Colts Vs. Buccaneers: Bucs Come From Behind On Monday Night Football, Beating Winless Colts 24-17

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Colts Vs. Buccaneers: Reaction To 24-17 Comeback Victory

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers finished off a comeback to beat the Colts 24-17 on Monday Night Football, and in the process showed America what kind of team they have now. Sure, there were some mistakes. This is a young team and that is to be expected. But they fought back against adversity and walked away with their third win of the season. According to Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune, it was a statement win for the Bucs.

"I think we turned a lot of heads tonight," said running back LeGarrette Blount, who finished off his fifth career 100-yard rushing effort with a 35-yard scamper with 3:15 to play that gave the Bucs their winning edge. "I think we showed that the team we had last year wasn't a joke and that we can win a lot of games."

But it wasn't easy. The Bucs suddenly found themselves trailing one of the worst teams in the NFL. But they never got complacent and they kept fighting.

"We never feel like we're out of anything," said cornerback Ronde Barber. "Not with (quarterback) Josh (Freeman) and not with (coach/defensive coordinator) Raheem (Morris) calling the defense and guys on that side of the ball standing up and winning."

One of the improved aspects of the defense that they showed on Monday was their ability to generate sacks. They were last in the NFL in this category last year, but they had four on Monday Night Football. Just one of the many areas of this young Bucs team that continues to evolve right before our eyes.

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Colts Vs. Buccaneers: Josh Freeman And Tampa Bay Win On Monday Night, Improve To 3-1

It wasn’t pretty, but in the end, the Bucs pulled out a seven point victory over the winless Colts. The Bucs took their first and only lead of the game with less than five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. That was all they would need, as the Curtis Painter-led Colts were unable to answer the LeGarrette Blount touchdown, quickly going three and out.

The Bucs would not give the Colts another chance, icing the game with Blount and a fourth and an inch QB sneak by Josh Freeman.

The sneak was set up by an incredible effort from Blount, who appeared to be tackled in the backfield, well short of the first down. But Blount spun out of a Tyler Brayton tackle, dragging three Colts to within an inch, less than one chain link, of the first down marker. Raheem Morris would opt to go for it instead of giving the ball back to the Colts. The 6’5, 248 pound Freeman was able to push forward for the first down inch, finishing off the game.

It was a sloppy game full of missed opportunities, but the Bucs slowly wore down the Colts, completely controlling the second half save for one big play to Pierre Garcon.

They improved to 3-1 and are tied with the New Orleans Saints for first in the NFC South. They now travel across country to face the surprising 3-1 San Francisco 49ers, who are coming off a thrilling upset win on the road over the Eagles.

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Colts Vs. Buccaneers: Bucs Take Lead Late, 24-17, On LeGarrette Blount 35 Yard TD Run

With a little less than five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, the Buccaneers took their first lead of the game against the Colts on Monday Night Football. The go-ahead touchdown was scored by LeGarrette Blount on a breakaway 35 yard touchdown run.

As the Bucs have held the ball for most of the second half, the Colts defense has slowly worn down and Blount exposed that to put the Bucs up seven. The 255 pound back broke into the open field untouched and cut to his right to get to the pylon. Blount has 115 yards rushing on 21 carries, none bigger than his last to put the Bucs ahead.

The scoring drive came on the heels of a frustrating Bucs possession, where they went three and out after a holding and facemask penalties made it third and 27. It was a squandered opportunity, after Adam Vinatieri missed the go-ahead field goal on a bad snap from Jeff Saturday. The Bucs let a tired Colts defense off the hook – a mistake they would not repeat when given another opportunity just two minutes later.

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Colts Vs. Buccaneers: Tampa Bay Responds To Tie It At 17, After Third Quarter

Josh Freeman quickly led the Buccaneers down the field to even the game at 17 before the end of the third quarter. The drive was an impressive response to the Colts quick strike Pierre Garcon 59 yard touchdown. It finished with a 13 yard pass to Preston Parker, who dashed across the field and just past the pylon into the corner of the end zone.

Parker is having a big night, with four catches for 58 yards and the Bucs second touchdown. Josh Freeman has spread the ball around against a banged up and confused Indy secondary, throwing it a whopping 37 times through three quarters. He has 23 completions for 269 yards already.

