San Francisco (11-6) at Tampa Bay (12-4)
1:00pm EST
NFC divisional playoff
TAMPA, FLORIDA (TICKER) -- After pulling off the NFL's second-biggest comeback in playoff history, the San Francisco 49ers cannot afford any deficit spending against the league's No. 1 defense.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who allowed just 12.3 points this season, will host the Niners on Sunday afternoon in an NFC divisional playoff game.
The Bucs are hoping to reach the NFC championship game for the second time in four years. The Niners last reached the NFC title game in Steve Mariucci's first year as coach in 1997. ADVERTISEMENT
Last February, Mariucci interviewed for the coach-general manager job with the Buccaneers, but remained in San Francisco. The Bucs then set their sights on coach Jon Gruden, sending the Oakland Raiders two first-round picks, two second-round picks and $8 million as compensation.
Mariucci considered the Tampa Bay job because his contract with the Niners expires after the 2003 season. Many believed that Mariucci would have been dismissed if the Niners did not rally from a 24-point second-half deficit in last week's stunning 39-38 victory over the New York Giants in the wild card round.
Gruden coached the Bucs to the NFC South title and the most wins in franchise history, but success will be measured in their playoff performance. Tampa Bay lost wild-card games at Philadelphia each of the last two seasons under former coach Tony Dungy.
Both Mariucci and Gruden worked as assistants in Green Bay under coach Mike Holmgren. Gruden went to the AFC championship game as coach of the Raiders in 2000.
If Gruden is to get to the NFC championship game, he will need quarterback Brad Johnson to show no ill effects from a back injury that sidelined him for the last two regular season games.
"I feel very, very fresh right now," said Johnson, who passed for 3,049 yards and 22 touchdowns with just six interceptions this season. "I feel about as sharp as I've been all season long. My legs feel good and my arm's got a lot of zip on the ball."
While Johnson rested, Jeff Garcia accounted for 391 yards and four touchdowns in San Francisco's thrilling win over the Giants. The Niners scored the game's last 25 points in the final 17:03 after falling behind, 38-14.
Following Joe Montana and Steve Young in San Francisco's rich quarterback legacy, Garcia put his stamp on the playoffs. He completed 27-of-44 passes for 331 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 60 yards and another score.
But Tampa Bay has the league's fastest defense and is better equipped to prevent Garcia from running out of the pocket. With Pro Bowlers Warren Sapp and Simeon Rice on the defensive line and Derrick Brooks at linebacker, the Bucs were successful in containing Michael Vick, the leading rusher among quarterbacks, in two games this season.
"They are extremely fast," Garcia said of the Bucs' defense. "I know I can't outrun those guys. But I can't go in thinking I can't utilize my feet. My game is about reaction and I have to do what comes natural to me, regardless of who I'm playing against."
Containing Pro Bowl receiver Terrell Owens may be another story. Owens had nine catches for 177 yards and two touchdowns along with a pair of two-point conversion receptions in the come-from-behind win over New York.
On Sunday, he will match up against cornerbacks Ronde Barber and Brian Kelly. Pro Bowl strong safety John Lynch is known for his crushing hits over the middle and will likely keep a close eye on the 6-3, 226-pound Owens.
"Last week, I asked the guys if we were contenders or pretenders," Owens said. "I vowed I was going to do whatever it took to win in the playoffs after we lost last year, even if it meant speaking up to get us going."
But Barber, whose brother Tiki plays for the Giants, believes his team is ready for San Francisco's no-huddle, hurry-up offense.
"We don't want to say anything ever plays into our hands, but if they're not going to run and drop back 40 times in the second half, I'd like to think it matches up well with us and our front four," Barber said.
Tampa Bay's top pass rusher is Rice, who led the NFC with 15 1/2 sacks and will match up against left tackle Derrick Deese.
The Niners will need their running game, which ranked seventh in the NFL this season, to take pressure off Garcia. Garrison Hearst and Kevan Barlow combined for just 27 yards on 10 carries last week.
The Bucs ranked just 27th in the league in rushing. Michael Pittman led the team with 718 yards, but averaged just 3.5 yards per carry. Fullback Mike Alstott had only 548 yards.
Johnson will again rely on his tall receivers - Keyshawn Johnson, Keenan McCardell and Joe Jurevicius - to post up San Francisco's defensive backs on intermediate routes. But Niners linebacker Julian Peterson may play a big part in disrupting those patterns.
Keyshawn Johnson led the Bucs with 76 catches for 1,088 yards.
The Niners lead the series, 12-2 although the Bucs won the last meeting, 13-6 in 1997.
Don't sell the 49'ers off too cheap in this one. They will give the Bucs all they want and "MORE"
i hope the bucs wear em out...it's fun to watch that defense on the field!!!!