The Washington Redskins will face a full house when they visit Raymond James Stadium on Saturday for their NFC Wild Card playoff game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Buccaneers and Redskins kick off the NFL's 2005 playoffs on Saturday at 4:15 p.m. ET in Tampa. On Tuesday morning, the remaining tickets for that contest were made available by the Buccaneers and sold out in 20 minutes, guaranteeing the 81st consecutive sellout at Raymond James Stadium.
The Buccaneers have sold out every game since moving into their new home in 1998. That includes two previous playoff games, one against Washington in 1999. The Buccaneers beat Washington, 14-13, in an NFC Divisional Playoff Game on January 15, 2000, earning a trip to the conference championship game. The Bucs also beat San Francisco at home, 31-6, on January 12, 2003 en route to their Super Bowl XXXVII title.
Since it was constructed in 1998, Raymond James Stadium has been considered one of the most difficult places for opposing teams to play, in part due to the stunning decibel levels the sell-out crowds often reach. The Redskins got a taste of that on November 13, when Mike Alstott's two-point conversion run in the game's final minute produced a 36-35 Tampa Bay victory. The Bucs finished 6-2 at home this season and are 45-21 all-time in regular-season and postseason games in Raymond James Stadium.
