1983: Buccaneers Rally to Defeat Bears in OT & Reach Playoffs

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers needed a win or tie to reach the playoffs as they hosted the Chicago Bears on January 2, 1983. The 1982 NFL season had been interrupted by a 57-day players’ strike that reduced the schedule to nine games. The league thus eliminated the divisions and re-formatted the postseason structure so that the top eight teams in each conference would qualify.

The Buccaneers, as had been the case since their inception in 1976, were coached by John McKay, who had twice guided them to the playoffs in the previous three years. They lost their first two games back in September and then the first contest following the resumption of play in November, but had then won four of their last five games to be at 4-4 coming into the season finale. Strong-armed but erratic QB Doug Williams (pictured above) directed the offense and there were good receivers in WR Kevin House and TE Jimmie Giles. Rookie FB James Wilder enhanced both the ground and passing game with his skills as a runner and receiver out of the backfield. The defense had been the key to any success that Tampa Bay achieved and contained noteworthy performers in DE Lee Roy Selmon, NT David Logan, and LB Hugh Green.

Chicago was seeking to rebuild under a new head coach, Mike Ditka, and with a rookie quarterback, Jim McMahon. RB Walter Payton provided stability in the backfield, but the offensive line was ordinary. The defense, under the direction of defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan, was aggressive and especially tough against the run. The Bears had a 3-5 record after defeating the Rams the previous week. 

There were 68,112 fans in attendance at Tampa Stadium on an 80-degree day. The Bears had the game’s first possession and punted, but got the ball back in short order when SS Gary Fencik intercepted a Doug Williams pass at the Tampa Bay 34. Thanks to the running of Walter Payton, Chicago was able to advance to the 18, but Jim McMahon was sacked by DE Dave Stalls for a seven-yard loss on third down and Bob Thomas kicked a 43-yard field goal.

The Buccaneers responded with a long drive from their 19 yard line. Due to the passing of Williams, who also had a 14-yard run, they reached the Chicago eight. However, on a third-and-seven play, Williams fumbled while attempting to pass under heavy pressure and DT Steve McMichael recovered and returned it 64 yards to the Tampa Bay eight. On the third play of the second quarter, Thomas kicked a 19-yard field goal and the Bears opened up a 6-0 lead.

The margin increased when, on the third play of the ensuing series, Williams, again passing under heavy pressure, was intercepted by LB Otis Wilson, who ran it back 39 yards for a touchdown. Thomas added the extra point and the Bears, having taken advantage of turnovers by the Bucs, were up by 13-0.

Tampa Bay responded with a drive of 59 yards in nine plays. Williams completed four passes, the longest to Kevin House for 21 yards in a third-and-five situation, and while the drive stalled at the Chicago nine, the Bucs finally got on the board when Bill Capece kicked a 27-yard field goal to make it a ten-point game.

A short possession by the Bears resulted in a punt that DB John Holt returned 22 yards to the Chicago 31. From there, Williams scrambled for 12 yards and completed a play-action pass to HB James Owens for five yards. The series resulted in a 31-yard Capece field goal that narrowed the score further to 13-6.

The Bears responded with an eight-play, 74-yard advance. McMahon completed passes to WR Brian Baschnagel for 13 yards and WR Rickey Watts for 31 to the Tampa Bay 19 at the two-minute warning. Three plays later, and facing third-and-ten, McMahon connected with Baschnagel for a 19-yard TD. Thomas added the point after and the visitors took a 20-6 lead into halftime.

The teams exchanged punts to start the third quarter before a 17-yard return by Chicago DB Jeff Fisher had the Bears starting off at the Tampa Bay 45. McMahon completed a pass to WR Ken Margerum for 13 yards and Payton had a 10-yard carry before the drive bogged down and Thomas kicked another field goal, this time from 40 yards, to put Chicago ahead by 23-6.

Now in a deep hole with less than seven minutes remaining in the period, the Bucs came back with a six-play, 60-yard possession. Williams completed three passes, the last to Jimmie Giles (pictured at left) for a 35-yard touchdown. Capece’s extra point once again narrowed the margin to ten points at 23-13.

The Bears had the ball for the remainder of the period as their series was helped along when the Buccaneers were called for roughing-the-kicker on a punt. Ultimately, as the game headed into the fourth quarter, the visitors had to punt and the Bucs came through with a big play when Williams threw to House for a 43-yard gain to the Chicago 37. Another pass to House picked up 14 yards but the drive stalled at the 20 and Capece missed wide to the left on a 38-yard try for a field goal.

On the next series, the Bears were backed up to their six and, on a third-and-24 play, McMahon quick-kicked 59 yards to the Tampa Bay 35. From there, the Bucs advanced 65 yards in seven plays. Williams completed another four passes, and missed a play due to a pulled hamstring after having to scramble. Once again facing major pressure, Williams threw to Giles for a 31-yard TD. Capece converted and the Chicago lead was cut to 23-20.

The teams traded punts until the Buccaneers took possession at their 35 with 2:07 left in regulation. Williams threw to WR Gordon Jones for 14 yards on first down and followed up with a completion to House for 17. Another pass, to WR Gerald Carter, picked up seven yards and, following an incompletion, Williams scrambled for five yards in a third-and-three situation. The drive stalled at the Chicago 22, but Capece booted a 40-yard field goal into the wind with 26 seconds remaining on the clock to tie the score at 23-23. The Bears had one last shot and tried for a desperation 58-yard field goal by Thomas on the final play of regulation that fell well short.

