Loss Likely Forces Bucs To Get Wild
The Tampa Tribune, published 10 November 2003

Realistically, the Bucs (4-5) are now playing for an NFC wild-card playoff spot following Sunday's 27-24 loss to Carolina. The Panthers (7-2) lead the NFC South by three games (with seven to play) and have swept the Bucs. In the wild- card standings, the Bucs have no discernible advantages. They are among five NFC teams at 4-5 and their conference record (one of the main tie-breakers) is 4-4. It may be too early for projections, but one thing seems obvious. This won't be an easy road.

``It never is,'' Ronde Barber said. ``Ask the Rams after they won [the Super Bowl]. Ask the Patriots the year before us. We've just got to find a way to do it. We've got to start with the next game, then put one after that, and one after that.''

The Bucs have been here before. In 2001, they were 4-5 and rallied to earn a wild-card berth. But that doesn't carry a first-week bye. And it means a road game. It's the formula Tampa Bay successfully avoided last season when it won Super Bowl XXXVII. Losing control of an NFC South title opportunity puts them in a crowded pack. The Bucs can make some inroads with their next two games - home against the Green Bay Packers and New York Giants, also NFC wild- card contenders. The Bucs have beaten the Philadelphia Eagles, but they have losses against the New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers.

``Wild card is probably the reality,'' John Lynch said. ``It's not what we wanted or how we envisioned it happening. All we can do is keep our goals very short term and concentrate on the next game. It might be tough to win the division. You can't even have that as the big picture. It's all small picture right now.''

Someone asked defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin about the possibility of facing the Panthers again during the NFC playoffs. He just shrugged. ``Most likely, it would probably be back up here [in Carolina],'' Kiffin said. ``It sure would've been good to get this one. This was a big swing game, no doubt.''