2000: Struggling Falcons Rally to Edge Panthers

The Atlanta Falcons were in the midst of a five-game losing streak as they hosted the Carolina Panthers on October 29, 2000. Two years removed from a NFC Championship, the Falcons, coached by Dan Reeves, were coming off of a losing season in 1999 and at 2-6 thus far in 2000. QB Chris Chandler was struggling behind a poor line and RB Jamal Anderson (pictured above), highly productive in 1998, was back after missing virtually all of ’99 with a knee injury but was slow in returning to form. The Falcons had beaten Carolina in a sloppy game in the season’s third week, putting them at 2-1, but had lost every game since. The Panthers, in their second year under Head Coach George Seifert, had a 3-4 record but were coming off of two wins in their last three games and were hoping to get into the playoff hunt.

There were 46,178 fans in attendance at the Georgia Dome. The Panthers had the first possession and put together a long series that covered 75 yards in 16 plays, helped along by a 26-yard pass interference penalty that converted a third-and-13 play. QB Steve Beuerlein completed four passes, two of them to WR Donald Hayes, and the longest to FB William Floyd for 15 yards. The drive finally stalled at the Atlanta 17 and Joe Nedney kicked a 35-yard field goal. The Falcons responded with a long series of their own as Jamal Anderson ran effectively and Chris Chandler also hit on four throws. Morten Andersen tied the score with a 35-yard field goal.

Following a Carolina punt early in the second quarter, Chandler had a pass picked off by DT Sean Gilbert to give the Panthers the ball again at the Atlanta 39. Helped along by a Beuerlein (pictured at right) throw to WR Muhsin Muhammad for seven yards to convert a fourth down, the visitors drove to another Nedney field goal, this time from 48 yards to go up by 6-3. The Falcons had another scoring opportunity later in the period, but Andersen missed a 46-yard field goal and the score remained unchanged at halftime.

Following an exchange of punts to start the third quarter, Chandler again gave up an interception, this time to SS Mike Minter who returned it eight yards to the Carolina 42. Beuerlein completed five passes, most significantly to Hayes for 19 yards and, on a third-and-19 play, to RB Tim Biakabutuka for 25 yards to the Atlanta five. The Panthers failed to reach the end zone, but they came away with a third Nedney field goal from 25 yards to extend the lead to 9-3.

The next Carolina possession also resulted in three points as a roughing-the-passer penalty, a Beuerlein toss to TE Wesley Walls for 19 yards, and an unnecessary roughness infraction that wiped out a sack helped the Panthers along. Nedney’s 24-yard field goal put the visitors up by 12-3 with 12:40 to play and it appeared that the visitors had the game in hand.

The Falcons instead came back with a 13-play, 80-yard drive. Chandler hit on four straight passes and seven overall along the way. Three were to WR Terance Mathis, including a nine-yard gain that converted a third-and-three situation, and two were to WR Tim Dwight, with one for 13 yards on a third-and-six play to the Carolina 19. Jamal Anderson ran for the last two yards, Morten Andersen converted, and the score was narrowed to 12-10.

Atlanta got the ball right back when Beuerlein’s next pass was intercepted by CB Ray Buchanan, who returned it 13 yards to the Carolina seven. Two carries by Anderson netted a yard and Chandler was sacked by LB Hannibal Navies for a seven-yard loss, but Morten Andersen booted a 31-yard field goal and the Falcons were up by a point with the clock down to 2:57.

There was still time for the Panthers, but Beuerlein fumbled when sacked by DT Ed Jasper on a second down play and DT Travis Hall recovered for Atlanta at the Carolina 21. While a holding penalty wiped out a 17-yard run for a would-be touchdown by Jamal Anderson and Morten Andersen missed on a 42-yard field goal try that hit the upright, there were just 50 seconds to play when the Panthers got the ball back. Beuerlein threw two short passes to WR Isaac Byrd, but the game ended on a desperate long pass toward the end zone that Buchanan intercepted to clinch the 13-12 win for the Falcons.     

In a game dominated by the defenses, Atlanta rolled up the most yards (281 to 209) while each team had 16 first downs. The Falcons did especially well on defense, holding the Panthers to just 30 rushing yards in 20 attempts and registering five sacks, to one by Carolina. The Panthers also turned the ball over four times, three in the fourth quarter, while Atlanta had three turnovers. Both teams were heavily penalized, with Carolina drawing 9 flags at a cost of 58 yards to 8 penalties for 98 yards on the Falcons.

Chris Chandler (pictured at left) completed 19 of 29 passes for 191 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions. Jamal Anderson rushed for 90 yards on 25 carries that included the game’s only TD and also had 5 catches for 15 yards. Terance Mathis led Atlanta’s receivers with 7 pass receptions for 89 yards.