Chicago won the toss for the overtime period, went three-and-out, and punted. On Tampa Bay’s first play, James Wilder, who had carried the ball just once thus far, took a pitchout and ran 47 yards to the Bears’ 13 before being pulled down by CB Terry Schmidt. Two plays later, Capece booted a 33-yard field goal and the Buccaneers came away winners by a final score of 26-23.

Tampa Bay dominated in total yards (424 to 248) and first downs (22 to 14) but hurt themselves with three turnovers, to one by the Bears, who also stifled the Bucs’ running game. While Tampa Bay ended up with 99 yards on the ground, 47 of that total came on the run by Wilder that set up the game-winning field goal. The Buccaneers also recorded four sacks, to three by Chicago.

Doug Williams completed 25 of 49 passes for 367 yards and two touchdowns while giving up two interceptions. He also ran five times for 30 yards. James Wilder (pictured at right), with the one long carry, led the Bucs in rushing with 46 yards on two rushing attempts and also had 6 catches for 61 yards. Kevin House gained 95 yards on four receptions and Jimmie Giles contributed 75 yards and two TDs on his three catches. Bill Capece hit on four of five field goal attempts.

For the Bears, Jim McMahon was successful on 12 of 30 throws for 167 yards and a TD with none intercepted. Walter Payton rushed for 109 yards on 26 attempts. Brian Baschnagel led the club’s receivers with four catches for 59 yards and a touchdown.

“You can’t make excuses about it,” said Doug Williams regarding the turnovers that put Tampa Bay in a hole in the first half. “Give Chicago some credit…They forced us to make mistakes.

“It was evident we had our opportunities today,” said a disappointed Coach Ditka of the Bears. “We let a good football team come back and beat us.”

The Buccaneers finished with a 5-4 record and were seeded seventh in the NFC. They were soundly defeated in the first playoff round by the Dallas Cowboys. It marked the last postseason appearance for Tampa Bay until 1997. Chicago ended up at 3-6 and twelfth in the conference. The Bears improved to 8-8 in 1983 and went to the postseason for the first of five straight years in ’84.

1979: Giants Upset Undefeated Buccaneers

The game at the New Jersey Meadowlands on October 7, 1979 looked to be a classic mismatch. The upstart Tampa Bay Buccaneers were 5-0 while the host club, the New York Giants, had started off at 0-5. Moreover, Tampa Bay had the league’s top-ranked defense while the Giants ranked at the bottom in offensive production.

The Buccaneers, under the guidance of Head Coach/GM John McKay, had gone from a 0-14 expansion team three years earlier to surprising contender primarily thanks to the outstanding defense anchored by DE Lee Roy Selmon and including such stalwart performers as DE Wally Chambers and linebackers Richard Wood and David Lewis. However, they were missing ILB Dewey Selmon, Lee Roy’s brother, who was out with a badly bruised arm. The ball-control offense featured FB Ricky Bell along with second-year QB Doug Williams, who was still very much a work in progress, operating behind an outstanding line. TE Jim Giles was the best of the receivers as well as a potent blocker.

New York had a new head coach in Ray Perkins, trying to turn around a team that had known little success since last appearing in the postseason in 1963. Against the Bucs, they were unveiling a new starting quarterback in rookie Phil Simms, the first draft choice out of Morehead State, as well as a new 3-4 defense. They also had HB Billy Taylor (pictured above) starting in place of the injured Doug Kotar.

It was a cloudy afternoon at Giants Stadium with 72,841 fans in attendance. Following a punt by the Buccaneers, the Giants moved into Tampa Bay territory on their first series. A 15-yard penalty on Tampa Bay tacked onto an eight-yard  gain on a pass from Phil Simms to FB Ken Johnson advanced the ball to the 41, but after moving to the 29 Johnson fumbled on a running play and NT Bill Kollar recovered for the Bucs.

The teams traded punts and Tampa Bay, attempting to convert a fourth-and-one at the New York 39, failed when Ricky Bell was stopped for no gain. New York came alive on offense as Billy Taylor ran effectively, including back-to-back gains of 27 and 15 yards to the Tampa Bay three. Two plays into the second quarter, Taylor dove into the end zone from two yards out and, with Joe Danelo adding the extra point, the Giants took a 7-0 lead.

New York got the ball back a short time later when DB Odis McKinney intercepted a Doug Williams pass and returned it 25 yards to the Tampa Bay 11. Taylor ran the ball five straight times, the last for a one-yard TD. Danelo again converted and the home team was now ahead by 14-0.

The teams exchanged punts until the Bucs, taking possession with 3:58 remaining in the first half, put together a 72-yard drive in nine plays. A 15-yard roughing the passer penalty on DE Gary Jeter helped the visitors out of a third-and-16 hole, Williams connected with WR Isaac Hagins for 24 yards, and Bell had a 22-yard carry to the New York 17. Williams threw to WR Larry Mucker, who bobbled it but finally held on for a 14-yard touchdown, Neil O’Donoghue added the extra point, and the halftime score was 14-7.

