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5 Plays That Made A Difference

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 24, 2007

The Rams started their second series of the second quarter deep in their own territory, but they still came out firing. Marc Bulger threw downfield to Isaac Bruce on the first play and while Bruce made the catch, he didn't survive the pop he took from Jermaine Phillips. First, he fumbled the ball away. Then he left the game, missing the remainder of the first half. He came back in the second half, but he wasn't the same again. Nor was the Rams offense.

Jeff Wilkins has hit on better than 82 percent of his field goals in a 14-year career, so the Rams had to feel pretty good about their chances of taking a lead when he stepped into a 42-yard try with a little more than two minutes to play in a scoreless first half. Wilkins' kick drifted left, though, and as it did, the momentum shifted away from the Rams and toward the Bucs, who marched 59 yards on the ensuing possession to take a 3-0 lead on a Matt Bryant field goal.

The rain hadn't reached the stadium but just about everyone could see or feel it coming. If the Bucs couldn't get into the end zone before the storm hit, it was imperative they get as close as possible for a field goal attempt. They did that, thanks in large part to Jeff Garcia's mobility, particularly on a second-and-12 play from the Rams' 29. Coming on the heels of a penalty, Garcia ducked the pressure and hit tight end Alex Smith with an 11-yard completion that moved the Bucs into that safe zone, where Bryant seldom misses.

The Rams had cut the lead to 10-3 early in the fourth quarter and they needed a big defensive stand. On the first play from scrimmage, Garcia hit Ike Hilliard for a 17-yard gain that knocked the Rams back on their heels. Five plays later, the Bucs scored to put the game away.

Leading 10-0 early in the third quarter, the Bucs were feeling pretty good about themselves. But penalties on Derrick Brooks (15 yards) for a late hit and Ronde Barber (10 yards) for unsportsmanlike conduct put the Rams at the Tampa Bay 10. On first down, cornerback Phillip Buchanon stepped in front of a Bulger pass for Drew Bennett in the end zone and picked it off, thereby ending the Rams' scoring threat.

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