For the Panthers, Steve Beuerlein, who was heavily pressured throughout the contest, was successful on 21 of 41 throws for 202 yards and gave up three interceptions. Tim Biakabutuka led the receivers with 51 yards on four receptions as well as rushing with 23 yards on 14 attempts. Wesley Walls, who left the game with a season-ending knee injury in the third quarter, and Donald Hayes also had four catches apiece, for 47 and 41 yards, respectively. Joe Nedney was a perfect four-of-four on field goals.

“When you’re struggling like we are it seems like so many things happen and sometimes we are our own worst enemy,” said Atlanta’s Coach Reeves. “We are glad to get the win.”

“That is about as brutal a loss as they come,” said George Seifert from the Carolina perspective. “I can’t imagine that it can get much tougher than this.”

Unfortunately for the Falcons, the struggles continued and they didn’t win again until the season finale. Chris Chandler continued to have difficulty in an injury-plagued season and while Jamal Anderson ended up rushing for 1024 yards, Atlanta was unable to control the ball effectively while dealing with injury problems on defense. Their 4-12 record put them in the NFC West’s basement. Carolina won the next week but remained an inconsistent team that placed third in the division at 7-9.

Highlighted Year: Hugh Douglas, 2000

Defensive End, Philadelphia Eagles

Age: 29

6^th season in pro football, 3^rd with Eagles

College: Central State (OH)

Height: 6’2”   Weight: 280

Prelude:

Douglas was twice a Division 1 NAIA All-American during a college career in which he accumulated 42 sacks in 32 games. He was chosen by the Jets in the first round (16^th overall) of the 1995 NFL draft and, used initially as a situational player for his pass rushing skill, moved into the starting lineup in November. While initially on the light side for his position (he weighed 255 as a rookie), Douglas compensated with good speed and agility. He was credited with 10 sacks and received NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors from the Associated Press and Pro Football Writers. Ankle problems limited Douglas to 10 games in 1996, but he still accounted for 8 sacks and improved as a defender against the run. However, with the arrival of Bill Parcells as head coach in ’97 the Jets shifted to a 3-4 defense and Douglas proved to be a poor fit. He was traded to the Eagles in 1998 and, back in a 4-3 alignment, flourished as he registered 12.5 sacks, although knee and bicep injuries limited him to four games and two sacks in ’99.

2000 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Sacks – 15 [4]

Most sacks, game – 2.5 at Green Bay 9/17

Multi-sack games – 3

Interceptions – 1

Int. return yards – 9

Int. return TDs – 0

Fumble recoveries – 0

Forced fumbles – 2

Tackles – 44

Assists – 12

Postseason: 2 G

Sacks – 2

Most sacks, game – 2 vs. Tampa Bay, NFC Wild Card playoff

Interceptions – 0

TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-NFL: AP, PFWA, Sporting News

1^st team All-NFC: Pro Football Weekly

Pro Bowl

Eagles went 11-5 to finish second in the NFC East and qualified for the postseason as a Wild Card while leading the conference in fewest points allowed (245). Won NFC Wild Card playoff over Tampa Bay Buccaneers (21-3). Lost NFC Divisional playoff to New York Giants (20-10).

Aftermath:

Douglas followed up with two more Pro Bowl seasons in 2001 and ’02 in which he had 9.5 and 12.5 sacks, respectively. He moved on to Jacksonville as a free agent in 2003, had a disappointing season as accumulated wear began to show, and finished up his career in ’04 back with the Eagles. Overall, Douglas had 80 sacks over the course of ten seasons and 138 games, was chosen to the Pro Bowl a total of three times, and received first- or second-team All-NFL recognition on two occasions.

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Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

Highlighted Year: La’Roi Glover, 2000

Defensive Tackle, New Orleans Saints

Age: 26

5^th season in pro football, 4^th with Saints

College: San Diego State

Height: 6’2”   Weight: 285

Prelude:

Glover was credited with 18.5 sacks in college and was selected by the Oakland Raiders in the fifth round of the 1996 NFL draft. He saw action in only two games as a rookie and played with the Barcelona Dragons of the WLAF in the Spring of 1997. Waived by the Raiders during the preseason in ’97, the Saints picked Glover up and he recorded 6.5 sacks as a backup before moving into the starting lineup and compiling 10 sacks in 1998 and 8.5 in ’99. The arrival of DT Norman Hand allowed the Saints to take better advantage of Glover’s speed and strength as a pass rusher.

2000 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Sacks – 17 [1]

Most sacks, game – 3 at Chicago 10/8, vs. Carolina 10/15, at St. Louis 11/26

Multi-sack games – 5

Interceptions – 0

Fumble recoveries – 1

Forced fumbles – 3

Tackles – 54

Assists – 13

Postseason: 2 G

Sacks – 0

Interceptions – 0

Fumble recoveries – 1

TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-NFL: AP, PFWA, Sporting News

1^st team All-NFC: Pro Football Weekly

Pro Bowl

Saints went 10-6 to finish first in the NFC West while leading the NFL in sacks (66). Won NFC Wild Card playoff over St. Louis Rams (31-28). Lost NFC Divisional playoff to Minnesota Vikings (34-16).