The Bucs scored on two of their three possessions in the quarter, eliminating some of the penalties that crippled their scoring chances in the first half. They committed only one penalty in the third quarter, after nine in the first half.

They start the fourth quarter with the momentum on their side and a sold out Raymond James Stadium looking to carry them to a win on national TV.

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Colts Vs. Buccaneers: Colts Take The Lead, 17-10, On Another Long TD To Garcon

Pierre Garcon victimized the Tampa Bay Buccaneers secondary for the second time tonight, taking a short pass from Curtis Painter to the house for a 59 yard touchdown. Painter faked a hand-off to Delone Carter, and then quickly threw to Garcon for a wide receiver screen. The Colts offensive line got down field and wiped out the second level of the Bucs defense.

Garcon would weave the remaining 50 yards for the score, racing past Aqib Talib and Ronde Barber. In addition to the offensive line downfield, Reggie Wayne came flying across the field for the final block to spring Garcon.

It was a one play, 59 yard drive that put the Colts back in the lead, after a field goal from Connor Barth tied it for the Bucs on their opening drive of the half.

Garcon has only two catches on the night, but he has certainly made them count, taking both for touchdowns and 146 yards receiving on the night.

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Colts Vs. Buccaneers: Bucs Trail 10-7 After A Sloppy First Half

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers trail the Indianapolis Colts by three, 10-7, after a sloppy first half of football on a national stage. The Bucs attempted a rushed game-tying field goal as time expired, but the Connor Barth attempt was negated when they were flagged for having too many men on the field.

The chaotic attempt was the result of Robert Mathis sack of Josh Freeman – about the only thing the Bucs could not afford to have happen in that situation, as they were well within field goal range with the ball on the 19 yard line. Unfortunately, Desmond Briscoe, one of the fastest players on the team, could not get all the way across the field and to the sideline before the ball was snapped for the Barth attempt.

The end of the half was a microcosm of the Bucs mistakes that persisted over the course of the first 30 minutes. They were flagged nine times for 64 yards, including an illegal touch which nullified an Arrelious Benn touchdown.

The Bucs will receive the kickoff to start the second half, looking to eliminate the penalties and mistakes and trailing by three against a team they were favored to beat by double digits.

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Colts Vs. Buccaneers: Josh Freeman And Bucs Respond, Quickly Score To Make It 10-7

The Buccaneers’ offense was stagnant for much of the first half, but with less than five minutes to play, they got on the board when Josh Freeman went in on a QB sneak from the one yard line. It was a quick response to the 87 yard Pierre Garcon touchdown.

The Bucs and Freeman averted disaster when Colts safety David Caldwell dropped an interception that hit him in the hands in the end zone. The Bucs capitalized on the mistake, scoring three plays later to cap the eight play, 81 yard drive that took just under five minutes.

The big play of the drive was another pass by Arrelious Benn, who had a first quarter touchdown negated when it was ruled he stepped out-of-bounds first. Freeman hit Benn streaking down the right side of the field for 43 yards, moving the ball from inside their own 20 and across midfield into Colts territory. From there, the Bucs rode Freeman and LeGarrette Blount, with a little help from Caldwell’s dropped pick, to pull within three.

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Colts Vs. Buccaneers: Pierre Garcon Goes 87 Yards To Give Colts 10-0 Lead

Curtis Painter continues to unexpectedly impress at Raymond James Stadium. The Bucs blew a coverage on the strong side when Curtis Painter dropped a pass in a dead zone to Pierre Garcon. Garcon then broke an Aqib Talib tackle to go the distance down the sideline for the score. It appeared Talib did not get back to cover the deep half of the zone, limiting his angle to the ball and opening up the sideline for Garcon.

Painter’s 87 yard TD pass is one yard longer than Peyton Manning’s longest regular season touchdown. The play was challenged by Raheem Morris when it looked like Garcon came close to hitting the sideline and going out-of-bounds. But for the second straight time tonight on a touchdown/out-of-bounds toss-up, the Bucs and Morris failed to overturn the official’s call (an Arrelious Benn TD was called back to end the first quarter when it was ruled he stepped out).

The quick strike came after a Michael Koenen punt pinned the Colts inside their own five yard line. In a 10-0 hole, the Bucs offense must step up and respond to Painter’s surprising first half performance.

