Tampa Bay Buccaneers 17 Philadelphia Eagles 0 Monday 8 September 2003 at Lincoln Financial Field
SCORING TB 12:32-2Q Gramatica FG23 TB 3:44-3Q Jurevicius 13 pass from B.Johnson (Gramatica kick) TB 8:28-4Q Jurevicius 7 pass from B.Johnson (Gramatica kick)
The defending Super Bowl champion Buccaneers began the defense of their title on the road in Philadelphia in a re-match of the NFC title game. And just like in January, they broke the Eagles’ hearts, this time opening their new stadium with a home loss just as they closed the old one. Joe Jurevicius had a pair of touchdown passes, one a highlight reel self-deflected effort and the defense lived up to its old billing with a shutout.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING BUCS: Pittman 8-35, Jones 10-30, Alstott 12-23, Stecker 1-2. EAGLES: McNabb 5-55, Thrash 1-47, Staley 7-14, Westbrook 2- 5, Buckhalter 1-0. PASSING BUCS: B.Johnson 36-27-238-1-2. EAGLES: McNabb 36-19-148-1-0, Detmer 1-0-0-0-0. RECEIVING BUCS: K.Johnson 6-83, Alstott 5-36, Jurevicius 4-39, Pittman 4-6, McCardell 3-41, Jones 2-10, Sapp 1-14, Barnes 1-6, Dilger 1-3. EAGLES: Staley 7-46, Thrash 5-46, Lewis 3-22, Pinkston 2-7, Mitchell 1-15, Ritchie 1-12. INTERCEPTIONS BUCS: McFarland 1-0. EAGLES: Vincent 1-28. KICK RETURNS BUCS: Stecker 1-18. EAGLES: Westbrook 2-69, Morey 2-26. PUNT RETURNS BUCS: Wiliams 4-30. EAGLES: Sheppard 4-15. SACKS BUCS: Rice 2-14, Barber 0.5-5, Lynch 0.5-5. EAGLES: none.
STARTERS OFFENSE DEFENSE LT 72 Oben DE 94 Spires LG 60 Coleman DT 92 McFarland C 76 Wade DT 99 Sapp RG 65 Whittle DE 97 Rice RT 67 Walker LLB 56 Nece TE 85 Dilger MLB 52 Webster WR 19 Johnson RLB 55 Brooks WR 87 McCardell LCB 25 Kelly FB 40 Alstott RCB 20 Barber RB 32 Pittman SS 47 Lynch QB 14 Johnson FS 26 Smith PLAYED 7 Gramatica, 9 Tupa, 22 Jones, 23 Phillips, 27 Stecker, 30 Barnes, 31 Wansley, 35 Ivy, 38 Howell, 41 Wilcox, 57 Rudd, 58 Golden, 61 Pinkney, 66 Benjamin, 71 Jenkins, 80 Yoder, 83 Jurevicius, 86 Williams, 89 Heller, 91 Darby, 95 Warner DID NOT PLAY 10 King, 79 Mahan INACTIVES 2 Simms, 43 Cook, 53 Quarles, 62 King, 74 Green, 84 Barlow, 90 White, 96 Wyms
COMMENTARY CREW Al Michaels and John Madden