Aftermath:

Glover followed up with 8 sacks and another Pro Bowl selection in 2001 before departing for Dallas as a free agent. A disruptive player with surprising speed who was also good against the run, he received first-team All-NFL honors from the Pro Football Writers and Sporting News in 2002 and was a second-team choice of the Associated Press in both 2002 and ’03. Glover was a Pro Bowl pick in each of his four seasons with the Cowboys, although he was less effective as a nose tackle with the shift to a 3-4 defense in 2005. Released by Dallas, he spent the last three years of his career with the St. Louis Rams, through 2008, before retiring. In all, Glover compiled 83.5 sacks, 50 while he was with New Orleans. He was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection twice and was selected to six Pro Bowls.

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Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

Highlighted Year: Daunte Culpepper, 2000

Quarterback, Minnesota Vikings

Age: 23

2^nd season in pro football & with Vikings

College: Central Florida

Height: 6’4”   Weight: 250

Prelude:

Culpepper had an outstanding collegiate career, capped by completing 73.6 percent of his passes for 3690 yards and 28 touchdowns while averaging 9.2 yards-per-attempt as a senior in 1998. He also rushed for 463 yards and 12 TDs and was chosen by the Vikings in the first round of the 1999 NFL draft (11^th overall). Culpepper saw no action as a rookie, but with the departure of veterans Jeff George and Randall Cunningham after the season, he moved into the starting lineup in 2000.

2000 Season Summary

Appeared and started in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing

Attempts – 474 [12]

Most attempts, game – 53 at Tampa Bay 10/29

Completions – 297 [11]

Most completions, game – 29 at Tampa Bay 10/29

Yards – 3937 [4]

Most yards, game – 357 vs. Carolina 11/19

Completion percentage – 62.7 [5]

Yards per attempt – 8.3 [3]

TD passes – 33 [1, tied with Peyton Manning]

Most TD passes, game – 3 on seven occasions

Interceptions – 16 [7, tied with Brett Favre]

Most interceptions, game – 3 vs. Miami 9/10, at Green Bay 11/6

Passer rating – 98.0 [4]

300-yard passing games – 5

200-yard passing games – 11

Rushing

Attempts – 89

Most attempts, game – 13 (for 73 yds.) vs. Chicago 9/3

Yards – 470

Most yards, game – 73 yards (on 13 carries) vs. Chicago 9/3

Average gain – 5.3 [5]

TDs – 7 [17, tied with seven others]

Scoring

TDs – 7

Points – 42

Postseason: 2 G

Pass attempts – 59

Most pass attempts, game – 31 vs. New Orleans, NFC Divisional playoff

Pass completions – 30

Most pass completions, game – 17 vs. New Orleans, NFC Divisional playoff

Passing yardage – 380

Most passing yards, game – 302 vs. New Orleans, NFC Divisional playoff

TD passes – 3

Most TD passes, game – 3 vs. New Orleans, NFC Divisional playoff

Interceptions – 3

Most interceptions, game – 3 at NY Giants, NFC Championship

Rushing attempts – 6

Most rushing attempts, game – 4 vs. New Orleans, NFC Divisional playoff

Rushing yards – 61

Most rushing yards, game – 51 vs. New Orleans, NFC Divisional playoff

Average gain rushing – 10.2

Rushing TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-NFC: Pro Football Weekly

Pro Bowl

Vikings went 11-5 to finish first in the NFC Central. Won NFC Divisional playoff over New Orleans Saints (34-16). Lost NFC Championship to New York Giants (41-0).

Aftermath:

Culpepper had a lesser season in 2001, missing the last five games of the year due to injury and drawing criticism for lack of preparation. He came back to throw for 3853 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2002, but also led the league with 23 interceptions, although his 609 rushing yards and 10 TDs were career highs. Culpepper improved in 2003, passing for 3479 yards and 25 TDs with just 11 interceptions, and in 2004 led the NFL with 379 completions and 4717 yards while tossing 39 TD passes and accumulating a 110.9 passer rating. He was selected to the Pro Bowl after both seasons and was a first-team All-NFC choice by Pro Football Weekly in ’04. But after achieving that peak, Culpepper had a poor season in 2005 before going down with a knee injury and, with a coaching change taking place, he was traded to Miami, where he started four games and was hampered by limited mobility before having to undergo a second knee operation. Culpepper had stints with Oakland and Detroit over the remaining three seasons of his NFL career, never appearing in more than seven games and with reduced production. He finished up with the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League in 2010, where he passed for 1910 yards and 10 touchdowns in his final pro season. Overall in the NFL, Culpepper threw for 24,153 yards and 149 TDs, and also rushed for 2652 yards and 34 touchdowns. He twice received first-team All-NFC recognition and was selected to three Pro Bowls.

