Game Information
Date: Saturday, December 17, 2011
Kickoff: 8:20 p.m. ET
Site: Raymond James Stadium (65,908)
2011 Records: Tampa Bay 4-9, Dallas 7-6
Network Television: NFL Network
Play-by-Play: Brad Nessler, Analyst: Mike Mayock, Sideline: Alex Flanagan National Radio: Westwood One
Play-by-Play: Kevin Kugler, Analyst: Randy Cross, Sideline: Kevin Kiley 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 at Jacksonville, 41-14; Dallas lost vs. N.Y. Giants, 37-34
NIKO’S TAKE:
If one single fan out there is rooting for the Bucs to lose so Raheem Morris can be fired, you need to go in front of the mirror, and point out the piss-poor fan you see in front of you. NO ONE, I repeat, NO ONE roots for their team to lose. Don’t even think to have the audacity to believe you know what is best for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Remember, this guy was the guy you wanted for Coach of the Year last year. What changed? Do you forget how to do your job in a year?
It’s not even a year, its 7 games to be honest, and there is no doubt Raheem Morris has some fault in this. But he is NOT the only one with his fingerprints on this mess. Mark Dominik has some dirt on his hands, and the Glazer brothers may have a bigger slice that all of us realize. The truth is Firing Raheem Morris is probably going to happen because almost every fan of the Bucs is nagging for it to happen, but if it does, Morris will end up being the proverbial scapegoat because not even 50% of this is his fault.
Still, it’s Saturday Night, and the Bucs young kids are going to want to play hard for their coach because it finally sunk in this week that it really really is up to them now. The Cowboys are without their top runner, and the Bucs have closed the door on running backs a bit, especially last week. Albert Hanesworth knows the country is watching him, and if Tampa Bay doesnt come calling for him next year, he better impress if he wants somone to ask him to play a bit longer.
Will it be enough if the Bucs upset the Cowboys? Who knows, rumors say Morris would have been fired already, but dont put stock in rumors folks, only the Glazers know what time it is, and the Glazers talk to NO-ONE!
Bottom line, watch the game- it’s the last time the Bucs will be on the national spotlight until maybe late next year IF they are having a good season. But Be prepared to see a sea of blue, as ‘Boys fans from around the Bay area will don their #22 and #88 jerseys to show support for ‘their team’.
Prediction: Tampa Bay 19 Dallas 16 OT or Dallas 37 Tampa Bay 13. There wont be anyting in between, not with these Buccaneers!
~Nick
All-Time Series
The Buccaneers have lost the last three meetings against the Dallas Cowboys in a series that dates back to 1977. Overall the Cowboys have won nine of 12 games during the regular season and both of the postseason meetings, which occurred in back-to-back years following the 1981 and 1982 seasons. Eight of the 12 regular season meetings between the two teams have been played in Dallas with the Cowboys holding a 7-1 edge on their home turf. In 2009, the Buccaneers lost 34-21 in just the fourth home game played for the Buccaneers in the series. In 2008, the Buccaneers lost 13-9 in Dallas. In 2006, the Bucs lost 38-10 in a Thanksgiving Day matchup. In 2003, the Buccaneers shutout the Cowboys at home 16-0. The 2001 season saw Tampa Bay defeat the Cowboys in Texas Stadium 10-6. One year before, the Buccaneers defeated the Cowboys 27-7 at Raymond James Stadium for their first-ever win in the series. The two teams first met in 1977 with the Cowboys prevailing over the Buccaneers 23-7 at Dallas. It was the first of six consecutive regular season wins in the series for the Cowboys. Six of the 12 regular season meetings between the two clubs have been decided by five points or less.
SERIES BY THE NUMBERS
Overall Regular Season Series: ……………………. Dallas leads series, 9-3
Home Record vs. Dallas Cowboys: …………………………………………2-2
Road Record vs. Dallas Cowboys: ………………………………………….1-7
Current Streak:……………………………..Cowboys, three games (2006-09)
Buccaneers Longest Streak:……………………….. Three games (2000-03)
Cowboys Longest Streak: …………………………… Eight games (1977-90)
Regular Season Point Total:……………… Buccaneers 173 – Cowboys 221
Most Points, Buccaneers:……………………… 27, Buccaneers 27-7 (2000)
Most Points, Cowboys:………………38, twice, last Cowboys 38-10 (2006)
Most Points, both teams: ……………………….. 55, Cowboys 34-21 (2009)
Fewest Points, Buccaneers: ………………………. 0, Cowboys 38-0 (1981)
Fewest Points, Cowboys: ……………………….. 0, Buccaneers 16-0 (2003)
Fewest Points, both teams: …….. 16, twice, last Buccaneers 16-0 (2003)
Is he TOO young?- Criticism over the tenure of Raheem Morris is centered
aroundthe average age in NFL Head Coaches.Morris comes in pretty young,
has it made a difference? You decide: Here is where Raheem Morris ranks
in the modern era among the other NFL All Time youngest coaches…
So is Mark Dominik to blame? The Bucs are building through the draft, but
what about the ‘Second’ draft? The Dom does a pretty good job of getting
those 2nd draft guys doesnt he? Check it out for yourself!
It seems like a year ago the Bucs cameback to beat Minnesota in week
Two doesn’t it? Truth is this is still the same team that has orchestrated
those amazing comebacks, but does it have another one in it? You’d have
to think another amazing comeback might make a difference in the way
Fans feel about this team. Just in case its become ancient history in your
brain, the real Gray Matter, here are the top Comebacks in Bucs history.
