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BUCCANEERS HOST ATLANTA IN 2009 SEASON FINALE GAME INFORMATION BUCCANEERS VS FALCONS Date: Sunday, January 3, 2010 The Buccaneers lead the all-time series 18-14 Kickoff: 1:00 p.m. ET and have won six of the last 10 meetings with the Site: Raymond James Stadium (65,890) Falcons. Since the NFC South was created in 2002, 2009 Records: Tampa Bay 3-12, Atlanta 8-7 the Buccaneers own a 9-6 series edge, including Network Television: FOX season sweeps in 2002, 2005 and 2007 on the way to NFC South titles. Tampa Bay is 11-6 all-time at Play-by-Play: Dick Stockton, Analyst: Charles Davis, Sideline: Laura Okmin home against the Falcons, including wins in four of National Radio: Compass Media Networks the last fi ve meetings at Raymond James Stadium. Play-by-Play: Lee Hamilton, Analyst: Curtis Conway The two teams fi rst met in 1977, with Atlanta Bucs Radio: US 103.5, fl agship station (103.5 FM, 620 AM) notching a 17-0 win at Tampa Stadium (11/27/77). Play-by-Play: Gene Deckerhoff, Color: Dave Moore, Sideline: T.J. Rives The Bucs picked up their fi rst win the next season, Last Game: Tampa Bay won at New Orleans 20-17 OT; Atlanta won vs. Buffalo 31-3 a 14-9 win that evened Tampa Bay’s record at 2-2, marking the fi rst time the club hit the .500 mark. LAST GAME RECAP Tampa Bay’s 48-10 home victory to open the 1987 Tampa Bay 20, New Orleans 17 (OT) - 12/27/09 season represents the most points ever scored by a NEW ORLEANS – Trailing 17-0 in the second quarter at New Orleans, Buccaneer squad in the regular season, a mark that Tampa Bay scored 20 unanswered points to win in overtime on K Connor was later tied. Barth’s 47-yard fi eld goal and capture its second consecutive victory. The 17-point comeback tied for the second-largest comeback in team history 2009 SCHEDULE and it also marked the fi rst time in NFL history that a team that was 10 2009 Schedule & Results (2-12) or more games below .500 defeated a team that was 10 or more games Sept. 13 DALLAS (FOX) L, 34-21 above .500. The Buccaneers rushed for a season-high 176 yards, includ- Sept. 20 at Buffalo (FOX) L, 33-20 ing 114 on the ground in the second half and overtime while the defense Sept. 27 N.Y. GIANTS (FOX) L, 24-0 held New Orleans to 17 points, tied for the fewest by the Saints in a single Oct. 4 at Washington (FOX) L, 16-13 game this season. Additionally, the Saints were held scoreless in the sec- Oct. 11 at Philadelphia (FOX) L, 33-14 ond half, the fi rst time this season they did not score in a half. The Saints Oct. 18 CAROLINA (FOX) L, 28-21 capped their fi rst drive with a RB Pierre Thomas eight-yard touchdown Oct. 25 NEW ENGLAND (CBS) L, 35-7 run for a 7-0 lead. QB Josh Freeman was intercepted near midfi eld on the (London - Wembley Stadium) Buccaneers next possession and six plays later, QB Drew Brees hit WR Nov. 1 Bye Robert Meachem on a 30-yard scoring pass for a 14-0 lead with 1:32 left Nov. 8 GREEN BAY (FOX) W, 38-28 in the fi rst quarter. The teams traded fi eld goals in the second quarter as Nov. 15 at Miami (FOX) L, 25-23 the Saints held a 17-3 advantage at halftime. Following a Saints punt to Nov. 22 NEW ORLEANS (FOX) L, 38-7 open the second half, the Buccaneers drove to the New Orleans’ 12-yard Nov. 29 at Atlanta (FOX) L, 20-17 line, but Freeman was picked off in the end zone. Tampa Bay’s defense Dec. 6 at Carolina (FOX) L, 16-6 forced a Saints punt on the resulting possession and the Buccaneers of- Dec. 13 N.Y. JETS (CBS) L, 26-3 fense took over at its own two-yard line. Eight plays later, RB Carnell Wil- Dec. 20 at Seattle (FOX) W, 24-7 liams scored on a 23-yard run to pull the Buccaneers closer at 17-10 early Dec. 27 at New Orleans (FOX) W, 20-17 OT in the fourth quarter to equal the longest scoring drive in team history. The Jan. 3 ATLANTA (FOX) 1:00 Saints advanced into Buccaneers territory on their next possession, but LB Geno Hayes forced a WR Marques Colston fumble that CB Ronde Barber HOME GAMES IN ALL CAPS - All Times Eastern recovered. Tampa Bay took possession and drove to the Saints 19-yard *Nationally-Televised Game line, but failed to convert on fourth-and-one, giving New Orleans the ball FOR THE HISTORY BOOKS back with just under fi ve minutes remaining in the game. The