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Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

Highlighted Year: Matt Stover, 2000

Placekicker, Baltimore Ravens

Age: 32

11^th season in pro football, 10^th active & with Browns/Ravens

College: Louisiana Tech

Height: 5’11” Weight: 178

Prelude:

Stover was successful on 64 of 88 field goal attempts in college, his longest coming from 57 yards, and he also punted during his senior year with a 34.1-yard average. He was chosen by the New York Giants in the 12^th round of the 1990 NFL draft but, following a good preseason, spent the ’90 regular season on injured reserve due to a quadriceps pull. Stover joined the Cleveland Browns in 1991 and was steady in his first active pro season, hitting on 16 of 22 field goal attempts, including a 55-yarder that was the longest in the AFC that year, and 33 of 34 PATs. He also adapted well to the field conditions and winds at Municipal Stadium. It proved to be the first of five seasons with the Browns, who became the Baltimore Ravens in 1996, and Stover continued on with the renewed franchise. Along the way he made good on 26 of 28 field goal tries in 1994 for a NFL-leading 92.9 percentage, earning second-team All-AFC honors from UPI. Through 1999 he had scored 884 points on 202 field goals and 278 extra points.

2000 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Kicking

Field goals – 35 [1]

Most field goals, game – 5 at Jacksonville 10/8

Field goal attempts – 39 [1]

Most field goal attempts, game – 5 at Cleveland 10/1, at Jacksonville 10/8

Field goal percentage – 89.7 [6]

PATs – 30 [17, tied with John Hall]

PAT attempts – 30 [17, tied with John Hall]

Longest field goal – 51 yards at Washington 10/15, vs. Pittsburgh 10/29

Scoring

Field Goals – 35

PATs – 30

Points – 135 [2, 1^st in AFC]

Postseason: 4 G

Field goals – 6

Most field goals, game – 3 at Oakland, AFC Championship

Field goal attempts – 8

Most field goal attempts, game – 4 at Oakland, AFC Championship

PATs – 11

Most PATs, game – 4 vs. NY Giants, Super Bowl

PAT attempts – 11

Longest field goal – 47 yards vs. NY Giants, Super Bowl

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-NFL: AP, PFWA, Sporting News

1^st team All-AFC: Pro Football Weekly

Pro Bowl

Ravens went 12-4 to finish second in the AFC Central and qualify for a Wild Card playoff slot. Won Wild Card playoff over Denver Broncos (21-3), AFC Divisional playoff over Tennessee Titans (24-10), AFC Championship over Oakland Raiders (16-3), and Super Bowl over New York Giants (34-7).   

Aftermath:

Stover, who was successful on 30 of 35 field goal attempts in 2001, continued on for another eight seasons with the Ravens through 2008. He departed as the franchise leader in field goals (354) and scoring (1464 points). Stover was signed by the Indianapolis Colts during the 2009 season due to an injury to PK Adam Vinatieri and, in ten games, was successful on 9 of 11 field goal attempts and all 33 PATs and finished up his 19-season career with a Super Bowl appearance. Overall, Stover kicked 471 field goals out of 563 attempts (83.7 %), which ranked fourth in NFL history at the time, and 591 extra points, with just three misses, for a total of 2004 points, also the fourth highest league total up to that point. He added another 25 field goals, out of 31 tries, and 31 PATs in 16 playoff games. Stover received first-team All-NFL recognition once and was chosen to one Pro Bowl.

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Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

2000: Eagles Defeat Bucs in NFC Wild Card Playoff Game

The Philadelphia Eagles were back in the playoffs for the first time in four years as they hosted the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a NFC Wild Card playoff game on December 31, 2000. In their second season under Head Coach Andy Reid, the Eagles had gone from 5-11 to 11-5 and finished second in the NFC East. QB Donovan McNabb (pictured above) was the key to the offense with his passing and running ability. The ground game had suffered since RB Duce Staley went down with a foot injury in the fifth week, and ex-Seattle and Dallas RB Chris Warren joined the club late in order to try and upgrade the position for the postseason. Key players on the opportunistic defense were DE Hugh Douglas, MLB Jeremiah Trotter, and FS Brian Dawkins. Following an uneven start, Philadelphia was hot coming into the postseason, having won six of its last seven games.

Tampa Bay was coached by Tony Dungy and placed second in the NFC Central at 10-6. A strong defense was the key to the club’s recent success and was especially adept at pressuring opposing quarterbacks. All-Pro DT Warren Sapp accounted for 16.5 sacks and DE Marcus Jones another 13. The offense was conservative and keyed by the ground game that featured the running back tandem of Warrick Dunn and Mike Alstott. But WR Keyshawn Johnson was talented, QB Shaun King was unexceptional. The Buccaneers also had difficulty playing in weather under 40 degrees, and they faced temperatures in the thirties with a wind chill that made it seem much colder in Philadelphia.

