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1 more win and Bucs are homeward bound

Beating Green Bay means many things but the biggest might be a playoff game at RJS.

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By RICK STROUD

© St. Petersburg Times, published December 21, 2000

TAMPA -- Even though the Bucs have clinched a spot in the playoffs, a winner wonderland still awaits them Sunday in Green Bay.

They could win for the first time in Wisconsin in 11 years. They could win the NFC Central title with help from the Colts. And they could win when the thermometer reads below 40 degrees for the first time in the team's suntanned existence.

[Times photo: Joseph Garnett Jr.] fans gather Monday in front of the pirate ship at RJS, a scene the Bucs hope is repeated in the playoffs.

But for the Bucs, nothing is worth winning more than the right to host at least one playoff game at Raymond James Stadium.

Since the NFL went to a 16-game schedule in 1979, five wild-card teams have made it to the Super Bowl. Of those, only the Patriots in the '85 season reached the Super Bowl after playing all their playoff games on the road.

What's more, five of the past seven teams in the NFC with home-field advantage have reached the Super Bowl.

"I think we learned last year," safety John Lynch said. "I'd like to believe if we had that St. Louis game at our place, we find a way to pull it out. I think our big emphasis at the start of this year was to work hard and get ourselves in that position. We didn't quite get to where we wanted in terms of having (home-field advantage) throughout the playoffs, but we could still go a long way in bettering our situation this week, whether it be having a bye by winning the division or at least being here, and that's important."

A victory at Green Bay on Sunday would guarantee the Bucs a home playoff game, either as the Central champion or a wild-card team.

The Bucs could repeat as division champs and earn a first-round bye if they beat the Packers, Minnesota loses at Indianapolis and the Saints lose to the Rams.

The Bucs are 20-5 at RJS since it opened in '98, including their NFC division playoff win against Washington last season.

"The way we look at it right now, we've got some experience in the playoffs," cornerback Ronde Barber said. "But playing at home? I don't know. There's something about them coming in and you having a chance to entertain and do whatever else in front of your home crowd. It's something special.

"Last year when we went to the NFC Championship Game in St. Louis, you're on the field, and it's deafening, and you feel like all that energy coming out is against you. When you're at home, all the energy is for you, and I think teams thrive on that."

The Bucs won't know their playoff fate until well after Sunday's game is over.

Much hinges on the outcome of the 4 p.m. game between the Rams and Saints at New Orleans.

The Bucs are scheduled to depart Green Bay about an hour after that game begins. So they likely won't learn of the outcome until they are nearly in Tampa.

"We have the pilots try to track the late games anyway," coach Tony Dungy said. "Hopefully we'll get out. The last couple of times we've been there, we've had mechanical problems and been in the airport, so we're just hoping to be on the plane and out. But we'll have the pilots track it and see what happens."

Unless the Bucs buck history, Monday night's victory against the Rams might be the last they will see of RJS unless they reach the Super Bowl. Under Dungy, the Bucs have not won in four tries at Lambeau. And although Dungy inherited the cold-weather losing streak (0-18), his teams have contributed to it, including this season when the Bucs lost in 37-degree weather in Chicago.

"The more successful route, of course, is to have a bye the first week," linebacker Derrick Brooks said. "We did that last year and got to the championship game. The last time we had to play a home game, we won and on the road we lost. So we definitely want to do it.

"We can't set up none of the scenarios unless we win the ballgame. I'm glad the game we need to be watching comes along after we play and we won't have a chance to see it because we'll be flying. So we'll go out and win our ballgame and let everything take care of itself. The worst-case scenario, we get a home playoff game if we win our game."

The Bucs exerted a lot of energy in their 38-35 victory against the Rams. "We had a lot of emotion and a lot of adrenaline used up on Monday night, but they know the urgency of the situation," Dungy said.

"We've got a lot riding on this game: give ourselves a chance to defend our division championship, a chance to get a home game, a chance to win in Lambeau, which is something we haven't done in four years. So there's a lot riding on it. I think we'll be ready to practice and play well.

"You would like to make the road as easy as possible," Dungy said, "but who knows what an easy road is. Who knows who's going to be hot, who's going to be healthy. The least games you have to play, that's better. I know that. If you do get that first or second seed, it's like winning a playoff game because you don't have to play that one. So that's important. But who you play, when you play or where you play, if you're hot and you're healthy, then you're happy to be in, and you can make it happen."

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