Tampa Bay didn't win today, but say this for the Buccaneers: They're starting to play competitive football.
A week after earning their first win of the season against the Green Bay Packers, the Bucs fought went to Miami and played a hard-fought game against the Dolphins before finally falling, 25-23.
It was a back-and-forth game in which the Dolphins jumped out to a 19-6 halftime lead behind the running of Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown, only to have the Bucs come back and take a 23-22 lead when Cadillac Williams scored with just 1:14 left in the game.
Miami wouldn't quit, though, marching into field goal range and re-taking the lead when Dan Carpenter booted a 25-yarder with 10 seconds left.
The Buccaneers dropped to 1-8 and clearly have a long way to go before they're a good football team, but they've now played their two best games of the season in the two games since rookie Josh Freeman became the starting quarterback. That's a good sign for the Bucs, even if the Dolphins were the better team today.
Bucs hang tough but Dolphins win a wild one
Posted by Michael David Smith on November 15, 2009 4:22 PM ET
Permalink
26 Comments 
Latest stories in: Latest News and Rumors, Miami Dolphins, NFL Mobile Exclusives - Rumors, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Top Stories
Latest stories in: Latest News and Rumors, Miami Dolphins, NFL Mobile Exclusives - Rumors, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Top Stories
i cannot wait to see the explanation the NFL gives for the clayton call at the end of the second half.
Way to go, Winslow... you cost your team 15 yards at the worst possible time. Nice job.
How do you not mention one of the worst calls in NFL history? Michael Clayton caught and possessed the ball, was contacted, hit the ground while maintaining complete control, rolled over and on his way back up has the ball knocked out. How in any realm of football is that an interception?! Granted, the Bucs still lost the game because of poor 2min defensive play, but when a referee goes to review a play and makes a call like that, it makes you think what kind of idiots are officiating NFL games.
What a f%$@&^g horrible call at the end of the first half. Go to hell zebras
Florio, go back to 1:40 left in the 2nd and tell us all what you think the right call should've been.
The officials said that clayton wasn't down by contact even though his butt and elbow were on the ground, the ball popped out and it was an INT.
If the officials called that right Miami would not have gotten the TD that resulted, and the Bucs win the game, plain and simple.
At least the Bucs covered the spread so the officiating crew didn't make any money
Florio:
There was an extremely questionable call made during the Dolphins-Bucs game today. The play occurred right before halftime as Michael Clayton appeared to catch the ball, was submarined from behind by a Dolphin defender and then he fell on his back, the player in front of Clayton landed on top of Clayton appeared to have stripped the ball from Clayton AFTER they hit the ground and then the ball bounced to Miami defender Jason Taylor.
Initially the officials ruled incomplete. Then it was reviewed. The announcers and nearly everybody watching the replays saw what appeared to be a definite catch and down by contact... but the ruling somehow came out to be a non-catch and an interception for Taylor. I thought it was an awful call that deserves some serious scrutiny.
Obviously you didn't watch this game. If you had, you would know that it was won right before halftime. That may have been the worse call I've ever seen in over 30 years of watching football. Absolutely horrible and a 10 point swing. Screw this league.
really? no mention of the biggest botched call in the history of the NFL?
The refs from that game need to be fined and then fired for the bad calls they made all game.
How they called the Freeman "incomplete/fumble/INT" is beyond me.
Tony Sparano just dodged a huge bullet.
the refs were the better team, the jason taylor interception was complete bs
Child please! Let's see if the blind Pereira reviews that horrible "interception" call from the 1st half. Like my Bucs, the refs stink. Fire them all so the deSmith can rep them as well. Next year, trade hands of stone Clayton to the Bears for a #1 pick. Radio actually did a good job. No defense to speak of though.
Radio Raheem will not be happy.
This was a great game. In the end the Bucs lets the fins move the ball down the field to win... but I still cant stop thinking about that call at the end of the second half. Gratz Miami.
Add this to the list of the worst blown calls... someone owes the Bucs an apology.
The Zebras looked like the better team on the field today. What a joke.
They were not the better team. The Bucs got screwed on the terrible call on the Clayton catch. And I do mean catch! Worst call I've seen in a long time!