There were 65,813 fans present on a chilly night at Veterans Stadium. The teams exchanged punts through a scoreless first quarter. On their first possession of the second quarter, the Buccaneers advanced into Philadelphia territory for the first time. Shaun King completed passes to Warrick Dunn for 12 yards, Keyshawn Johnson for 14, and Mike Alstott for eight yards, after which Alstott ran for 18 yards to the Philadelphia 17. The drive stalled at the 11 and Martin Gramatica kicked a 29-yard field goal for the first points of the game.

The Eagles had to punt following their next possession but got the ball back at the Tampa Bay 15 when King fumbled while being sacked by Hugh Douglas and DE Mike Mamula recovered. It was the culmination of a series in which the Philadelphia defense pushed the Buccaneers back nine yards on two running plays. Four plays later, Donovan McNabb ran up the middle for a five-yard touchdown. David Akers added the extra point to give the Eagles a 7-3 lead.

The Bucs punted again and, after RB Brian Mitchell returned the kick 16 yards, the Eagles had the ball at their 31 with 1:43 remaining in the first half and drove 69 yards in eight plays. McNabb completed back-to-back passes to Mitchell for 13 and 11 yards and, following an incompletion, it was Mitchell running for six yards and then grabbing another pass for nine yards to the Tampa Bay 30. McNabb connected with WR Charles Johnson for 25 yards and with WR Na Brown in the end zone for a five-yard TD (pictured below) with 12 seconds remaining on the clock. Akers again kicked the point after to give Philadelphia a 14-3 halftime lead.

The Eagles had the first possession in the third quarter and put together a long drive. McNabb completed seven passes, none longer than nine yards, and Chris Warren had a pair of seven-yard runs. But Philadelphia came up empty when Akers missed a 36-yard field goal attempt.

The Buccaneers again had to punt and, in a series that stretched into the fourth quarter, the home team advanced 57 yards in 10 plays, helped along by a pass interference call on the Bucs. McNabb threw to TE Jeff Thomason for a two-yard touchdown, Akers converted, and the Eagles held an 18-point advantage.

Following another Tampa Bay punt, the Buccaneers got the ball back when CB Donnie Abraham intercepted a McNabb pass at the Philadelphia 47. King passed to TE Dave Moore for nine yards on first down, but an offensive pass interference penalty moved the visitors back ten yards on the next play, and while a throw to WR Reidel Anthony gained back six yards, two more passes fell incomplete and the Bucs turned the ball over on downs.

The Eagles were able to run almost four minutes off the clock as Warren carried on every play, gaining 27 yards on five carries before being tossed for a three-yard loss on third down at the Tampa Bay 35. Sean Landeta’s punt pinned the Bucs back at their six, but three plays later King passed to Keyshawn Johnson for a 41-yard gain to midfield. But once again the visitors had to give up the ball on downs, this time at the Philadelphia 21, in what proved to be their last gasp with 3:50 left on the clock. The Eagles were able to run out the clock behind Warren’s running and won by a final score of 21-3.

Philadelphia led in total yards (277 to 199), first downs (20 to 11), and time of possession (34:53 to 25:07). The Eagles rushed for 126 yards while the defense held Tampa Bay to just 50 yards on 19 attempts. They also recorded four sacks to two by the Buccaneers. Each team turned the ball over once.

Donovan McNabb completed 24 of 33 passes for 161 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. He also ran the ball eight times for 32 yards and a TD. Chris Warren (pictured below) rushed for 85 yards on 22 carries, much of that as the team controlled the ball in the fourth quarter. Charles Johnson and Brian Mitchell each caught a team-leading five passes, for 47 and 37 yards, respectively. Mitchell averaged 12.7 yards on his three punt returns.

For the Buccaneers, Shaun King was successful on 17 of 31 throws for 171 yards with no TDs or interceptions. Keyshawn Johnson caught 6 passes for 106 yards. But Mike Alstott gained 42 yards on 7 carries and Warrick Dunn was held to only one yard on 8 attempts, although he had five pass receptions for 28 yards.

The first win for the Eagles in the postseason under Coach Reid, of an eventual 10, was followed by a loss to the division-rival New York Giants in the Divisional round. They reached the NFC Championship game following the 2001 season. Tampa Bay was 9-7 in ’01, qualified for the playoffs once more as a Wild Card, and again lost at Philadelphia in the first postseason round.

