This match-up is rich with significance, I don't know where to start. Bottom line, I need some help with this one because I have no feeling for how this game is gonna go.

It feels like Dungy is out for revenge. Will he get it now? Or later (in the Super Bowl)?

This is going to be a great one! Dungy should get a very warm reception from the crowd - he deserves no less.

I'd go with Tampa - home field advantage and the bye week make the difference. Shelton Quarles should be back which should make the D even better (although Nate did a GREAT job in his absence).

I am not making a prediction (bad karma) but Peyton hates to be hit and the D should really pursue him. I think this one will come down to how well TB can control the ball on offense. Either way, I am looking forward to being there and seeing Dungy again!

Should be an awesome, emotional game. Indy offense looked incred against Saints last week. . but have to wonder if that was more how bad NO is or how good Indy is. . . Colts havent faced a defense anything like the bucs. . . . . . Either way, Tampa will have to establish a decent running game and stop the run against Colts. The crowd will be wild. . and me and my orange (ricky) Bell will only add to the frenzy!!!!! cant wait.

BigBucBoy

This is going to be an incredible game! Bucs D vs Indy's numerous offensive weapons (Manning, Harrison, Wayne, Clark, James & Company).

Payton has never won a big game in his life... EVER.

Dungy has never seen a big game he couldnt choke in.

Tampa by 20. 3 ints for Payton.

eek! eek! eek! eek! PF picks the BUCS?!?!? You becoming a Democrat too?

[ October 03, 2003, 10:17 AM: Message edited by: PewterPirate ]

That's who i think will win, i dont need to tell you who i'd root for...

Philly Fan,

Need I remind you that once upon a time, the Bucs couldn't win when the temperature at kickoff was below 40 degrees? Need I remind you that once upon a time, the Bucs couldn't beat the Eagles? There's a first time for everything.

Not that this will be the first time the Dolts win a big game with Peyton Manning. It may, but there IS a first time for everything.

DR - Need I remind you that all those old "monkeys" continued with Dungy.

This ain't Dungy's Bucs - they're Grudens!!!

No, they are dungy's team, now coached by gruden.

Remember when the colts were being compared to the big 3 in D?

I'm simply saying this... the colts qb has never won a big game. Not only in the NFL but all those great TN teams that could never beat Florida. All the hype all the expectation... and only a big egg to show for it... The guy is a great QB till there is mental pressure on him.

This time he is being smart and thinking with his head and not his heart! Good job PF!

well thanks, by the way... dont you have some traffic to go play in?

I will be doing that on the way to the game Monday Night!

Another game with a lot of build up and sub-plots. My instincts tell me that Gruden will have his team ready. Should be a great game!

Gruden has had the benefit of an extra week to devise his gameplan and the Bucs are well rested. I anticipate a low scoring game. If Edgerin James is playing and is healthy then the Colts have a chance, but I have to go with Bucs this time.

[ October 04, 2003, 09:36 AM: Message edited by: phillyrunner ]

Very intersting game. Tamps Dungy defense. Colts finally found offense.

Don't think Dungy's the vengeful type but...

I'll take Colts in a squeaker.

If Tampa's defense scores an early TD, then Bucs win...if not, Colts by 8. 24-16...If bucs defense scores early...expect a rout by Tampa

What if the Bucs offense scores an early TD? Why does it have to be the defense? wink

The "knock" on Peyton and Dungy, is they don't win the big games. In order for Peyton, in particular, to shed this demon...he needs to avoid that big, early turnover. If they do that, then I think they have too much overall talent. However, if they allow Tampa D to get that kind of early momentum, and HIS confidence begins to wain, it could be a long day for the Colts.

I don't see Tampa being able to outscore the Colts, if both teams bring their "a" game. Confidence is the key here...if Peyton and company avoid early mistakes...they coast to a win. Give up the big one, and its a long day!

I may be wrong about tonight-could be the Colts are actually capable of winning eek! ,but I feel fairly confidant in proclaiming that they WILL NOT be in the Super Bowl.Maybe it's just my anti-Dolts bias,but the hype for this game seems bizarre and misplaced.In my opinion,the Colts power rating is more in line with the lucky win they got at Cleveland (when Holcomb missed a wide open reciever for a game sealing TD and settled for a FG which left the door open for a Vanderjagt 50 yarder)-then the way they pounded the hapless Aints last week.Their only victory vs an over 500 team was when they beat the Titans-a game Mc Nair played with an injured throwing hand.Not exactly a murderer's row of a schedule.