A back and forth game? The Bucs took the lead for the first time with less than 2 minutes left in the game. How is that back and forth?
Ricky Williams, the guy everybody had a joke about, the guy who will forever be linked to Edgerrin James, the guy who used to toke it up, the guy who held press conferences in the NFL while wearing his helmet, the guy who is still in the NFL and who had 102 yards today on 20 carries and looks like he has more left in the tank than dozens of NFL running backs.
Gotta Love It!
Run Ricky Run!!!!!
Most Saints fans still like you!
I think Freeman looks pretty good, if I were a Bucs fan I would be looking forward to seeing the future with him at the helm.
Watched every second of the game, and the Dolphins were not the better team. Now, the Bucs weren't clear and away the better team either but I'd say it was abouvt even. The Dolphins benefitted greatly by just about one of the worst calls I've ever seen at the end of the first half. I don't blame Raheem getting a penalty after that, it was a complete outrage. Gotta maintain the "spread" ehh refs? But I digress. Anyhow, say what you will about Raheem, but the players aren't tanking it and are playing hard. Spirited effort by them today and I must say I'm proud. I am absolutely pumped up about Freeman. For his size he can run like hell, very good arm, and most of all has shown good poise and leadership for a 21 year old. Its not all bad Buc fans
Hey phins fan here. I really don't understand the call they made in the second quarter. Seemed pretty terrible to me, but I'm not complaining for obvious reasons. The thing I want to complain about is about how gutless the dolphins coaching staff is. There's nothing wrong with being conservative and trying to control the clock but you can do it to a fault. For example before the half with 10 seconds left Miami decided to kick a field goal when they had plenty of time to throw one to the endzone. You've got to take a shot and take control of the game instead of going with the conservative FG especially when it would've been there after the TD chance. They've played like this all year long and is one reason contributing to their five loses. And I've got to question the intelligence of our coaching staff when it comes to clock management. Why take a T.O. with 14 seconds left at the end of the game? Let the clock run down to 2 or 3 seconds and let the field goal be the last play of the game. Why even give them a chance for some miracle play????? I'm glad we won but they're very frustrating!!!!
pfii63 says:
November 15, 2009 4:34 PM
Way to go, Winslow... you cost your team 15 yards at the worst possible time. Nice job.
Dumb penalty yes, but before you make any comments, try to remember the events that followed and not what you want to remember because you do not like Winslow. Bucs squibbed it downfield after 15 yard penalty assesed on kickoff. Went thru Ted Ginn's hands (just like every ball that goes his way, and the Dolphins start at 15 yard line. So ultimately Winslows unsportsmanlike penalty cost them absolutely nothing. The Bucs wrectched run defense cost them. And once again, one of the worst calls I've ever seen in the first half. It was almost blatant. It was so clear Clayton caught it and was down. Didn't know Tim Donaghy was working the game
That has to be one of the worst calls i have ever seen, Clayton had possession of that ball on the floor for more that a second before the ball popped out, how the hell is that an interception?
You people really? Calling the officials idiots? Since he was going down whilst making the catch he has to maintain possession through the catch. He did not. The catch was not made until he completes the catch and since he was going down, he must maintain possession. Even if he was touched first. Maybe they should have explained it during the game like some refs do.
We all think we know all of the rules, yet you think several officials didn't see what you saw? They are not as bad as you guys think. Especially for part-timers.
ted ginn is going to be the death of me. two drops and a whiff on the penalty-assessed kickoff.
shoot me now.
The refs were just getting us back for ruining the Saints game for us right before the half of that game. For those who may not recall let me explain...Saints get the ball with very little time left in the half. After moving down the field a little the Saints throw deep and Marques Colston makes a catch at the 2 yard line. As the defender holds on to keep him out of the end zone Colston stretches over to score what seemed like a touchdown to the televsion viewers leaving 5 seconds on the clock. Play is over turned at the review booth but because the refs got the call wrong, the Saints had time for another play. If the refs calls him down the 5 seconds runs off the clock half over with the Dolphins up 24-3. Instead its 24-10. Mind you at the end of the game we were down 6 and on a game winning drive instead of a knee the ball and win it drive. This weekend I saw the refs make that call correctly TWICE in other games. So thats just how it is.