MEET THE COACH- Jason Garrett
Jason Garrett was named the eighth head coach in Dallas Cowboys history on January 5, 2011 and became the first former Cowboys player to become the team’s head coach. Named the club’s interim head coach at the midpoint of the 2010, Garrett went on to guide a Dallas team that had started the season with a 1-7 record to a 5-3 mark down the stretch.
In the season’s second half, three of the Cowboys five victories were against teams that posted 10 regular season wins, while the three Dallas defeats were decided by a combined total of seven points. Since the 2007 season Garrett had been the Cowboys offensive coordinator, and in 2008, he was assigned the additional duties of being the club’s assistant head coach.
Under Garrett, the Dallas offense finished among the NFL’s top-10 in total offense in three of his four years at the helm: 2010 (10th), 2009 (2nd), and 2007 (2nd). From the start of the 2007 season, the club has averaged 24.6 points-per-game and 368.5 total yards-per-outing. From 2007 to 2009 the cumulative numbers for total net yards (17,753), gross yards (12,761) and passing yards (12,181) represented the best totals over a three-year span in the history of the organization. En route to winning the 2009 NFC Eastern Division title, Dallas established club records for total offensive yards (6,390), net passing yards (4,287) and pass completions (347). Dallas won the NFC East in 2007 with a team-record tying 13 victories and finished second in the NFL in scoring. The 455 points scored in 2007 marked the second-highest figure in club history behind only the 1983 club (479 points). Garrett was named Pro Football Weekly’s NFL’s Assistant Coach of the Year in March of 2008. Career record: 5-3.
Dallas ranked second in the NFL in yards-per-game (399.4), sixth in passing (267.9) and seventh in the league in rushing (131.4). Romo broke his previous single season records for completions (347) and passing yards (4,483), while Austin (1,320 receiving yards) and Jason Witten (1,030) became just the fourth pair of Cowboys pass catchers to gain more than 1,000 yards in a season in team annals. On the ground, second-year running back Felix Jones eclipsed a 47-year old record for rushing yards-per-carry with a season average of 5.9.
As a player in Dallas, Garrett learned under championship coaches Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer, while serving as a back-up to Troy Aikman in offenses directed by Norv Turner and Ernie Zampese. He went on to play for the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXXV where he worked under offensive coordinator Sean Payton. Garrett finished his playing days while studying under Jon Gruden in Tampa Bay and started his coaching career with the Miami Dolphins, where he worked under two-time collegiate national championship head coach, Nick Saban.
Garrett Played quarterback at Princeton (1987-88) and was named the Ivy League’s Player of the Year and honorable mention All American as a senior. He played professionally in World League and Canadian Football League (both 1991) before joining Dallas (1992-99), Giants (2000-03), Buccaneers (2004) and Dolphins (also 2004). Garrett was born March 28, 1966, in Abington, Pa, and now resides in Dallas with his wife Brill.
LAST GAME RECAP- As if we forgot, here is what happened the LAST time the Bucs took the field…
Jacksonville 41, Tampa Bay 14 (Dec. 11, 2011) JACKSONVILLE – Despite jumping out to a quick lead, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were plagued by turnovers, and fell to the Jacksonville Jaguars, 41- 14. The Buccaneers opened the game decisively, as QB Josh Freeman led the team on an 80-yard drive downfield, which featured a 28-yard pass on fourth- and-one to TE Kellen Winslow and concluded with a one-yard scoring run by RB LeGarrette Blount. The Jaguars punted their own opening possession, but Buccaneers return-man WR Preston Parker fumbled the ball following a big hit, giving Jacksonville the ball at the Tampa Bay 38. However, Tampa Bay re- gained possession when DE Adrian Clayborn sacked Jacksonville QB Blaine Gabbert on third down to force a punt. The Jaguars got the ball back quickly following a Buccaneers punt, but, just as quickly, CB Ronde Barber intercepted Gabbert to return the ball to Tampa Bay. Freeman then opened the second quarter with another score, this time scrambling 13 yards to the end zone for the third rushing touch- down of his career. The Jaguars got on the board a few drives later, when another Buccaneers fumble on the punt return was picked up by TE Colin Cloherty and run in for a touchdown, making the score 14-7. Jacksonville tied the game at 14-14 on their next offensive possession with a one-yard rush by RB Mau- rice Jones-Drew. On the ensuing possession, Free- man was sacked for a loss of 10 yards to the Tampa Bay one-yard-line, where the ball was recovered and carried in for a touchdown by DT Nate Collins, giv- ing Jacksonville the lead with two minutes to play in the half. Freeman was then intercepted on the next Buccaneers drive, leading to another Jaguars touch- down as Gabbert found Jones-Drew on a five-yard pass play, giving the Jaguars a 28-14 advantage at the break. Jacksonville opened the second half with a punt, but, once Tampa Bay had possession, Jag- uars LB Paul Posluszny intercepted a tipped Freeman pass to return the ball to Jacksonville. The Jaguars proceeded to put themselves in scoring position, but Tampa Bay LB Mason Foster intercepted Gabbert in the end zone for a touchback. Tampa Bay recorded its sixth turnover of the day on the following posses- sion when RB LeGarrette Blount fumbled and gave the ball back to the Jaguars. In the fourth quarter, the Jaguars scored with a five-yard touchdown pass from Gabbert to Jones-Drew for the 35-14 lead, then held Tampa Bay to another punt on the following possession before putting together their final drive, which was capped off with a one-yard touchdown run by Jones-Drew. An attempt at a two-point conver- sion failed, leaving the final score 41-14.
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