The teams again traded punts to open the third quarter before the Giants, starting at their 39, picked up a first down out of punt formation when Dave Jennings ran for nine yards to convert a fourth-and-five situation. A personal foul on the Bucs advanced the ball to the Tampa Bay 27 and the Giants reached the 21 before Simms was sacked by DE Reggie Lewis for a loss of seven yards on third down and Danelo was wide on a 45-yard field goal attempt.

Once again the teams punted the ball back and forth, with neither offense able to move. Such was the case until early in the fourth quarter.  After a throw for an apparent first down was nullified by a penalty, a Williams pass was picked off by CB Terry Jackson, giving the Giants the ball at the Tampa Bay 31. New York still couldn’t move offensively, but Danelo kicked a field goal from 47 yards to make it a ten-point game.

After another exchange of punts, Tampa Bay began to advance with Williams throwing on almost every play. He connected with Hagins for 22 yards and Bell for 10 to the New York 40, but three straight passes fell incomplete and, on fourth down, LB Brian Kelley came up with an interception.

The Giants went three-and-out and, following the punt, Tampa Bay put together a seven-play, 79-yard drive as a hard rain began to fall. Williams completed four passes, including one to Hagins for 32 yards that set up an 11-yard scoring throw to Jim Giles. O’Donoghue converted to make it a three-point contest, but the clock was down to 1:50 and the onside kick attempt failed. The Giants came away upset winners by the score of 17-14.

The Buccaneers had the edge in total yards (273 to 220) while each club generated 15 first downs apiece. 202 of New York’s total came on the ground, with only 18 net yards through the air. Tampa Bay also turned the ball over three times, to one suffered by the Giants. There was a total of 16 punts, evenly distributed between the teams.

Billy Taylor was the offensive star for the Giants, rushing for 148 yards on 33 attempts that included two both of the team’s touchdowns. The rushing total was the most for a Giants’ back since 1967. Phil Simms completed 6 of 12 passes for 37 yards, and while the numbers were modest and there were no touchdown passes, there also were no interceptions. TE Gary Shirk and Ken Johnson had two catches apiece, for 15 and 11 yards, respectively.

For the Buccaneers, Doug Williams, who was off-target on most of his passes, was successful on just 14 of 38 throws for 182 yards and two TDs while giving up three interceptions. Jim Giles had 5 receptions for 43 yards and a touchdown and Isaac Hagins (pictured at right) gained 77 yards on his three catches. FB Johnny Davis ran for 40 yards on 7 attempts to lead the team while Ricky Bell was held to 35 yards on 12 carries.

“We have no excuses,” said Coach McKay in summing up his team’s defeat. “They beat us with some of their better players on the bench and that’s even more credit to Coach Perkins and his staff.”

The win over the Buccaneers was the beginning of a four-game win streak for the Giants, and while they tailed off later in the season, they finished at 6-10 and fourth in the NFC East. Tampa Bay lost again the following week but recovered to top the NFC Central with a 10-6 record, reaching the NFC Championship game before falling to the Rams. The Bucs also thrashed New York by a 31-3 score in the rematch in Tampa Bay.

Billy Taylor went on to lead the Giants in rushing with 700 yards on 198 carries (3.5 avg.). He also caught 28 passes for 253 more yards and scored a total of 11 touchdowns. Phil Simms continued to show promise in his first year, spurring the four-game winning streak and passing for 1743 yards and 13 TDs against 14 interceptions. 

1979: Bucs Beat Eagles for First Postseason Win

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had been a source of derision when they debuted at 0-14 in 1976, but three years later the laughter subsided as the Bucs rode a 6-0 start to an overall record of 10-6, placing them atop the NFC Central. On December 29, 1979 they faced the Philadelphia Eagles in the first postseason game in franchise history.

Coached by John McKay, the Buccaneers featured the league’s best defense, both overall and against the pass. Utilizing a 3-4 alignment, the solid unit was anchored by formidable DE Lee Roy Selmon. The ball-control offense operated behind a good line, which was a big help to second-year QB Doug Williams as well as FB Ricky Bell (pictured above), who rushed for 1263 yards. Still, there was a perception that Tampa Bay had taken advantage of a relatively easy schedule and not much was expected in the postseason.

The Eagles were in the playoffs for the second straight year under Head Coach Dick Vermeil, having placed second in the NFC East with an 11-5 tally and securing a Wild Card spot. Ever-improving QB Ron Jaworski directed the attack that featured HB Wilbert Montgomery and WR Harold Carmichael. The defense had lost star ILB Bill Bergey to a knee injury but benefited from the arrival of rookie OLB Jerry Robinson. Philadelphia had rallied past the Bears in the first playoff round to earn the trip to Tampa for a NFC Divisional playoff game.

It was a sunny and pleasant day at Tampa Stadium with a sellout crowd of 72,126 in attendance. The Buccaneers set the tone with their first possession, driving 80 yards in 18 plays. Doug Williams completed passes to TE Jim Giles for 18 and 16 yards and Ricky Bell ran the ball effectively. It was Bell sweeping around end from four yards out for a touchdown that finished the series and, with Neil O’Donoghue’s extra point, the home team was ahead by 7-0.

The teams traded punts before the Eagles mounted a threat during a possession that extended into the second quarter. While facing a heavy pass rush, Ron Jaworski still managed to complete a throw to TE Keith Krepfle for 12 yards on a third-and-11 play, but when the series stalled and the Eagles lined up for a field goal attempt while facing fourth-and-four at the Tampa Bay 30, holder John Sciarra took off on a fake for a seven-yard gain, only to have it called back due to a delay-of-game penalty. With the ball set back five yards, Tony Franklin tried to kick a field goal for real from 52 yards and it fell short.

