Game story
In Week 1 of the 2000 NFL season on 2000-09-03, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers took care of business against the New England Patriots, pulling away with a 21–16 final that stayed a one-score game deep into the second half.
The highest-scoring period was Q2 with 21 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.
D. Bledsoe (New England Patriots) paced the passing game, with -10.52 total EPA.
On the individual side, M. Alstott (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +7.20 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.
The momentum swing (+35.2% win probability) landed in the opening quarter when Tampa Bay Buccaneers changed the game: A.Vinatieri kicks 72 yards from NE 30 to TB -2. K.Williams to TB 28 for 30 yards (L.Whigham). FUMBLES (L.Whigham), RECOVERED by NE-K.Serwanga at TB 28.
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | — | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 0 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 21 |
| New England Patriots | 3 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 16 |
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.
- 1 M. Alstott · Tampa Bay Buccaneers · Rushing · +7.20 total EPA · 17 snaps · +0.42 EPA/play
- 2 T. Glenn · New England Patriots · Receiving · +3.72 total EPA · 7 snaps · +0.53 EPA/play
- 3 T. Brown · New England Patriots · Receiving · +3.00 total EPA · 7 snaps · +0.43 EPA/play
- 4 R. Anthony · Tampa Bay Buccaneers · Receiving · +1.68 total EPA · 2 snaps · +0.84 EPA/play
- 5 T. Brown · New England Patriots · Rushing · +1.18 total EPA · 2 snaps · +0.59 EPA/play
- 6 T. Carter · New England Patriots · Rushing · +1.07 total EPA · 1 snaps · +1.07 EPA/play
- 7 K. Johnson · Tampa Bay Buccaneers · Receiving · +0.98 total EPA · 7 snaps · +0.14 EPA/play
- 8 W. Dunn · Tampa Bay Buccaneers · Rushing · +0.43 total EPA · 17 snaps · +0.03 EPA/play
Player of the game
FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.
M. Alstott — TB · Rushing
M. Alstott posted the highest total EPA (+7.20) in the game, making the biggest overall impact on Tampa Bay Buccaneers's efficiency. Across 17 counted snaps, they averaged +0.42 EPA per play.
The signature play (-5.09 EPA) came from Tampa Bay Buccaneers: (8:55) M.Royals punts 50 yards to NE 34, Center-M.Unutoa. T.Brown for 66 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals
Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.
Touchdowns
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers — unlisted player
- New England Patriots — unlisted player
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers — unlisted player
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers — unlisted player
- New England Patriots — unlisted player
Field goals
- New England Patriots — unlisted player
How it unfolded, quarter by quarter
A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.
The opening quarter: New England Patriots won the period 3–0. New England Patriots connected on a field goal from the TB 12 (Q1 58:45) — (13:45) A.Vinatieri 30 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-L.Paxton, Holder-L.Johnson..
The second quarter: Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the period 14–7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers found the end zone from the NE 5 (Q2 45:00) — (15:00) M.Alstott right tackle for 5 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Tampa Bay Buccaneers added 1 points from the NE 2 (Q2 40:41) — M.Gramatica extra point is GOOD, Center-M.Unutoa, Holder-M.Royals.; New England Patriots found the end zone from the NE 84 (Q2 38:55) — (8:55) M.Royals punts 50 yards to NE 34, Center-M.Unutoa. T.Brown for 66 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; New England Patriots added 1 points from the TB 2 (Q2 37:25) — A.Vinatieri extra point is GOOD, Center-L.Paxton, Holder-L.Johnson.; Tampa Bay Buccaneers found the end zone from the NE 8 (Q2 30:35) — (:35) S.King pass to R.Anthony for 8 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Tampa Bay Buccaneers added 1 points from the NE 2 (Q2 30:31) — M.Gramatica extra point is GOOD, Center-M.Unutoa, Holder-M.Royals..
The third quarter: Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the period 7–0. Tampa Bay Buccaneers found the end zone from the NE 3 (Q3 18:40) — (3:40) 64 McDaniel eligible. M.Alstott right end for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Tampa Bay Buccaneers added 1 points from the NE 2 (Q3 18:09) — M.Gramatica extra point is GOOD, Center-M.Unutoa, Holder-M.Royals..
The fourth quarter: New England Patriots won the period 6–0. New England Patriots found the end zone from the TB 39 (Q4 3:07) — (3:07) (Shotgun) D.Bledsoe pass to T.Glenn for 39 yards, TOUCHDOWN..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Q1 60:00) — A.Vinatieri kicks 72 yards from NE 30 to TB -2. K.Williams to TB 28 for 30 yards (L.Whigham). FUMBLES (L.Whigham), RECOVERED by NE-K.Serwanga at TB 28.
- New England Patriots (Q4 0:01) — (:01) (Shotgun) D.Bledsoe pass incomplete to T.Glenn.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Q2 38:55) — (8:55) M.Royals punts 50 yards to NE 34, Center-M.Unutoa. T.Brown for 66 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- New England Patriots (Q4 3:07) — (3:07) (Shotgun) D.Bledsoe pass to T.Glenn for 39 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Q4 2:00) — (2:00) M.Royals punts 33 yards to TB 45, Center-M.Unutoa, fair catch by T.Brown.
