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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Warrick Dunn, Shaun King and the Tampa Bay
Buccaneers pulled off the Great Escape and pushed the Super Bowl
champion St. Louis Rams to the brink of elimination.
 | | | Bucs quarterback Shaun King didn't look like a second-year player Monday as he passed for 256 yards and ran for 58. |
Dunn combined with King on one of the craziest plays of the
season, then scored his third touchdown with 48 seconds remaining
as the Buccaneers clinched a playoff spot Monday night with a 38-35
victory that left St. Louis needing help to make the postseason.
"It's deflating," Rams safety Keith Lyle said. "To lose by
three points hurts because we had it wrapped up until that last
drive."
Marshall Faulk scored four touchdowns for the Rams, but it was
not enough in a rematch of last season's NFC championship game won
by St. Louis 11-6.
To reach the playoffs, the Rams (9-6) need to beat New Orleans
next Sunday and hope Chicago (4-11) pulls an upset at Detroit.
"We controlled our own destiny up to this point. We didn't get
it done," Rams quarterback Kurt Warner said. "We can't look to
anybody else and say it was their fault. It was our fault. We
didn't finish this thing. Now we need help."
The win by Tampa Bay (10-5) also clinched the NFC West for New
Orleans. The Buccaneers can still win the NFC Central with a
victory at Green Bay on Sunday and a Minnesota loss at
Indianapolis.
After Torry Holt's 72-yard touchdown catch from Warner gave the
Rams a 35-31 lead with just over five minutes to play, the
Buccaneers rallied behind a wild play.
From their own 35, King threw a swing lateral to Dunn around the
right side. But Dunn was trapped far behind the line and, as he was
being dragged down, suddenly pitched the ball back to King.
King shook loose and streaked down the right sideline for a
15-yard gain, and 15 more yards were tacked on for a late hit
called on linebacker Mike Jones.
"Shaun was just calling for the ball. We were desperate at the
time," Dunn said. "It turned out to be a great play."
Later, on a fourth-and-4 in Rams' territory, King scrambled for
a first down. King then threw a 22-yard pass to Reidel Anthony,
which set up Dunn's 1-yard TD run.
"I thought we had the thing won. It came down to two plays,"
St. Louis coach Mike Martz said. "We had Dunn hemmed in there and
then he made the pitch. ... But we're not out of this. We have a
chance to be 10-6. We are going to go down to New Orleans and get
after it."
Warner tried to bring back the Rams, but threw his third
interception of the game. John Lynch's pickoff gave the Buccaneers
sweet revenge from last season's loss in the NFC title game.
Keyshawn Johnson caught two touchdown passes and Dunn rushed for
more than 100 yards for the third time in four weeks.
Faulk scored four touchdowns for the second straight week and
third time this season, breaking the NFL record he shared with Jim
Brown.
Warner completed 20 of 32 passes for 316 yards and two TDs.
King, who led the 13-play, 80-yard drive to win the game,
completed 18 of 38 passes for 256 yards. His TD throws of 8 and 17
yards to Johnson, who had seven catches for 116 yards, were Tampa
Bay's first touchdown passes in five games.
"We've always had faith in Shaun, even through the tough
times," said cornerback Ronde Barber, who had one of Tampa Bay's
interceptions. "People have been down on him. People have been
down on us. He stepped up to the occasion."
Dunn finished with 145 yards on 22 carries. He scored on a
2-yard run in the first quarter and his 52-yard burst on the final
play of the third quarter gave the Bucs a 31-21 lead that their
proud defense couldn't hold.
St. Louis pulled within 31-28 on Faulk's 9-yard run. Dexter
McCleon's interception in the end zone stopped Tampa Bay from
scoring what might have been a clinching touchdown before Warner
and Holt teamed to give the Rams their first lead since late in the
second quarter.
The loss to the Rams in the title game prompted several major
changes for the Bucs in the offseason.
Mike Shula was fired as offensive coordinator and replaced by
Les Steckel, who helped the Tennessee Titans reach the Super Bowl
against St. Louis. The offensive line was overhauled with the
addition of free agents Jeff Christy and Randall McDaniel and
Johnson was obtained in a trade with the New York Jets.
But until Monday night, the Bucs had used their star receiver as
mostly a decoy and Johnson's frustration was beginning to boil
over.
King missed him on a fade pattern near the goal line after
Barber intercepted Warner on the Rams' first possession. Tampa Bay
settled for Martin Gramatica's 35-yard field goal, and built a
24-14 halftime lead.
Faulk, who rushed for 79 yards on 22 carries and had four
receptions for 53 yards, scored on first-half runs of 2 and 16
yards for the Rams. He caught a 27-yard touchdown pass in the third
quarter.
Warren Sapp sacked Warner twice, giving the 1999 defensive
player of the year 15.5 on the season.
Game notes
Tampa Bay won for the seventh time in eight games ... Holt
had nine catches for 165 yards ... The Rams became the first NFL
team to score more than 500 points in a season twice ... The Bucs
are 10-0 when they have fewer turnovers than their opponents.
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ALSO SEE
NFL Scoreboard
St. Louis Clubhouse
Tampa Bay Clubhouse
Clayton: King matures on Monday night stage
Dunn displays moves of an MVP, too
Garber: Clearing up the playoff picture
AFC: Cracks in the foundation
NFC: Cracks in the foundation
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Shaun King hopes the Bucs can get the monkey off thier backs at Green Bay next week.
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RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
 ABC's Melissa Stark catches up with Warrick Dunn after the Bucs' fourth-quarter win over the Rams.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Keyshawn Johnson talks with ESPN's Chris Berman after the Bucs' come-from-behind victory.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
ESPN's Chris Berman talks with Marshall Faulk as the Rams' playoff hopes fall into jeopardy.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Coach Tony Dungy was pleased to beat the Rams at their own game.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Shaun King tells Chris Berman this was one of the biggest victories in Bucs' history.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Mike Jones and the Rams have to win next week, and hope for some help to make the playoffs.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Mike Martz says the Bucs won by throwing the football.
wav: 140 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT
Keyshawn Johnson Official Site
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