2000: Taylor Rushes for 234 Yards & Scores 4 TDs as Jaguars Defeat Steelers

Following four consecutive playoff seasons, including a 14-2 record in 1999, the Jacksonville Jaguars were struggling at 3-7 as they faced the Steelers in Pittsburgh on November 19, 2000. Head Coach Tom Coughlin’s team had run into injury problems, particularly along the offensive line. Third-year RB Fred Taylor (pictured at right) missed the first three games with a torn ligament in his knee, but was coming off of four straight 100-yard rushing performances and the offense also still contained strong performers in QB Mark Brunell and wide receivers Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell.

The Steelers were a streaky 5-5, having lost their first three games, won five straight, and then been beaten in their last two contests. QB Kordell Stewart regained the starting job after starting out behind journeyman QB Kent Graham. RB Jerome Bettis was a potent power runner and overachieving WR Hines Ward the most reliable receiver. As was typically the case under Head Coach Bill Cowher, the defense was stingy.  Pittsburgh had already beaten Jacksonville on the road.

There were 50,925 fans in attendance for the Sunday night contest at Three Rivers Stadium. The teams traded punts for most of the opening period until the Jaguars turned the ball over when Mark Brunell fumbled while being sacked by SS Lee Flowers. LB Jason Gildon recovered at the Jacksonville 37. Two plays later, Kordell Stewart threw to Hines Ward for a 32-yard touchdown. Kris Brown added the extra point and the Steelers took a 7-0 lead into the second quarter.

The Jaguars, who had been losing the battle for field position as the teams continued to exchange punts, finally got a break when LB Kevin Hardy intercepted a Stewart pass at his own 44. Facing second-and-19 after a penalty backed the visitors up, Brunell completed a pass to Jimmy Smith for 20 yards and, two plays later, he connected with Keenan McCardell for 17 yards to the Pittsburgh 28. Fred Taylor finished the six-play possession off with a 25-yard run for a TD. Mike Hollis converted to tie the score.

The Steelers moved well on their next series. Stewart passed to Ward for 22 yards and Jerome Bettis had runs of 16 and 17 yards. The drive stalled at the Jacksonville 22 and Brown kicked a 40-yard field goal to move Pittsburgh back in front by 10-7. Jacksonville responded with an eight-play, 65-yard series. Taylor had a 31-yard carry along the way and, in a third-and-12 situation, caught a pass from Brunell for a 16-yard touchdown. Hollis added the point after and the visitors were in the lead by 14-10.

Pittsburgh appeared to be on the move when a Stewart pass to RB Richard Huntley gained 18 yards to the Jacksonville 42, but on the next play the quarterback was sacked by DT Gary Walker and fumbled, giving the ball to the Jaguars at the Pittsburgh 39 with 39 seconds remaining in the first half. Jacksonville extended its lead to 17-10 on a 36-yard Hollis field goal.

The Steelers had the first possession of the third quarter and punted. Brunell completed four passes, three of them to Smith, with the longest covering 21 yards to the Pittsburgh 15. However, another pass to Smith for an apparent touchdown was overturned upon replay review and the Jaguars had to settle for a 33-yard Hollis field goal that put them 10 points ahead.

Jacksonville got another opportunity in short order when WR Troy Edwards fumbled while returning the ensuing kickoff and FB Daimon Shelton recovered for the Jaguars at the Pittsburgh 36. Taylor immediately took off for a gain of 34 yards and, on the next play, carried again for a two-yard touchdown. Hollis kicked the extra point to give the visitors a commanding 27-10 lead.

The Steelers were on the move on the next series before WR Bobby Shaw fumbled after gaining 15 yards on a pass from Stewart. FS Rayna Stewart recovered at the Jacksonville 42. It took just four plays for the Jaguars to advance 58 yards as Brunell converted a third-and-eight situation with a completion to TE Kyle Brady for 30 yards and Taylor ran 26 yards up the middle for another TD. Hollis again converted and the Jaguars, taking good advantage of opportunities presented by turnovers, were ahead by 34-10.

Pittsburgh drove to a score on the next series, with Stewart running for a two-yard touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter. The try for a two-point conversion failed. The Jaguars came back with a solid drive into Pittsburgh territory that included a 19-yard run by Taylor, but CB Chad Scott picked off a Brunell pass and the Steelers drove 56 yards in seven plays. The biggest was a 45-yard touchdown run by Stewart and this time the try for two points succeeded. Pittsburgh had narrowed the margin to ten points with 7:56 remaining in regulation.

The Jaguars were forced to punt following a short possession and the Steelers, helped by a 15-yard penalty tacked on to the punt return, started from the Jacksonville 49. Stewart completed a pass to Shaw for 18 yards, but the drive stalled at the 24 as Ward, wide open at the goal line, dropped a pass after slipping and Brown’s 42-yard field goal attempt was unsuccessful.

