PHILADELPHIA – The Buccaneers feel their dreadful record (1-21) in games played in temperatures below 40 degrees has little to do with this current team, since 13 of the losses came when the franchise was in the midst of compiling losing records for 14 straight years.

They sure hope the long history of futility when the mercury drops has nothing to do with them, as today’s NFC Championship Game against the Eagles at Veterans Stadium that starts in mid-afternoon, will end in the early evening and figures to be played in near-frigid (temperatures in the low 20s with a chance of flurries) conditions.

Since 1997, the Bucs are 1-5 in “cold weather” games.

“What happened last year and 18 years ago is totally irrelevant,” Tampa coach Jon Gruden said.

Actually, the Bucs have a one-game winning streak in cold weather games, as in their regular-season finale they beat the Bears 15-0 with temperatures in the 30s in Champaign, Ill.

“Hopefully, the weather is as terrible as it can be,” Eagles guard John Welbourn said. “As cold as it can be, as snowy as it can be.”

All week, the Eagles talked like this, reveling in the Northeast weather and the fact that their home fans at the Vet are the rowdiest and nastiest in the league.

“They’re allowed to do anything,” Bucs linebacker Shawn Barber said.

“You have to line up and play whether it’s hot or cold,” added Eagles safety Brian Dawkins. “It’s going to be crazy. We need it to be that way. We need it to be a hostile crowd, like it always is.”

CHART: Weather or Not

A look at the Buccaneers’ record in games when the temperature was under 40 degrees:

Temp. — Date — W/L — Score — Site

39 — 12/24/89 — L — 31-22 — vs. Pittsburgh

38 — 11/26/78 — L — 14-3 — at Chicago

37 — 11/19/00 — L — 13-10 — at Chicago

37 — 12/7/86 — L — 48-14 — at Chicago

34 — 12/29/02 — W — 15-0 — at Chicago

34 — 12/31/00 — L — 21-3 — at Philadelphia

34 — 11/26/95 — L — 35-13 — at Green Bay

34 — 12/17/95 — L — 31-10 — at Chicago

33 — 12/2/84 — L — 27-14 — at Green Bay

32 — 11/13/83 — L — 20-0 — at Cleveland

32 — 11/29/92 — L — 19-14 — vs. Green Bay at Milwaukee

30 — 12/1/85 — L — 21-0 — at Green Bay

29 — 11/28/93 — L — 13-10 — at Green Bay

29 — 11/23/97 — L — 13-7 — at Chicago

28 — 12/5/76 — L — 42-0 — at Pittsburgh

28 — 12/14/91 — L — 27-0 — at Chicago

28 — 1/4/98 — L — 21-7 — at Green Bay

23 — 12/12/82 — L — 32-17 — at Jets

18 — 12/11/88 — L — 10-7 (OT) — at New England

15 — 12/24/00 — L — 17-14 (OT) — at Green Bay

11 — 12/23/90 — L — 27-14 — at Chicago

TOTALS

Wins

1

Losses

21