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
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COLTS |
BUCCANEERS |
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SERIES LEADER |
7-4 |
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STREAKS |
Past 2 & 3 of past 5 |
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COACHES VS. OPP. |
Caldwell: 0-0 |
Morris: 0-0 |
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LAST WEEK |
L 23-20 vs. Steelers |
W 16-13 vs. Falcons |
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LAST GAME |
10/7/07: Buccaneers 14 at Colts 33. Indianapolis RB Kenton Keith rushes for 121 yards & 2 TDs as Colts defense holds Tampa Bay to just 177 total yards. |
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LAST GAME AT SITE |
10/6/03: Colts 38, Buccaneers 35 (OT). Trailing 35-14 in 3rd quarter, Indianapolis races back & ties game with 35 seconds remaining. K Mike Vanderjagt converts 29-yard FG in OT for win. |
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BROADCAST |
ESPN (8:30 PM ET): Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, Jon Gruden, Sal Paolantonio (Field reporter). Westwood One Radio: Kevin Harlan, Boomer Esiason, Tony Boselli (Field reporter). SIRIUS: 88 (WW1), 92 (Ind.), 93 (TB). XM: 88 (WW1), 225 (Ind.), 226 (TB). |
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STATS
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PASSING |
Collins: 48-98-481-2-1-65.9 |
Freeman: 72-106-682-2-4-76.1 |
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RUSHING |
Addai: 39-189-4.8-1 |
Blount: 42-167-4.0-2 (T3C) |
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RECEIVING |
Wayne: 14-196-14.0-1 |
Graham (RB): 20 (T3C)-116-5.8-0 |
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OFFENSE |
254.0 |
315.0 |
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TAKE/GIVE |
+2 |
0 |
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DEFENSE |
365.0 |
384.7 |
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SACKS |
Freeney: 3 (T2C) |
Foster (R): 2 |
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INTs |
3 tied: 1 |
Barber, Talib: 1 |
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PUNTING |
McAfee: 47.1 |
Koenen: 47.8 (3C) |
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KICKING |
Vinatieri: 22 (4/4 PAT; 6/7 FG) |
Barth: 24 (6/6 PAT; 6/6 FG) |