SAN DIEGO – Rich Gannon looked more like the LVP than the MVP of the league last night.
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered like never before, the Bucs turned Gannon into Kerry Collins circa Super Bowl XXXV with their swarming, relentless defense.
“We put a chokehold on [Gannon],” Warren Sapp said.
A few minutes later, Sapp audibled from chokehold to stranglehold.
Gannon couldn’t disagree.
Why would he, after throwing a Super Bowl record five interceptions, three of which were returned for touchdowns.
“We were absolutely terrible,” Gannon said. “It was a nightmarish performance.”
Gannon credited Tampa Bay defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin.
“He put a great game plan together and it kept us off-balance,” Gannon said. “They got some pressure early and did a good job with their zones. We were just out of rhythm and out of sync and couldn’t generate any offense.”
The Bucs were quicker, faster, hungrier and better-schooled than anything Gannon had seen all season. You bet Jon Gruden had something to do with that.
“It wasn’t me,” Gruden said. “It was our team, and I don’t know who’s been covering the Bucs this year and who hasn’t, but this is a great defensive team. Against the forward pass, they say, ‘Bring it on’ because that’s what they like to defend. We can rush a passer and we can play pass defense.”
Gannon was not his usual patient self. Not only couldn’t he take what he wanted, he couldn’t take what the Bucs gave him. Because the Bucs gave him nothing.
“Their speed is very good,” Gannon said, “but we knew that coming in. I won’t take anything away from them – they have an excellent defense. But we weren’t very good offensively.”
The Raiders could not believe their eyes when Gannon, on third-and-two, rolled right and was intercepted by Dexter Jackson late in the first quarter.
“Poor decision,” Gannon said. “I probably should have thrown to Tim Brown.” Not long after that, he threw a floater downfield for Jerry Porter that was picked off again by Jackson.
“It’s always a shock when you see him struggle,” Porter said. “He played so well for us all year, it’s almost like we expect him to come out and almost play a perfect game. It just shows that he’s human.”
Gannon was asked how frustrating it was for him.
“Obviously it’s frustrating when you have three first downs in the first half,” he said. “We weren’t able to generate plays on first and second down, and when you do that, it makes it difficult on third down.”
He was asked if he was happy for Gruden, who had resurrected his career in Oakland. “I can’t be happy when somebody else won,” he said.
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SUPER DISAPPOINTMENT
Here’s how Oakland QB Rich Gannon’s Super Bowl-worst five interception game compares to other horrendous performances:
Rich Gannon, Raiders
Super Bowl XXXVII
24-44, 272 yards, 2 TDs, 5 INTs
Earl Morrall, Colts
Super Bowl III
6-17, 71 yards, 0 TDs, 3 INTs
Craig Morton, Broncos
Super Bowl XII
4-15, 39 yards, 0 TDs, 4 INTs
John Elway, Broncos
Super Bowl XXIV
10-26, 108 yards, 0 TDs, 2 INTs
Jim Kelly, Bills
Super Bowl XXVI
28-58, 275 yards, 2 TDs, 4 INTs
Drew Bledsoe, Patriots
Super Bowl XXX
25-48, 253 yards, 2 TDs, 4 INTs
Kerry Collins, Giants
Super Bowl XXXV
15-39, 112 yards, 0 TDs, 4 INTs