Trashmen; Sapp and Flowers are talking a good game.(SPORTS)(NFL REPORT)

Byline: David Elfin, THE WASHINGTON TIMES

They aren't division rivals. They don't even play in the same conference. But no game this weekend will be as bitter as Monday night's between Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay.

After the Steelers beat the Buccaneers 17-10 in Tampa on Oct.21 last season while sacking Brad Johnson 10 times and allowing 64 rushing yards, voluble Pittsburgh safety Lee Flowers snapped, "I'm tired of Tampa [Bay]. They go to the Pro Bowl because they talk so much. But they're paper champions. That's all they are, and that's all they're ever going to be."

The Bucs (11-3), who can clinch the NFC South and a fourth straight playoff berth by exacting revenge, haven't forgotten Flowers' bouquet of thorns.

"Lee Flowers doesn't have any credentials to talk [trash]," Bucs defensive tackle Warren Sapp said. "You would never know the man unless he gets on TV and they put his name under his face."

Replied Flowers: "Here's the same guy that for eight years now has been saying he's going to break the sack record. He's sitting there with six sacks [actually 71/2 though he hasn't had one in six weeks]. I darn near have …