To put them in the same class as the Bucs,is to me premature to say the least.I'll be suprised (and angry) if TB doesn't spank them by at least 2 TDs. :cool:

I'm watching the baseball game but I switched over to see that it's 21-0 Bucs. Colts better wake up and prove themselves or else it'll be obvious that they're going to underachieve yet again.

So far the Bucs are wreaking havoc on the Colts. Unless the Colts can make some first downs in the second half and hold onto the ball it will be another Monday night yawner.

Well, Philly guys...you watching now?!?
Turned out to be something of a game, eh?

I was just typing a message about how I thought the Colts would LOSE, but, DAMN!, they're on the goal line...Hokey Smokes!

Check that:
Peyton and Co. have done the UNTHINKABLE. I've watched this game all the way thru and thought the Colts would come back and come up short in the end.

Riiiight.

It's 35-35, with...I dunno, 40 seconds left in regulation. I guess I *am* going to have another beer tonight.

Yeah I am still watching, and what a wonderful game this turned out to be. I got to admit it is the first time I have ever seen Tampa Bay's defense winded. Marvelous Marvin Harrison put on a quite a show. Keyshawn won't be mouthing off again about Harrison only catching screen passes. Still watching in overtime ... and the unthinkable happens. The Colts miss a field goal, get a second chance on a weird "leaping" penalty to score the field goal and 31 unanswered points against the Super bowl champs.

[ October 06, 2003, 09:58 PM: Message edited by: phillyrunner ]

Glad to see you're still watching, phillyrunner. I *hate* it when they mic Keyshawn. Anyway, back to the game...it's up to Vanderjat now. Youch! Whodathunk?!? This is crazy...really, really, really CRAZY! Totally love Monday Night Football, but I've had three beers tonight...alone (watching the game at home, sigh).

As much as I wanted the Colts to win -


THE BUCS WAS ROBBED

Uh...what the f@ck was that?!
Holy Leaping Bullsh!t Field Goals, Batman!

I actually love the Colts, but...c'mon, what a shitty way to win. Then again, I'm not a pro football player, so...

Wow, that is an amazing win!
That's another rule they need to look at though, why does this seem to always happen against Gruden teams? The way the game was going I still think the Colts would have stopped the Bucs and came back to win.

Yeah, the call seemed bogus. He was coming down when he happened to land on someone's back, probably as he was being blocked. And it had nothing to do with the kick. But apparently that's in the rule book. If so, it needs to be looked at and changed.

Hell of a game, great performance by Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison, glad to see Keyshawn shut up, trying to diss Marvin Harrison in the first half but it sure turned around huh. Great comeback and the Colts showed a lot of heart

Phew! What a game! Peyton is definitely the man you need when you're down at the 2 minute call! Now time to hit the sack...

errrrrrr, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

I love to be wrong sometimes...

Best thing about this is... 2-2, iggles are now 2-2. Very nice... Maybe Sapp shoulda played more offense, or lost maybe 20 or 100 lbs to his fat ass can get pressure when they need it..

carry on and tally ho...

Loved Keyshawn getting faced. It was so classless of him to mock Marvin Harrison, who everyone says is a good guy. Then to see Key go limping out and Harrison dominate was sweet. I hate the Bucs' arrogance and it was nice to see them produce the biggest choke in the history of the NFL.

The call might have been questionable in the OT but the game never should've gotten there. The Colts scoring THREE touchdowns in the last 4:15 is unimaginable.

It's a damn shame that Keyshawn has a Super Bowl ring. But no matter how many he may end up with, he was, is and always WILL be a LOSER.

One of the greatest comebacks in NFL history! And I might add, one of the strangest penalties (leaping?) in NFL history.

Kudos to Dungy and using "offense" to actually win a game. If we had to lose to someone, I am glad it was him. Bad calls? No excuses here, we souldnt have been in the position to lose at that point. 4th quarter heroics for Peyton, who would have thought? And yes people, I am on only 4 hours of sleep already at work! But might as well take the ribbing now.