The Bucs followed up with a 10-play, 43-yard drive. On second-and-12, Williams threw to WR Larry Mucker for 34 yards to the Philadelphia 33. After Bell and HB Jerry Eckwood carried the ball for a total of nine yards, Bell converted a fourth-and-one with a five-yard run. Two plays later, Williams connected with WR Isaac Hagins for 26 yards. A holding penalty backed Tampa Bay up and a pass to Giles in the end zone was controversially ruled incomplete due to the receiver not having control of the ball before stepping out of bounds. O’Donoghue kicked a 40-yard field goal and the Buccaneers still increased their lead to 10-0.

The Bucs got a break when Wilbert Montgomery fumbled at his own five yard line and MG Randy Crowder recovered. It took four plays, but Bell blasted into the end zone from a yard out on fourth-and-goal and, with O’Donoghue’s kick, the score was 17-0. Philadelphia appeared in danger of being routed.

Following a short series and punt, the Eagles got a big defensive play when Jerry Robinson intercepted a Williams pass and returned it 37 yards to the Tampa Bay 11 with 1:37 left in the half. Two plays later, Jaworski threw to WR Charlie Smith for an 11-yard TD and, with Franklin adding the PAT, the score was 17-7 at halftime.

Philadelphia further narrowed the Bucs’ lead with the first possession of the third quarter. A long completion to Harold Carmichael was nullified by a clipping penalty, but with Montgomery running for 20 yards on three carries, the Eagles reached the Tampa Bay 25 and Franklin booted a 42-yard field goal that made it a seven-point game.

After an exchange of punts, the Eagles again advanced into Tampa Bay territory thanks to a Jaworski-to-Montgomery pass completion that gained 30 yards. But after reaching the 38, Lee Roy Selmon sacked Jaworski on back-to-back plays for a total loss of 20 yards and Philadelphia had to punt.

Heading into the fourth quarter, both teams went three-and-out and punted before the Bucs put together a critical scoring drive of 57 yards in nine plays. Bell had a 26-yard run on a third-and-two play and Williams converted a third-and-four situation by rolling out and keeping the ball himself for an eight-yard gain to the Philadelphia nine. From there, Williams rifled a throw to Giles (pictured above) for a touchdown and, adding on the extra point, the Buccaneers had a formidable a 14-point lead.

With seven minutes left to play, Jaworski filled the air with passes on the next series. A pass interference penalty picked up 20 yards and a fourth-and-five throw to Krepfle was good for six yards. The Eagles converted another fourth down when Jaworski connected with Smith for 13 yards and then a pass to Carmichael resulted in a 37-yard touchdown. Franklin’s conversion made it a seven-point game once more.

The Eagles attempted an onside kick that went out of bounds, but the rookie placekicker Franklin chose to try again and the second kick was recovered by the Buccaneers and gave them possession at their own 48 – much to the fury of Coach Vermeil, who had instructed Franklin to kick deep. The Bucs punted, but the Eagles had to start deep in their territory for one last opportunity with the clock down to 2:11. Jaworski threw to Carmichael for 16 yards and, on fourth-and-15, to Smith for 25 yards to the Tampa Bay 45. But that was as far as the visitors could get. Heavily pressured by the inspired defense on each play, Jaworski threw four straight incomplete passes and the Buccaneers were winners by a final score of 24-17.

Tampa Bay had the edge in total yards (318 to 227) and first downs (17 to 15). The Bucs ground out 186 yards of their total on 55 running plays, while the Eagles managed just 48 yards on 18 attempts. Each team turned the ball over once. The Tampa Bay defense was fired up and displayed uncharacteristic emotion throughout the game.

Ricky Bell rushed for 142 yards and two touchdowns, setting a NFL playoff record with 38 carries (broken by Lamar Smith of the Dolphins in 2000). Doug Williams went to the air just 15 times and, while he had only 7 completions, they were good for 132 yards and a TD, with one interception. He also ran the ball 6 times for 19 yards. Jim Giles was Tampa Bay’s top receiver with three catches for 43 yards and a touchdown. Lee Roy Selmon (pictured above, closing in on Ron Jaworski) had the two key sacks on defense and, along with DE Wally Chambers, was consistently disruptive.

For the Eagles, Ron Jaworski was successful on a mere 15 of 39 throws for 199 yards and two touchdowns with none intercepted. Wilbert Montgomery had 35 yards on 13 carries and gained another 35 yards on his team-leading four pass receptions. Harold Carmichael contributed 92 yards on his three catches that included a TD.

The Bucs hosted the NFC Championship game against the Rams, where the run ended in a 9-0 defeat. They dropped to 5-10-1 in 1980, but returned to the postseason in ’81. Philadelphia recovered to go 12-4 in 1980 and reach the Super Bowl, falling to the Raiders.

