2000 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Season 25 Brief
The season began with the team trying to improve on an 11–5 season from 1999. Shaun King, who took over the quarterback position as a rookie midway through the 1999 season, became the full-time starter for 2000. In April, the Buccaneers acquired wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson via a trade from the Jets. It was a highly publicized transaction, which made Johnson the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL, and increased expectations for the club.
In Week 16, the Buccaneers won one of the more notable games in the history of Monday Night Football against the St. Louis Rams. It was a rematch of the previous season's NFC Championship Game.
In the final week of the regular season, the Buccaneers faced Green Bay, with the NFC Central title on the line. With a victory at Lambeau Field, the Buccaneers were poised to win the division, and secure a first round bye for the playoffs. After a rally to tie the game in the fourth quarter, kicker Martin Gramatica missed a game-winning field attempt at the end of regulation. The Buccaneers lost the game in overtime, and failed to win the division. The dejected club fell to the #5 seed, and was routed by Philadelphia in the Wild Card Game, 21-3.
NFC Wild Card Game Against the Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles defense held Tampa Bay to only 199 total yards and 11 first downs. The Buccaneers scored first early in the second quarter with Martin Gramatica's 29-yard field goal. But late in the period, the Eagles' Hugh Douglas forced Tampa Bay quarterback Shaun King to fumble, and Mike Mamula recovered the loose ball at the Buccaneers 15-yard line. The turnover set up Philadelphia quarterback Donovan McNabb's 5-yard touchdown run. Tampa Bay then punted on their next possession and the Eagles marched 69 yards on 8 plays to take a 14–3 on Na Brown's 5-yard touchdown reception with 12 seconds left in the half. Philadelphia then shut out the Buccaneers in the second half, while McNabb threw a 2-yard pass to Jeff Thomason with less than a minute left in the game to seal the victory. The Eagle's victory meant for the 35th consecutive year that the team hosting the Super Bowl would not be playing in it.
| PRESEASON | ||||
| Date | Opponent | Week/Record | Outcome | |
| Friday Aug. 4 |
|
Washington Redskins Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL |
PS - wk 1
1-0 |
Won 13-12 |
| Thursday Aug. 10 |
|
@ Miami Dolphins Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL |
PS - wk 2
1-1 |
Lost 13-15 |
| Sunday Aug. 20 |
|
@ New England Patriots Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA |
PS - wk 3
2-1 |
Won 31-21 |
| Friday Aug. 25 |
|
Kansas City Chiefs Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL |
PS - wk 4
3-1 |
Won 37-14 |
2000 Season ResultsRecord: 10-6, DIV: 4-4 (2nd in NFC Central) |
||||
| Date | Opponent | Week/Record | Outcome | |
| Sunday Sep. 3 |
|
@ New England Patriots Foxboro Stadium, Foxborough, MA |
RS - wk 1
1-0 |
Won 21-16 |
| Sunday Sep. 10 |
|
Chicago Bears
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL |
RS - wk 2
2-0 |
Won 41-0 |
| Sunday Sep. 17 |
|
@ Detroit Lions
Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac, MI |
RS - wk 3
3-0 |
Won 31-10 |
| Sunday Sep. 24 |
|
New York Jets
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL |
RS - wk 4
3-1 |
Lost 17-21 |
| Sunday Oct. 1 |
|
@ Washington Redskins
FedEx Field, Landover, MD |
RS - wk 5
3-1 |
Lost 17-20 (OT) |
| Monday Oct. 9 |
|
@ Minnesota Vikings
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, MN |
RS - wk 6
3-2 |
Lost 23-30 |
| Sunday Oct. 16 |
BYE | RS - wk 7
3-2 |
||
| Thursday Oct. 19 |
|
Detroit Lions
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL |
RS - wk 8
3-3 |
Lost 14-28 |
| Sunday Oct. 29 |
|
Minnesota Vikings
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL |
RS - wk 9
4-3 |
Won 41-13 |
| Sunday Nov. 5 |
|
@ Atlanta Falcons
Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA |
RS - wk 10
5-3 |
Won 27-14 |
| Sunday Nov. 12 |
|
Green Bay Packers
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL |
RS - wk 11
6-3 |
Won 20-15 |
| Sunday Nov. 19 |
|
@ Chicago Bears
Soldier Field, Chicago, IL |
RS - wk 12
6-4 |
Lost 10-13 |
| Sunday Nov. 26 |
|
Buffalo Bills
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL |
RS - wk 13
7-4 |
Won 31-17 |
| Sunday Dec. 3 |
|
Dallas Cowboys
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL |
RS - wk 14
8-4 |
Won 27-7 |
| Sunday Dec. 10 |
|
@ Miami Dolphins
Pro Player Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL |
RS - wk 15
9-4 |
Won 16-13 |
| Monday Dec. 18 |
|
St. Louis Rams
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL |
RS - wk 16
10-4 |
Won 38-35 |
| Sunday Dec. 24 |
|
@ Green Bay Packers Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI |
RS - wk 17
10-5 |
Lost 14-17 (OT) |
| PLAYOFFS | ||||
| Date | Opponent | NFC/Superbowl | Outcome | |
| Sunday Dec. 31 |
|
Philadelphia Eagles
Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia, PA |
PO - Wild-Card
10-6 |
Lost 3-21 |