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Colts Vs. Buccaneers: Indianapolis Leads 3-0, After First Quarter

Behind their opening drive field goal by Adam Vinatieri, the Colts took a 3-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The Buccaneers appeared to score the go-ahead touchdown at the end of the first quarter, but the play was called back when it was ruled that Arrelious Benn stepped out-of-bounds and was the first to touch the ball when he came back in. Benn, who caught the short pass and took the ball 50 yards into the end zone, ever-so-slightly stepped on the sideline with his left foot as Josh Freeman scrambled to get him the ball. Benn broke several tackles as he scampered 62 yards.

The Buccaneers challenged the play but the illegal touching call was upheld when the replay showed Benn’s foot hit the chalk.

The Bucs also had a chance to even the game in the first quarter after a Michael Bennett sack and forced fumble of Curtis Painter. The Bucs, however, would quickly go three and out and Connor Barth would hit the right upright on a failed 46 yard field goal attempt.

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Colts Vs. Buccaneers: Indianapolis Takes A 3-0 Lead On Adam Vinatieri Field Goal

The Indianapolis Colts, behind the quarterbacking of Curtis Painter, took a 3-0 lead in the first quarter of Monday NIght Football. The Colts received the opening kickoff and opened with an 11 play, 53 yard drive to get on the board first at Raymond James Stadium.

Painter was three for six on the opening drive, throwing for 36 of the Colts 53 yards. Joseph Addai carried the ball three times for ten yards. Painter hit both Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark, as he opened the game looking fairly sharp – certainly, an unexpected development as Painter was perhaps the number one reason why the Bucs entered the game favored by double digits. A short pass to Clark led to a 21 yard gain, putting the Colts inside the Bucs thirty yard line.

The drive would stall at the Bucs 27 yard line, where Vinatieri connected from 45 yards to put the Colts ahead.

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Buccaneers Vs. Colts: Curtis Painter To Start For Indianapolis

Indianapolis Colts head coach Jim Caldwell confirmed Friday afternoon his team will start Curtis Painter at quarterback against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday Night Football. With veterans Peyton Manning and Kerry Collins unable to play due to injury, the Colts had no choice but to go with Painter or the just-signed Dan Orlovsky.

Thus, the heavily-favored Buccaneers have the good fortune of facing, in Painter, a quarterback who's completed just 13 of his 39 career pass attempts over two seasons, with no touchdowns and two interceptions. The former Purdue Boilermaker owns a career passer rating of 23.8. That's not a misprint: it's really 23.8.

Bucs Nation writes, "Quite frankly, the Bucs have enough talent and skill on defense to destroy Curtis Painter. Monday Night Football should be fun." The former assessment is one with which it's difficult to disagree. But the latter? That one may only apply to the Bucs, their fans, and masochists.

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Week 4 NFL Odds, Colts Vs. Buccaneers: Bucs Double-Digit Favorites For Monday Night Football

Raheem Morris and the Buccaneers favored by 10 points as they prepare for a Colts team that will likely be forced to use its third string quarterback.

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Buccaneers Vs. Colts: NFL Week 4 Game Notes

After a surprising and successful 10-6 season in 2010, followed by a productive summer of player-organized workouts, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have started out the young 2011 season on the right foot. Raheem Morris' squad has room to improve, but they've done a little bit of everything well during their 2-1 start. Last Sunday, the Buccaneers got a much-needed win over the rival Atlanta Falcons. It wasn't pretty, but the defense did just enough to hold on for the 16-13 win.

Now Tampa is set to host the Indianapolis Colts on Monday Night Football. It marks the first primetime game for the Buccaneers in years. At the outset of the season, before it became clear that Peyton Manning would not play, the matchup looked like a fairly interesting, inter-conference tilt. Now with Manning not available, the Colts are a less entertaining and potent team. Don't take that to mean that the young Bucs will cruise to a victory. There's no such thing as an easy win in the National Football League.

Let's take a quick look at the two teams' series history, as well as a sampling of stats for both squads as we get ready for Week 4 of the 2011 NFL season.

SERIES

STATS

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Buccaneers Close To Sellout For Monday Night Football

The Buccaneers return to primetime on MNF may avoid a blackout, as only 2000 tickets remain.