1981: Murray’s 4 Field Goals Propel NFC to Win in Pro Bowl

It was a hot day in paradise for the AFC-NFC Pro Bowl on February 1, 1981. There were 50,360 fans in attendance at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu for the second straight game in the annual NFL all-star series to be played at that locale. Head coaches were Atlanta’s Leeman Bennett for the NFC and Sam Rutigliano of the Browns for the AFC, whose teams had reached the Division playoff round in their respective conferences.

The contest quickly turned into a defensive struggle. Detroit rookie Ed Murray’s 31-yard field goal put the NFC in front and was the only score of the first quarter – he also missed from 37 yards (Murray pictured above).

In the second quarter, Cleveland QB Brian Sipe connected with WR Stanley Morgan of the Patriots for a nine-yard touchdown. New England’s John Smith added the extra point and the AFC led by 7-3.

Later in the period, turnovers by the AFC led to Murray field goals of 31 and 34 yards to put the NFC back in front by 9-7 at the half. The first was set up when Dallas DT Randy White recovered a Sipe fumble and the second came after CB Joe Lavender of the Redskins intercepted a pass on the next series.

The game remained close following a scoreless third quarter, but in the fourth quarter QB Steve Bartkowski threw a perfect pass to his Atlanta teammate, WR Alfred Jenkins, who pulled in the ball without breaking stride at the AFC 45 and continued on down the sideline for a 55-yard touchdown. Murray added the extra point to expand the NFC lead to 16-7.

The touchdown had been set up when LB Jack Reynolds of the Rams stopped Buffalo RB Joe Cribbs for no gain on a fourth-and-one play. The situation repeated itself later in the final period after the AFC drove deep into NFC territory, and with the exact same result as Reynolds stuffed Cribbs on fourth-and-one. Once again it led to points for the NFC, with Murray booting his fourth field goal from 36 yards.

The NFC picked up another two points when OT Art Shell of the newly-crowned league champs, the Oakland Raiders, was penalized for holding in the end zone. Murray had a chance to tie Garo Yepremian’s single-game Pro Bowl record for field goals of five, but his attempt from 37 yards with 22 seconds remaining in the game hit the crossbar and was no good. It was inconsequential to the outcome as the NFC won for the fourth straight year by a final score of 21-7.

The NFC had the edge in total yards (357 to 229) and first downs (20 to 12). The AFC gained just 65 yards on 22 running plays. The AFC turned the ball over four times and also was penalized on 9 occasions, at a cost of 74 yards, in the error-filled game, while the NFC was flagged 10 times for 60 yards.

Steve Bartkowski completed 9 of 21 passes for 173 yards and a touchdown. Philadelphia’s Ron Jaworski was successful on 6 of 16 throws for 47 yards. RB Ottis Anderson of the Cardinals was the top rusher with 70 yards on 10 carries. With the long scoring reception, Alfred Jenkins, a late roster addition replacing WR Tony Hill of the Cowboys, led the pass receivers with 91 yards on three catches. Another Falcon, RB William Andrews, also caught three passes, for 17 yards, to go along with his 10 rushing attempts for 39 yards. Defensively, Tampa Bay DE Lee Roy Selmon (pictured below) and DT Randy White of the Cowboys were especially effective for the NFC, with Selmon logging two sacks and four tackles.

Brian Sipe had 10 completions in 15 attempts for 142 yards, but tossed two interceptions and fumbled the ball away once. Dan Fouts of the Chargers completed only four of 15 throws for 53 yards. The NFL’s top rusher, RB Earl Campbell of the Oilers, was held to 24 yards on 8 carries. John Jefferson was the AFC’s top receiver with three catches for 48 yards.

“Last year I watched this game on television,” said Ed Murray, who was named as the game’s MVP. “At that time, I didn’t even know whether I’d make it in the league, much less in this game. I can’t believe it.”

Murray was the first placekicker to be named the game’s Most Valuable Player since Garo Yepremian in 1974. The Canadian kicker would go on to play a total of 19 years in the NFL, mostly with Detroit, and was named to the Pro Bowl after one other season.

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.

MVP Profile: Lee Roy Selmon, 1979

Defensive End, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Age:  25 (Oct. 20)

4^th season in pro football & with Buccaneers

College: Oklahoma

Height: 6’3”   Weight: 255

Prelude:

Selmon won the Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award as college football’s best lineman in 1975 and was the first overall draft choice of the expansion Buccaneers for ’76 (his brother Dewey, a linebacker, was picked in the second round). He missed half of his rookie season due to a knee injury but came back strong in 1977 and excelled as a pass rushing right end in a 3-4 alignment despite often being double or triple-teamed by opponents. Another solid year in ’78 was tempered by his undergoing knee surgery afterward.

