22 years ago on Jan. 23, St. Louis Rams defeated Buccaneers for NFC Championship
A different city for the Rams but history is repeating itself 22 years after they met the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Jan. 23, 2000.
On that date, the St. Louis Rams faced the Buccaneers at the TWA Dome in a game that had one of the oddest scores in playoff history:
St. Louis Rams 11, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 6. The Bert Emanuel Rule game.
The Rams grabbed a 5-3 lead in the first play of the second quarter, when a snap to Shaun King, in shotgun formation, flew past the quarterback and into the end zone. King knocked the ball through the end zone for a safety.
The Rams had an 11-6 lead after a 30-yard TD pass from Kurt Warner to Ricky Proehl, who had 6 catches for 100 yards, the fourth quarter.
And then a play that became part of NFL lore.
… Led by rookie quarterback Shaun King, the Bucs moved the ball to midfield and faced a second and 23 at the St. Louis 35 with 1:25 left.
King took the ball out of the shotgun and drifted back six steps and saw Emanuel crossing over the middle.
“Shaun King threw a dart,” Emanuel said in an interview with NFL Films. “I dove for it. I had both hands around it, pulled it to my chest.”
Emanuel looked to the sidelines and saw the official ruling it a catch. A 13-yard gain. The catch set up a manageable third and 10 at the Rams’ 22.
The Bucs called timeout. What they didn’t know at the time was the play was under review.
The Bucs were stunned when referee Bill Carollo announced the play was overturned. Emanuel screamed in Carollo’s face.
Replays showed the tip of the ball hit the ground. It also was obvious that Emanuel had complete control of the ball.
“I was flabbergasted,” said Bucs coach Dungy, who did not see a replay until the next day, “I immediately called the league office and said, ‘This has been a catch for 100 years and it always will be a catch.”
Overall, Warner and King combined for 5 interceptions. The teams had only 128 total rushing yards.
The final word goes to the man whose catch was declared incomplete.
“I was bitter,” Emanuel told NFL Films, “because I don’t think any player goes into the NFL thinking, ‘I want a rule named after me.’ “