1977: Buccaneers Overwhelm Saints for First Win in Franchise History

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had lost a record 26 straight games since coming into the NFL in 1976 as they faced the New Orleans Saints on December 11, 1977. Head Coach John McKay’s team suffered through a miserable 0-14 inaugural year and, at 0-12, seemed destined to go winless for a second season. There was reason for hope, as the defense was showing signs of coming together and contained up-and-coming players like DE Lee Roy Selmon and his brother, LB Dewey Selmon. The offense was another story, however, as FB Ricky Bell, the team’s first draft choice out of USC, was struggling behind a poor line and the quarterbacks, led by Gary Huff, sustained many sacks and interceptions. The team had scored just 53 points in the twelve games and had been shut out in four of its previous five contests.

The Saints were also struggling. The perennially losing club could not be turned around by second-year Head Coach Hank Stram, a proven winner previously with the Chiefs, and had a 3-9 record. QB Archie Manning had plenty of ability and there was a good backfield tandem in HB Chuck Muncie and FB Tony Galbreath. But the offensive line was mediocre and the defense was worse than that. Manning also antagonized the Bucs in the days before the game by stating that it would be disgraceful to lose to them – words that would come back to haunt him.

There were 40,124 fans in attendance at the Louisiana Superdome for the contest between the two cellar dwellars. On the third play from scrimmage, Archie Manning fumbled while scrambling and Lee Roy Selmon recovered for the Bucs at the New Orleans 36. However, the break went for naught when Tampa Bay drove 20 yards and Dave Green missed a 33-yard field goal attempt.

The Saints punted following their next series and DB Danny Reece returned it 20 yards to the New Orleans 28. Ricky Bell carried five times as the Buccaneers advanced a total of seven yards, but this time they didn’t come up empty when Green kicked a 40-yard field goal.

The teams exchanged punts, but on the last play of the first quarter, Manning threw a long pass intended for TE Jim Thaxton that went through the receiver’s arms and was intercepted by CB Mike Washington (pictured at top). Tampa Bay started off the second quarter at the New Orleans 33 and drove 25 yards in ten plays. Bell and FB Jimmy DuBose ran effectively and Green finished the series off with another field goal, this time from 25 yards.

The Saints remained stymied on offense and, after two punts were nullified by penalties that backed them up to their five yard line, the third was returned for 29 yards to the New Orleans 24 by WR Isaac Hagins. However, a holding penalty and seven-yard sack of Gary Huff backed the Bucs up and they were forced to punt.

After the Saints punted again, Tampa Bay put together a 71-yard drive in six plays. Huff connected with WR Morris Owens for a 39-yard gain along the way and found Owens again alone in the corner of the end zone for a five-yard touchdown. Green added the extra point and the Bucs took a 13-0 lead into halftime.

Tampa Bay had the first possession of the third quarter and had to punt, but Bobby Scott, now in at quarterback for the Saints, threw a pass that Washington intercepted and returned 45 yards for a TD. With Green’s extra point, the Bucs were ahead by 20-0.

Now in a deep hole, the Saints responded by driving to the Tampa Bay 30. However, Scott’s arm was hit while he was throwing and it resulted in another interception, this time by LB Richard Wood (pictured below), who ran it back 30 yards to the Tampa Bay 47. With DuBose and HB Louis Carter carrying the load, the Bucs reached the New Orleans 30, but on fourth-and-one Huff was stopped for no gain on a quarterback sneak and the Saints regained possession.

A Scott pass to WR Don Herrmann and a roughing-the-passer penalty on the Buccaneers helped New Orleans move to the Tampa Bay 29, but from there Scott tossed four straight incomplete passes to give the ball back to the visitors.

The Bucs punted on the last play of the period, and then once more came through with a big interception on the second play of the fourth quarter. With the Saints backed up to their four, Scott was again picked off by Wood, who needed to return it only 10 yards for a touchdown. The extra point try was shanked but it didn’t matter – Tampa Bay had a commanding 26-0 lead.

Midway through the fourth quarter, Manning returned at quarterback for the Saints and they finally scored as he ran two yards for a touchdown. The next time New Orleans had the ball, Manning faded back to pass from his end zone, the ball was deflected, and DE Greg Johnson caught it for another Tampa Bay TD. In the final seconds, Manning threw to WR John Gilliam for an 11-yard touchdown, but it did nothing more than salvage some pride for the home team. With a dominating defensive performance, Tampa Bay finally had a win to its credit, and by a score of 33-14.

In a sloppy game in which neither offense distinguished itself, the Saints outgained Tampa Bay (250 yards to 238) and had more first downs (17 to 14). However, New Orleans gave up seven turnovers, to one suffered by the Bucs, and three of them resulted in interception returns for touchdowns (tying a NFL record that was broken in 1984). Tampa Bay also recorded five sacks, to one for the Saints. The Buccaneers were hurt by 11 penalties, at a cost of 100 yards, to seven flags thrown on New Orleans.

Gary Huff (pictured at left) didn’t pass often, completing 7 of 9 throws for 96 yards and a touchdown with none intercepted. Jimmy DuBose ran for 59 yards on 17 carries and also caught a team-leading three passes for another 24 yards. Ricky Bell added 34 yards on 14 rushing attempts and Morris Owens gained 44 yards on his two catches that included a TD. But the biggest contributors for Tampa Bay were on defense, where Mike Washington and Richard Wood each intercepted two passes, and returned one apiece for touchdowns. Greg Johnson had one interception in the end zone for a third TD.

