Game Information
UPDATE: JOSH FREEMAN WILL START
Date: Sunday, December 11, 2011
Kickoff: 1:00 p.m. ET
Site: EverBank Field (67,246)
2011 Records: Tampa Bay 4-8, Jacksonville 3-9 Network Television: FOX
Play-by-Play: Sam Rosen, Analyst: Chad Pennington
Bucs Radio: US 103.5, flagship station (103.5 FM, 620 AM) Play-by-Play: Gene Deckerhoff, Analyst: Dave Moore, Sideline: T.J. Rives Last Game: Tampa Bay lost vs. Carolina, 38-19; Jacksonville lost vs. San Diego, 38-14
Niko’s Take
There are many ways to look at this game, it could be considered the first bowl game in the “FireRaheemMorris.com Bowl”, and thats no joke to the hard working Buccaneers who desperately want to win to save even the chance of Raheem Morris’ job as Head Coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
But facts are facts, and the Bucs under Morris have lost 6 in a row, and are one of the worst defenses in the franchise’s history as well as the NFL. The Bucs cant tackle, and on offense, may be without their NO.1 weapon Josh Freeman. IF Freeman doesnt start today, Josh Johnson will try to prove that he belongs as a starter in the NFL.
Raheem Morris has a winning record in December with the Bucs, and wants to keep that very important month in good standing. Aqib Talib WONT dress today, so the Bucs will start the kids, Gaitor, and Ahmad Black. Ronde Barber started out this way, and fans who wanted to throw Elbert Mack to the wolves last year should see an improved Mack in 2011, and the same could be in store for E.J. Biggers, who will start today for Talib.
The Bucs have pride to fight for, and a possible break even record, which would really be something if they pull it off considering. The Bucs best chance is their 16th ranked offense, which will feature less Kregg Lumpkin, and more Mossis Madu today. All eyes will be on Jacksonville’s Maurice Jones Drew who could have a big day, but if not, could fuel the Tampa Bay Defense for a big day. Adrian Clayborn will try to add on to his sack total which is now leading anyone from last year (Stylez G White’s 4.5), and Da’Quan Bowers continues to push Michael Bennett towards the bench.
Prediction: Tampa Bay 24 Jacksonville 20 
WHAT TO LOOK FOR…..
– CB Ronde Barber
• With 27.0 career sacks, Barber needs six more to tie Brad Culpepper (33.0 sacks from 1994-99) for sixth-most sacks in team history.
– RB LeGarrette Blount
• Blount has 10 career rushing touchdowns and needs one more to surpass Michael Pittman (10 touchdowns from 2002-07) for the 11th-most rush- ing touchdowns in team history.
• Blount has 1,670 rushing yards and needs 175 more to surpass Jerry Eckwood (1,845 yards from 1979-81,) for the 10th-most rushing yards in team history.
• With three 100-yard rushing games, Blount needs one more to tie for the sixth-most 100-yard rushing games in a single season in team history.
– P Michael Koenen
• Koenen has 21 punts inside the 20 and needs two more to tie Reggie Roby (23 in 1995) and Ray Criswell (23 from 1987-88) for the ninth-most punts inside the 20 in team history.
– WR Mike Williams
• Williams has 14 career receiving touchdowns and needs one more to surpass Morris Owens (14 touch- downs from 1976-79) and Keenan McCardell (14 touchdowns from 2002-03) to tie for the ninth-most receiving touchdowns in team history.
– TE Kellen Winslow
• Winslow has 199 career receptions with the Buc- caneers and needs 11 more to pass Ron Hall (209 receptions from 1987-93) for the second-most re- ceptions by a tight end in team history.
• Winslow has 12 career touchdowns with the Buc- caneers and needs two more to tie WR Morris Owens (14 touchdowns from 1976-79) and Keenan McCa- rdell (14 touchdowns from 2002-03) for the 10th- most receiving touchdowns in team history.
• With 569 yards receiving this season, Winslow needs 11 more yards to surpass Jimmie Giles (579 yards in 1979) for seventh-most receiving yards among tight ends in a single season.
