Buccaneers vs. Atlanta Falcons 
WON - Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20 Atlanta Falcons 06
Tampa Bay visited another new division rival, the Atlanta Falcons. The Buccaneer defense dominated yet another game, holding the Falcons to only 3 first half points, despite giving up good field position (the Falcons had a 47-yard kickoff return, a fumble recovery and a recovered onside kick).
On the first drive of the third quarter, quarterback Michael Vick was knocked out of the game after a sack by Simeon Rice. Doug Johnson took over at quarterback for the Falcons, and did not fare well. Though the Falcons took a 6–3 lead midway through the third period, the lead was short-lived. Three plays later, Brad Johnson connected on a 76-yard touchdown pass to Keyshawn Johnson, and a 10–6 lead. After a Martín Gramática field goal stretched the lead to 13–6, Tampa Bay pinned the Falcons on their own 16-yard line with 6:24 to go in the game. Doug Johnson was being sacked but got the ball off, which was, in turn, intercepted by Warren Sapp at the Atlanta 15-yard line. Sapp lateraled to Derrick Brooks who then ran for a touchdown. It was Tampa Bay's fourth consecutive game with a defensive score, and Brook's third of the season.
Tampa Bay won by a final score of 20–6, and improved to 4–1.
GAMEDAY BRIEF
OFFICALS
- REFEREE: Bill Carollo
- UMPIRE: Butch Hannah
- HEAD LINESMAN: Paul Weidner
- LINE JUDGE: Bob Waggoner
- SIDE JUDGE: Steve Zimmer
- BACK JUDGE: John Parry
- FIELD JUDGE: Ben Montgomery
- REPLAY OFFICAL: Gary Lane
- VIDEO OPERATOR: Not Documented
SCORING
- FALCONS: 7:05-1Q Feely FG34
- BUCCANEERS: 8:03-2Q Gramatica FG23
- FALCONS: 6:18-3Q Feely FG32
- BUCCANEERS: 4:32-3Q K.Johnson 76 pass from B.Johnson (Gramatica kick)
- BUCCANEERS: 6:31-4Q Gramatica FG23
- BUCCANEERS: 6:14-4Q Brooks 15 lateral from Sapp (Gramatica kick)
STARTERS OFFENSE
- QB: #14 B. Johnson
- TE: #85 K. Dilger
- LT: #72 R. Oben
- LG: #71 K. Jenkins
- C: #62 J. Cristy
- RG: #60 C. Coleman
- RT: #74 C. Green
- RB: #32 M. Pittman
- WR: #87 K. McCardell
- WR: #19 K. Johnson
- FB: #40 M. Alstott
STARTERS DEFENSE
- RE: #97 S. Rice
- NT: #92 A. McFarland
- DT: #99 W. Sapp
- LE: #94 G. Spires
- WLB: #55 D. Brooks
- MLB: #53 S. Quarles
- SLB: #51 A. Singleton
- RCB: #20 R. Barber
- LCB: #25 B. Kelly
- SS: #47 J. Lynch
- FS: #34 D. Jackson
SUBSTITUTIONS
- 7 Gramatica, 9 Tupa, 23 Phillips, 26 Smith, 27 Stecker, 35 Ivy, 38 Howell, 43 Cook, 52 Webster, 56 Nece, 58 Golden, 68 Unutoa, 77 Washington, 80 Yoder, 83 Jurevicius, 86 Williams, 88 Dudley, 91 Darby, 96 Wyms, 98 Smith
DID NOT PLAY
- 11 Johnson, 75 Brown, 76 Reyes
INACTIVE
- 310 King, 30 Barnes, 31 Wansley, 34 Stephens, 67 Walker, 81 Lee, 84 Barlow, 90 Gurley
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING
- BUCCANEERS: Pittman 19-62, Alstott 4-9, B.Johnson 1-2, McCardell 1-3, Stecker 1-(-2).
- FALCONS: Duckett 11-52, Dunn 9-14, Johnson 1-3, Vick 1-1.
PASSING
- BUCCANEERS: B.Johnson 31-17-261-1-1.
- FALCONS: Vick 12-4-37-0-0, Johnson 25-13-150-3-0, Mohr 1-0-0-1-0.
RECIEVING
- BUCCANEERS: K.Johnson 6-131, McCardell 6-83, Pittman 2-9, Jurevicius 1-19, Cook 1-13, Alstott 1-6.
- FALCONS: Finneran 5-61, Duckett 3-34, Jefferson 2-32, Kozlowski 2-17, Dunn 2-13, Jackson 1-16, Crumpler 1-9, Kelly 1-5.
INTERCEPTIONS
- BUCCANEERS: Smith 2-35, Brooks 1-15, Sapp 1-0.
- FALCONS: Carpenter 1-0.
KICK RETURNS
- BUCCANEERS: none
- FALCONS: Rossum 4-111, Crumpler 1-9.
PUNT RETURNS
- BUCCANEERS: Williams 0-0.
- FALCONS: Rossum 3-40.
SACKS
- BUCCANEERS: Rice 1.5-7, Wyms 1-6, Kelly 1-0, McFarland 0.5-1.
- FALCONS: Rogers 1-6, Stewart 1-2.