Impact plays
Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Q2 38:55) — (8:55) M.Royals punts 50 yards to NE 34, Center-M.Unutoa. T.Brown for 66 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- New England Patriots (Q4 3:07) — (3:07) (Shotgun) D.Bledsoe pass to T.Glenn for 39 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Q1 60:00) — A.Vinatieri kicks 72 yards from NE 30 to TB -2. K.Williams to TB 28 for 30 yards (L.Whigham). FUMBLES (L.Whigham), RECOVERED by NE-K.Serwanga at TB 28.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Q1 52:04) — (7:04) M.Alstott up the middle to TB 11 for 1 yard (C.Eaton, C.Slade).
Quarterback report card
D.Bledsoe led all passers in efficiency for New England Patriots, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
- D.Bledsoe (New England Patriots) · 50 dropbacks · 52.0% completion · -0.21 EPA/play · -10.52 total EPA
- S.King (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) · 28 dropbacks · 42.9% completion · -0.09 EPA/play · -2.45 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.
| Stat | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | New England Patriots |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | -0.058 | -0.128 |
| Offensive success rate | 38.7% | 44.4% |
| Pass EPA/play | -0.089 | -0.232 |
| Rush EPA/play | +0.206 | -0.115 |
| Defensive EPA/play | +0.128 | +0.058 |
| Defensive success rate | 55.6% | 61.3% |
By the numbers
Despite the final score, Tampa Bay Buccaneers generated the better offensive EPA per play (-0.06 vs -0.13), suggesting they moved the ball more efficiently.
- New England Patriots: 15 drives, -11.48 total EPA, 2 scoring drives
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 16 drives, -5.39 total EPA, 3 scoring drives
Key takeaways
What to remember for fantasy research, film review, and follow-up box score digging.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers leaves with the win and the better postgame narrative for Week-to-week momentum.
- One-score margin — fantasy managers should double-check garbage-time stats before drawing conclusions.
- M. Alstott (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
Every scoring play
Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.
- New England Patriots FG (+3) — Q1 58:45 · TB 12 · Score 0-3
(13:45) A.Vinatieri 30 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-L.Paxton, Holder-L.Johnson. - Tampa Bay Buccaneers TD (+6) — Q2 45:00 · NE 5 · Score 6-3
(15:00) M.Alstott right tackle for 5 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Tampa Bay Buccaneers XP (+1) — Q2 40:41 · NE 2 · Score 7-3
M.Gramatica extra point is GOOD, Center-M.Unutoa, Holder-M.Royals. - New England Patriots TD (+6) — Q2 38:55 · NE 84 · Score 7-9
(8:55) M.Royals punts 50 yards to NE 34, Center-M.Unutoa. T.Brown for 66 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - New England Patriots XP (+1) — Q2 37:25 · TB 2 · Score 7-10
A.Vinatieri extra point is GOOD, Center-L.Paxton, Holder-L.Johnson. - Tampa Bay Buccaneers TD (+6) — Q2 30:35 · NE 8 · Score 13-10
(:35) S.King pass to R.Anthony for 8 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Tampa Bay Buccaneers XP (+1) — Q2 30:31 · NE 2 · Score 14-10
M.Gramatica extra point is GOOD, Center-M.Unutoa, Holder-M.Royals. - Tampa Bay Buccaneers TD (+6) — Q3 18:40 · NE 3 · Score 20-10
(3:40) 64 McDaniel eligible. M.Alstott right end for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Tampa Bay Buccaneers XP (+1) — Q3 18:09 · NE 2 · Score 21-10
M.Gramatica extra point is GOOD, Center-M.Unutoa, Holder-M.Royals. - New England Patriots TD (+6) — Q4 3:07 · TB 39 · Score 21-16
(3:07) (Shotgun) D.Bledsoe pass to T.Glenn for 39 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs New England Patriots?
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the New England Patriots 21-16 in Week 1, 2000 on 2000-09-03.
What was the final score of Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs New England Patriots?
The final score was Tampa Bay Buccaneers 21, New England Patriots 16 (TB 21-16 NE) in Week 1, 2000 on 2000-09-03.
What was the score by quarter in Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs New England Patriots?
Q1: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 0, New England Patriots 3; Q2: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 14, New England Patriots 7; Q3: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7, New England Patriots 0; Q4: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 0, New England Patriots 6; Final: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 21, New England Patriots 16.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs New England Patriots?
Tampa Bay Buccaneers touchdown — unlisted player (Q2 45:00) New England Patriots touchdown — unlisted player (Q2 38:55) Tampa Bay Buccaneers touchdown — unlisted player (Q2 30:35) Tampa Bay Buccaneers touchdown — unlisted player (Q3 18:40) New England Patriots touchdown — unlisted player (Q4 3:07) New England Patriots field goal — unlisted player (Q1 58:45, 3 pts) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.
How did the quarterbacks play in Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs New England Patriots?
D. Bledsoe (New England Patriots), 52.0% completion, -0.21 EPA per dropback, -10.52 total passing EPA. S. King (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), 42.9% completion, -0.09 EPA per dropback, -2.45 total passing EPA.
Who was the most impactful player in Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs New England Patriots?
M. Alstott (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) led the game in total EPA with +7.20 on rushing plays. across 17 snaps. The top single-play swing was (-5.09 EPA): (8:55) M.Royals punts 50 yards to NE 34, Center-M.Unutoa. T.Brown for 66 yards, TOUCHDOWN.. The biggest win-probability swing was +35.2%.
Was Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs New England Patriots a close game?
Yes — the margin was 5 points. Tampa Bay Buccaneers won 21-16 in a game that stayed a one-score game deep into the second half.
Season records after this game
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Now 1-0 W
New England Patriots
Now 0-1 L
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