With 4:39 left to play, the Jaguars kept the ball on the ground and Taylor had runs of 15 and 25 yards to advance into Pittsburgh territory and run the clock down. They finally turned the ball over on downs at the 24 with the time remaining now down to 1:02. SS Donovin Darius intercepted a Stewart pass to clinch the 34-24 win for Jacksonville.

The Jaguars had the edge in total yards (417 to 302), first downs (20 to 15), and time of possession (34:20 to 25:40). They also recorded five sacks, to three for the Steelers, and Pittsburgh turned the ball over five times, four of which led to Jacksonville scores, against two suffered by the visitors. The Jaguars were penalized eight times, at a cost of 55 yards, to four flags thrown on the Steelers. The 34 points surrendered marked the highest point total that Pittsburgh gave up during the season, by far (and it would not be exceeded in the remaining contests).

Fred Taylor had a huge performance as he rushed for 234 yards on 30 carries that included three touchdowns, and he added a fourth TD on one of his three pass receptions for 14 yards. Mark Brunell completed 17 of 31 passes for 190 yards and a touchdown while giving up one interception. Jimmy Smith had 6 catches for 85 yards and Kyle Brady contributed 62 yards on his five receptions.

For the Steelers, Kordell Stewart (pictured above) was successful on 13 of 27 throws for 188 yards and a TD while being intercepted twice. He also rushed for a team-leading 59 yards on 6 attempts that included two scores. Jerome Bettis was right behind with 57 yards on 12 carries. Bobby Shaw topped the receivers with 5 catches for 81 yards, although he also had a costly fumble.

The big win over Pittsburgh was the first of four straight for the rejuvenated Jaguars, but they finished the season with two narrow losses to end up at 7-9 and fourth in the AFC Central. It was their first losing record since their inaugural season in 1995. The Steelers won four of their last five games for a 9-7 tally that put them in third place in the division.

Fred Taylor’s yardage total set a still-standing franchise record (to date) and also was a new high for an individual performer against the Steelers. He went on to rush for 1399 yards in 13 games, averaging 4.8 yards-per-carry and scoring 12 touchdowns.       

Highlighted Year: Trace Armstrong, 2000

Defensive End, Miami Dolphins

Age:  35 (Oct. 5)

12^th season in pro football, 6^th with Dolphins

College: Florida

Height: 6’4”   Weight: 270

Prelude:

Originally a college star at Arizona State, Armstrong was forced to transfer to Florida for his senior year due to a ruling by the NCAA regarding his academic eligibility. He received All-America recognition from the Sporting News at defensive end as well as All-SEC honors and was chosen by the Chicago Bears in the first round of the 1989 NFL draft (12^th overall). He moved into the starting lineup as a rookie, with unspectacular results, but possessing a good work ethic as well as speed and tenacity, Armstrong improved significantly by his second year, garnering 10 sacks. He was slowed by knee and ankle injuries in 1991 but settled into being a solid starting player over the course of six seasons in Chicago, accounting for 42 sacks with a high of 11.5 in 1993. Armstrong moved on to the Dolphins in 1995 where he continued to struggle with injuries but had a 12-sack season in ’96. He performed in more of a reserve role as a pass rushing specialist while also providing veteran leadership.

2000 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Sacks – 16.5 [2, tied with Warren Sapp, 1^st in AFC]

Most sacks, game – 3.5 vs. Buffalo 10/8

Multi-sack games – 4

Interceptions – 0

Fumble recoveries – 0

Forced fumbles – 7

Tackles – 24

Assists – 10

Postseason: 2 G

Sacks – 1

Interceptions – 0

Fumble recoveries – 1

TD – 0

Awards & Honors:

2^nd team All-NFL: AP

1^st team All-AFC: Pro Football Weekly

Pro Bowl

Dolphins went 11-5 to finish first in the AFC East while leading the NFL in interceptions (28). Won AFC Wild Card playoff over Indianapolis Colts (23-17). Lost AFC Divisional playoff to Oakland Raiders (27-0).

Aftermath:

Armstrong signed with the Oakland Raiders as a free agent for 2001. His season was cut short due to an Achilles injury and he lasted two more years as a part-time performer. Overall, he played in 211 regular season games over 15 years and finished with 106 sacks, reaching double figures five times. His Pro Bowl selection in 2000 was the only one of his career.

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Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

Rookie of the Year: Brian Urlacher, 2000

Linebacker, Chicago Bears

Age:  22

College: New Mexico

Height: 6’4”   Weight: 249

Prelude:

Converted to linebacker as a freshman in college, Urlacher had two nondescript seasons before Rocky Long became head coach at New Mexico and gave him an enhanced role in which he acted as a defensive back as well as linebacker. The versatile Urlacher also saw action as a kick returner and wide receiver, the latter role in which he caught six touchdown passes. As a junior, he led the team with 178 tackles and received All-Mountain West Conference honors and in 1999 he was credited with 148 tackles and five forced fumbles. He received All-America recognition from several sources and was the first round draft choice of the Bears in 2000. Urlacher had an immediate impact as he proved to be ideally suited to playing middle linebacker with his speed and tackling ability in the open field, as well as excellent instincts.