• With 56 receptions this season, Winslow needs six more receptions to surpass Jackie Harris (62 recep- tions in 1995) for third-most receptions among tight ends in a single season.
– K Connor Barth
• Barth has made 13 consecutive field goals and needs three more to tie Martin Gramatica (16 field goals from 10/9/10-12/3/00) and Michael Husted (16 field goals from 11/19/95-9/22/96) for most consecutive field goals made in team history.
All-Time Series
The Buccaneers and Jaguars meet for just the fifth time in the regular sea- son. Jacksonville leads the series 3-1, with Tampa Bay winning the inaugural meeting between the clubs with a 17-16 victory in Tampa in 1995. Jackson- ville claimed each of the last three contests, winning two in Jacksonville: a 29-24 win at in 1998 and a 17-10 victory in 2003, and the last meeting, a 24-23 win in Tampa in 2007. The teams have faced off recently during the preseason, with exhibition contests in each of the last nine seasons (2002- 10). The Jaguars downed the Buccaneers, 19-13 in preseason action August 28, 2010 in Jacksonville.
SERIES BY THE NUMBERS
Overall Regular Season Series: …………….. Jacksonville leads series, 3-1
Home Record vs. Jacksonville Jaguars:…………………………………..1-1
Road Record vs. Jacksonville Jaguars:……………………………………0-2
Current Streak:……………………………Jaguars, three games (1998-2007)
Buccaneers Longest Streak:………………………………..One game (1995)
Jaguars Longest Streak: ………………………….Three games (1998-2007)
Regular Season Point Total:………………….. Buccaneers 74 – Jaguars 86
Most Points, Buccaneers:………………………….24, Jaguars 29-24 (1998)
Most Points, Jaguars: ………………………………29, Jaguars 29-24 (1998)
Most Points, both teams: ………………………….53, Jaguars 29-24 (1998)
Fewest Points, Buccaneers: ………………………10, Jaguars 17-10 (2003)
Fewest Points, Jaguars:……………………… 16, Buccaneers 17-16 (1995)
Fewest Points, both teams: ………………………27, Jaguars 17-10 (2003)
LAST MEETING
Jacksonville 24, Tampa Bay 23 (Oct. 28, 2007) TAMPA – Despite outgaining its instate rivals by a 385-219 margin and limiting the Jaguars to 86 pass- ing yards, Tampa Bay fell for the first time this season at Raymond James Stadium. The Buccaneers took a 3-0 lead on their first possession on K Matt Bry- ant’s 44-yard FG, but the Jaguars scored the next 17 points to take a 17-3 lead on RB LaBrandon Toefield’s one-yard TD run, a 41-yard FG by K John Carney and a 28-yard INT return for a TD by CB Aaron Glenn. The interception by Glenn snapped QB Jeff Garcia’s consecutive passes streak without an interception at 217 attempts in the regular season, dating back to last season. Trailing by two touchdowns with just over seven minutes remaining in the second quar- ter, the Buccaneers reeled off 20 unanswered points. Three plays after his interception, Garcia hit WR Joey Galloway for a 58-yard TD pass and the Buccaneers closed the gap to 17-13 just before halftime as Bry- ant connected on a 22-yard FG. Tampa Bay regained the lead at 20-17 late in the third quarter as RB Mi- chael Bennett took a lateral from Garcia in the flat and raced 19 yards for his first TD as a Buccaneer. Following a three-and-out on the Jaguars next pos- session, WR Maurice Stovall deflected a Jacksonville punt to set up a Bryant 42-yard FG for a 23-17 Buc- caneers lead. Jacksonville responded on its next pos- session as QB Quinn Gray found WR Matt Jones for an eight-yard TD pass and a 24-23 Jacksonville lead with 11:37 remaining in the contest. Following two scoreless possessions by each team, Tampa Bay be- gan its final drive with 1:43 remaining at its own 34-yard line. Facing a fourth-and-10 at the Jaguars 45-yard line, Garcia hit WR Ike Hilliard over the mid- dle but the ball was jarred loose and intercepted to secure the Jaguars win.