For the Saints, Archie Manning was successful on 13 of 21 passes for 154 yards and a touchdown, but also tossed three interceptions. Bobby Scott went four-for-12 and 36 yards with another three interceptions. FB Tony Galbreath ran for 35 yards on 9 carries and Manning was right behind with 33 yards and a TD on 6 attempts. Don Herrmann was the top receiver with four catches for 92 yards.

“Archie (Manning) must have been looking at our offense,” said Coach McKay afterward, referring to the New Orleans quarterback’s comment about it being a disgrace to lose to the Bucs. “Our defense has never been disgraceful.”

“I said it, and it was true,” said Manning. “And now I’m embarrassed.”

The Buccaneers won again against the Cardinals in their season finale and, while it lifted them to only 2-12 for another last place finish in the NFC Central, the victories allowed Tampa Bay to finish off the year on a high note and were a harbinger of improvement to come. New Orleans was blown out by the Falcons to end up at 3-11 and at the bottom of the NFC West, costing Coach Stram his job.

1979: Bucs Dominate Rams in Key Early Showdown

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had been regarded as something of a joke when they lost all 14 of their games during the inaugural season of 1976 and a total of 26 straight before finally entering the win column in the last two contests of ’77. They had risen to 5-11 in 1978, but had collapsed in the second half of the year after a promising start. Still, by 1979 Head Coach John McKay’s team was ready to contend and won its first three games. QB Doug Williams had shown promise as a rookie in ’78 and, if he lacked polish and consistency, he was also displaying the ability to make big plays. Third-year RB Ricky Bell was proving why the Bucs had taken him first overall in the 1977 draft and he was joined in the backfield by rookie HB Jerry Eckwood. Most significantly, the defense had come together to become one of the best units in the NFL. Anchored by DE Lee Roy Selmon, it was tough against the run and pass.

On September 23 the Bucs faced their toughest test to date against the visiting Los Angeles Rams. LA had been a regular contender throughout the decade and had won the NFC West for six straight seasons, first under Chuck Knox as head coach and now Ray Malavasi. The Rams also boasted a strong defense and a conservative offense directed by QB Pat Haden. They were 2-1 coming into the contest with the Buccaneers, having lost their opening game but winning the next two.

Things did not get off to a promising start for the fans at Tampa Stadium. On the second play of the game, Eckwood fumbled and CB Pat Thomas recovered for the Rams at the Tampa Bay 39. However, the LA offense could gain a total of just two yards against the inspired Buccaneers defense and the Rams were forced to punt.

The Rams blew another opportunity on their next series when they drove to the Tampa Bay 26 but Frank Corral missed a field goal attempt. However, following the missed field goal try, Rams LB Jim Youngblood intercepted a Doug Williams pass and returned it 31 yards for a touchdown. Corral missed the extra point attempt but Los Angeles held a 6-0 lead after a quarter of play.

Things changed decisively in the second quarter as the Buccaneers scored three touchdowns. The first was set up when NT Bill Kollar recovered a fumble by Rams HB Lawrence McCutcheon at the LA 27. Three plays later, the Bucs capitalized when Williams connected with WR Larry Mucker for a 15-yard TD.

The next scoring drive was helped along when, after stopping the Bucs at their own 24, Pat Thomas was flagged for roughing punter Tom Blanchard. LA gave away more territory on the next play when Williams threw an incomplete pass but the Rams were called for a personal foul, advancing the ball to the Tampa Bay 46. Two plays later, Willams completed a pass to WR Morris Owens at the LA 28 and a roughing the passer penalty put the ball on the 14. Three plays after that Ricky Bell ran through the middle of the line for a five-yard touchdown and, with the successful PAT, it was 14-6 in favor of the Buccaneers.

The Rams failed to score when Corral missed another 47-yard field goal in a driving rain – one of several heavy showers during the game that drenched the already-wet field. Tampa Bay drove 70 yards in six plays, capped by a Williams pass to TE Jimmie Giles down the middle of the field for a 29-yard touchdown. The Bucs went into halftime with a 15-point lead.

The second half was anticlimactic as neither team scored again. Tampa Bay’s defense completely stymied the Rams, with linebackers Dewey Selmon (Lee Roy's brother, pictured at top), Richard Wood, David Lewis, and Cecil Johnson performing notably well. The Buccaneers had another opportunity to pad their lead in the fourth quarter, advancing to the LA 15, but Neil O’Donoghue’s 32-yard field goal attempt was blocked. It wasn’t needed as Tampa Bay won by a score of 21-6.

On a day when the defenses dominated, the Buccaneers led in total yards (249 to 186) and first downs (15 to 11). The Rams turned the ball over four times, to three by Tampa Bay, and hurt themselves with five penalties that cost 61 yards (and came primarily on the second scoring drive by the Bucs).

Doug Williams completed only 5 of 20 pass attempts, but they were good for 101 yards and two touchdowns, keeping in line with the young quarterback’s big-play ability. He gave up the one interception, which directly led to LA’s only score. Ricky Bell (pictured at left) ran the ball 18 times for 69 yards and a TD and Jerry Eckwood accounted for 59 yards on 22 carries. The five pass completions were each to different receivers – Jimmie Giles, with his 29-yard scoring reception, led the team in yards.

For the Rams, Pat Haden was successful on 13 of 27 passes, but for just 64 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. FB Elvis Peacock led the running game with 47 yards on 6 carries while HB Wendell Tyler was right behind at 43 yards on 7 attempts. Lawrence McCutcheon, who gained just 9 yards on 8 carries, had the most pass receptions with 5, although for just 9 yards. TE Charle Young had the most receiving yards, with 28 on two receptions. Only three catches were made by wide receivers, gaining a total of 19 yards.

