It is only fair that the Bucs go into Philadelphia as underdogs. . . . but I was not surprised to see such a tight Vegas point spread already - Eagles only favored by like 3.5. That's basically the spread given strictly for home field advantage.
The fans and media will make a huge deal of the past couple of years and the dominance of the Eagles over Bucs in the first round of the playoffs. BUT. . . it is truely a completely new and evolved Buccaneers team this year. These are the reasons why this years NFC Championship game between the two will be different. . . . . no matter who wins.
- Mid November on, the offense has really been picking up the new offensive playbook and executed well (but only with Brad Johnson in!!) The running game has picked up in the past several weeks and TB leads league in turnover ratio.
- The defense has been completely dominant throughout the season and are peaking. . . their last 3 opponents offense were held to a total of 16 points!
- Tampa is by far the most hungry for this win. . . They've been playing all season to put the "old" bucs behind them and have succeeded. . . (beat the cold weather jinx thing, most wins in a season, first round playoff win, 6-2 road record this year,etc.) The next hump is winning in the Vet.
- Eagles can point to the win earlier this season in October. . . and that's fine and good. But these two teams look a bit different now. Philly's game against Giants and Atlanta certainly were not the most impressive. . . . esp against the Falcons, a team that the Bucs soundly beat 2x during the season.

Look for a low scoring, defensive oriented game and likely determined by turnovers and/or special teams. Tampa Bay 17 - Philly 13. Tampa vs. Oakland SuperBowl which will truely be SUPER!!We'll see Sunday. . Can't wait!!

BBB, is this your justification for picking the Bucs Sunday in the weekly pick'em, while everyone else goes with the Eagles?

Since the Bucs are 6-2 on the road, I'm going to throw out weather in Philly and the "passionate" fans at the Vet. At this point, the Eagles and Bucs are two pretty evenly matched teams. i.e., great defenses with enormous speed, good kickers, average running games, and receivers who can make plays here and there. However, there's one glaring advantage for the Eagles and his name is Donovan McNabb. He showed absolutely no signs of rust Saturday night and ran like he'd never broken his ankle. With Brad Johnson being more of a pocket passer and the quickness of the PHI DEF, he's going to be kissing that hard, mutilated turf a few more times than he'd care.

Now, I go back and add weather and the Vet to this equation and come up with punched tickets for the Eagles to SuperBowl XXXVII.

Sincerely, an unbiased Broncos fan.

And now for a dose of reality. It will probably be a close game, but there's no way the Bucs will win. None.

Brad Johnson has done decently at QB but will be under major pressure from the Eagles' pass rush, and their receivers will be kept under wraps by the best secondary in the NFL. The Eagles' offense will generate enough points to win, just as they did in October.

The Giants game was an aberration, and while the Falcons game was close, ANY playoff game should be close unless a team totally falls apart (such as the Colts vs. the Jets).

As for the cold jinx, the game that "broke" the jinx was against the injury-riddled Bears, closing out a dismal season with a quarterback from Temple--TEMPLE!?!--at the helm. That was an utterly meaningless win. Three of their four games prior to that--loss to Pittsburgh, struggle to beat Detroit, loss to the choking New Orleans Aints--are more telling.

[quote]- Mid November on, the offense has really been picking up the new offensive playbook and executed well (but only with Brad Johnson in!!)

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The three games I mentioned above all came in December. And good teams can function with backup quarterbacks.

As for hunger, the Eagles have been hungry to get to the Super Bowl since last January. They're now so close they can taste it. They've had their eyes on the prize all season. That's why they didn't fall apart after McNabb's injury, and that's why they will absolutely win on Sunday.

As the Eagles' Carlos Emmons said after the game in October: "They come in every time thinking they're the better team. We come in every time knowing we're the better team."

Joe, if I take all your stuff above as truth, then why are you saying it will even be close? Your Eagles will just stomp all over Tampa. . . should the Bucs even show up?? With the most dominant defense statisically in the league since the 85 Bears, to make an absolute "No Way" the Bucs can win statement is just the type of ego-inflated feedback the Bucs will rally around. The Eagles dominance of Tampa over the past couple of years will come to an end, for that I am completely positive. It may not be this year but. . .Now is as good a time as any!!!

[quote]Originally posted by BigBucBoy:
Joe, if I take all your stuff above as truth, then why are you saying it will even be close?

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Because the Bucs are a good team. They're just not good enough to win on Sunday.

The sidebar stories of an Oakland-Tampa Superbowl have me more intrigued than any other scenario. Not that I'm taking sides in the Bucs-Eagles matchup.

I just like the idea of Al Davis squirming; his former coach on the opposite sideline, the memory of his failed lawsuit against the NFL for copyright infringement (Al said the new Bucs logo infringed on his death-skull-helmet thingee).

Any pain for Al is a positive thing for humanity.

[quote]Originally posted by AU Tiger in LA:
I just like the idea of Al Davis squirming; his former coach on the opposite sideline, the memory of his failed lawsuit against the NFL for copyright infringement (Al said the new Bucs logo infringed on his death-skull-helmet thingee).
Any pain for Al is a positive thing for humanity.[/QB]

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I couldn't have said it better myself, Tiger....even though I admit Oakland is likely to win handily Sunday and advance to the Super Bowl, nothing would delight me more than to see ex-Raider "Chucky" lead the Bucs to a Super Bowl annihilation of Al Davis' evil empire....for that matter, even a Raiders defeat at the hands of the Eagles would be enjoyable to watch, if for no other reason than to see Al squirm in his white jacket as his blood pleasure continues to rise.

