WON - Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31 New Orleans Saints 16
Eric Zeier's stint as starting quarterback lasted only one week. With Trent Dilfer's returned to the lineup led the Buccaneers to their first touchdown in eight quarters with an early strike to Jacquez Green. Dilfer followed it up with two more scoring passes.
The Buccaneers sailed over the Saints, with Dilfer passing for 227 yards and three touchdowns. The biggest of the day being an early 62-yard bomb to Jacquez Green. Mike Alstott shot the cannon as the A-Train thundered for 117 yards and one touchdown.
- "We've been not making the plays, but today we made some, and look what happens, " Dilfer said. "We got that big play early and more than anything else, I think guys were just happy to see us get it in the end zone."
GAMEDAY BRIEF
OFFICALS
- REFEREE: Ed Hochuli
- UMPIRE: Chad Brown
- LINE JUDGE: Michael Spanier
- SIDE JUDGE: Laird Hayes
- HEAD LINESMAN: George Hayward
- BACK JUDGE: Don Carey
- FIELD JUDGE: Jim Saracino
- REPLAY OFFICAL: Undre Wash
SCORING
- SAINTS: 5:35-1Q Brien FG29
- BUCCANEERS: 4:01-1Q Green 62 pass from Dilfer (Gramatica kick)
- BUCCANEERS: 9:49-2Q Gramatica FG45
- BUCCANEERS: 4:27-2Q Davis 1 pass from Dilfer (Gramatica kick)
- SAINTS: 0:30-2Q Brien FG39
- BUCCANEERS: 6:48-3Q McDonald 10 pass from Dilfer (Gramatica kick)
- SAINTS: 10:45-4Q Brien FG37
- SAINTS: 0:48-4Q Poole 1 pass from Toliver (Brien kick)
- BUCCANEERS: 0:15-4Q Alstott 25 run (Gramatica kick)
STARTERS OFFENSE
- WR: #85 R. Anthony
- LT: #74 P. Gruber
- LG: #64 J. Diaz
- C: #61 T. Mayberry
- RG: #73 F. Middleton
- RT: #71 J. Wunsch
- TE: #83 D. Moore
- WR: #81 J. Green
- QB: #12 T. Dilfer
- RB: #28 W. Dunn
- FB: #40 M. Alstott
STARTERS DEFENSE
- LE: #72 C. Ahanotu
- LT: #77 B. Culpepper
- RT: #99 W. Sapp
- RE: #94 S. White
- LLB: #53 S. Quarles
- MLB: #56 H. Nickerson
- RLB: #55 D. Brooks
- LCB: #21 D. Abraham
- RCB: #20 R. Barber
- SS: #47 J. Lynch
- FS: #24 D. Robinson
SUBSTITUTIONS
- 3 Royals, 7 Gramatica, 25 Kelly, 27 Abdullah, 30 Smith, 33 Vance, 34 Jackson, 50 Gooch, 51 Singleton, 58 Davis, 59 Duncan, 68 Unutoa, 69 Pierson, 75 Washington, 78 Jones, 80 Davis, 82 Hape, 84 McDonald, 88 Murphy, 92 McFarland, 97 Jackson
DID NOT PLAY
- 10 King, 65 Dogins
INACTIVE
- 15 Zeier, 31 Young, 43 McLeod, 70 Odom, 86 Williams, 87 Emanuel, 95 McLaughlin, 98 Cannida
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING
- BUCCANEERS: Alstott 25-117, Dunn 12-42, Dilfer 2-2, Green 1-(-5).
- SAINTS: Williams 14-41, Toliver 5-28, L.Smith 2-22, Kennison 1-4, Craver 1-3.
PASSING
- BUCCANEERS: Dilfer 20-15-227-0-3.
- SAINTS: Toliver 37-18-211-2-1.
RECIEVING
- BUCCANEERS: Green 4-89, Dunn 3-54, McDonald 3-47, Anthony 2-14, Alstott 1-15,Moore 1-7, Davis 1-1.
- SAINTS: Smith 4-27, Williams 4-22, Poole 3-23, Hastings 2-45, Kennison 2-42, Cleeland 2-39, Bech 1-13.
INTERCEPTIONS
- BUCCANEERS: Brooks 1-38, Barber 1-17.
- SAINTS: none
KICK RETURNS
- BUCCANEERS: Murphy 4-113.
- SAINTS: Davis 3-78, Perry 2-12, Bech 1-12.
PUNT RETURNS
- BUCCANEERS: Green 0-0.
- SAINTS: Kennison 2-10.
SACKS
- BUCCANEERS: Ahanotu 0.5-3, Culpepper 0.5-3.
- SAINTS: Tomich 1-2.