TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Eagles Vow To Give It Their All

ADVERTISEMENT

By IRA KAUFMAN

ikaufman@tampatrib.com

Published: December 25, 2008

TAMPA - Jon Gruden has been there.

With the Bucs counting on help from a Philadelphia team that could take the field having already been eliminated from playoff contention, Gruden expects the Eagles to go all-out late Sunday afternoon against the Cowboys.

When Gruden coached the 1999 Raiders, a 7-8 Oakland team headed to Kansas City for the season finale with the 9-6 Chiefs needing a victory to win the AFC West. Instead, the Raiders rallied from a 17-0 deficit and won 41-38 in overtime, ending a 10-game losing streak at Arrowhead Stadium.

The Chiefs went home, while Mike Holmgren's Seahawks backed into the division crown.

"Mike still sends me a Christmas card every year," Gruden quipped Wednesday.

The Eagles (8-6-1) harbor a distant chance to earn the final NFC wild-card spot. If the Bucs defeat Oakland earlier in the day, Philadelphia's hopes will be dashed.

"I think we play this game to go out and play well and, obviously, leave our mark," said Eagles QB Donovan McNabb, who said he would be surprised if Coach Andy Reid rested his starters, even if Philadelphia is eliminated before the 4:15 p.m. kickoff at Lincoln Financial Field.

The Eagles and Cowboys have forged a fierce rivalry, and Reid is growing tired of answering questions about Philadelphia's motivation.

"You can take these 'if' questions and throw them out the window right now," Reid said. "We are going to play our best game against a very good football team."

GAME WITHIN THE GAME

There will be times during Sunday's game when Tampa Bay's Antonio Bryant, one of the league's most physical receivers, will be matched up against Nnamdi Asomugha, Oakland's Pro Bowl cornerback.

"I have played Antonio before, and I know what type of player he is," said Asomugha, a first-round pick out of Cal in 2003 who has blossomed into an elite corner. "I think he is a great competitor and loves to go after the ball. He's one of those guys that you have to bring your best for."

With three consecutive 100-yard efforts, Bryant has moved up to eighth in the league with 1,171 receiving yards. In what could be his final appearance as a Buccaneer, Bryant will be determined to exploit Asomugha's aggressiveness.

"Nnamdi is special," Gruden said. "He is in your face all the time, No. 21, and he doesn't back down from anybody."

RANK STRANGERS

Gruden won 38 regular-season games and two division titles in his four years with the Raiders, but he won't see many familiar faces on the field when Oakland closes out another dreadful season.

"I don't factor into it too much," Gruden said of Sunday's matchup. "I don't know many of those players, other than Sebastian Janikowski and Shane Lechler."

The Raiders defeated Gruden's Bucs, 30-20, in a Sunday night game in 2004, and this is the first visit by the silver and black since 1996, when the Bucs won 20-17 in OT at Tampa Stadium.

"A lot of people perceive me to have not had a great experience there - I had a great experience there," Gruden said of his days in Oakland. "I still have a lot of respect for owner Al Davis. I learned a lot there. Their tradition, whether you want to admit it or not, is rare."

BUC BITS

LB Derrick Brooks, still nursing sore ribs, was the only Tampa Bay player who didn't participate in Wednesday's practice ... DEs Gaines Adams and Greg White have combined for one sack in the past four games ... With 125 points, K Matt Bryant needs four points Sunday to surpass Martin Gramatica's franchise record, set during the 2002 championship season ... The Raiders, outscored 75-9 by NFC South opponents this season, rank last in the league in first downs (207) and third-down conversion rate (27.4).

Ira Kaufman

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT