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Note: Long one today, but the words kept flowing so I just sorta rolled with it. Hope everyone had a good New Year!

2002 Postseason

The postseason nearly started with a bang. The three-seed Tampa Bay Buccaneers almost blew a 14-point halftime lead to the scrappy Atlanta Falcons before a late field goal helped Tampa advance. The Buccaneers had been playing with fire all season long and a close win over a somewhat over-matched Falcons team (Vegas had Tampa Bay as a 7.5 point favorite before kickoff) didn’t inspire confidence in the Sunshine State.

We gotta play better. We won, and that’s the goal, but we left some plays out there on the field today. Derrick Brooks, Bucs linebacker, to the press in the locker room after the game.

We have some kinks to work out, but I’m confident with this group of guys here in the room we’ll be ok in the long run. Brad Johnson, Bucs quarterback, to the press after the game.

Elsewhere on Wild Card Weekend the Niners took care of business vs the Giants, the Colts upset the Steelers in Pittsburgh, and the Patriots won a close one vs the Jets.

Not to say we were looking past the Jets because we certainly weren’t, but everyone in this room knew that if we won today we’d get another shot vs the Raiders. That was a big motivating factor for guys. Tom Brady, Patriots quarterback, in the locker room after his team’s 17-14 win over the visiting Jets.

The difference between this year and last year? Easy: I wasn’t here last year. Ed Reed, Patriots safety.

For my money the Divisional Round is the best weekend of the year in the NFL. The wheat is fully separated from the chaff as only the best of the best make it to the second round – either by virtue of getting a bye or by virtue of winning a playoff game a week ago. The 2002 Divisional Round lived up to its billing.

The Bucs righted the ship late vs the Eagles when Javon Walker caught a huge third down pass to keep an eventual touchdown drive alive. Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb’s offense managed to keep the Bucs D off balance all night, but the host Eagles lost a heartbreaker 21-17 when Tampa scored a touchdown with 4 minutes left and held on despite a furious Eagles rally that got them all the way to the Tampa 6 yard line before Warren Sapp sacked McNabb on 4th and goal with seconds left. The sack was pretty much the only black mark on McNabb’s afternoon – he was 21 of 30 for 247 yards and two scores, with his only interception being a meaningless Hail Mary at the end of the first half.

Man it sucks to lose that game today, but as much as it hurts sometimes the other team was just a little bit better. I won’t sleep well all offseason long. Donovan McNabb, Eagles quarterback.

Brett Favre and the Packers beat the Niners at Lambeau Field by a score of 31-21. Rookie Mike Rumph had a pick and two passes defended from his safety spot as Favre finished with four touchdowns. Green Bay would host Tampa Bay in the NFC Championship Game the following weekend.

The Titans took care of business at home, winning 21-13. Peyton Manning had four interceptions, including three in the second half. Tennessee not only got to host the AFC Championship Game, but since their game was on that Saturday they got an extra day off to heal their bumps and bruises as well.

The marquee game for the weekend was undoubtedly New England at Oakland. The two teams had already played once this season with New England eking out a 21-20 win in Oakland in prime time back in mid October. Both Tim Brown and Charles Woodson missed that game with minor injuries however, so it wasn’t a true test of each team’s abilities. No one of any significance was injured going into this game.

The last time these two teams met in the playoffs it was a defensive slugfest. Oakland won 13-10 after Charles Woodson forced a Tom Brady fumble late in the fourth quarter.

This game was pretty much the exact opposite. Instead of snowy Foxboro, MA the game was in Oakland, CA which had a kickoff temperature of 48 degrees – cool but hardly cold. Instead of a defensive struggle where both teams couldn’t move the ball it was a shootout. Tom Brady was masterful. He was 34 of 41 for four touchdowns and zero interceptions, and even picked up two first downs with his feet.

As good as Brady was, Rich Gannon was a little bit better. He had five touchdowns of his own and was carving up the otherwise stout Patriots defense.

