NFC conference
championship game |
Buccaneers at Rams
Trans World Dome, St. Louis, Mo.
Sunday, Jan. 23
AT A GLANCE: The Rams’ high-powered offense and the
Buccaneers’ high-powered defense will be the featured matchup in the NFC title game.
St. Louis’ 526 points led the league, while the Bucs’ 235 points against ranked
third.
|
| OVERVIEW: Through entirely different means, the
Buccaneers and Rams have reached the NFC championship game. St. Louis features a
high-powered offensive attack that finished the regular season ranked first in the league.
Tampa Bay features a sound, aggressive defense that ranked third in the league. The two
units will square off in what figures to be one of the most intriguing matchups of the
season. Both teams are coming off come-from-behind wins in the NFC divisional round. The
Buccaneers rallied from a 13-0 third-quarter deficit for a 14-13 win over Washington. The
Rams rallied from a 17-14 halftime deficit vs. Minnesota, exploding for 35 second-half
points in a 49-37 victory.
Therein lies the difference: St. Louis wins quickly, while Tampa Bay wins slowly.
The Rams lead the all-time series 9-3, including a 9-0 victory in the NFC championship
game following the 1979 season. They have won six of the last seven meetings.
WHEN THE BUCCANEERS HAVE THE BALL:
When the Buccaneers are successful, it’s usually because their ground game is
clicking. They have a contrasting 1-2 RB punch known as "Thunder and Lightning"
— Mike Alstott and Warrick Dunn. With rookie QB Shaun King running the show, Alstott
and Dunn will be counted on to give the offense balance and help keep the Rams from
pinning their ears back and going after King.
Alstott is a very strong runner who is hard to bring down. But his history of fumbling
is a concern, so look for the Rams to try to strip the ball from his grasp. Though Dunn
averaged only 3.2 yards per rush during the regular season, he has the speed and agility
to make big plays.
The Rams ranked first in the league in rushing defense, but it helped that they faced
the fewest rushing plays because of the huge leads the offense created. Regardless, both
Alstott and Dunn are sure to see plenty of St. Louis’ London Fletcher, an undersized
but speedy middle linebacker who led his team in tackles.
Throughout the season, Tampa Bay has been looking for consistent play from its WR
corps. However, only Jacquez Green has stepped up. Green is turning into a complete pass
catcher by coupling his deep game with the ability to make plays underneath. Todd Lyght is
the Rams’ top cornerback. He earned his first Pro Bowl berth this season and tied for
second in the NFC with six interceptions. |
|
|
Profile |
| Trans World Dome |
| St. Louis, Mo. |
| Date: Sunday, January 23, 2000 |
| 3:15 p.m. Central Time |
| Type Of Turf: Artificial |
| Meeting Of The Year: Only |
| Season Record: |
| Tampa Bay |
12-5-0 |
| St. Louis |
14-3-0 |
| Season Record Vs. Spread: |
| Tampa Bay |
11-5-1 |
| St. Louis |
14-3-0 |
| Home/Road Record: |
| Tampa Bay (R) |
4-4-0 |
| St. Louis (H) |
9-0-0 |
| Home/Road Record Vs. Spread: |
| Tampa Bay (R) |
5-2-1 |
| St. Louis (H) |
9-0-0 |
| Record On Artificial Turf: |
| Tampa Bay |
3-2-0 |
| St. Louis |
12-2-0 |
| Record On Artificial Turf Vs. Spread: |
| Tampa Bay |
3-1-1 |
| St. Louis |
12-2-0 |
|
|
| The Bucs’ offensive line will face a stiff test from a Rams front line that
accounted for 43½ of the team’s NFC-leading 57 sacks. Kevin Carter led the group
— and the league — with 17. He will face Bucs ORT Jerry Wunsch, who at times has
problems pass-blocking. WHEN THE RAMS HAVE THE BALL:
Few teams have been able to keep up with St. Louis’ offense, but the Buccaneers
have the speed on defense to make things interesting, especially in the trenches.
During the regular season, 15 of the Rams’ 33 sacks allowed came in their three
losses. So if the Bucs can keep it close, their formidable front four can do some damage.
Led by DT Warren Sapp (12½ sacks), the Bucs’ defensive line accounted for all but
6½ of the team’s 42½ sacks during the regular season. Sapp will flip sides and face
both Rams guards, Adam Timmerman and Tom Nutten. Timmerman, a former Packer, should be
very familiar with Sapp from their numerous NFC Central battles.
