Bucs say they can buck trend against Eagles

TAMPA, Fla. -- To win the NFC championship, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will have to buck some ugly trends: four straight losses to the Philadelphia Eagles and an 0-6 road record in the postseason.

Then there's that 1-21 record when the temperature is 40 or below.

But after setting a franchise record for victories in the regular season and dominating the San Francisco 49ers in the second round of the playoffs, the Bucs are confident that Sunday's trip to Veterans Stadium will be different.

"We're going to get on the plane, and we're going to go to Philadelphia one more time," coach Jon Gruden said. "I saw Barry Bonds. I sat in the stands in PacBell Park and watched him strike out three times. He didn't duck in the ninth inning, though.

"He went up there, he took his cuts in the ninth inning, and I've seen him deliver. That's kind of how I look at this situation. You either ask for a pinch-hitter or you take your cuts. That's what we have to do. We have to go take our swings."

The Eagles (13-4) have ended Tampa Bay's season the past two years, outscoring the Bucs 52-12 in a pair of lopsided first-round playoff games that ultimately cost former coach Tony Dungy his job.

Gruden was hired last February and is already weary of answering questions about the club's recent history in Philadelphia, including a 20-10 loss to the Eagles in October. The Bucs (13-4) have failed to score an offensive touchdown in their last three visits to the Vet, dating to the 2000 playoffs.

Philadelphia also won a meaningless regular-season finale between the teams in Tampa last year. Starters for both clubs played just one series because the clubs were going to meet the following week in the playoffs.

"None of that matters now. ... If we win on Sunday, that erases anything that has happened. We just can't go up there and shoot ourselves in the foot," linebacker Derrick Brooks said.

"It's a new day, two different teams. It is a different team that went there last year, and it's a different team that was there earlier in the season. They have a different team that we faced, and I think every player recognizes that."

Some of the Eagles feel the same way.

"All the points we scored, all the times we've stopped them, we can't bring that to the game on Sunday," Philadelphia cornerback Bobby Taylor said.

"This is the first time we play them for the NFC championship," receiver Antonio Freeman added. "None of the other games matter."

The Bucs long have been haunted by a history of futility in cold weather. They were winless in games in which the temperature dipped to 40 or below before breaking the streak with a 15-0 victory at Chicago on Dec. 29.

The forecast for Sunday calls for a gametime temperature in the low 30s.

"We know what we're up against. I recommend that we sleep with our windows open and air conditioning running, and fans on you. Let's get used to it now," Bucs receiver Joe Jurevicious said.

The Eagles limited the Bucs to 207 yards total offense when the teams played earlier this season. Brooks, the NFL defensive player of the year, scored Tampa Bay's only touchdown on a fumble return.

The Bucs' offense has improved steadily since that loss, though, and it was impressive in Sunday's 31-6 rout of the 49ers. Brad Johnson has thrown for 18 touchdowns and just two interceptions in his last seven games, and Tampa Bay has gone 6-1 and averaged 27.2 points during the stretch.

That gives the Bucs confidence they'll have more success against the tough Eagles' defense this time.

"I think we clearly are a better team. We've set a franchise record for wins, and we've done a lot of things this year that we've never done before," safety John Lynch said.

"I realize we went up there earlier this year and fell short, but I'll guarantee you we'll go up there with a confidence boost. ... Hopefully, the experience of being there before and knowing what that kind of atmosphere and environment will get you into will make it more comfortable for us."