For all the hype about Tampa Bay's top-rated defense, Gregg Williams and the Redskins easily stole the show in the first quarter. Washington jumped ahead 14-0, thanks to LaVar Arrington's interception and Sean Taylor's touchdown on a fumble recovery.

Arrington's interception came six minutes into the game, after Joe Salave'a tipped a Chris Simms pass. The ball fell into Arrington's arms, and he ran to the Tampa Bay 6-yard line. On the next play, Clinton Portis ran left for a touchdown.

About four minutes later, the Redskins' defense struck again -- and this time it wouldn't even need Portis's help. Marcus Washington stripped Carnell Williams and picked up the ball. When Washington fumbled 10 yards later, it seemed he had wasted a phenomenal opportunity. Instead, he created one.

Taylor picked up the ball and raced 51 yards down the left sideline for a touchdown.

The Redskins lost their shutout less than five minutes into the quarter, when Matt Bryant booted a 43-yard field goal. Aside from that slight concession, the Washington defense continued to stalk Simms.

Simms fell to the turf four times in the quarter, including once after an Omar Stoutmire sack ended Tampa Bay's final drive of the first half. After that sack, Simms hit his fist on the ground, the culmination of a frustrating 30 minutes.

The Redskins' offense, meantime, proved itself capable of moving the ball without help from its defense. Midway through the quarter, Washington drove 40 yards on 10 plays, using almost five minutes. That drive set up John Hall for a 47-yard field goal, which gave the Redskins a two-touchdown lead and kept Raymond James Stadium silent heading into halftime.

The momentum switched after the Redskins' first possession, when Tampa Bay returner Mark Jones took a 41-yard punt and ran it back 24 yards, setting up his team with the ball on its 49. From there, the Buccaneers gained momentum like a snowball rolling downhill.

On Tampa Bay's ensuing possession, Simms completed long passes to Anthony Becht and Michael Pittman. He finished the drive by himself, faking a handoff and then running left. A yard from the goal line, Simms dove to score on a two-yard run. The touchdown narrowed Washington's lead to seven and sent fans -- finally -- into a frenzy.

Washington's defensive spiral culminated when Taylor drew a 15-yard penalty and an ejection for spitting at Pittman. The quarter ended with the Redskins still holding the lead but Tampa Bay owning all of the momentum.

The Buccaneers had two great chances to tie the game, but they spoiled both of them. With just more than three minutes left, Simms threw a deep pass to Edell Shepherd, who appeared to make a catch in the end zone. But officials ruled Shepherd had dropped the ball while going to the ground, making the pass incomplete. The call held up after a Tampa Bay challenge.

About five minutes earlier, the Buccaneers missed on another opportunity. They faced third and one at the Washington 19-yard line. Mike Alstott tried to jump over players at the line of scrimmage but ended up going backward. On the next play, Simms threw it short and incomplete. Washington took over the ball on downs. Tampa Bay's offense, meanwhile, walked off the field, lamenting what could have been.