News-Chronicle
Tampa, FL (Sports Network) - Brian Kelly had two of Tampa Bay's four interceptions, two of which led directly to second-half touchdowns, as the Buccaneers earned a 21-7 victory over the Green Bay Packers in a battle of the top teams in the NFL at Raymond James Stadium.
Brad Johnson threw two touchdown passes for the Bucs (9-2), who have won four straight and now own the best record in the league -- one game ahead of the Packers (8-3), who have lost two in a row.
Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre has never won in five trips to Raymond James Stadium and suffered through his second straight sub-par outing. He threw three interceptions in last week's loss at Minnesota and completed just 20- of-38 passes for 196 yards with a touchdown and four picks this week.
"I'm frustrated," an exasperated Favre said afterward. "There's no excuse. I can play better [here]. I can play better in Minnesota. It seems like every time I play in those places, it's the same old story."
The teams had been fierce rivals in the NFC Central, playing each other twice a year, but re-alignment shifted the Bucs to the NFC South. This was the only meeting of the season, unless the teams face each other in the playoffs.
"We realized what was at stake and realized it was another brick in the road to the Super Bowl that has to come through Tampa," said Bucs defensive tackle Warren Sapp. "Next week we can put a couple more bricks in there."
Tampa Bay has a 1 1/2-game lead over Atlanta in the division and a two-game lead over New Orleans. The Bucs will play at New Orleans next week and will try to avenge a home overtime loss to the Saints in the opening week of the season.
The Packers are still comfortably ahead in the NFC North, but blew a chance to clinch the division title for the second straight week.
"We gave great effort," Favre said. "So did Tampa. We just didn't make enough plays."
Kelly's first interception with 7:13 left in the third quarter gave Tampa Bay the ball at the Green Bay 18 and the Bucs scored their first touchdown just four plays later to take the lead.
Mike Alstott ran three times up the middle for 14 yards and Johnson followed with a four-yard touchdown pass to Joe Jurevicius in the front left corner of the end zone. The play was initially ruled incomplete, but a video review reversed the call as Jurevicius was able to get both feet down in bounds. Keyshawn Johnson caught the two-point conversion for a 14-7 lead.
Favre then drove the Packers from their own 26 to the Tampa Bay 21, but Ronde Barber stepped in front of Terry Glenn and made a one-handed interception at the 15. Barber is playing with a cast on his broken thumb.
After a series of punts, Favre was picked off again midway through the fourth quarter. Dexter Jackson made the interception at the Tampa Bay 37 and nearly returned it for a touchdown, but Favre flung him out of bounds at the five.
Favre and Sapp, long-time adversaries, jawed at each other after the play.
The Bucs converted the turnover into another touchdown, as Brad Johnson hit Ken Dilger for a three-yard score to make it 21-7 with 7:24 left in the contest.
The Packers again marched deep into Tampa Bay territory on their next series, but Kelly made his second interception of the game at the four-yard line to all but seal Green Bay's fate with 2:55 remaining.
"We only scored seven points," said Packers head coach Mike Sherman. "They certainly made us look bad. They have a tough defense and they were very opportunistic on offense."
Sherman also got into a shouting match with Sapp after the game. The two had to be restrained after Sherman made a comment to Sapp about the hit he made against Green Bay offensive tackle Chad Clifton during one of the interception returns. Clifton had to be carted off the field.
"I went up to Warren and didn't appreciate the hit he put on Clifton," Sherman said. "Maybe I overreacted to the hit. But what I saw looked kind of cheap. But who knows?"
Sapp was surprised at Sherman's reaction.
"The whole time I've been in this game, especially playing them, I've been a target," Sapp said. "We get a pick, Brian Kelly's running all over the field, I see a guy going at my man, I put a lick on him. What's the problem? I didn't clip him in the back, didn't hit him below the waist, there's no flag on the play. What's the problem here?"
Brad Johnson completed 15-of-25 passes for 134 yards and was not picked off. He was forced to leave the game on Tampa Bay's first offensive series after being poked in the eye, but returned in the second quarter.
"He got poked in the eye evidently and had some double-vision," said Bucs head coach Jon Gruden. "That was a concern, obviously. He was out for about four or five drives, but I can't say enough about Brad Johnson. What he's doing for this team -- I don't care what anybody says, he's in uncharted waters now, with cracked ribs and blurred vision playing like he's playing."
Rob Johnson replaced him and marched the Bucs to the Green Bay 33 on his first series, before Packer linebacker Na'ill Diggs intercepted a pass and returned it 29 yards to the Tampa Bay 30.
Favre needed just six plays to put the Packers in the end zone, capping the quick march with a four-yard TD pass to Driver for a 7-0 lead with 5:44 left in the opening period.
Brad Johnson returned and finally got the Bucs on the board just before the end of the half. A 17-yard punt return by Karl Williams gave Tampa the ball at its own 41 with 23 seconds left and Johnson hit Keyshawn Johnson with a 39- yard pass to set up Martin Gramatica's 38-yard field goal as time expired.
Gramatica added a 51-yarder with 7:33 left in the third quarter to pull Tampa Bay within 7-6. A 23-yard pass from Brad Johnson to Michael Pittman ignited the drive.
Game Notes
The Packers had won their previous 20 games when leading at halftime...Favre recorded his ninth straight 20-touchdown pass season, one shy of the NFL record set by Miami's Dan Marino from 1983-92...Ahman Green had 56 yards rushing and added four catches for 40 yards for the Packers...Pittman ran for 50 yards on 13 carries, while Alstott had 30 yards on nine attempts...The Bucs have intercepted a pass in 15 straight games, tying a franchise record.
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