SERIES HIGHLIGHTS
The first game in the series took place at Clemson’s Memorial Stadium, and the Buccaneers came away with a 20-13 victory, despite a strong effort from the expansion Panthers (10/1/95)… Carolina actually outgained Tampa Bay 393-310, but were victimized by a John Booty interception and three lost fumbles… QB Casey Weldon subbing for an injured Trent Dilfer, provided the winning points in the fourth quarter with a one-yard TD… Tampa Bay allowed just 215 total yards, but it was Carolina’s defense that did in the Bucs in a 24-0 shutout in a driving rain at Ericsson Stadium (12/1/96)… Panthers DE Shawn King sacked Dilfer, forced a fumble and returned the fumble 12 yards for a score… Two Tampa Bay interceptions led to Carolina touchdowns in the second half… QB Trent Dilfer rallied Tampa Bay to two touchdowns in the last five minutes in a tight 16-13 win over Carolina at Raymond James Stadium (10/18/98)… Tampa Bay K Martin Gramatica connected on all four of his field goal attempts, including a game-winning 47- yard field goal with five seconds remaining, to lift the Buccaneers to a 12-9 win at Ericsson Stadium (10/27/02)… A tenacious Bucs defense forced four turnovers and held the Panthers to a season-low 130 total yards… Tampa Bay’s defense produced four turnovers and four sacks in a 23-10 win over Carolina at home, giving Tampa Bay its best start in team history at 8-2 (11/17/02)… QB Brad Johnson threw touchdown strikes to WR Keyshawn Johnson (23 yards) and WR Keenan McCardell (36 yards) at Carolina (11/9/03)… Tampa Bay set an NFL record with a sack in its 69th consecutive game… CB Tim Wansley recorded two INTs, one for a touchdown ,in the game… In a 21-14 loss, WR Michael Clayton broke the all-time record for receiving yards in a season by a rookie, surpassing WR Lawrence Dawsey (11/28/04)… WR Michael Clayton set the rookie record for touchdown receptions in a season, after hauling in two touchdowns, to give him six on the year in a 37-20 loss (12/26/04)… In a 20-10 victory at Carolina, CB Ronde Barber recorded his 20th career sack, making him the only cornerback in NFL history to have 20 sacks and 20 interceptions in a career (12/11/05)… CB Ronde Barber moved into a tie on the Buccaneers’ all-time interception list, after notching his 31st career interception on Monday Night Football (11/5/06)… WR Ike Hilliard caught seven balls for 114 yards, and Tampa Bay gained 189 yards on the ground to highlight a complete team effort and a 20-7 Buccaneer win (9/30/07)… In a 27-3 win, rookie LB Geno Hayes recorded his first career blocked punt and touchdown, as he recovered the ball and returned it 22 yards for the score (10/12/08)… Tampa Bay’s defense allowed just 40 yards on the ground, forcing three interceptions along with the blocked punt… RB Warrick Dunn rushed for a game-high 115 yards on 22 carries (5.2 avg), marking the 30th 100-yard rushing game in his career… WR Antonio Bryant had a record-setting performance with nine receptions for a career-high 200 yards, the second-highest receiving yards total in franchise history, and two touchdowns (12/8/08)… Rookie QB Josh Freeman threw for 321 yards, while RB Carnell Williams ran for 92, but turnovers proved to be costly, as the Panthers knocked-off the Bucs at Raymond James Stadium by a score of 16-6 (12/6/09)… A strong defensive performance keyed the Tampa Bay victory, as Carolina running backs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart were limited to just 97 yards and no touchdowns on 25 carries, and recorded four sacks on Carolina QBs Matt Moore and Jimmy Clausen (9/19/10)… Buccaneers QB Josh Freeman threw two touchdown passes, and TE Kellen Winslow led the Buccaneers receivers with four receptions for 83 yards… RB’s LeGarrette Blount and Cadillac Williams combined for 153 rushing yards and two touchdowns, as the Buccaneers defeated the Panthers 31-16 to sweep the season series (11/14/10).
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