deficit to win 31-27 (12/6/92)… Rams QB Jim Everett throws for 342 yards and three TDs… Bucs take a 6-5 lead into the final five minutes of the 1999 NFC Championship Game in St. Louis, only to see QB Kurt Warner hit WR Ricky Proehl with a game-winning, 30- yard touchdown pass just inbounds (1/23/00)… The Bucs hard-tackling defense intercepts Warner three times, limits RB Marshall Faulk to 49 combined yards and holds St. Louis three touchdowns below their regular- season average in the losing effort… RB Warrick Dunn scores his third rushing touchdown of the game with 48 seconds remaining as Tampa Bay rallies for a 38-35 win at home (12/18/00) in a game that features seven lead changes… After the Rams had stormed back from a 10-point deficit to grab a 35-31 lead, QB Shaun King drives the Bucs 80 yards
on 13 plays for the game-winning score on a one-yard run by Dunn… S John Lynch seals the victory with an interception of Rams QB Kurt Warner, his third of the game, with less than 30 seconds remaining… Tampa Bay’s defense posts five sacks and four interceptions, including a 39-yard interception return for a touchdown by LB Derrick Brooks with 59 seconds remaining, to give head coach Jon Gruden his first victory at Raymond James Stadium with a 26-14 win over the Rams on Monday Night Football (9/23/02)… DE Simeon Rice drops into pass coverage and snares his second career interception… CB Brian Kelly intercepts a QB Kurt Warner pass and returns it 31 yards to the Rams’ one-yard line, setting up FB Mike Alstott’s two-yard touchdown run for a 19-7 lead two plays later. RB Earnest Graham rushed eight times for 75 yards and two touchdowns as the Buccaneers knocked off the St. Louis Rams by a score of 24-3 at Raymond James Stadium (9/23/07)… RB Carnell Williams added a rushing score as Tampa Bay’s defense held the Rams’ offense to just 252 total yards of offense… The Buccaneers offense averaged 5.9 yards per carry in a narrow 18-17 win in Tampa (10/24/10)… WRs Mike Williams and Vincent Jackson both caught seven passes for over 100 receiving yards each, while QB Josh Freeman totaled 372 passing yards but four interceptions in a 28-13 loss (12/23/12)… The Rams managed to top the Buccaneers behind a defense that limited Tampa Bay to 170 total yards and recorded seven sacks, including three by DE Robert Quinn (12/22/13)
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