TAMPA, Fla. - Save the "Happy New Year" wishes for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They would certainly prefer that December not end so soon.
With a 22-10 win last night over the Ravens, the Buccaneers all but clinched a playoff spot and continued their habit of salvaging seasons in the final month.
Under coach Tony Dungy the team is 13-1 in December at home, and 10-0 at Raymond James Stadium.
"Big games count double in December," Buccaneers linebacker Derrick Brooks said. "We believe in defending our home turf and we did it tonight once again."
Brooks led the way with 11 tackles and the most electrifying defensive play of the night, his second-quarter interception of Ravens quarterback Elvis Grbac. He lamented not diving into the end zone at the end of his 53-yard return, but Brad Johnson completed the effort with a 1-yard quarterback sneak.
The defense pestered Grbac all night, holding him to 205 yards passing and sacking him five times. The final blow came from safety Dexter Jackson, who came in on a blitz and nailed Grbac on a third-and-five situation on the last play before the two-minute warning.
On the ground, Tampa Bay held the Ravens to just 90 yards on 26 carries. For a change, the 30th-ranked Buccaneers running game outpaced its opponent, as Mike Alstott and Warrick Dunn combined for 127 yards on 27 carries. Alstott put the exclamation point on the victory with a 32-yard touchdown run.
The Buccaneers' special teams put the defense in position to succeed, specifically on the punting of Mark Royals, who put four of his seven punts inside the 15-yard line.
Backup tight end Todd Yoder contributed a punt block in the second quarter that led to the third field goal from Doug Brien, who was signed Thursday to replace injured starter Martin Gramatica.
Still, Baltimore remained in the game late, but Tampa Bay made a key defensive stop early in the fourth quarter, when the Ravens had to settle for a field goal after having a first-and-goal on the Buccaneers' 2-yard line.
Now, the question becomes whether Tampa Bay can continue its success in January. The postseason appears certain, but with a sixth seed, the Buccaneers will have to hit the road, where they are 0-5 in the postseason.
"It seems like we play good games in December, [but] we have to keep the momentum going and play good ball," Dungy said.
