Click here to see all recaps on a single page
| Other Week 1 Game Recaps | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARI at SF | ATL at MIN | BAL at CIN | CAR at STL | CHI at SD | DEN at BUF | DET at OAK | KC at HOU |
| MIA at WAS | NE at NYJ | NO at IND | NYG at DAL | PHI at GB | PIT at CLE | TB at SEA | TEN at JAX |
Week 1 Game Recap: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 6, Seattle Seahawks 20
What you need to know
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
QB Jeff Garcia and the Buccaneers got off to a fast start in Seattle, with 151 yards of total offense in the first quarter and two scoring drives that resulted in field goals. While Garcia was efficient, completing 19 of 27 passes for the game, he threw for only 201 yards and the offense failed to move the chains much after the first quarter. He was forced to leave the game after being hit on the helmet in the third quarter, but did return to the game.
Joey Galloway was Tampa Bay's only real threat in the passing game, catching five balls for 72 yards, including a big 49 yard reception. WR Ike Hilliard chipped in with four receptions for 49 yards.
RB Cadillac Williams was off to a strong start, rushing for 56 yards on 11 attempts in the first half, but was forced from the game early in the third quarter after being hit hard by Seattle LB Lofa Tatupu. Williams, who finished with 60 yards on 12 carries, seemed to hurt his ribs on the play and did not return.
The Buccaneers defense looked like the defense of old early in the first half, but seemed to wear down against a balanced Seahawks offensive attack. They were able to keep the Seattle offense in check for most of the game, before giving up a big pass play in the fourth quarter that put the contest out of reach.
| Seattle Seahawks |
QB Matt Hasselbeck was his usual, steady self, completing 17 of 24 passes for 222 yards and a touchdown. The score came on a nicely thrown ball down the sideline to RB Maurice Morris in the fourth quarter, giving Seattle a comfortable lead late in the game.
Bobby Engram led the Seahawks in receiving with 64 yards on three catches, and RB Maurice Morris came up with a big touchdown reception from 34 yards out.
Shaun Alexander didn't show any signs of the foot injury that hampered him last season, rushing for 105 yards on 27 carries that included a one yard touchdown plunge in the second quarter.
The Seahawks defense was ready to play from the get-go. Their defensive unit swarmed to the ball, punishing the Tampa Bay offensive players on almost every play. They forced both Jeff Garcia and Cadillac Williams to the locker room, and while Garcia was able to return, Williams never made it out. LB Lofa Tatupu played like a man possessed. He totaled eight solo tackles and two forced fumbles, and laid the big hit that took Williams out.
What you ought to know
| QB Jeff Garcia, Pass: 19 - 27 - 201 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 1 - 3 - 0 |
Garcia was accurate, completing 19 of 27 passes, but totaled just 201 yards and zero scores. He looked comfortable early on, rolling out of the pocket and completing some passes on the move. When Seattle forced him to stay in the pocket, he struggled to find open passing lanes over the active Seahawks front seven. Garcia got his bell rung in the third quarter on a scramble play and went to the locker room for evaluation. He returned later and led Tampa Bay on a nice drive that unfortunately ended in a lost fumble by RB Earnest Graham.
| QB Luke McCown, Pass: 1 - 4 - 9 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 1 - 9 - 0 |
McCown entered in relief of Garcia, completing one of four passes for nine yards.
| RB Cadillac Williams, Rush: 12 - 60 - 0, Rec: 2 - 14 - 0 (2 targets) |
Williams had a steady first half totaling 56 yards on 11 carries, and showed flashes of his brilliant rookie year. He ran extremely hard, and on one play right before the half seemed to carry the whole Seattle defense on his back for about seven yards as time expired. Unfortunately he was hurt on his next carry early in the third quarter on a hit by Seattle LB Lofa Tatupu. He seemed to get a helmet right to the ribs, and was forced to the locker room. Following the game, there was no word on his injury or his status for next week. Williams caught two passes in the game, one of which he fumbled on Tampa Bay's first possession of the game, turning the ball over to Seattle.
| RB Michael Pittman, Rush: 3 - 6 - 0, Rec: 5 - 32 - 0 (8 targets) |
Pittman filled in for the injured Williams, rushing the ball three times for six yards. His main contribution came in the passing game, where he caught five passes for 32 yards on eight targets.
| WR Joey Galloway, Rush: 1 - 1 - 0, Rec: 5 - 72 - 0 (8 targets) |
Galloway was the only real threat in Tampa Bay's passing game. He was the most targeted receiver with nine, hauling in five receptions for 72 yards. Galloway also had a big punt return that was called back for penalty.
| WR Ike Hilliard, Rec: 4 - 49 - 0 (6 targets) |
Hilliard got the start opposite Galloway, finishing with four receptions for 49 yards on six targets. Two of his receptions resulted in first downs.
| WR Michael Clayton, Rush: 1 - 0 - 0, Rec: 1 - 11 - 0 (3 targets) |
Clayton was targeted just three times, catching one pass for 11 yards.
| WR Maurice Stovall |
Stovall played in the game, but was not targeted and did not record a catch.
| TE Alex Smith, Rec: 2 - 23 - 0 (2 targets) |
Smith caught both balls thrown his way for 23 yards.
| PK Matt Bryant 2 - 2 FG, 0 - 0 XP, 6 points |
Bryant connected on two first quarter field goals, from 38 and 32 yards out, finishing with six points.
| TB Rush Defense |
The Buccaneers were ready to play defensively against Seattle, but their offense's inability to sustain long drives and give them a break was too much for them to overcome. They did give up a Shaun Alexander touchdown run in the first half, but they were defending a short field following a long return by Burleson. Alexander finished with over 100 yards, averaging 3.9 yards per rush.
