NFL Recap (Detroit-Tampa Bay)
Posted: Sun November 22, 1998 at 6:33 p.m. EST
DETROIT 28, TAMPA BAY 25
TAMPA, Florida (Ticker) -- Charlie Batch threw for
195 yards and a pair of touchdowns as the Detroit Lions put another
nail into the coffin of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers'
playoff hopes with a 28-25 victory.
Detroit's defense preserved the win with just over two minutes
remaining when safety Ron
Rice intercepted a pass thrown by Trent Dilfer in the end
zone. The Lions (4-7) then were able to run out the clock with running
back Barry Sanders, who
finished with 66 yards on 21 carries, and beat the Bucs for the second time
this season.
"They were down inside the 12, they moved formations, so we rolled up
to that side," said Rice. "They were only down by three, so we had to
force a field goal or come up with the big play. I ran the route, but that
wasn't the man I was supposed to cover. Once I saw the ball up in the air,
I knew I had a shot to make the play. It just so happened that I got it."
Tampa Bay (4-7), which lost its second straight home game and third in
a row overall, has no chance of winning the NFC Central as it fell six
games behind the front-running Minnesota Vikings. The
Buccaneers committed only two turnovers, but the other one, an interception
by Dilfer deep in Tampa Bay territory, led to a touchdown.
"This is another very disappointing game," said Buccaneers coach Tony
Dungy. "When it got to the crucial parts, we couldn't make the plays to
put us over the top. It's doubtful we can be in the playoffs at this
point, so if the playoffs come, it would be a bonus. We just have to
finish up strong."
Detroit, which won on the road for the first time in five road games
this season, played without All-Pro wide receiver Herman Moore, who sat out
because of a hamstring injury.
Dilfer completed 16-of-30 passes for 283 yards with two touchdowns.
For whatever reason, we can't make a big play when we need it," said
Dungy. "We can't lay this on the quarterback, just like we can't lay it on
the defense, we all came up short."
The Lions needed just three plays to open the scoring as Germane
Crowell, filling in for Moore, hauled in a 53-yard touchdown pass from
Batch 2:08 into the game.
After forcing a three-and-out, Detroit marched 80 yards in nine plays
to make it 14-0 on a three-yard pass to tight end Walter Rasby. Batch
converted a key third down with a nine-yard quarterback draw and had a
23-yard pass to Crowell and a 24-yarder to Brian Stablein on the
drive. Sanders had a 19-yard run to the Tampa Bay 3 before the TD pass.
"It took the crowd out for the whole first quarter," said Batch about
the first quarter. "They were hushed and they turned on them and started
booing after a while. In the final quarter, we had to open it up and get
our run going. The game plan was to throw first to open up the run. The
game finally ended with the defense making the plays. We needed them to."
Dilfer rallied the Bucs within 14-7 firing a deep strike down the
middle to Jacquez Green
for a 44-yard touchdown 2:08 into the second quarter.
The Lions restored their two-touchdown lead with 3:53 to play in the
first half when Ron
Rivers found a hole off-tackle on the right side and raced 36 yards.
Sanders had softened the defense on the previous play, getting 16 yards off
a sweep on the left side.
But Dilfer again responded, leading the Bucs on a 12-play, 80-yard
drive in the two-minute offense. He had two third-down passes to Bert Emanuel to keep the
drive alive before finding tight end Dave Moore over the middle
from eight yards.
The Bucs were able to sustain some of that momentum at the start of
the second half, going 63 yards on 17 plays before Michael Husted booted a
33-yard field goal 8:30 into the third quarter. Tampa Bay's defense forced
a punt, but Lions linebacker Ricardo Jordan picked off a deflected pass and
returned it four yards to the Tampa Bay 18.
Batch kept the drive alive with a seven-yard pass to Johnnie Morton to the
Tampa Bay 5, and the Buccaneers kept the drive alive when cornerback Brian Kelly was called for
defensive holding on 3rd-and-goal. Two plays later, Tommy Vardell bulled
over from one yard.
Tampa Bay countered with an eight-play, 74-yard drive, capped by a
five-yard run to paydirt by Mike Alstott with 10:42 to
play. Dilfer and Reidel
Anthony combined for the two-point conversion that made it 28-25.
The Lions had two empty possessions before Tampa Bay mounted its final
serious scoring chance. Dilfer led the Bucs to the Detroit 11, but he
threw a slant-in pass behind Green, who tipped it in the air before Rice
snared it.
"I thought we hung in there in the second half," said Ross. "The Bucs
controlled the ball and we couldn't get in any rhythm. In the last two
series, we picked it up and did what we had to do."
© 1998 Sportsticker Enterprises, LP
|
