2005 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Season 30 Brief

The 2005 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season was the franchise's 30th season in the National Football League. The season began with the team trying to improve on their 5–11 record in 2004 and The Bucs made a complete rebound from last season to make the playoffs since 2003 with an 11-5 record. Carnell Williams won rookie of the year.

Season Summary

In the 2005 season, the Bucs returned to their winning ways. The Buccaneers selected Carnell "Cadillac" Williams in the first round of the 2005 draft, and the rookie would provide a running game the Buccaneers hadn't possessed since the days of James Wilder in the 1980s. Williams set the NFL record for most yards rushing in his first three games with 474, and was named as the AP's 2005 Offensive Rookie of the Year. His shoes and gloves from the third game of the season are now on display in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

With their 2005 campaign marking the Buccaneers' 30th Season in the NFL, the team won their first four games before entering a midseason slump hampered by a season-ending injury to starting QB Brian Griese during a win over the Miami Dolphins. Replacement starter Chris Simms struggled early as the Bucs lost games to the San Francisco 49ers and Carolina Panthers, but Simms came into his own when he led the team to a last-minute win over the Washington Redskins in a 36–35 thriller to break that slump. In a gutsy move, Gruden went for the win with a two-point conversion plunge by fullback Mike Alstott. A booth review of that play was inconclusive, and Redskins coach Joe Gibbs stated after the game his belief that Alstott had not scored.

The Buccaneers followed up with important wins over their NFC South division rivals, sweeping both the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons, as well as defeating the Panthers in a rare victory at Carolina. Even with a tough loss against the Chicago Bears and a humiliating shutout against the New England Patriots, the Bucs finished 11–5 and won the NFC South by virtue of a tie-breaker over the Panthers. The Buccaneers' 30th Anniversary season would end on a sour note, as they lost 17–10 at home to the Redskins in the wild-card round. An apparent late Bucs touchdown pass from Chris Simms to Edell Shepherd could have tied the game, but the play was ruled incomplete when a booth review upheld the referee's decision.

The Buccaneers sent three veteran players to the 2006 Pro Bowl, including cornerback Ronde Barber and punter Josh Bidwell. Outside linebacker Derrick Brooks was named the Pro Bowl MVP, with a 59-yard interception return for a touchdown.

NFC Wild Card Playoff

Although the Redskins gained only 120 yards on offense, the lowest total in NFL playoff history for a winning team, they converted two turnovers into touchdowns. Midway through the first quarter, Washington linebacker LaVar Arrington's 21-yard interception return set up running back Clinton Portis' six-yard touchdown run. Then, Redskins linebacker Marcus Washington recovered Tampa Bay running back Carnell Williams' fumble and returned it seven yards before losing it himself – into the arms of Safety Sean Taylor who then ran 51 yards for the Redskins' second touchdown.

Early in the second quarter, Tampa Bay drove 38 yards to the Redskins 24-yard line where Matt Bryant kicked a 43-yard field goal to cut their deficit to 14–3. The Redskins responded with a 10-play, 40-yard drive and scored with 40-yard field goal from John Hall.

In the third quarter, Mark Jones gave the Buccaneers good field position by returning a punt 24 yards to the 49-yard line. Tamp Bay's offense took full advantage of the return, marching on a seven-play, 51-yard drive that ended with quarterback Chris Simms' two-yard touchdown run. In the fourth quarter, Tampa Bay drove to the Redskins 19-yard line, but Washington made a huge stand. First, linebacker Lemar Marshall tackled fullback Mike Alstott for no gain on third down and 1, and then Simms threw an incomplete pass on fourth down.. However, Buccaneers defensive back Brian Kelly gave his team another chance to drive for the tying touchdown by intercepting a pass from Mark Brunell and returning it the Redskins 35-yard line. With 3 minutes left in the game, Tampa Bay wide receiver Edell Shepherd caught what appeared to be a 35-yard touchdown reception, but he lost control of the ball as he was coming down in the end zone. The Buccaneers got one last chance to tie the game when they received a punt at their own 46-yard line with 1:05 left in regulation, but Simms threw a pass that was tipped at the line of scrimmage and went into the arms of Washington for an interception.

This game was widely regarded by commentators as an "ugly" performance by both teams' offenses, rendering it a largely defensive game.

		PRESEASON
Date		Opponent	Week/Record	Outcome
Friday Aug. 12		@ Tennessee Titans The Coliseum, Nashville, TN	PS - wk 1 1-0	Won 20-17 (OT)
Saturday Aug. 20		@ Jacksonville Jaguars Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL	PS - wk 2 1-1	Lost 17-20
Saturday Aug. 27		@ Miami Dolphins Dolphin Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL	PS - wk 3 1-2	Lost 14-17
Thursday Sep. 1		Houston Texans Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL	PS - wk 4 2-2	Won 38-14
2005 Season Results Record: 11-5, DIV: 5-1 (1st in NFC South)
Date		Opponent	Week/Record	Outcome
Sunday Sep. 11		@ Minnesota Vikings Hubert H Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, MN	RS - wk 1 1-0	Won 24-13
Sunday Sep. 18		Buffalo Bills Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL	RS - wk 2 2-0	Won 19-3
Sunday Sep. 25		@ Green Bay Packers Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI	RS - wk 3 3-0	Won 17-16
Sunday Oct. 2		Detroit Lions Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL	RS - wk 4 4-0	Won 17-13
Sunday Oct. 9		@ New York Jets The Meadowlands Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ	RS - wk 5 4-1	Lost 12-14
Sunday Oct. 16		Miami Dolphins Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL	RS - wk 6 5-1	Won 27-13
Sunday Oct. 23		BYE	RS - wk 7 5-1
Sunday Oct. 30		@ San Francisco 49ers Monster Park, San Francisco, CA	RS - wk 8 5-2	Lost 10-15
Sunday Nov. 6		Carolina Panthers Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL	RS - wk 9 5-3	Lost 14-34
Sunday Nov. 13		Washington Redskins Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL	RS - wk 10 6-3	Won 36-35
Sunday Nov. 20		@ Atlanta Falcons Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA	RS - wk 11 7-3	Won 30-27
Sunday Nov. 27		Chicago Bears Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL	RS - wk 12 7-4	Lost 10-13
Sunday Dec. 4		@ New Orleans Saints Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, LA	RS - wk 13 8-4	Won 10-3
Sunday Dec. 11		@ Carolina Panthers Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC	RS - wk 14 9-4	Won 20-10
Saturday Dec. 17		@ New England Patriots Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA	RS - wk 15 9-5	Lost 0-28
Saturday Dec. 24		Atlanta Falcons Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL	RS - wk 16 10-5	Won 27-24 (OT)
Sunday Jan. 1		New Orleans Saints Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL	RS - wk 17 11-5	Won 27-13
		PLAYOFFS
Date		Opponent	NFC/Superbowl	Outcome
Saturday Jan. 7		Washington Redskins Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL	PO - Wild-Card 11-6	Lost 10-17

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