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Rookie Tampa Bay Bucs quarterback pulls off win

Associated Press

TAMPA, Fla. - Shaun King stared into the bright lights of Monday Night Football and didn't blink.

As he promised, Tampa Bay's rookie quarterback was cool, calm and collected in his first NFL start, leading the Buccaneers to a 24-17 victory over the Minnesota Vikings in a setting almost too good to be true.

King grew up in nearby St. Petersburg, a 25-minute drive from Raymond James Stadium where 65,741 filled every seat in anticipation of the home-grown talent's coming-out party.

''It was good. This was for the fans and all the people in Tampa,'' said the rookie, who last year guided Tulane to its first unbeaten season in 67 years. ''This was our biggest game in a long time, and it was great to get a win.''

The streaking Bucs (8-4) won last night for the fifth straight time and regained a share of first place in the NFC Central with the Detroit Lions, who travel to Tampa Bay next Sunday.

The Vikings (7-5) lost for the first time since Jeff George replaced Randall Cunningham at quarterback six weeks ago and dropped a game behind the division co-leaders with Green Bay.

King, a second-round draft pick pressed into duty because of injuries to Trent Dilfer and Eric Zeier, threw second-half touchdown passes to Jacquez Green and Dave Moore to overcome a 14-10 halftime deficit.

George rallied the Vikings from a 10-0 deficit in the second quarter, throwing a 1-yard TD pass to Cris Carter and using a fumble by King to get Minnesota into the end zone on Leroy Hoard's 1-yard run.

Carter caught a touchdown pass for the seventh straight game, tying a Vikings record set last year by Randy Moss. But with Minnesota trailing 24-14, all George could produce was Gary Anderson's 34-yard field goal with 5:50 remaining.

Donnie Abraham returned one of his two a 55-yard interception return for Tampa Bay, which forced four turnovers, including a fourth-quarter fumble on a punt return that set up King's 1-yard TD pass to Moore for a 10-point lead.

George finished 26-of-45 for 271 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. He moved the Vikings from his own 30 to the Tampa Bay 25 before the drive stalled with 16 seconds to go.

During the five-game winning Tampa Bay snapped, Minnesota averaged 30 points.

''When a top offense meets a top defense, if you don't do a lot of things right, the defense will win,'' Minnesota coach Dennis Green said. ''That's the kind of game it was.''

King was 11-of-19 for 93 yards, two TDs, an interception and a fumble.

''Shaun did a good job of taking what was available,'' Bucs coach Tony Dungy said. ''He's one of the most composed guys on the team. He missed a couple of reads, but he's not going to get rattled.''

The Bucs led 7-0 before King got on the field, scoring on Abraham's fourth interception in three games and the second he's returned for a touchdown.

That was just the start of the Vikings' problems against Tampa Bay's defense, which caused 18 turnovers in their last five games after only forcing six in the first seven weeks of the season.