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Green with envy Tampa Bay wins first division crown in 18 years
Posted: Monday January 03, 2000 11:13 PM
CHICAGO (AP) -- As the clock ran down, Warren Sapp grabbed a black NFC Central champions hat, put it on his head and ran over to the small cluster of Tampa Bay fans at Soldier Field. As the fans cheered, Sapp clapped his hands and pounded his chest while his teammates exchanged hugs and high-fives behind him. Even team owner Malcolm Glazer got in on the party, wandering among the players with a huge grin. After a long, often ugly, 18-year drought between division titles, this was one celebration the Buccaneers and their fans were going to savor. "We've got two old banners and we've got a new one we'll be putting up soon for the fans of Tampa Bay," said Sapp, the Buccaneers' emotional leader. "We've come a long way, no doubt about it. I'm just glad to be a part of it." Mike Alstott rushed for a touchdown, Jacquez Green caught 10 passes for 113 yards and Tampa Bay's defense abused Chicago quarterback Cade McNown as the Buccaneers beat the Bears 20-6 Sunday to win their first NFC Central title since 1981. Tampa Bay, in the postseason for only the fifth time, earned a first-round bye with the victory. It's also the first time the Buccaneers finished with 11 victories. "It's a great feeling. This is everything we've been wanting to do," said Alstott, who grew up in nearby Joliet, Ill. "To do it the way we did, starting 3-4 and ending up 7-1, it's kind of sweet." Even the weather cooperated on Tampa Bay's big day. Tampa Bay is 0-17 in games when the temperature at kickoff is below 40 degrees, and there was talk all week about whether the Bucs' division hopes would be done in by their cold-weather curse. Six of the losses have come at Soldier Field, and the initial forecast for Sunday was for a high in the low 30s. But with the kickoff temperature an unseasonably balmy 54 degrees, the Buccaneers needed sunscreen, not snowsuits. "[Glazer] and I talked before the game and he said, `It must be a miracle that we get this nice weather up here. If the Lord gives you that, you've got to take it from there and do something about it,'" coach Tony Dungy said. "I passed that on to the team and he was right. We got a break with the weather and our guys took advantage of it." The Bucs started slow against the Bears (6-10) -- they had just three first downs and 58 yards of total offense in the first quarter -- but it was somewhat fitting, considering the way their season went. Tampa Bay was written off after it lost four of its first seven games, including games at division foes Minnesota, Green Bay and Detroit. But the Bucs cruised once they found a rhythm, and the same thing happened Sunday. Alstott finished with 64 yards rushing on 22 carries, and also caught four passes for 19 yards. Dunn rushed for 80 yards on 16 carries. Rookie Shaun King, making his fifth start, finished 18-of-24 for 178 yards, including a six-yard TD pass to tight end Dave Moore. "We just kept moving the ball, a first down here, a first down there, and then we'd just stall out," Green said. "We knew we had a chance because they weren't stopping us. We could move the ball." Tampa Bay did get some help from the Bears, who had trouble getting things going offensively and finished with just 257 total yards. Both of the Bucs' first-half scores were the results of McNown miscues. Midway through the second quarter, Donnie Abraham intercepted a McNown pass that he returned to the end zone only to have a 15-yard clipping penalty bring it back to the Bears 29. After getting to the Chicago 4, King was sacked on third down for a 3-yard loss and Martin Gramatica kicked a 25-yard field goal for the 3-0 lead. On Chicago's next drive, McNown was taking his arm back to throw when end Marcus Jones hit him and the ball popped free. The officials ruled it a fumble, and Steve White recovered it at the Chicago 14. Four plays later, Alstott ran around right end for the 1-yard score, putting Tampa Bay ahead 10-0 with 21 seconds left in the half. "I didn't show a lot today," McNown said. "It was a tough one." Notes: Holmes became the fourth Bears kicker to make a field goal this season, a team first. ... Tampa Bay offensive tackle Paul Gruber will miss the playoffs after breaking a bone in his right leg. Bears safety Frankie Smith, linebacker Barry Minter and offensive tackle James "Big Cat" Williams all left with sprained knees. ... There were 17,764 no-shows.
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