Buccaneers vs. Ravens Game Day Primer

The Ravens return to M&T Bank Stadium to host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a battle of two 7-3 teams. The Bucs have been solid on the road this year with a 4-1 record and come off a 21-0 shutout of the 49ers last week in San Francisco, while Baltimore looks to remain perfect at home. 

This will be the first meeting since the season opener in 2006 that saw the Ravens defense lead the way to a 27-0 win. Bucs QB Chris Simms was intercepted three times and the ground game was held to just 26 yards. Tampa Bay leads the all-time series 2-1.

NFL historians might find it interesting that Tampa’s first franchise touchdown took place in old Memorial Stadium during Week 4 of the 1976 season. After losing 20-0 to Houston, 23-0 to San Diego, and 14-9 to Buffalo, scoring with just field goals, the Buccaneers trailed the Baltimore Colts 42-3 in the 4th period.

The Colts were just trying to run out the clock when RB Ron Lee fumbled a Bert Jones handoff. Bucs defensive back Danny Reece recovered the fumble and returned it 44 yards for a touchdown, the first in the club’s history. Later in the game Steve Spurrier found the coach’s son JK McKay for a long pass that set up Charles Davis’ one yard run which would be the franchise’s first ever offensive touchdown.

The Colts eventually won the game 42-17, producing 31 first downs to Tampa’s 6. The Bucs completed just 4 passes on the day and rushed for seventy eight yards. It was one of the NFL’s worst ever teams. The loss was the fourth of 14 during a 0-14 campaign.

Now to the present, here is your Ravens v. Bucs Game Day Primer.