Buccaneers vs. Eagles: Tampa Bay and Philadelphia's Playoff History
For the fifth time in NFL history, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Philadelphia Eagles will meet in the postseason as the two franchises are set to face off on Sunday during the 2021-22 Super Wild Card round.
Through four meetings, the playoff series between Tampa Bay and Philadelphia is split at 2-2. Before finding out who will take the postseason lead (as well as take control of the series as a whole, as it is tied 10-10 through 20 matchups), let's take a look back on the playoff history between these two teams and some of its best moments.
Buccaneers vs. Eagles playoff history
2002 NFC Championship: Buccaneers 27, Eagles 10
2001 Wild Card: Eagles 31, Buccaneers 9
2000 NFC Wild Card: Eagles 21, Buccaneers 3
1979 NFC Divisional: Buccaneers 24, Eagles 17
Top Buccaneers moments
Ronde Barber's game-sealing interception
With just over three minutes remaining in the 2002-03 NFC Championship game, Donovan McNabb and the Eagles were within eight yards of narrowing the Buccaneers' lead from 10 to, at least, four points. But instead of a one-score game coming to fruition, Bucs cornerback Ronde Barber undercut a pass to Antonio Freeman and returned an interception 92 yards to the house, extending Tampa Bay's lead to 17 points and clinching the Buccaneers' debut Super Bowl appearance, which also resulted in a victory and elevated the franchise to elite status for the first time.
Not only was Barber's pick-six a legendary moment in the all-time series, but it is also one of the greatest moments in Tampa sports history.
1979, the Bucs' first-ever playoff win
Of course, this list wouldn't be complete if it didn't include the first time the Buccaneers ever won a playoff game, four years after the franchise's inception. That win came against the Ron Jaworski-led Eagles, who made the game competitive with two touchdown passes although he was also put in the dirt twice by Tampa sack-master Lee Roy Selmon.
Running back Ricky Bell put together an early lead for the Buccaneers by posting two first-half touchdowns, while quarterback Doug Williams put the NFC Divisional game away with a fourth-quarter touchdown throw to Jimmie Giles.
Tampa Bay would not make it any further, losing to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship the next week.
Joe Jurevicius' catch and run
Peerhaps Barber's game-sealing pick-six in the 2002-03 NFC Championship wouldn't have happened if it weren't for the lead Tampa Bay put together earlier in the game. Reciever Joe Jurevicius' 71-yard catch-and-run to set up a one-yard Mike Alscott lead-taking touchdown run late in the first quarter played a massive factor in building that lead. It was the second-biggest play of the game, only behind Barber's interception return and one yard longer than Brian Mitchell's game-opening, 70-yard kick return for Philadelphia.
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