Redskins blitz Buccaneers; Hawks next
TAMPA, Fla. – Joe Gibbs’ teams have a knack for peaking at the right time, and these Washington Redskins are no different.
With the Hall of Fame coach back in the playoffs for the first time in 13 years, the Redskins – at least on defense – looked like a Super Bowl contender again in beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 17-10 in the NFC wild-card round Saturday.
The victory was the sixth straight for the Redskins (11-6), who won despite gaining only 120 yards on offense – the lowest total in NFL history for a winning team in a postseason game, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
“It’s been a tough fight these last six weeks,” said linebacker Marcus Washington, who recovered a fumble and had a fourth-quarter interception. “We ain’t ready to go home yet, so we’re going to keep sawing wood.”
LaVar Arrington’s interception set up Clinton Portis’ 6-yard touchdown run, and Sean Taylor returned a fumble 51 yards for another first-quarter score for the Redskins, who rebounded from a three-game losing streak to win five straight to get into the playoffs.
Taylor was later ejected for spitting in the face of a Bucs player, further depleting an injury-riddled unit that held off two Tampa Bay scoring threats in the closing minutes, including a near catch in the end zone that could have tied the game with just less than 3 minutes to go.
Chris Simms lofted a perfect spiral to Edell Shepherd on third-and-10 from the Washington 35, but the Tampa Bay receiver lost control of the ball as he was coming down in the end zone.
Simms, unaware the pass was ruled incomplete, began celebrating near the sideline – and the Bucs’ stadium crew set off premature fireworks. Tampa Bay asked for a video review, burning its final timeout, but the call was upheld by instant replay.
“It’s unfortunate,” coach Jon Gruden said. “He was open, he had his hands on the ball, and he was in the end zone.”
The Redskins advanced to a divisional round game next Saturday at Seattle (13-3).
They also avenged a 36-35 loss to Tampa Bay (11-6) this season, a game the Bucs claimed on Mike Alstott’s two-point conversion run with less than a minute left.
“This is great,” quarterback Mark Brunell said.
“We’ve played our best football in December, and to get a playoff win on the road, as you know, is very difficult to do.”
Gibbs, who came out of retirement two years ago, took over sole possession of third place on the career playoff wins list for a coach, improving to 17-5 in the postseason, including three Super Bowl titles during his first stint with the Redskins from 1981-92.
The Skins lost defensive end Renaldo Wynn with a broken right forearm.
Redskins 17, Buccaneers 10
| Washington | 14 | 3 | 0 | 0 | – | 17 |
| Tampa Bay | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | – | 10 |
Was – Portis 6 run (Hall kick)
Was – Taylor 51 fumble return (Hall kick)
TB – FG Bryant 43
Was – FG Hall 47
TB – Simms 2 run (Bryant kick)
A – 65,514.
| Was | TB | |
| First downs | 9 | 17 |
| Total Net Yards | 120 | 243 |
| Rushes-yards | 31-95 | 25-75 |
| Passing | 25 | 168 |
| Punt Returns | 3-19 | 4-37 |
| Kickoff Returns | 3-55 | 4-96 |
| Interceptions Ret. | 2-34 | 1-3 |
| Comp-Att-Int | 7-16-1 | 25-38-2 |
| Sacked-Yards Lost | 2-16 | 3-30 |
| Punts | 7-38.3 | 5-39.4 |
| Fumbles-Lost | 3-0 | 3-1 |
| Penalties-Yards | 4-30 | 3-30 |
| Time of Possession | 25:31 | 34:29 |
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING – Washington, Portis 16-53, Betts 10-25, Moss 1-11, Brunell 4-6. Tampa Bay, C.Williams 18-49, Alstott 4-15, Simms 3-11.
PASSING – Washington, Brunell 7-15-1-41, Portis 0-1-0-0. Tampa Bay, Simms 25-38-2-198.
RECEIVING – Washington, Moss 2-18, Cooley 2-12, Betts 1-11, Thrash 1-5, Portis 1-(minus 5). Tampa Bay, Galloway 7-69, Hilliard 4-38, Pittman 3-30, Becht 3-26, Smith 3-14, C.Williams 3-10, Alstott 1-7, Shepherd 1-4.
MISSED FIELD GOALS – None.