We felt like we had something to prove. All year long the Patriots were complaining about being robbed in the playoffs because they should have gotten the ball back after Woodson’s hit. I thought that was bullshit and so did everyone else in our building – we went to their stadium and beat them fair and square. I’ve never been as locked as I was during that game – it honestly felt like a seven-on-seven drill at times. Our offense was absolutely clicking on all cylinders. “Know When to Walk Away” by Rich Gannon.

Oakland won a shootout 35-32 and would head to Tennessee to play the Titans for the right to go to the Super Bowl.

The game was a mismatch. Oakland carried all the momentum from their win and Tennessee never really had a chance. It was 17-0 after one quarter and 24-0 at the half. Tennessee made a second-half charge but it was too little, too late as Oakland won their second straight AFC Championship 31-17.

Over in the NFC, Tampa Bay’s defense stymied Favre and the Packers offense and the Bucs coasted to a relatively easy 20-6 win on the road. It was student vs mentor as Bill Callahan would face his old boss Jon Gruden in Super Bowl XXXVII in San Diego.

It was surreal, being back in the Super Bowl. It was even more surreal facing Coach Callahan’s team once we got there. All of us who were on the team in 2001 knew what losing a Super Bowl felt like and none of us wanted to feel that way ever again. My fondest memory is sitting in the hotel meeting room that Saturday afternoon with Coach Harbaugh and Barrett Robbins and the three of us just shooting the breeze as we went over the gameplan one last time. Everyone was locked in. “Know When to Walk Away” by Rich Gannon.

Every year the Super Bowl is a must-see event. But for the second straight season, the game itself was must-see. Tampa struck first and finished the first quarter up 7-0 on a Javon Walker touchdown. Oakland would strike back on a Charlie Gardner run and both teams would head to the locker room tied at ten.

I didn’t even have a chance to sit down at my locker when Coach Harbaugh pulled me aside. “Rich, you are opening your shoulder too early on deep throws” he told me. I had no idea, but I trusted him. At this point he knew my mechanics better than I did so I trusted him. It must have worked as I was way more comfortable throwing in the second half. “Know When to Walk Away” by Rich Gannon.

Comfortable or not, Gannon and the Raiders offense still had trouble moving the ball on the vaunted Tampa Bay defense. But they eventually found paydirt late in the third quarter and took a 17-10 lead. Tampa would tie it up midway through the fourth quarter.

As the offense took the field I turned to Jerry [Rice] and Tim [Brown] and looked at them as the offense huddled up. “We all know this is our last chance to win with Jon as the coach, but more than that, we’re in the Super Bowl. Play our game and we’re scoring seven here and we’ll be champions.” Barrett Robbins looked at me in the huddle and said with a huge smile, “We’ll give you all the time you need Rich, just don’t fuck up.” “Know When to Walk Away” by Rich Gannon.

Oakland marched down the field (picking up two big third downs) and scored a go-ahead touchdown with a minute left. It was a mirror situation to last year’s Super Bowl. Tampa had one last gasp but a Charles Woodson deflection on fourth down sealed the Super Bowl for Jon Gruden and his Oakland Raiders.

When that ball hit the field and we were gonna win I swear I blacked out for a second. I was so overwhelmed with emotion and joy. You work all your life for a goal and to finally get there…I won’t forget this feeling ever. Tim Brown, on the field after the game.

We were all in the locker room celebrating with champagne and taking pictures with these cheap Kodak disposable cameras and Al Davis walked in. Without saying a word, he walked up to a soaked Jon Gruden and gave him the biggest hug. I could see the tears in Al’s eyes as he muttered something to Jon. He then walked out smiling from ear to ear. “Know When to Walk Away” by Rich Gannon.

What did Al Davis tell you after you won? Melissa Stark, ABC reporter in the locker room after the above exchange.

Something I’ll never forget, but it was just for the two of us. Jon Gruden, Super Bowl winning coach.