Tampa Bay book Super Bowl slot
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers advanced to the first Super Bowl in the franchise’s 27-year history with a 27-10 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship game.
Home of the Eagles since 1971, Veterans Stadium had been a burial ground for the Buccaneers, who failed to reach the end zone and were beaten there in each of the last two years in the Wild Card round.
But that was when Tony Dungy, a defensive guru, was the Buccaneers coach.
Determined to shake up the offence, Bucs owner Malcolm Glazer paid the unprecedented price of two first-round picks, two second-round picks and eight million US dollars to the Oakland Raiders for new coach Jon Gruden.
It turned out to be quite a bargain.
To make the story more enticing, the Bucs may face the Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII in San Diego next Sunday as Oakland host Tennessee in the AFC Championship game later tonight.
The Bucs scored two touchdowns in the first half, putting together drives of 96 and 80 yards.
Full-back Mike Alstott scored on a one-yard run with 40 seconds left in the first quarter to cap the seven-play, 96-yard drive and Brad Johnson connected with Keyshawn Johnson on a nine-yard TD with 2:28 remaining in the second quarter to give the Bucs a 17-10 half-time lead.
Martin Gramatica kicked field goals of 48 and 27 yards for the Buccaneers.
Tampa Bay’s defence, ranked first in the League, forced three turnovers by Eagles star quarterback Donovan McNabb.
And cornerback Ronde Barber capped the performance with a 92-yard interception return for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
The Bucs won on the road in the post-season for the first time in seven tries.
