Tampa Bay Buccaneers 35 Cincinnati Bengals 7 Sunday 29 September 2002 at Riverfront Stadium
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING BUCS: Pittman 19-54, Alstott 7-29, Stecker 1-14, R.Johnson 1-4. BENGALS: Dillon 21-59, Neal 2-10, Smith 4-5, Bennett 2-0. PASSING BUCS: B.Johnson 30-19-277-2-3. BENGALS: Smith 33-12-117-1-0. RECEIVING BUCS: K.Johnson 5-56, Pittman 5-27, McCardell 4-108, Dilger 2-33, Dudley 1-35, Jurevicius 1-12, Alstott 1-6. BENGALS: Warrick 4-51, Bennett 4-27, Houshmandzadeh 2-20, Luchey 1-15, Schobel 1-4. INTERCEPTIONS BUCS: Quarles 1-25. BENGALS: Simmons 1-51, Gibson 1-6. KICK RETURNS BUCS: Stecker 1-32, Yoder 1-9. BENGALS: Bennett 6-106. PUNT RETURNS BUCS: Williams 5-61. BENGALS: Warrick 2-15. SACKS BUCS: Sapp 2-15, Brooks 1-8. BENGALS: Williams 1-10, Hawkins 1-5.
OFFENSE DEFENSE LT 72 Oben LDE 94 Spires LG 71 Jenkins UT 92 McFarland C 62 Christy DT 99 Sapp RG 60 Coleman RDE 97 Rice RT 74 Green LLB 51 Singleton TE 85 Dilger MLB 53 Quarles WR 19 Johnson RLB 55 Brooks WR 87 McCardell LCB 25 Kelly RB 27 Stecker SS 47 Lynch RB 32 Pittman FS 34 Jackson QB 14 Johnson RCB 20 Barber SUBSTITUTIONS 7 Gramatica, 9 Tupa, 11 Johnson, 23 Phillips, 26 Smith, 30 Barnes, 35 Ivy, 38 Howell, 40 Alstott, 45 Solwold, 52 Webster, 56 Nece, 58 Golden, 77 Washington, 80 Yoder, 83 Jurevicius, 86 Williams, 88 Dudley, 91 Darby, 96 Wyms, 98 Smith DID NOT PLAY 65 Hochstein, 75 Brown INACTIVE 10 King, 31 Wansley, 34 Stephens, 43 Cook, 67 Walker, 82 Walker, 84 Barlow, 90 Gurley
SCORING CIN 2:19-1Q Simmons 51 interception return (Rackers kick) TB 14:53-2Q Dudley 35 pass from BJohnson (Gramatica kick) TB 7:27-2Q McCardell 65 pass from BJohnson (Gramatica kick) TB 0:52-2Q Quarles 25 interception return (Gramatica kick) TB 10:46-3Q Dilger 22 pass from BJohnson (Gramatica kick) TB 3:09-4Q Alstott 1 run (Gramatica kick)
Two of the Bucs’ biggest-ever road victories have come in Cincinnati and this one was even more one-sided than the score indicates. Although Tampa Bay fell behind early on, three scoring strikes from Brad Johnson and Shelton Quarles’ interception return score had this game comfortably in control early in the third quarter. The Bucs’ defense came to play holding Akili Smith and the Bengals offense to under 200 yards and Warren Sapp recorded a pair of sacks in the process. Mike Alstott capped the scoring on a one-yard run late in the third quarter and the rest of the game became playing time for the back-ups on the roster.
COMMENTARY CREW Sam Rosen and Bill Maas
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS Click on the boxes below for the main plays from the game Keenan McCardell put the Bucs ahead to stay in the second quarter Shelton Quarles had an interception return for the second straight year Ken Dilger joined the offensive party with one of Brad Johnson’s three touchdown passes