On Wednesday evening, Jon Gruden finally cracked.

After three days of praising the Eagles in the mild rhetoric employed by head coaches, Gruden actually said what was on his active, agile mind. His Buccaneers are tired of hearing about the one-sided history between these two teams, and Gruden's words clearly spoke for them.

	“	I've heard more about that, it makes me want to be sick. Jiminy Christmas! This team is 13-4. This team is 13-4, and we've won in cold weather and it's pointed out to me that we're 1-21 in cold weather … I'm getting tired of answering the questions. I don't know … a lot of us weren't here. ”
		— Jon Gruden, Bucs coach on playing in Phialdelphia

Why can't these Bucs seem to beat the Eagles? "I have no idea," he told an ESPN NFL Countdown crew. "I've heard more about that, it makes me want to be sick. Jiminy Christmas! This team is 13-4. This team is 13-4, and we've won in cold weather and it's pointed out to me that we're 1-21 in cold weather … I'm getting tired of answering the questions. I don't know … a lot of us weren't here."

The recent history, at least from the Bucs' perspective, has been brutal.

Sunday's NFL Championship Game at Veterans Stadium will be the fifth meeting between these two teams in the last 25 months -- three of them occurred in the same calendar year, 2002. The Eagles have won all four games, by a combined score of 89 to 35. Moreover, Tampa Bay has scored exactly one offensive touchdown in those four games -- one. Bucs linebacker Derrick Brooks had one all by himself in the most recent game, a 20-10 loss at Philadelphia back on Oct. 20.

Why aren't the Bucs capable of beating the Eagles?

"They were the better team," said Bucs defensive end Simeon Rice, whose 15.5 sacks were the NFL's second-highest total. "But we are a different team now. I feel we are on the cusp of greatness."

Under head coach Tony Dungy, the Bucs perennially had one of the league's best defensive units, but struggled offensively. In Dungy's last five playoffs games, going back to a 21-7 loss to Green Bay in the 1997 divisional playoffs, the Bucs scored a total of three touchdowns - none in the last three. That was one of the major reasons Dungy was fired after the 2001 season. Gruden, whose offensive designs can still be seen in the Oakland Raiders' varied and dangerous attack, was brought on to change that culture.

And while the defense has never been better - the Bucs led the league in yards (252.8) and points (12.3) allowed - the offense has shown signs of life. Last week's 31-6 destruction of the San Francisco 49ers was a revelation. While the offense had thrown up big numbers on Cincinnati (35), Minnesota (38) and Atlanta (34), this was a playoff game against a respected opponent.

The Bucs scored four touchdowns in the first half alone, one more than they had in those five previous playoff games. Quarterback Brad Johnson completed 15 of 31 passes for 196 yards and 2 touchdowns and 1 interception. Mike Alstott ran 17 times for 60 yards and 2 touchdowns and Michael Pittman carried another 17 times for 41yards. They were complemented by wide receivers Keyshawn Johnson (5 catches, 85 yards) and Joe Jurevicius (3 catches, 48 yards), tight end Ken Dilger (3 catches 35 yards) and Alstott (3 catches, 27 yards).

The Bucs offense have displayed something of a split personality this season. Johnson, who arrived as a free agent last year from Washington, threw 7 touchdowns and 5 interceptions in his first seven games. The total for the last seven: 17 touchdowns and only 2 interceptions. Here's why:

Tampa Bay has no fewer than five new offensive starters via free agency. Offensive linemen Kerry Jenkins (Jets) and Roman Oben (Browns) are joined by Pittman (Cardinals), Dilger (Colts) and wide receiver Keenan McCardell. Throw in Jurevicius (Giants) and tight end Rickey Dudley (Raiders) you have seven major offensive additions. That's a lot moving parts to mesh together.

Think about it. After learning a completely new system a year ago, Johnson had to learn Gruden's system, then accommodate seven new teammates.

"It's one thing to call the play right in the huddle," Gruden said. "It's another to get on a first-name basis with the guy next to you.

"As you call a game, as you write a story, you get critiqued," Gruden explained. "You get a chance to improve upon it. I think we've gotten to know our team a little better. And our quarterback has really picked it up. The quarterback is the key, as it is with most offenses in the league. The better you get up front, the better the quarterback play you get, the better chance you have to score."

In the Oct. 20 meeting between the two teams, the offense was disjointed - of course, that had a lot to do with the Eagles' ferocious defense. Philadelphia's blitzes confounded the Bucs' offensive line; Johnson was sacked no fewer six times and the offense managed only 207 yards and was 3-for-13 on third downs.

"I think we're a lot more decisive now," Johnson said. "Our protection has gotten better, our running game has gotten better, also. We're running better routes, I'm throwing the ball better, we're just making plays."

Most of the Bucs players were more diplomatic that their head coach when the subject of the Eagles' dominance was raised. Still, this fact remains: Unless they beat the Eagles in the finale at The Vet -- and they are universally favored to lose -- the questions will persist.

Greg Garber is a senior writer at ESPN.com.