11 Dec
4.25pm
18 Dec
4.25pm
25 Dec
8.20pm
1 Jan
1pm
9 Jan
1pm
ON THIS DAY IN BUCCANEER HISTORY
7 December 1998 - Monday Night Football returns
Monday Night football came back to Tampa
for the first time in 15 years. And at Raymond
James Stadium when Trent completed his
second slant pattern of the night that went
over 60 yards for a score, the sell-out crowd
in Tampa went totally bananas. The Packers
did get close at the end, but this was always
going to be the Bucs' night as the Pewter
Bandwagon began to pick up speed.
Click here for all the game details, statistics and reports
BUCCANEER BIRTHDAYS
RB Nathan Wonsley is well known to
most die-hard Buccaneer fans even
though he only played 10 games for
Tampa Bay making just
two starts.
He was the lone bright
spark in the terrible
second Leeman Bennett
season and he came out
of nowhere to have a pair of 100-yard
games before sustaining a neck injury
that would ultimately end his career. He
is 59 today.
OL Kevin Dogins (50) was another of the
undrafted Texas A&M Kingsville players
who made Tony Dungy’s first roster in
1996 and he remained there for parts of
five seasons making nine starts when
injuries hit the regular starting line-up.
LB Nigel Harris (28) was on the roster for
one game in the 2017 season and WR
Spencer Schnell (28) had a similar length
of stay with the Bucs two years later.
HOME ALONE
Tom Brady was Kevin - looking like he would be home alone for Christmas,
no playoffs, no hope. The marauding bandits were in town and about to
steal away all the Buccaneers’ hopes and dreams for a merry festive time.
And everyone around America (and a sofa in England at 4am) were
watching it all unfold.
But in the best tradition of all Disney movies and Hollywood blockbusters,
the unbelievable began to become believable. Toy cars left on the floor,
nails on the steps and sharp decorations under the window.
Starting at their own 9-yard line with five minutes left, the GOAT began to
direct the comeback against a very soft zone defense. But downfield the
Bucs went dropping small blows on the intruders all the way. And then he
went deep to Mike Evans trading off the touchdown for a pass interference
penalty - Cade Otton did the rest. Paint can to the face.
“Have you guys had enough or do you want some more?”
The defense continued to step up as it had done most of the night and the
Bucs got the ball back with over two minutes left. More pranks and japes
as they went down the field. Chris Godwin looked like he had delivered the
knockout blow but Donovan Smith left the back door open and our
young(ish) hero had to go to his bag of tricks one last time.
Three seconds left and the second paint can smacked Harry in the face as
Rachaad White caught the winning pass and Buccaneer fans everywhere
laughed at those who had given up and headed for the exits to join the rest
of the McAllisters on the flight to Paris.
The Bucs are 6-6 and now have a two-game lead on the Falcons in the
battle to get massacred by the Cowboys in a home playoff game. But that
can be left for another day as can the implications of leaving an eight-year-
old in a house alone in the first place.
The same problems remain - a total lack of offense for most of the game, a
second-string offensive line and receivers who look good on paper when
the game is played on grass. This is a great looking offense … in 2020
and we are now in 2022.
Social media was all ready to unload its full fury on the usual suspects with
Donovan Smith joining the likes of Bowles, Leftwich, Harry and Marv in the
identity parade. Until the last five minutes provided some respite.
But the one problem that does loom on the horizon is that any massive
successful film always leads to a sequel and beyond. The Bucs go to San
Francisco next Sunday and then have the suddenly very potent Bengals
coming to town. Home Alone 2 and 3 look very imminent and this time our
young hero may not be able to save the day.
The Bucs now have a 13-12 record on Monday Night Football with wins in six of their last eight - their first MNF appearance was in Chicago in October 1980. The first one in Tampa was December 1982 against Miami
