Bucs

The Buccaneers could use some good news after a 3-13 season, and here's some: Every year since the NFL realigned its divisions in 2002, the team that finished last in the NFC South made the playoffs the following year. In that sense, there's hope. Now, the bad news for the Bucs: Things aren't getting any easier in the division. The Saints are coming off their first Super Bowl victory and have one of the league's elite quarterbacks in Drew Brees. The Falcons patched a hole in their secondary by signing cornerback Dunta Robinson, among the top free agents this offseason.

Broke unwritten rule Dan Pompei Chicago Tribune What the Bucs did on the final play of the game against the Giants didn't break any rule in the NFL's Official Playing Rules. But it broke an unwritten rule, a rule about sportsmanship, respect and safety. On one hand, you can admire what Greg Schiano did. He tried his best to win the game until the clock expired. On the other hand, you can disapprove of it. The Giants weren't ready for blocks at their knees, and they were fortunate none of their offensive linemen nor quarterback Eli Manning was injured.

Broke unwritten rule Dan Pompei Chicago Tribune What the Bucs did on the final play of the game against the Giants didn't break any rule in the NFL's Official Playing Rules. But it broke an unwritten rule, a rule about sportsmanship, respect and safety. On one hand, you can admire what Greg Schiano did. He tried his best to win the game until the clock expired. On the other hand, you can disapprove of it. The Giants weren't ready for blocks at their knees, and they were fortunate none of their offensive linemen nor quarterback Eli Manning was injured.

They're calling it a symbolic gesture: an NFL team signs a guy in a wheelchair. But the  Tampa Bay Buccaneers signing of paralyzed Rutgers defensive tackle Eric LeGrand is more than that. It's a big touch of humanity in a business that can be cold and hard and as bottom-line, what-have-you-done-for-me-lately as exists on the planet. So good for the Bucs. And good for their classy coach Greg Schiano, who was LeGrand's coach when he played for the Scarlet Knights. "Leading up to the draft, I couldn't help but think that this should've been Eric's draft class," Schiano said.

They're calling it a symbolic gesture: an NFL team signs a guy in a wheelchair. But the  Tampa Bay Buccaneers signing of paralyzed Rutgers defensive tackle Eric LeGrand is more than that. It's a big touch of humanity in a business that can be cold and hard and as bottom-line, what-have-you-done-for-me-lately as exists on the planet. So good for the Bucs. And good for their classy coach Greg Schiano, who was LeGrand's coach when he played for the Scarlet Knights. "Leading up to the draft, I couldn't help but think that this should've been Eric's draft class," Schiano said.

Tampa Bay 17, Washington 16 Landover, MD (Sports Network) - Josh Freeman threw the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers held on for a 17-16 win over the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field. Donovan McNabb hit Santana Moss for a six-yard touchdown pass in the final minute, but a botched snap on the extra point with 13 seconds left on the clock allowed Tampa Bay to seal the victory. Freeman connected on 15-of-25 passes for 266 yards, hitting Kellen Winslow for the 41-yard go-ahead touchdown in the final minutes, then rushing for the two- point conversion.

WASHINGTON -- At least a dozen groups have looked into the possibility of buying them. Peter Angelos puts their price tag at $200 million. Some economists think they'd be worth even more if they moved to Baltimore.Obviously, these people have never seen the Tampa Bay Buccaneers play.They don't know the history that comes attached to the NFL's worst franchise. They aren't aware of the chronic incompetence and laughable ineptitude that has marked pro football's version of Comic Relief.Paying $200 million for the Bucs is like paying a half-million for a house built on rickety stilts.

TAMPA, Fla. -- The Washington Redskins will look better on all the television highlight shows this week than they did on the field yesterday.They pulled off three eye-popping touchdown plays -- Heath Shuler's passes of 81 and 77 yards and Andre Collins' 92-yard run with an intercepted pass -- that will be remembered as three of their best plays of the season.But the Tampa Bay Buccaneers dominated virtually every phase of the rest of the game to beat the Redskins, 26-21, before 45,121 fans at Tampa Stadium.

Ravens defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis met with Tampa Bay executives in Baltimore yesterday regarding the Buccaneers' vacant head coaching position, according to league sources. Lewis, interviewing for his third NFL coaching job in the past year, is one of a reported four candidates for the job. He could not be reached for comment. Tampa Bay reportedly will interview former San Diego Chargers offensive coordinator Norv Turner within the next few days. Turner opted out of his contract after one season when Marty Schottenheimer was named coach yesterday.

ASHBURN, Va. -- Running back Skip Hicks is like the understudy who goes through all the rehearsals, then winds up backstage when the curtain goes up. For the second straight week, Hicks has taken most of the work in practice as the Washington Redskins prepare for tomorrow's divisional playoff game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That's because Stephen Davis, who was nursing an ankle injury last week, is hobbled with ankle and knee injuries this week. He practiced yesterday for the first time this week and was limited to about a dozen plays, but is likely to start against the Bucs.

