Tampa Bay Buccaneers Score Grand Theft Football

You had to be fairly nervous, what with the Buccaneers tied with the Bengals, 21-all, and Carson Palmer driving his team down the field for what you know was going to be that last-second field goal and a victory over these gritty young Bucs.

No doubt this was to be one of those where we'd break out the box of "couldas, wouldas, and shouldas."

No, it was looking dismal for Raheem Morris and the fellas until the improbable became reality.

Who would have bet that everyone's favorite whipping boy would step up and be counted when it counted most on Sunday afternoon in the city named for Cincinnatus?

Sabby Piscitelli.

Yes, that Sabby, the Sabby they love to hate. The Sabby everyone demanded be benched, traded, or simply shown the door at One Buccaneer Place.

The Sabby who somehow came up three flights of stairs from the deep, dark depths of Raheem's dog house.

Sabby stepped up with 26 seconds left, barked, then bit the Bengals right on their collective rump.

A Carson Palmer pass that bounced off our favorite Dancer with the Stars, his Ochocinconess, became Sabby's.

Yes, suddenly there was Sabby, hot-stepping it down to the Cincinnati 34 where the "Franchise" would do the rest.

Now we know why Raheem is "married" to Josh Freeman. Now you know why he is and should be "The Franchise."

It would have been a 51-yarder for Connor Barth had the Bucs made no progress from that point.

But Freeman would throw a gem of a pass, and Michael Spurlock made up for a previous fumble with a gem of a catch that withstood that nail-biting review and put Baron Barth in business, chopped 20-yards off that attempt, and he would handle the rest.

His fist pump when he hit it told us the outcome, didn't it? Bucs 24, Bengals 21.

So now these amazing Buccaneers, latest contestants on the football version of "A Minute To Win It" come home to face the Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints.

And who out there would have bet 10 cents before the season that the Buccaneers would have a better record than the Saints coming in to this Oct. 17 showdown at Raymond James?

Then again, who out there would have bet the Bucs would go 3-1 for the first quarter of the season?

Yes, this team has been the most pleasant of surprises.

Sunday's game: an improbable win.

Who would have bet that Cody Grimm would be quick and smart enough to step in front of a Palmer pass and get his team a quick touchdown when it needed one early in the game?

Who out there felt comfortable when TO made Aqib Talib look foolish for a touchdown early in the game? Please, anyone but TO!

But Talib would recover, get one of three picks on the day and spur the defense that sparked this third victory.

Who would have thought that a team this young, a team this inexperienced could overcome three, count 'em three turnovers, ON THE ROAD, and still come home with a victory?

No doubt Raheem will say once again that this is no moment for celebration parades.

But everyone should take a moment to savor the flavor of, count 'em, TWO road wins. Road wins are very hard to come by in the NFL.

Everyone should take a moment to say "good going Josh Freeman, Mike Williams," heck everyone on offense and "GREAT GOING" defense.

Makes us forget the 144 yards that Cedric Benson put up, although they might want to work a bit on stopping that running game.

Doesn't matter when you get the big interception at the most opportune moment.

And it doesn't matter that Sabby has spent the last six weeks in the Morris dog house.

He's out, and by now, the word is probably out on these Buccaneers.

Better take 'em seriously. No doubt they have the attention of Drew Brees and his teammates.

They had Cincinnati's attention.

And they scored themselves a "Grand Theft Football" in the process.

No truth to the rumor that the Cincinnati police were at the airport to charge Morris and the team with "grand theft football."

But you couldn't blame them if they tried.