[ January 14, 2003: Message edited by: gamecock ]

A hockey game played last evening:

Tampa Bay 2
at Philadelphia 3

A sign of things to come!

The hockey game may end up being more high scoring!

[quote]Originally posted by AU Tiger in LA:
I just like the idea of Al Davis squirming

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I actually like Al Davis -- I think he's done a good job hiring coaches -- getting rid of Chucky, for ecample, when he couldn't take some terrific teams to the Super Bowl. He left L.A. to returm to Oakland when he realized that they just can't support a team down there (unlike, say, Green Bay, at 1/1000 of the size ) .. plus I've always liked his eyeglasses. He;s the Left Coast Jack Kent Cooke!

DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCE

Big difference between this game and past Bucs/Eagles games: Bucs are moving the ball today.

How could we (the Giants) be so stupid letting Jurevicius go?

Start worrying, Eagles' fans.

what do they say, it ain't over til...

...the bad rapper "sings?"

what a funny commercial, nike running shox

Man, its going to be one ugly scene if the Eagles end up losing.

Last game at the Vet + heartbreaking loss + rowdy drunken frustrated fans = Potential DISASTER!

Will they be drunk enough to allow gay men to give them some oral service out in the parking lot area? It would be a good way for them to get over their loss. LOL.

[ January 19, 2003: Message edited by: amazin12 ]

Love your line Seph-but is it redundant

Heh, this is a pretty good game. I've never been an Eagles fan, and I've never been too big on the Bucs, but I was definitely rooting for them today.

And yes, the Nike commercial was absolutely hilarious.

Potential disaster, George?

That's like saying the sun will potentially rise in the morning.

Well, I was wrong! The Iggles were pathetic and Tampa Bay deserved the win. Andy Reid was so outcoached and McNabb was weak.

Funny...I hear crow tastes exactly like eagle. Chow down, gents!

Unbelievable that the Bucs won! Chuckie is still one of the best looking men around. Did you guys here his comment about one of his players (I think Barber) in the post game interview? He said that he loved him and he was "one of the best looking guys in the world, next to me of course". How gay is that?

[quote]Originally posted by George_vikingfan:
Last game at the Vet + heartbreaking loss + rowdy drunken frustrated fans = Potential DISASTER!

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Well, the local stations aren't covering any riots so apparently everyone just walked out of the stadium. But thanks for contributing the obvious stereotype.

[quote]Originally posted by Jim at Outsports:
Andy Reid was so outcoached

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Amen to that--and on both sides of the ball for a change. We've seen his incompetent play-calling on offense before, and it happened again. They had great field position in the first half and did nothing with it. Today the defensive coordinator joined in. The Eagles' failure to blitz in the first half allowed Tampa to move up and down the field with ease. It's mind-boggling. Why would you not blitz? Why give Brad Johnson time to make plays? They had a 96-yard drive! That shouldn't happen!

It would be entirely understandable had the game been close and the Bucs won, because they are a good team. But make no mistake: the Eagles utterly choked today. Everything they went through the entire season was for nothing.

And the Titans aren't going down without a fight. Now, if Simon could just hold onto the ball, for chrissakes.

I thought Tampa Bay played lights out. It was really great to see them win. I can only imagine how good they will be when they finally get an impact running back.

Bill, Chuckie said that Ronde was one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world along with himself. This was playing on People's magazine's list that got them both.

Also, how incredible was it to see Tiki and Ronde hugging and talking after the interception/TD? These two seem to have that relationship that only twins can have. It's great to see Tiki on the sidelines since they got put out.

The Eagles have played better, but I don't think they choked so much as Tampa Bay just played superbly. They had a smart gameplan and executed perfectly. I do, however, agree that Reid's gameplan and coaching were, well, uninspired.

Did anyone else catch the quick shot of the Buccaneer player naked from the waist up at the end of the game? Who WAS that specimen of American manhood? I thought it was Rondee Barber, but the camera showed him a second later with his jersey still on.....

I caught that Munson but don't know who it was.

Munson, I believe that was S. Rice. . . . that lickable chest immediately caught my attention too. . . . but he was a little too big to be Ronde. . . . . .who, bytheway, is perfection. . along with his hotter brother Teki (how does he spell that???)

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Joe in Philly:
[QB]And now for a dose of reality. It will probably be a close game, but there's no way the Bucs will win. None.

HEY JOE. . . . not to rub it in or anything, dude. . . . but couldn't resist posting your confident announcement prior to the game last sunday. You were way wrong on both accounts. . . Philly didn't win AND it wasn't even close. GO BUCCANEERS!!

[quote]Originally posted by BigBucBoy:
HEY JOE. . . . not to rub it in or anything, dude. . . . but couldn't resist posting your confident announcement prior to the game last sunday. You were way wrong on both accounts. . . Philly didn't win AND it wasn't even close. GO BUCCANEERS!!

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It's not my fault the Eagles (especially the coaches) choked like stinking dogs and failed miserably when it counted most. Consider yourself fortunate, and enjoy the Super Bowl.

[ January 22, 2003, 09:52 AM: Message edited by: William1865 ]