Saints were This past week at New Orleans, the 2-12 Buc- forced to punt six plays later and WR Micheal Spurlock returned the punt caneers defeated the 13-1 Saints, marking the 77 yards for a touchdown to tie the game at 17-17 with 2:25 remaining. It fi rst time in NFL history that a team 10-plus marked the fi fth-longest punt return in team history as Spurlock became games below .500 defeated a team 10-plus just the second player in team history to record both a kickoff and punt games above .500. On top of that, the Buc- return for touchdowns. New Orleans advanced to the Buccaneers 19-yard caneers trailed 17-0 in the second quarter and line on their fi nal possession of regulation, but K Garrett Hartley’s 37-yard scored 20 unanswered points to win in over- fi eld goal sailed wide left. The Buccaneers won the overtime coin toss and time. The 17-point comeback tied for the sec- drove 48 yards in 11 plays without attempting a pass to set up Barth’s ond-largest comeback in team history. game-winner. 2009 STATISTICAL COMPARISON A look at how the teams match up in the latest NFL rankings: Category Tampa Bay Atlanta Total Offense 26th (292.9 ypg) 17th (336.7 ypg) Rushing Offense 23rd (105.8 ypg) 17th (112.9 ypg) Passing Offense 25th (187.1 ypg) 13th (223.8 ypg) Total Defense 26th (363.5 ypg) 23rd (358.4 ypg) Rushing Defense 30th (156.5 ypg) 17th (111.4 ypg) Passing Defense 11th (206.9 ypg) 28th (247.0 ypg) Points Scored 28th (15.6 ppg) 12th (22.9 ppg) Points Allowed 27th (25.3 ppg) 18th (21.0 ppg) Sacks t27th (27) t27th (27) Sacks Allowed t15th (32) t7th (26) Turnover Margin 24th (-6) t10th (+4) Team Leaders Tampa Bay Atlanta Rushing Yards Carnell Williams (781) Michael Turner (871) Passer Rating Josh Freeman (61.0) Matt Ryan (81.1) Receptions Kellen Winslow (72) Tony Gonzalez (80) Receiving Yards Kellen Winslow (828) Roddy White (1,087) Sacks Stylez G. White (6.5) Jonathan Babineaux (6.0) Interceptions Aqib Talib (5) Brent Grimes (5) NFL RANKINGS ALL-TIME SERIES TEAM RANKINGS The Buccaneers lead the all-time series 18-14 Category NFL NFC and have won six of the last 10 meetings with the Rushing Yards Per Attempt (4.2) 18 9 Falcons. Since the NFC South was created in 2002, Sacks Allowed Per Pass Play (6.1) 15 7 the Buccaneers own a 9-6 series edge, including Kickoff Return Avg. (26.7) 1 1 season sweeps in 2002, 2005 and 2007 on the way to Punt Return Avg. (11.6) 3 2 NFC South titles. Tampa Bay is 11-6 all-time at home Defense: Net Punting Average (34.5) 2 1 against the Falcons, including wins in four of the last Defense: Kickoff Return Avg. (18.9) 1 1 fi ve meetings at Raymond James Stadium. The two teams fi rst met in 1977, with Atlanta notching a 17-0 INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS win at Tampa Stadium (11/27/77). The Bucs picked Category NFL NFC up their fi rst win the next season, a 14-9 win that Clifton Smith evened Tampa Bay’s record at 2-2, marking the fi rst Kickoff Return Avg. (29.1) 1 1 time the club hit the .500 mark. Tampa Bay’s 48-10 Punt Return Avg. (10.1) 11 6 home victory to open the 1987 season represents Aqib Talib the most points ever scored by a Buccaneer squad Interceptions (5) 10t 6t in the regular season, a mark that was later tied. Tampa Bay also posted a six-game winning streak in Stylez G. White the series beginning with a victory in 1997. Sacks (6.5) 29t 14t Carnell Williams Rushing Yards (781) 23 12 Third and One Rushing % (85.7) 11 3 Kellen Winslow Receptions (72) 19t 9t Third Down Receptions (22) 12t 7t 2 | Tampa Bay vs Atlanta Ryan, found RB Jerious Norwood on a shovel pass HEAD-TO-HEAD for a 22-yard touchdown and a 10-0 Atlanta lead. The Buccaneers needed just two plays on their next Tampa Bay leads 18-14 (Regular Season) possession to score their fi rst points of the game. Season Result Site The fi rst, QB Josh Freeman found WR Antonio Bryant 1977 L, 17-0 Tampa on a 38-yard completion into Falcons territory and 1978 W, 14-9 Tampa the second, a Freeman to Bryant 42-yard touchdown 1979 L, 17-14 Atlanta pass. Tampa Bay forced a three-and-out on Atlanta’s 1981 W, 24-23 Tampa next drive, leading to K Connor Barth’s 39-yard fi eld 1984 W, 23-6 Tampa goal with 20 seconds remaining in the fi rst half, tying 1986 L, 23-20 (OT) Tampa the game at 10-10.