RECAP:
The Raiders flounder in their first Super Bowl in 19 years. The featured matchup of Oakland's top-rated offense against Tampa Bay's top-rated defense is a mismatch.
The Buccaneers (15-4) return three interceptions for touchdowns en route to a dominating victory over the Raiders (13-6) in Super Bowl XXXVII at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego on Jan. 26, 2003.
Jon Gruden wins a Super Bowl in only his fifth season as an NFL head coach. Raiders managing general partner Al Davis traded Gruden to Tampa Bay in February 2002 for four high draft picks and $8 million.
As the NFC champion Bucs build an insurmountable 34-3 lead, the frustration of the Raiders players heightens as their former coach pumps his fists repeatedly in celebration on the Tampa Bay sideline.
The Bucs intercept five Rich Gannon passes and have five sacks to punctuate their first NFL title in the 27-year-old history of the franchise. Safety Dexter Jackson (voted the Super Bowl MVP) and cornerback Dwight Smith each have two interceptions for Tampa Bay, which scores 34 straight points after Sebastian Janikowski gives Oakland a 3-0 lead on a 40-yard field goal. The Bucs' Smith returns both of his interceptions for touchdowns, including a 50-yarder with 12 seconds left.
The Tampa Bay offense also does its part. Brad Johnson throws two touchdown passes to Keenan McCardell and Michael Pittman rushes for 124 yards on 29 carries. The Bucs have 24 first downs and control the football for 37 minutes, 14 seconds.
But make no mistake, D-E-F-E-N-S-E is the story of this outcome.
The Bucs outgain the Raiders 198-62 in total yards in the first half as Tampa Bay builds a 20-3 lead at halftime. The Raiders finish with 11 first downs and control the football for only 22:46. Tampa Bay holds Oakland to only 19 rushing yards on 11 attempts.
After hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy, Gruden tells reporters: "We have a great defense in Tampa Bay. It's been an emotional week for me, but it's better spent just moving on and talking about our great defense and our great win."
Gannon, the NFL regular-season MVP, has his worst game since joining the Raiders in 1999. Besides his Super Bowl-record five interceptions, he makes poor throws on other pass attempts because of a relentless Tampa Bay pass rush. After the Bucs switch from a four-man defensive line to a three-player front late in the third period, Gannon throws for touchdowns to Jerry Porter (39 yards) and Jerry Rice (48 yards). Gannon is 24-of-44 passing for 272 yards an abysmal quarterback rating of 48.9.
"We were just absolutely terrible," Gannon tells reporters. "It was a nightmarish performance."
Says Raiders wide receiver Tim Brown: "We couldn't have beaten the worst team in the league today. We stunk it up. And a game like this, the only way to win is to play your best game."
Hours before kickoff, the AFC champion Raiders already are in trouble because Pro Bowl center Barret Robbins is dismissed from the team for disciplinary reasons. The eight-year veteran reportedly disappears on Friday night and doesn't return to the team's hotel until the next evening. Says guard Frank Middleton after Tampa Bay's victory: "(Robbins) let us down at crunch time. It hurts. It hurt everybody."
PRIME-TIME PLAYERS:
DE Simeon Rice - Teammate Dexter Jackson is voted the Super Bowl MVP, but Rice deserves to at least share the award. His two sacks in the first half are confidence-killers for Gannon and his offensive teammates.
S Dexter Jackson - His two first-half interceptions are just the beginning of Oakland's collapse.
WLB Derrick Brooks - Before his victory-clinching 44-yard interception return for a touchdown, the 2002 NFL defensive MVP defuses the Raiders' explosive Charlie Garner - who finishes with a season-low 10 yards rushing and 51 receiving yards on seven catches.
RB Michael Pittman - Rushes for 124 yards on 29 carries. With 75 yards rushing on 12 carries, Pittman outgains the Raiders (75 yards to 62) in the first half.
WR Keenan McCardell - His touchdown catches at the end of the first half and in the third quarter are daggers for Oakland.
WR Jerry Rice - Becomes the oldest player (40 years, three months) to score a touchdown in Super Bowl history. His 48-yard scoring reception completes an Oakland run of 18 straight points and narrows the deficit to 34-21 with 6:06 remaining.
LB Eric Johnson - Returns a Tom Tupa blocked punt 13 yards for a touchdown.
OLB Eric Barton - Has a game-high 13 tackles (eight solo).
KEY STAT:
The Raiders' Tim Brown, playing in his first Super Bowl in his 15-year NFL career, has one catch for nine yards. Speaking to reporters after Oakland's abysmal performance against Tampa Bay, Brown says: "My name will always be linked to Super Bowl XXXVII. At least I can say I made it here once."
GOAT OF THE GAME:
Oakland offensive line. The unit allows five sacks and never opens holes for the running game, which averages 1.7 yards on 11 attempts. It's easy to criticize Rich Gannon for throwing five interceptions, but he faces relentless pressure from Tampa Bay's fierce pass rush. Gannon has no chance to succeed without adequate pass protection.
TURNING POINT:
QB Brad Johnson culminates a 77-yard, 10-play drive with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Keenan McCardell late in the second quarter to push Tampa Bay's lead to 20-3. The Raiders commit three penalties on the drive.
BY THE NUMBERS:
1: Interceptions by Oakland CB Charles Woodson, his first interception since Week 2 against Pittsburgh.
5: Interceptions by the Raiders' Rich Gannon, a Super Bowl record. Gannon threw only 11 interceptions in Oakland's previous 18 games (including playoffs).
10.5: Rich Gannon's quarterback rating after the first half. He ranked second in the league with a 97.3 efficiency rating in the regular season.
48: Points allowed by Oakland, its second-most points surrendered in a postseason game. The Raiders suffered a 51-3 loss at Buffalo in the 1990 AFC Championship Game.
THEY SAID IT:
Raiders OT Lincoln Kennedy
"It's more disappointing than I ever thought it could be. I can't put it into words. I thought this was our year."
"We had to have that championship before we could say anything. Now you can put us in the same sentence as the Ravens and the Steel Curtain. But I don't think any of them faced the kind of offense we did. None of them went into the Super Bowl and faced the No. 1 offense. And we put a stranglehold on them."
Bucs DT Warren Sapp
DID YOU KNOW?:
The Raiders (3-2) are one of four teams to play in five Super Bowls. The others: 49ers (5-0), Steelers (4-1), Redskins (3-2) and Dolphins (2-3).
Rich Gannon is sacked by Tampa Bay's Simeon Rice.
