Bucs edge Ain'ts in EPIC showdown

Owner Chris James was raised on his players shoulders as the team exited
the field for the 3rd time this evening. The game was twice put in a
delay due to a Sever EA Server Screw Up warning issued by the National
Crappy Server Forecast Center. The highlights that will not be
discussed from the previous EA Server Screw Up games include a Meecham
injury (this is a highlight simply because it was broken ribs....he'd be
out a while, but the EA Server god's wanted him to keep playing) and a
96 yard kick return by the Bucs Higgins.

Now, on to the game that FINALLY was played with no server issues or delays :

The game started with the Bucs getting the kickoff. "It was a cluster
f*** from the beginning" owner James told the Bucs Times. "We have been
at these 'Turning Points' before, or so it seems. There have been
times in previous seasons that it was sink or swim...sucks it is the 3rd
game of the year, but that is how we feel." New off season acqusitions
Frank Gore and Carson Palmer were not used to the sideline body
language. "I've never seen guys so rejected to not scoring on the
opening drive and then giving up a TD in return to end the quarter,"
Gore said. Palmer added "all I told the guys is that the game is 32
minutes (or in this case 33 minutes and 37 seconds)."

Scoring in the first half would include a 1 yard TD run by D. Williams
for NO, a 7 yard strike to Gore for Bucs, 27 yard NO FG, 15 yard Bucs
pass, and a 3 yard Deangelo Williams run to tally the score to 17-14 New
Orleans.

The second half started with traded TD runs in the 3rd including a 41 yard run by Tampa's FB Graham.

The 4th would also see traded TD's and a very costly Drew Brees
interception on the final New Orleans drive of the game. Brees threw
his late int to Tyerll Hillard. The Bucs would march the ball down the
field and eat clock to try and simply go for the win. "It was our game
plan to try and win this mother" kicker John Riddick for the Bucs would
later say. "When Hill got that pick we decided to be conservative.
They thought we'd pass and we were thinking that we either wanted to win
it here or extend the game." The game would be extended on a Riddick
kick as time expired.

Overtime was next on the plate for these two teams who had already
battled 9 quarters. The toss was won by the Bucs who would decide to
receive the ball and try and score first for the win. The Bucs were held
to a third down try and were ready to run a play to pick up the first
down. "As we came to the line I was getting ready to let Ron know to go
deep instead of running on his out route. I figured this may free up a
inside pass to my out man. But as I looked at the coverage I saw Ron's
defender jump back into the box to go run. I snapped the ball and just
thought ' get in field goal range'" Palmer said of the final play.
Little did Carson know but the indecision on calling the deep route for
Belle would prove to be brilliant. The play developed almost as a
screen, but not by design. Belle ran straight out in the flats and
caught a block on the outside DB. This freed Belle to hit the
accelerator. It took every bit of Belle's 91 speed and 96 acceleration
to streak down the field and beat out the safety as he ran in his 64
yard pass to end the game.

"We are going to take the team to Disney tomorrow. Last year we had a
chance to get the Saints and it faultered away early in the year. They
also beat us out for the division easily, but we seemed to be in
position until they nipped us." Said James. "We feel like we won the
Super Owl....but we know we won the real GOTW"....But Carson Palmer
reminded his team in the post game "guys, it is a marthon, not a
sprint."

Final in OT

Bucs 37
Saints 31

QB's

Palmer 320 4 tds
Brees 309 yard 1 td 2 ints

RB's

Gore 62 yards
Williams 103 yards 3 tds

WR's

Gore (Bucs) 93 2 td's
Gibson (Bucs) 68 1 td
Belle (Bucs) 1 catch..game winning 64 yard td

Browne (Saints) 87 yrds
McClain (Saints) 87 yrds
Henderson (Saints) 77 yrds