Since I was at the game, didn't get to hear Keyshawn's mouth runneth over, SHOCKING! Some jackasses never learn.

Granted, the Bucs should never have let themselves get into the OT situation, the defense collapsed, blah-blah-blah, but...leaping? LEAPING? What the f$&# is this, the tenth day of Christmas? Jeez...

[ October 07, 2003, 06:09 AM: Message edited by: William1865 ]

I know William, lets put this question out there... Can anyone tell me the last time or if ever they have heard this call?

Damn it, I wish I would have kept watching. I didnt really have a dog in this fight but when I was watching the Bucs where blowing Indy away, sounds like I missed a hell of a game.

I started watching the game after the baseball game was finished. A few thoughts.

First, the officiating was putrid. In addition to the leaping penalty (totally bogus), the Colts got hit with a bs roughing the kicker call. I don't blame the refs, however, for the Bucs defeat -- I blame -- THE BANDWAGON FANS who fled the stadium when all looked well. Time and again, the Colts converted critical third down plays because there was no (or very little) crowd noise or home field pressure. I have no idea why people spend tons of money to go to a sporting event and then leave before the game is even close to being over.

A couple of other observations. Payton Manning is the real deal -- an incredible performance.
The look on Sapp's face at the end of the game was priceless. What an irony that the mighty Bucs defense gave up the most points in NFL history in the last 4 minutes of a game.

My recollection is a couple of years ago, the Jets blocked a field goal by having a player or two jump on the backs of other players. The Jets blocked the field goal, but were called for unsportsmanlike conduct, even there was no such rule as "leaping" in the books then. Soon after, the rule was added.

Sorry folks.. if you like the rule or not... it is there. That is the job of the coaching staff to know the rules.. Rice-chex is not allowed to take a running start. You cant complain about rules.

I feel soo bad for warren sapp right now, but not to worry.. i'm sure he killed his sorrows with a twinkie... or 10.

I'm probably totally wrong. But the incicdent last night did not meet the requirements for a leaping panalty.

The rule states that a player may not jump and then land on another player. He did jump up. he did make contact with a teammate (most likely although the camera angle does not show explicitly). But the contact was hardly "landing on another player" The difference was like the diff between incidental contact and "roughing the passer"

That penalty should never have been called. You guys are right. Tampa Bay should never have allowed such a comeback. and Indy may very well have won the game anyway, even without the disputed penalty in their favour. But the call was an idiotic one.

There's plenty of blame and credit to go around for last night's game.

For starters, I blame the officiating for blowing some ridiculous calls, such as the phantom leaping penalty (I think the CALL violates the spirit of the rule) and the spurious running into the kicker call (which I think should not have been called). The mark of a well-officiated game is when the zebras are hardly notcied and the game is a well-played contest.

Secondly, I blame the Bucs vaunted defense for going soft when they were up 35-14 with four minutes left in the fourth quarter. Let this game be more evidence against ever using a prevent defense; it only prevents the team that uses it from winning the game. I blame the Bucs defense because they allowed 28 fourth quarter points and it allowed the Colts to march down the field for Mike Vanderjagt's field goal attempts. Worse than that for the Bucs is the fact that the Colts have now given other teams hope that they can find a way to beat the Bucs defense. I bet Steve Spurrier is salivating at the idea that he can find a way to draw up some ball plays that can confound the Bucs.

However, I also credit the Colts for not giving up when facing seemingly impossible odds: A road game against defending Super Bowl champion with a defense that is one of the best in the game with the monkey of never having won a big game on its back. Well, get rid of Chewbacca now because the Colts have won the kind of big game that should give them some confidence going into the second quarter of the season.

[ October 07, 2003, 09:42 AM: Message edited by: DestinyRules ]

It is my understanding that you are not allowed to take a running start to try and block a FG.

IE lining up many yards back then just making a run for it...

You heard it here first...

The Redskins will beat the Buccanneers on Sunday.

Just like they beat the eagles? skins are a fraud. I think all their games against back up qb's are over.

[ October 07, 2003, 10:22 AM: Message edited by: PhillyFan ]

PhillyFan, I wouldn't brag about a home two point victory against a quarterback who's started 10 games.

[ October 07, 2003, 10:33 AM: Message edited by: PCC ]