PHILADELPHIA (AP) -Not too long ago, the Eagles-Buccaneers rivalry was one of the fiercest non-divisional matchups in the NFL.

The teams met three straight years in the playoffs from 2000-02. Philadelphia won the first two games, both at home and in the first round. But Tampa Bay avenged those losses with an upset victory in the 2002 NFC championship game, closing out Veterans Stadium in the process.

The defending Super Bowl champion Buccaneers then opened the '03 season with a 17-0 victory in the first game at the Eagles' new stadium, Lincoln Financial Field.

Three years later, the teams played another memorable game in Tampa. Donovan McNabb rallied the Eagles from a 17-0 deficit after Ronde Barber returned two interceptions for scores. McNabb's 52-yard touchdown pass to Brian Westbrook put Philadelphia ahead with 33 seconds remaining. But Matt Bryant kicked a 62-yard field goal as time expired to give the Buccaneers a 23-21 victory.

Ah, those were days - for Bucs fans at least. Now, they'll settle for a win, any win against any team.

Tampa (0-4) is seeking its first victory under new coach Raheem Morris. Meanwhile, the Eagles (2-1) are still one of the top teams in the league.

On paper, this isn't much of a rivalry anymore. The Eagles are 14-point favorites over the Buccaneers heading into Sunday's game at the Linc. They're a superior team in every meaningful statistical category.

Still, some of the Bucs remember how it felt to play Philadelphia when the stakes were much higher. Morris even referenced those times to motivate his team.

``He's already brought that up,'' running back Earnest Graham said. ``Philadelphia is always going to be an organization that is right there as one of the top teams year in and year out. That's definitely a rivalry that is going to resurface. It's a team that we need to look at and understand what it's like to play a team and meet them at the end of the year, whether it is the regular season, year in and year out. I think the guys will get a great taste of what it's like.''

Bucs defensive tackle Chris Hovan experienced the tough rivalries in the NFC North during his first five seasons playing in Minnesota, and he's spent the last five in Tampa. For him, Bucs-Eagles ranks right up there.

``There's a lot of history,'' Hovan said. ``If you're a football fan and you look at the history of the Bucs and the Eagles, it's an intense rivalry. The winner usually moved on in the playoffs. There is an importance. These guys are one of the tough, physical teams in the league right now. But with what's happened in the past and with the guys getting ready, I think it should be a great game.''

The Buccaneers are coming off a 16-13 loss at Washington in which they blew a 10-0 halftime lead. They've lost eight straight, dating to an 0-4 December that cost them a playoff berth last season.

A victory over Philadelphia would be a huge upset, the type of win that can spark a turnaround.

``Every game right now could turn around your season,'' Morris said. ``We're 0-4. People lose more games than four games in a season and they continue to go out and play. That's just our job right now. Every game we play is our most important. Right now, the Philadelphia game is the most important that we have and the most important we have on the schedule.''

The Eagles are getting quarterback McNabb back after he sat out two games with a broken rib. Running back Westbrook also should return after missing one game with an ankle injury.

Michael Vick will play his second game after serving a two-game suspension as the final league penalty for his role in running a dogfighting ring. Vick got in for 11 plays and took 10 snaps in Philadelphia's 34-14 victory over Kansas City on Sept. 27. It'll be interesting to see how Vick is used with McNabb playing instead of Kevin Kolb.

``It's pretty much the same stuff,'' Vick said. ``Our coaches are very innovative and they come up with different things and different scenarios that we can run out of the wildcat. I'm excited about it and I think it's going to be very productive. Every week is something different, something new along with the stuff we already have.''

The Eagles are 10-0 following a bye since Andy Reid became coach in 1999. They probably didn't need the extra week off to prepare for the Bucs, but time away helped some of the injured players heal. It also gave newcomer Jeremiah Trotter more time to get ready for his first action in two years. Trotter, a four-time Pro Bowl middle linebacker in his first two stints with the Eagles, signed a one-year contract after sitting out 2008.