2000 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Sacks – 8

Most sacks, game – 2 vs. Minnesota 10/15

Interceptions – 2

Most interceptions, game – 1 vs. Detroit 9/24, vs. Tampa Bay 11/19

Int. return yards – 19

Int. TDs – 0

Fumble recoveries – 1

Forced fumbles – 0

Tackles – 101

Assists – 24

Awards & Honors:

NFL Rookie of the Year: Sporting News

NFL Defensive Player of the Year: AP, PFWA

Pro Bowl

Bears went 5-11 to finish fifth in the NFC Central.

Aftermath:

Urlacher was selected to the Pro Bowl in each of the next three seasons and was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection in 2001 and ’02. After being limited to nine games in an injury-plagued 2004 season, in ’05 he was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press in addition to receiving All-NFL and Pro Bowl honors. Urlacher was again a consensus first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection in 2006 as the Bears won the NFC Championship. He began to show signs of wear later in the decade and, after typically being a durable player, missed all but one game in 2009 due to a wrist injury in the opening contest. But Urlacher returned to Pro Bowl form in 2010 and ’11 before finishing his career in 2012. Overall, over the course of 13 seasons and 182 games, he accumulated 41.5 sacks, 22 interceptions, 15 fumble recoveries, and over a thousand tackles. He scored five touchdowns, one of which came on his only pass reception. Urlacher was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection four times and was chosen to eight Pro Bowls.

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Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were named Rookie of the Year in the NFL (including NFC/AFC), AFL (1960-69), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press – Offense or Defense, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, or the league itself – Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year).

MVP Profile: Ray Lewis, 2000

Linebacker, Baltimore Ravens

Age: 25

5^th season in pro football & with Ravens

College: Miami (FL)

Height: 6’1”   Weight: 245

Prelude:

Lewis was chosen by the Ravens in the first round of the 1996 NFL draft and inserted into the starting lineup at middle linebacker as a rookie, and had an immediate impact. He was chosen to the Pro Bowl for the first time in ’97 and was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection in 1999. With outstanding instincts, intensity, and speed that allowed him to cover a large area and make plays, Lewis was well-established as one of the premier linebackers in the NFL. The only concerns about him following the ’99 season pertained to off-field issues surrounding an altercation outside an Atlanta nightclub that ended in two stabbing deaths, but following a plea bargain that included his testimony against two associates, he was back in action in 2000 (and was also heavily fined by the NFL).

2000 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Sacks – 3

Most sacks, game – 2 vs. Cleveland 11/26

Interceptions – 2

Most interceptions, game – 1 at Cleveland 10/1, vs. Dallas 11/19

Int. yards – 1

Most int. return yards, game – 1 (on 1 int.) at Cleveland 10/1

Int. TDs – 0

Fumble recoveries – 3

Fumble recovery TDs – 0

Forced fumbles – 0

Tackles – 107

Assists – 30

Postseason: 4 G

Sacks – 0

Interceptions – 2

Int. return yards – 54

Fumble rec. – 1

TD – 1

Awards & Honors:

NFL Defensive Player of the Year: AP

1^st team All-NFL: AP, PFWA, Sporting News

1^st team All-AFC: Pro Football Weekly

Pro Bowl

Ravens went 12-4 to finish second in the AFC Central and qualify for a Wild Card playoff spot while leading the NFL in fewest rushing yards (970) and points allowed (165), both records for a 16-game season. Won AFC Wild Card playoff over Denver Broncos (21-3), AFC Divisional playoff over Tennessee Titans (24-10), AFC Championship over Oakland Raiders (16-3), and Super Bowl over New York Giants (34-7).

Aftermath:

Lewis was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection for the third straight year in 2001 as well as Pro Bowl choice for the fifth consecutive season. He adjusted well to a shift to inside linebacker as the Ravens switched to a 3-4 defense in ’02 but he was limited to five games due to a shoulder injury. Lewis bounced back to again be named NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2003 and, other than a hamstring injury that cost him time in ’05, remained a regular Pro Bowl choice through 2011, his next-to-last season at age 36. Overall, Lewis played for 17 years, all with Baltimore, and recorded 41.5 sacks, intercepted 31 passes, and was credited with over 1500 tackles. He was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection seven times, received at least some second-team recognition after four other seasons, and was chosen to the Pro Bowl on 13 occasions. Lewis capped his career in 2012 by playing in another Super Bowl, also won by the Ravens.

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MVP Profiles feature players who were named MVP or Player of the Year in the NFL, AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press, Pro Football Writers Association, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, Maxwell Club – Bert Bell Award, or the league itself). Also includes Associated Press NFL Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year.