The Rams’ offensive line will need to keep QB Kurt Warner upright for the
team’s high-octane passing game to stay on track. Warner was far and away the
NFL’s highest-rated passer (109.2), and his completion percentage (65.1) ranked first
as well. Warner isn’t flashy, but he puts the ball in just the right spot for his
receivers to make plays. St. Louis thrives on making yardage after the catch, which will
put the sure-tackling Bucs to the test.
What makes the Rams tough to stop is their myriad number of playmakers, but their top
two are WR Isaac Bruce and RB Marshall Faulk. Bruce has great speed and has avoided the
injury bug that plagued his previous two seasons. Faulk is just as threatening a receiver
as he is a runner. He will likely see a lot of the Bucs’ Derrick Brooks, one of the
game’s best outside ’backers.
Tampa Bay had been looking for its secondary to step up and create more turnovers, and
it has done just that. The emergence of SS John Lynch as a pass defender has allowed the
team’s cornerbacks to take more chances.
Game preview and depth charts were compiled as of Jan. 16, 2000 |
|
Buccaneers
depth chart |
OFFENSE |
| WR |
81 GREEN, 88 Williams |
| OLT |
69 PIERSON, 79 Hegamin |
| OLG |
65 DOGINS, 64 Diaz |
| C |
61 MAYBERRY, 75 Washington, 68 Unutoa |
| ORG |
73 MIDDLETON, 65 Dogins |
| ORT |
71 WUNSCH, 79 Hegamin |
| TE |
83 MOORE, 82 Hape, 80 Davis |
| WR |
87 EMANUEL, 85 Anthony, 84 McDonald* |
| QB |
10 KING*, 15 Zeier, 13 Milanovich, 12 Dilfer |
| RB |
28 DUNN, 35 McAfee |
| FB |
40 ALSTOTT, 43 McLeod |
DEFENSE |
| DLE |
72 AHANOTU, 78 Jones |
| NT |
77 CULPEPPER, 92 McFarland*, 98 Cannida |
| DT |
99 SAPP, 92 McFarland*, 97 T. Jackson |
| DRE |
94 WHITE, 78 Jones, 95 McLaughlin* |
| SLB |
53 QUARLES, 51 Singleton |
| MLB |
56 NICKERSON, 59 Duncan, 58 Davis |
| WLB |
55 BROOKS, 50 Gooch |
| LCB |
21 ABRAHAM, 31 Young |
| RCB |
20 BARBER, 25 Kelly |
| SS |
47 LYNCH, 34 D. Jackson* |
| FS |
24 ROBINSON, 30 Smith, 34 D. Jackson* |
SPECIALISTS |
| P |
2 ROYALS |
| PK |
7 GRAMATICA* |
| H |
2 ROYALS |
| PR |
81 GREEN, 86 Williams, 85 Anthony |
| KR |
28 DUNN, 85 Anthony, 81 Green |
| KC |
68 UNUTOA, 83 Moore |
* Rookie |
|
|
Rams depth
chart |
OFFENSE |
| WR |
88 HOLT*, 81 Hakim, 82 Horne |
| OLT |
76 PACE, 50 Tucker |
| OLG |
61 NUTTEN, 71 Spikes* |
| C |
60 GRUTTADAURIA, 64 McCollum |
| ORG |
62 TIMMERMAN, 64 McCollum |
| ORT |
73 MILLER, 50 Tucker, 77 Willig |
| TE |
86 WILLIAMS, 45 Robinson, 84 Conwell |
| WR |
80 BRUCE, 87 Proehl, 83 Thomas |
| QB |
13 WARNER, 16 Justin, 9 Germaine* |
| RB |
28 FAULK, 31 Lee, 36 Watson |
| FB |
25 HOLCOMBE, 42 Hodgins* |
DEFENSE |
| DLE |
93 CARTER, 96 Williams |
| DLT |
99 AGNEW, 90 Zgonina |
| DRT |
75 FARR, 95 Hobgood-Chittick |
| DRE |
98 WISTROM, 92 Barnes* |
| LLB |
52 JONES, 58 Morton, 91 Pelshak* |
| MLB |
59 FLETCHER, 51 Styles |
| RLB |
54 COLLINS, 56 Clemons, 57 Little |
| LCB |
41 LYGHT, 20 Allen |
| RCB |
21 McCLEON, 32 Bly* |
| SS |
22 JENKINS, 23 Bush, 24 Carpenter |
| FS |
23 BUSH, 38 Coady*, 35 Lyle |
SPECIALISTS |
| P |
2 HORAN |
| PK |
14 WILKINS |
| H |
2 HORAN |
| PR |
81 HAKIM, 82 Horne, 88 Holt* |
| KR |
82 HORNE, 24 Carpenter, 81 Hakim |
| KC |
45 ROBINSON, 90 Zgonina, 61 Nutten |
* Rookie |
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