Tampa Bay made it to 5-0 before being upset by the Giants. The Bucs slumped during the second half of the season but still won the NFC Central with a 10-6 record. The Rams, on the other hand, finished strong after getting off to a 4-5 start and once again topped the NFC West at 9-7, by which time Vince Ferragamo had replaced the injured Haden at quarterback. The two teams faced each other again in the NFC Championship game in which LA got its revenge in another defensive struggle before succumbing to the Steelers in the Super Bowl.

Doug Williams continued to be a low-percentage passer, completing just 41.8 percent of his 397 throws for 2448 yards with 18 touchdowns and 24 interceptions. Ricky Bell had his best year, rushing for 1263 yards on 283 carries (4.5 avg.) and scoring 7 TDs – adding in passing yards, he had 1511 yards from scrimmage and nine total scores.

Defense continued to carry the Bucs, as the unit gave up the fewest yards (3949) and points (237) in the league. Lee Roy Selmon was selected to the first of six straight Pro Bowls and was also chosen as NFL Defensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press.

1981: Hendricks Blocked FG Preserves Oakland Two-Point Win Over Bucs

The Oakland Raiders had won the Super Bowl following the 1980 season, but were slumping badly as they hosted the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on October 18, 1981. The Raiders had a 2-4 record and, moreover, had not scored in three straight games – the first NFL team to suffer such a slump since the 1943 Brooklyn Dodgers.

QB Jim Plunkett, who had been the comeback hero of Oakland’s championship season, was benched by Head Coach Tom Flores in favor of second-year QB Marc Wilson, making his first start for the Raiders.

Tampa Bay, under Head Coach John McKay, was off to a 4-2 start and had won their last three games thanks to the fine play of QB Doug Williams and a tough defense.

The Raiders finally ended the scoring drought in the first quarter as Chris Bahr kicked a 51-yard field goal. Less than two minutes later, Oakland scored on a safety for a 5-0 lead when TE Todd Christensen blocked a punt in the end zone. Before the period was over, the Raiders drove 51 yards, capped by a 12-yard touchdown run by FB Derrick Jensen.

There was no more scoring until late in the second quarter, when Bahr connected on a 20-yard field goal to extend the Oakland lead to 15-0 going into halftime.

However, Tampa Bay rallied in the second half. QB Doug Williams started things off with a 77-yard touchdown pass to WR Kevin House in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, Williams struck again, this time on a 13-yard TD pass to TE Jimmie Giles that narrowed Oakland’s margin to 15-13, although the extra point attempt failed. But Tampa Bay took the lead at 16-15 with 5:01 remaining when Bill Capece kicked a 26-yard field goal.

Now behind, Oakland’s offense came alive. Wilson, whose performance had been uneven at best, made clutch passes to set up a 44-yard field goal by Bahr with 2:21 left to play.

The Bucs still had time, and following Bahr’s field goal they drove to the Oakland 13 yard line, with a 40-yard pass play from Williams to Giles the biggest play. With eight seconds left, Capece came in to attempt the potential game-winning field goal from 30 yards out. But for the second time in the contest, LB Ted Hendricks got a hand on the kick and it fell short, preserving the 18-16 win for the Raiders.

Total yardage reflected the closeness of the score, with Oakland edging Tampa Bay, 370 yards to 356. How they accumulated their yards was very different, as the Raiders far outrushed the Buccaneers, 194 yards to 29, but Tampa Bay had much higher net passing yardage, 327 to 176. Both clubs suffered three turnovers, Oakland’s all through interceptions and Tampa Bay’s all by fumbles.

Marc Wilson completed 17 of 34 passes for 176 yards with no TDs and the three interceptions. RB Kenny King led the running game with 87 yards on 17 carries while Derrick Jensen added 56 yards on 16 attempts with a TD. TE Derrick Ramsey was Oakland’s top receiver with 6 catches for 49 yards.


Doug Williams did well in leading the Bucs from behind, completing 16 of 30 passes for 335 yards with two TDs and none intercepted. Kevin House had 178 of the yards on four catches, including the one long touchdown. Jimmie Giles also caught four passes, for 76 yards and a TD. Reflecting the poor overall running performance, RB Jerry Eckwood led the team with just 14 yards on 9 carries.

While gratifying, the win did not mark a turning point for the Raiders, who went 4-5 the rest of the way and finished fourth in the AFC West with a 7-9 record. Tampa Bay went on to win the NFC Central, albeit with a mediocre 9-7 tally, and lost badly to Dallas in the NFC Divisional playoff.

Marc Wilson, a 6’6” product of Brigham Young University, had a so-so season in what would ultimately be a mediocre career. He completed just 47.3 % of his passes for 2311 yards with 14 touchdowns against 19 interceptions, and was sacked 30 times. While he lasted in Oakland through the 1987 season, he battled Plunkett for the starting job most of the time, and when the Raiders recovered to win another championship following the ’83 season, it was Plunkett guiding the team in the Super Bowl.

