Tampa Bay Buccaneers 19 San Francisco 49ers 21 Sunday 23 December 2007 at Monster Park
SCORING TB 8:09-1Q Bryant FG34 TB 2:36-1Q Bryant FG22 SF 14:56-2Q Jackson 21 pass from Hill (Nedney kick) TB 3:49-2Q Stevens 24 pass from Garcia (Bryant kick) SF 9:30-3Q Davis 5 pass from Hill (Bryant kick) SF 14:11-4Q Gore 23 pass from Hill (Bryant kick) TB 1:20-4Q Stevens 24 pass from McCown (pass failed)
GAME REPORTS Roy Cummings reports from Monster Park Martin Fennelly's award-winning column The dean of Tampa sports writers, Tom McEwen How Rick Stroud saw it all unfold Gary Shelton's morning-after column The offensive line takes a step back The tight ends prove to be the big weapons Game notes and anecdotes Scott Smith's official game report The official gamebook and play-by-play
The Bucs began resting many of their starters ahead of the post-season with Luke McCown replacing Jeff Garcia at half-time whilst the Bucs led 13-6. The defensive showing in the second half was not inspiring though. "We tried to win today. But I want to go into the playoffs with a healthy team” said Jon Gruden.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING BUCS: Graham 9-21, McCown 2-17, Bennett 5-16, Pittman 7- 13, Garcia 1-0. 49ERS: Gore 21-89, Norris 1-6, Hicks 1-3, Hill 6- (-1). PASSING BUCS: Garcia 20-12-196-0-1, McCown 32-18-185-1-1. 49ERS: Hill 24-11-123-1-3. RECEIVING BUCS: Pittman 7-54, Smith 6-79, Clayton 5-71, Stevens 4-73, Hilliard 3-50, Bennett 2-14, Graham 2-11, Galloway 1-29. 49ERS: Gore 4-43, Davis 3-30, Jackson 2-27, Walker 2-23. INTERCEPTIONS BUCS: Kelly 1-0. 49ERS: Clements 1-62. KICK RETURNS BUCS: Spurlock 3-68. 49ERS: Hicks 4-75. PUNT RETURNS BUCS: Buchanon 4-0, Spurlock 2-12. 49ERS: Lewis 4-36. SACKS BUCS: Haye 1-4, Sims 1-3. 49ERS: Willis 2-0, Banta-Cain 1-8, McDonald 1-6.
STARTERS OFFENSE DEFENSE LT 70 Penn DE 93 Carter LG 78 Sears DT 71 Haye C 76 Wade DT 95 Hovan RG 75 Joseph DE 90 Adams RT 65 Trueblood WLB 55 Brooks TE 81 Smith MLB 51 Ruud TE 88 Becht SLB 59 June WR 84 Galloway LCB 20 Barber FB 44 Storer RCB 31 Buchanon RB 34 Graham SS 23 Phillips QB 7 Garcia FS 28 Jackson PLAYED 3 Bryant, 9 Bidwell, 12 McCown, 17 Spurlock, 19 Hilliard, 22 Davis, 25 Kelly, 26 Allen, 29 Bennett, 32 Pittman, 39 Pearson, 48 Economos, 50 Trotter, 57 Hayward, 58 Black, 68 Lehr, 69 Davis, 80 Clayton. 85 Stovall, 86 Stevens, 91 White, 94 Spires, 98 Sims INACTIVES 5 Gradkowski, 33 Darby, 35 Askew, 54 Chukwurah, 56 Nece, 72 Buenning, 87 Heinrich, 96 Peterson
COMMENTARY CREW Dick Stockton and Brian Baldinger