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OldBucsFan
Buc Waterboy
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| Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2007 11:12 am Post subject: Still Trying To Figure Out Yesterday..... |
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SAN FRANCISCO - The people at NBC knew what they were doing when they opted earlier this month to pull this one from the "Sunday Night Football" schedule.
The next few weeks will determine whether Tampa Bay Coach Jon Gruden knew what he was doing in yanking his best players -- and compromising a shot at postseason momentum -- in what became the latest in a long line of franchise frustration on the West Coast.
"It's a decision that we made," Gruden said.
And it was costly in the won-loss column.
Wide receiver Michael Clayton made a leaping grab on a game-tying two-point conversion attempt from backup quarterback Luke McCown with 1:20 to play. But Clayton failed to get both feet in bounds in the back of the end zone and allowed the San Francisco 49ers to escape with a 21-19 victory before a crowd of 68,193 at Monster Park.
Quarterback Shaun Hill fired three touchdown passes and partnered with a 49ers defense that forced two key turnovers despite surrendering 434 yards of Tampa Bay offense.
Make that 11 losses in 12 visits to the spot once known as Candlestick. And make it 26 losses in 29 games at West Coast venues. Of more immediately importance, the events of the NFL day more than locked the Bucs (9-6) into a No. 4 seed and a first-round NFC wild-card game at home against the New York Giants (10-5), who clinched their postseason date Sunday with an impressive win at Buffalo.
Clearly Gruden had the wild-card game in mind as much as the one against the 49ers (5-10). Given the amount of injuries the team has overcome during the season, his goal is to get the Bucs walking into the playoffs rather than limping.
"That kind of stuff is better left to the powers that be," veteran defensive end and diplomat Kevin Carter said. "Tell me to play, I play. Tell me when I'm done, I'm done."
That's why marquee faces on both sides of the ball -- Jeff Garcia, Earnest Graham and Joey Galloway on offense; Derrick Brooks, Ronde Barber and Jermaine Phillips on defense -- were pulled early.
"It was the coaches' decision," said Garcia, whose much-anticipated homecoming against the team he once starred for ended with the Bay Area boy hitting 12 of 20 passes for 196 yards and a touchdown. "What we're trying to focus on is the playoffs."
Backup quarterback Luke McCown's first four possessions included three three-and-outs and a fumble on third down at the Tampa Bay 14. Four plays later, the Bucs' lead was gone after Hill threaded a 5-yard TD to TE Vernon Davis that got the 49ers up 14-13.
Credit McCown for a gut-check drive with under three minutes to go, as he led the Bucs 61 yards in eight plays, finished off by his 24-yard touchdown strike to Jerramy Stevens that set up the failed two-pointer to Clayton.
"It's on me," Clayton said. "It was a mistake on my part."
Whether Gruden's decision to shut down his best players was a mistake is up for debate.
"TV announcers talk about [momentum]," Gruden said. "Everyone on our football team . . . [is] paid money to win football games. I'm more concerned with finishing the season and playing a little better football than we did in the second half today."
The Bucs will have that chance at home in the regular-season finale against Carolina next week.
Probably with backups. |
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PWTRPWR
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| Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2007 8:40 pm Post subject: |
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I hate resting players, they are professional athletes. I have to take vacation or call in sick to get rest. Fans paid to see the best team possible on the field, als o see we get the Cowboys next year since we finished first in division, think we get Patriots also. maybe we should of rested earlier and went for wild card
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PWTRPWR
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| Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2007 8:43 pm Post subject: |
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nope we get NFC Central and AFC west next year and Cowboys and looks like Seahawks again. plus are six conference game
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OldBucsFan
Buc Waterboy
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| Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2007 9:17 pm Post subject: |
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Yep, the 'boys and the birds.....
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unlokit
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| Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2007 1:20 am Post subject: |
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I just know it was a frustrating game to watch.
Let's hope they take Carolina more serious than they did this game. |
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