Legendary Bucs CB Ronde Barber: Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR The first of those five meetings was in the 1979 playoffs, when the Bucs prevailed 24-17 for their first-ever playoff win. The Eagles won the next two – 21-3 in the 2000 playoffs and 31-9 in the 2001 playoffs – before the most iconic of the five playoff games between the two sides. Of course, that was the 2002 NFC Championship Game, which saw the Bucs shut down Veterans Stadium with a 27-10 win that was capped off by Ronde Barber’s 92-yard pick-six with 3:12 to go. Tampa Bay went on to win Super Bowl XXXVII from there, earning its first-ever Lombardi Trophy. The Bucs and Eagles’ most recent playoff meeting was just two years ago, when the Bucs broke the postseason series tie with a 31-15 win at Raymond James Stadium. Tom Brady and Tampa Bay carried a 31-0 lead into the fourth quarter before Philadelphia scored 15 straight to end the game. The Bucs would go on to lose at home to the Rams the next week, ending their season. Bucs Will Look To Avenge Week 3 Home Loss To Eagles Tampa Bay and Philadelphia are now set to for the second time this season, though the stakes are much higher this time around. The Eagles came to Raymond James Stadium back in Week 3, dominating the previously undefeated Bucs 25-11 in an ugly Monday Night Football game. 
Eagles DT Fletcher Cox and Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: USA Today Baker Mayfield was 15-of-25 for 146 yards, a touchdown and an interception in that game as the Bucs offense never got going. The defense actually intercepted Jalen Hurts twice, but had no answer for the Eagles run game. D’Andre Swift ran 16 times for 130 yards (8.1 avg.) to lead the way. Todd Bowles’ defense also had no answer for A.J. Brown, who caught nine passes for 131 yards (14.6 avg.). As ugly of a game as it was for Bowles’ side, Philadelphia didn’t come away all that pleased either. It was a third straight win to start the season, but it once again didn’t look like the Eagles were at their best. That’s become a theme throughout the year for Nick Sirianni’s team, as it won 11 games but has rarely looked like the team that went to — and nearly won — the Super Bowl last year. The Eagles lost five of their last six regular season games, going from 10-1 to 11-6 and failing to win the NFC East. It got worse for them in their season finale, as they fell behind the Giants 24-0 and went on to lose a game that saw wide receiver A.J. Brown, safety Reed Blankenship and guard Cam Jurgens all leave with injuries while quarterback Jalen Hurts suffered a finger injury and eventually left the game when it got out of hand. Meanwhile, the Bucs won five of their last six to go from 4-7 to 9-8, storming back to win the NFC South for the third straight years and make the playoffs for a fourth consecutive time. Quarterback Baker Mayfield is banged up, but the team as a whole looks to be in better shape injury-wise than the Eagles are as they head into the playoffs. Philadelphia is the more talented team heading into this matchup, but the playoffs are all about getting hot and streaking at the right time. Whether Tampa Bay will be able to do that remains to be seen, but Bowles and Co. have at least gotten in and given themselves a chance. The post Bucs’ Opponent For Super Wild Card Weekend Set appeared first on Pewter Report. Source: https://www.pewterreport.com/bucs-oppon ... ekend-set/
