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FAB 4. Bucs Moments That Made Me Stand Up In The Press Box – Part 2
The year 2020 marks my 25th season covering the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for you, the loyal PewterReport.com reader. As I begin this milestone season, I’m going to spend the next 25 weeks telling some never-before-told Bucs stories and recalling some of my most memorable moments in my professional journey.
Former Bucs coach Tony Dungy – Photo by: Getty Images
As I stated in last week’s SR’s Fab 5, there is an announcement that is made before the start of every Bucs home game at Raymond James Stadium that says that there is to be no cheering in the press box. I admitted that I have violated that a few times in my 24 years of covering the Buccaneers.
Last week I wrote about five instances where I jumped out of my seat at Raymond James Stadium from 1995 to 2002, and I’ve got five more fun memories to share with you from 2002 to present day. Not including watching Tampa Bay’s glorious wins at Philadelphia in the 2002 NFC Championship Game and Super Bowl XXXVII, here are some of my most memorable moments watching the Buccaneers since 1995 – moments that literally got me out of my chair in the press box at Raymond James Stadium.
2002: Alstott’s 19-Yard Tackle-Breaking Run vs. Browns
Mike Alstott had some of the most breathtaking runs that wound up being less than 20 yards. Alstott was never the fastest runner on the field, but his power and tackle-breaking ability was a thing of beauty. In a 17-3 win over Cleveland in Tampa Bay’s Super Bowl season, Alstott delivered a big-time highlight reel run en route to rushing for 126 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries (7.4 avg.).
The hapless Browns defense got ran over by the A-Train all day, but his 18-yard run in the fourth quarter was a thing of beauty. Facing eight defenders in the box with a run blitz because Cleveland knew Alstott was going to get the ball, the 240-pound bruiser didn’t flinch. Alstott stepped out of a would-be ankle tackle at the line of scrimmage, eluded two more Browns defenders, regained his balance, barreled through two more Browns to pick up the first down and then some.
By the time it was over, Alstott picked up 18 yards, and everyone at Raymond James Stadium was on their feet. The A-Train had left seven Browns defenders in his wake. It was one of Alstott’s best highlight reel runs of his stories 11-year career.
2007: Spurlock’s Kick Return TD vs. Falcons
Tampa Bay had taken a 7-3 lead over Atlanta on a December afternoon at Ray-Jay, and the franchise had still not returned a kickoff for a touchdown in its existence dating back to 1976 – until Micheal Spurlock took the field. Without warning, Spurlock helped the Bucs make history as Tampa Bay finally joined the other 31 NFL teams in returning at least one kickoff for a touchdown.
Spurlock caught the short kick at the 10-yard line and ran straight down the middle of the field for the first 20 yards until seeing an opening down the right sidelines and cutting sharply to the right. Once Spurlock got to the 50-yard line with one Falcon to beat, everyone – and I mean everyone – in the press box stood up and started cheering – and I mean cheering.
We were witnessing history. Up until now, I had done a good job of simply standing up during the aforementioned big plays – perhaps smiling, perhaps clinching my fist in an “alright!” move. But I was one of many Bucs media members who was chanting, “Go!” in the press box, ready to write the story that had been decades in the making.
The curse was lifted, and Spurlock’s name would live in Bucs lore forever.
2009: Stroughter Scores In Bucs’ Comeback Win Over Packers
The Bucs were 0-7 following their bye week in Raheem Morris’ first season as head coach in Tampa Bay. The team had benched veteran starter Byron Leftwich and began to start rookie Josh Freeman, the team’s first-round pick, at quarterback. What made this game special wasn’t the fact that Morris got his first head coaching win or that Freeman got his first win as an NFL QB. It was that the Bucs had their first throwback game.
With throwback orange and white Bucco Bruce uniforms and 1970s music playing throughout the stadium, the day was truly special for Bucs fans. What made it even more special was Freeman throwing for 205 yards and three touchdowns, including the go-head score to Sammie Stroughter to rally Tampa Bay from a 10-point deficit to take the lead with 4:14 left.
On fourth-and-4 at the Packers’ 7-yard line, Morris elected to go for the go-ahead touchdown rather the field goal and Freeman hit Stroughter on a fade pass in the back of the end zone. The whole stadium erupted and I remember leaving my seat as Freeman outdueled Aaron Rodgers on that day. Michael Clayton caught a 2-point conversion pass to go up 31-28, and safety Tanard Jackson’s pick-six moments later sealed the 38-28 victory.
2016: Evans’ Second TD Catch vs. Seahawks
The Buccaneers went on a five-game winning streak late in the season to finish Dirk Koetter’s first year as head coach with a 9-7 record. A stunning, 14-5 win over visiting Seattle was part of that victory run for Tampa Bay. Bucs Pro Bowl receiver Mike Evans delivered an early knock out punch with two first quarter touchdowns against Seahawks Pro Bowl cornerback Richard Sherman.
After a 3-yard touchdown on the Bucs’ opening drive stunned the Seahawks, Evans manhandled Sherman down the sidelines to haul in a 23-yard score to increase the lead to 14-0. The Seahawks were favored in this contest and the near sellout crowd of 63,674 fans was in full throat. It seemed like old times as Ray-Jay was rocking like it used to in the Tony Dungy and Jon Gruden eras.
The Bucs defense sacked Rusell Wilson five times and held the Seahawks to just a field goal as Tampa Bay hung on for a big win. Evans finished the day with 104 yards and two touchdowns on eight catches.
2016: Winston To Evans 43-Yard Pass vs. Bears
Bucs quarterback Jameis Winston had a cannon for an arm, and although he didn’t always connect downfield with his targets, it sure was fun to see him throw the deep ball. Winston had a lot of memorable connections with Pro Bowl receiver Mike Evans, but none bigger than a 43-yard bomb against the Bears in which the nimble-footed QB was nearly sacked three times before launching the ball.
With Tampa Bay leading 17-10 in the third quarter, Winston eluded Bears edge rusher Leonard Floyd, who stunted inside, and then dodged Willie Young and Floyd again as he raced backwards from the 23-yard line to the Tampa Bay 2-yard line. He then spun around, went a couple yards deep into the end zone, then raced forward and side-stepped Akiem Hicks before firing a 39-yard pass to Evans.
The ball traveled 53 yards in the air and I think I came out of my seat after Winston executed his spin move at the 2-yard line. On the next play, Winston found a wide open Freddie Martino for a 43-yard touchdown to put the game away.
Stay tuned for another Bucs story from yesteryear in next week’s SR’s Fab 5. And if you missed my previous Bucs memories from the past 24 years of covering the team, click on the links below.
Bucs Throwback Thursday: What If Bo Jackson Played For The Bucs?
Bucs' Barrett To File Grievance, Sign Franchise Tag