Tampa Bay 17, Washington 16 Landover, MD (Sports Network) - Josh Freeman threw the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers held on for a 17-16 win over the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field. Donovan McNabb hit Santana Moss for a six-yard touchdown pass in the final minute, but a botched snap on the extra point with 13 seconds left on the clock allowed Tampa Bay to seal the victory. Freeman connected on 15-of-25 passes for 266 yards, hitting Kellen Winslow for the 41-yard go-ahead touchdown in the final minutes, then rushing for the two- point conversion.

Joe Flacco threw for 289 yards and two touchdowns as the Ravens beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 17-10, before an announced crowd of 70,989 at M&T Bank Stadium. The Ravens' eighth straight home win -- the longest current streak in the NFL (including playoffs) -- improved them to 8-3 and set up next Sunday's battle with the Pittsburgh Steelers for first place in the AFC North. The Buccaneers (7-4) still haven't beaten a team with a winning record this season. The Ravens won the game in the second quarter when they jumped on the Buccaneers for 17 points, which matches their most points scored in a quarter this season.

Here are national media predictions for Sunday's Ravens- Buccaneers matchup: • SI.com's Peter King is picking the Ravens in a close one . Ravens 24, Buccaneers 20: Funny thing about the Bucs: Fans and teams still look at them as a win on the schedule until they come to town and you're in the middle of the third quarter and trailing 14-3 and say, "Hey, what happened? Who are these guys?" So don't sleep on these Bucs, Baltimoreans. • Pete Prisco of CBSSports.

The Buccaneers could use some good news after a 3-13 season, and here's some: Every year since the NFL realigned its divisions in 2002, the team that finished last in the NFC South made the playoffs the following year. In that sense, there's hope. Now, the bad news for the Bucs: Things aren't getting any easier in the division. The Saints are coming off their first Super Bowl victory and have one of the league's elite quarterbacks in Drew Brees. The Falcons patched a hole in their secondary by signing cornerback Dunta Robinson, among the top free agents this offseason.

Three weeks after being dismissed by Boston College for pursuing the New York Jets' head coaching job, Jeff Jagodzinski was hired yesterday by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to be their offensive coordinator. Jagodzinski led Boston College to a pair of bowl appearances and lost twice to Virginia Tech in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game during his two seasons with the Eagles. He was an NFL assistant for eight years with the Green Bay Packers and Atlanta Falcons before moving to BC, where he tutored quarterback Matt Ryan, the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.

CLEVELAND -- Derrick Brooks returned one of Tampa Bay's four interceptions 21 yards for a touchdown and the Buccaneers won their first road game in more than a year, 22-7, over the dreadful Cleveland Browns yesterday. The Buccaneers (4-11) had lost eight straight outside Florida since winning at Carolina on Dec. 11, 2005. But they had little trouble with the Browns (4-11), who lost their third straight, managed 187 yards of offense and were taunted by their fans. Cleveland avoided being shut out for the second straight Dec. 24 when cornerback Daven Holly returned a fumble 40 yards for a score with 11:33 left.

Scouting report Ravens rushing vs. Bucs run defense -- BUCS For the Ravens to win, they will have to establish a running game to keep Tampa Bay's defensive front off-balance. In his first start in six weeks, Ravens running back Terry Allen showed some pop in his step in gaining 91 yards against the Bengals last week. But the Ravens have averaged only 77 yards per game and 3 yards a carry against teams with winning records this season. The Buccaneers are ranked 13th against the run but have been erratic the past couple of weeks.

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The head of the NFL champions lies uneasy today, but, as the Green Bay Packers proved yesterday, the heart is working just fine.Invoking their Lambeau Field advantage, the Packers halted the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' momentum -- temporarily, at least -- with a 21-16 victory that was as shaky as Green Bay's fourth-quarter defense.The ultimate winner in the Battle of the Bays may not be decided until Dec. 7, when these teams meet again in Tampa. But for now, the Packers can take solace in dealing the Bucs (5-1)

Donovan McNabb has been here before, throwing interceptions to Ronde Barber, throwing up between plays, throwing points away at the end of a half with bad clock management. But if the Philadelphia Eagles are going to return to the playoffs this season, their five-time Pro Bowl quarterback has to leave his personal baggage in Tampa Bay. For the second straight week, the Eagles suffered an agonizing last-play loss after a valiant comeback erased a horrid start. The 23-21 loss to the Buccaneers yesterday brought back memories of some of McNabb's worst career moments.

RAVENS REPORT HOW RAVENS WON With suffocating defense. In posting their first shutout since 2003, the Ravens had three interceptions - with cornerback Chris McAlister returning one 60 yards for a touchdown - and allowed 142 yards. The Ravens' defense didn't give up a first down on seven of 12 drives. STREAK OVER The Ravens won away from home for the first time since Nov. 14, 2004, ending what had been the NFL's longest current road losing streak at 11 games. And they did it in style. The 27-point margin of victory was the second biggest on the road in the eight-year Brian Billick era. MCNAIR WATCH The regular-season Ravens debut of new quarterback Steve McNair was effective but far from exhilarating.