Doug Williams ranked fifth in the NFC with 3563 yards passing and tossed 19 touchdown passes to 14 interceptions (mirroring Wilson’s ratio in a more positive way). Kevin House caught 56 passes for a career-high 1176 yards; his 21.0 yards per catch ranked third in the NFL and nine of his receptions resulted in touchdowns. Jimmie Giles went to the Pro Bowl for the second of three consecutive years (four overall) as he hauled in 45 passes for 786 yards (17.5 average) with six TDs.

For Ted Hendricks (pictured at top), aka The Mad Stork, it was just another highlight in a 15-year career with three teams that earned him numerous honors. He was a four-time consensus first-team All-Pro, was selected to the Pro Bowl eight times (including the 1981 season), and eventually gained induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

1980: Rams Defeat Buccaneers 9-0 for NFC Championship

The NFC Championship game on January 6, 1980 at Tampa Stadium featured two teams that had overcome differing forms of frustration to get there.

The hometown Buccaneers were the surprise story of the 1979 regular season. They joined the NFL as an expansion team in ’76 and proceeded to lose their first 26 games before winning the last two contests of the 1977 schedule. After going 5-11 in ’78, Tampa Bay leaped to the forefront in ’79, winning their first five games and ending up with a 10-6 record and the NFC Central title. Under patient (and highly quotable) Head Coach John McKay, the Bucs featured an outstanding defense that included NFL Defensive Player of the Year Lee Roy Selmon at defensive end. The offense relied on the running of FB Ricky Bell (1263 yards) to take the pressure off of QB Doug Williams, a second-year signal caller with great potential who completed just 41.8 percent of his passes but displayed an ability to make big plays.

The story for the visiting Los Angeles Rams was very different. From the point that Chuck Knox became the head coach in 1973, the team had won six consecutive NFC West titles and made it to the conference championship on four occasions. The problem was, they had lost all four of those games. Knox left the team following the ’77 season and George Allen, who had coached the team successfully from 1966-70, was hired to replace him. However, Allen failed to last the preseason and was in turn replaced by Ray Malavasi. The sense that the Rams were a talented team destined to underachieve took hold.


Los Angeles won a seventh straight division title in ’79, but with a 9-7 record – the worst since the pre-Knox year of 1972. Injuries took a toll, particularly when QB Pat Haden went down with a broken finger. The inexperienced Vince Ferragamo took over at quarterback for the last five games and the Rams won four of them to make it into the postseason once again. With Ferragamo throwing the long ball, HB Wendell Tyler (1109 yards) and FB Cullen Bryant (pictured) running the ball, and a tenacious defense, they were just good enough.

Neither team was expected to go far into the postseason but pulled upsets to make it to the conference championship game. Tampa Bay played very well in defeating the Philadelphia Eagles in their divisional playoff game, while the Rams upset the Cowboys in Dallas.

There were 72,033 hopeful fans at Tampa Stadium, but they were in for a very disappointing performance. The Rams completely shut down the Tampa Bay offense from the start, allowing just 13 yards in the first quarter. Meanwhile, the offense mounted a 68-yard drive to the Bucs one yard line, but after failing to crack the end zone, Frank Corral started off the second quarter with a 19-yard field goal.

Late in the second quarter the Rams again put together another scoring drive, going 58 yards deep into Tampa Bay territory. Once again they failed to score a touchdown and had to settle for another Corral field goal of 21 yards with 47 seconds left in the half.

Corral finished off the scoring with a 23-yard field goal in the fourth quarter that was set up by a 16-yard punt return by safety Eddie Brown. The Rams offense moved the ball effectively and accumulated 369 total yards, but couldn’t reach the end zone. Then again, they didn’t have to as Tampa Bay failed to mount any sort of effective offense. The closest they came was a pass from backup QB Mike Rae to TE Jimmie Giles in the end zone that was called back due to an illegal motion penalty.

Making it worse for the Bucs, they lost two of their key defensive starters, Selmon and DE Wally Chambers, to injury during the course of the game.

The Rams won by a final score of 9-0, which was the first time that a league or conference championship game had failed to include even a single touchdown. The running back tandem of Cullen Bryant (106 yards on 18 carries) and Wendell Tyler (28 rushes for 86 yards) was effective and allowed the Rams to control the ball; LA ran 77 plays to Tampa Bay’s 54.


Vince Ferragamo completed 12 of 23 passes for 163 yards, not tossing any TD passes but also not giving up any interceptions. His longest completion was 35 yards to WR Preston Dennard, who led the team with 56 receiving yards on his three catches. Bryant had the most receptions, with four, adding 36 yards to his tally from scrimmage. Perhaps the most inspiring performance was by DE Jack Youngblood (pictured at right), who played with a hairline fracture in his left leg.

Ricky Bell, who had run for 142 yards in the victory over the Eagles the previous week, gained just 59 yards on 20 carries this time. The passing game was a shambles, with both Doug Williams and Mike Rae combining for four completions in 26 attempts for 54 yards (both were two of 13, with Williams passing for 12 yards and Rae for 42). In fact, RB Jerry Eckwood tied Rae for the team lead in passing yards with 42 on his lone completion, an option pass to WR Larry Mucker.

Los Angeles went to its first Super Bowl and lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers, although the Rams gave the heavily favored returning champions a good battle. Tampa Bay returned to earth with a 5-10-1 record in 1980, and while they would win a division title in ’81 (and get blown out in the first round of the playoffs), the road to respectability for the franchise would be a long one.