LB Barrett Rudd led the way defensively for Tampa Bay, totaling 10 solo and three assisted tackles and a forced fumble. Fellow LB Derrick Brooks chipped in eight solo tackles for the Buccaneers.
| TB Pass Defense |
Tampa Bay gave up just one passing score for the game, but it was a killer in the fourth quarter that gave Seattle the lead for good. While they did hold Matt Hasselbeck to 222 passing yards, their inability to stop the big play hurt them in the end. DB Ronde Barber had a strong game totaling four solo tackles and a forced fumble.
| QB Matt Hasselbeck, Pass: 17 - 24 - 222 - 1 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 2 - 7 - 0 |
Hasselbeck was steady in leading his club against the Buccaneers, completing 17 of 24 passes for 222 yards, including a 34 yard fourth quarter touchdown pass to RB Maurice Morris that helped seal the deal for Seattle. Hasselbeck completed passes to seven different receivers for the game.
| RB Shaun Alexander, Rush: 27 - 105 - 1, Rec: 2 - 12 - 0 (3 targets) |
Alexander seemed like his old self, rushing for 105 yards on 27 carried and a one yard touchdown plunge. He ran hard, breaking tackles and used his excellent vision to grind away at the Buccaneers defense. A few of his bigger runs came on cut back plays that he was able to make adjustments on, hit the hole, and take off.
| RB Maurice Morris, Rush: 3 - 15 - 0, Rec: 1 - 34 - 1 (1 targets) |
Morris ran the ball three times for fifteen yards, occasionally spelling Alexander, but made his big contribution in the fourth quarter on a 34 yard touchdown reception from QB Matt Hasselbeck. On the play, Morris motioned out wide and was matched up against veteran LB Derrick Brooks. Morris just beat him downfield and made a nice catch to haul in the touchdown pass.
| RB Mack Strong, Rush: 1 - 9 - 0, Rec: 3 - 21 - 0 (4 targets) |
Strong's stat line may not look the greatest, but the veteran fullback made contributions in many ways for Seattle. He had just one rush for nine yards, but also chipped in with 21 yards receiving on three receptions. Strong also was effective in opening up holes for Alexander, helping him reach the century mark for the game.
| WR Nate Burleson, Rush: 1 - 3 - 0, Rec: 2 - 41 - 0 (3 targets) |
Burleson filled in for the injured Hackett, grabbing two receptions for 41 yards on three targets. He also made big contributions on special teams, with a 56 yard punt return that helped set up Alexander's touchdown run. Burleson did lose a fumble, but Tampa Bay could not capitalize on the ensuing series.
| WR Bobby Engram, Rec: 3 - 64 - 0 (3 targets) |
Engram led Seattle in receiving with 64 yards on three catches. He was targeted just three times, and two of his receptions netted Seahawk first downs.
| WR D.J. Hackett, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (2 targets) |
Hackett was targeted twice early in the first quarter, but was injured on his only reception of the game, a seven yard catch. He seemed to have his ankle rolled on, and did not return to the game.
| WR Deion Branch (3 targets) |
Branch was shutout against Tampa Bay, getting just three balls thrown to him with no receptions.
| TE Marcus Pollard, Rec: 5 - 43 - 0 (5 targets) |
Pollard caught all five balls thrown his way for 43 yards, two resulting in first downs.
| PK Josh Brown 2 - 2 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 8 points |
Brown connected on field goals from 28 and 46 yards out and made good on two extra points, finishing with eight points in the game.
| SEA Rush Defense |
Seattle's defense was hitting hard right from the opening kickoff, and it continued throughout the game. RB Cadillac Williams was off to a nice start, with 56 first half rushing yards, but was taken out by Seattle LB Lofa Tatupu on a vicious shot to the ribs that sent Williams to the locker room for the rest of the game. Following the injury, Tampa Bay could not get anything going on the ground at all. Tampa Bay's reserve backs totaled just 30 yards on 11 carries. Tatupu led the way with eight solo tackles, two forced fumbles, and one nasty hit on Williams.
| SEA Pass Defense |
The Seahawks pass defense played well throughout the game, and aside from a few big plays to Tampa Bay WR Joey Galloway, they were able to keep the Tampa Bay passing attack in check. They kept the Buccaneers out of the end zone by getting constant pressure on the Buccaneers' quarterbacks. For the game they totaled five sacks and held Tampa Bay to under 200 net passing yards. LB Julian Peterson was credited with two of the sacks and DL Patrick Kerney finished with one and a half sacks.
