Bucs Get Chance to Pay Back Eagles

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers still have a chance to avenge last year's playoff loss to the Eagles. The NFL decided Tuesday to go with a 16-game schedule, making up the games lost last weekend on Jan. 6. Philadelphia, which beat the Buccaneers 21-3 in a NFC wildcard game last season, now is set to play at Tampa on Jan. 6. "I was disappointed that we weren't able to play at Tampa Bay for the time that we had scheduled because we had prepared for it," Eagles coach Andy Reid said. "They're a tremendous football team and you're always trying to challenge yourself in this business, so from that standpoint I'm excited to play it. They're a quality football team."

After last week's terrorist attacks on New York and Washington forced postponement of all games, it appeared the league might go to a 15-game schedule. But NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue didn't want to compromise the integrity of the season.

"Each team needs to be guaranteed the same number of home and away games plus an equal number of divisional games," Tagliabue said. "The NFL Competition Committee was unanimous on that point."

Restoring a 16-game schedule originally meant the playoff teams would be reduced from 12 to eight. But the league still is considering ways to have full 12-team playoffs.

"I'll be curious to see what follows after this," Reid said. "Like I mentioned before, I'd hate to disrupt the playoffs in that situation, so I think the league is working through that. I'm sure they'll come up with an answer for it. They understand the importance of the playoffs."

Said tight end Chad Lewis: "It'd be better if the league kept the playoff system the way it is."

Whatever the league decides, the regular-season finale against Tampa now has added importance for the Eagles because it could have playoff ramifications. The Bucs had circled the game against the Eagles on their calendar and kept it on their minds since losing in Philadelphia last December.

(Copyright 2001 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Article continues below

---

advertisement

---

Author: 6 ABC - Action News