1979 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Sacks – 11 (unofficial)

Interceptions – 0

Fumble recoveries – 2

Fumble recovery TDs – 1

Forced fumbles – 3

Tackles – 117

Scoring

TDs – 1

Points – 6

Postseason: 2 G

Sacks – N/A

Interceptions – 0

Awards & Honors:

NFL Defensive Player of the Year: AP

1^st team All-NFL: AP, PFWA, NEA, Pro Football Weekly

1^st team All-NFC: UPI, Pro Football Weekly, Sporting News

Pro Bowl

Buccaneers went 10-6 to finish first in the NFC Central – the first winning record in franchise history – while leading the NFL in fewest yards allowed (3949), fewest passing yards allowed (2076), and fewest points allowed (237). Won NFC Divisional playoff over Philadelphia Eagles (24-17). Lost NFC Championship to Los Angeles Rams (9-0).

Aftermath:

Selmon was chosen to the Pro Bowl again in 1980 and every year thereafter until a back injury ended his career in 1984 – a total of six consecutive selections (he was forced to sit out the 1985 season before formally retiring). He also received 1^st or 2^nd team All-NFL recognition in 1980, ’82, ’83, and ’84. Sacks were not counted as an official statistic until 1982, so while had 23 in his last three seasons with a high of 11 in 1983, he has unofficially been credited with 78.5 for his career. Selmon’s #63 was retired by the Buccaneers (the first such honor in franchise history) and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1995.

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MVP Profiles feature players who were named MVP or Player of the Year in the NFL, AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press, Pro Football Writers Association, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, Maxwell Club – Bert Bell Award, or the league itself). Also includes Associated Press NFL Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year.

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.

1979: Eckwood and Turnovers Key Tampa Bay Win Over Lions

Getting a jump on the rest of the NFL, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers started off the 1979 regular season with a Saturday night game against the Detroit Lions on September 1. There were 68,225 in attendance on an 80-degree evening at Tampa Stadium.

Since first taking the field in 1976, the Buccaneers, coached by the patient and quotable John McKay, had endured plenty of growing pains. They lost all 14 games in their inaugural season and, in fact, 26 straight before finally reeling off two wins to finish out ’77. In 1978, they got off to a 4-4 start before injuries and inexperience caused the bottom to fall out on a 5-11 campaign. There was reason for hope as the ’79 season got under way, with second-year QB Doug Williams, power-running RB Ricky Bell, and tight ends Jimmie Giles and Jim Obradovich healthy and ready to go on offense and a defense anchored by the Selmon brothers, DE Lee Roy and LB Dewey, and including a backfield that led the NFL with 29 interceptions in 1978. In the season-opening game, a newcomer to the offense, third-round draft pick RB Jerry Eckwood (pictured above), played a key role as well.

The Lions, coached by Monte Clark, were coming off of a 7-9 season, but had closed out the schedule at 6-3 after a slow start. Rookie DE Al “Bubba” Baker accounted for an unofficial total of 23 sacks (individual sacks did not become an official NFL statistic until 1982) and Gary Danielson had emerged as a competent starting quarterback. However, Danielson was lost for the year with a knee injury suffered just a week before the opening contest – starting in his place was eighth-year veteran Joe Reed, a mediocre career backup.

Things started off badly for the Lions on the first play from scrimmage when RB Dexter Bussey fumbled and Tampa Bay LB David Lewis recovered at the Detroit 17. The offense couldn’t get into the end zone and Neil O’Donoghue kicked a 31-yard field goal at just over a minute into the opening period to give the home team the early lead.

The Bucs took advantage of another Detroit fumble in the first quarter, this time by RB Horace King, with Lee Roy Selmon picking up the ball and running 29 yards for a touchdown and 10-0 lead (it was the only TD of Selmon’s Hall of Fame career).

In all, the Lions turned the ball over three times in the first quarter, but seemed as though they would get back into the game when CB Luther Bradley recovered a fumble by Eckwood that was forced by LB James Hunter. Six plays later, Reed passed to TE David Hill for an 11-yard TD, cutting Tampa Bay’s margin to 10-7.

The Buccaneers came back as Bell powered over for a seven-yard touchdown to cap an 11-play, 62-yard drive that was helped along by penalties on Detroit DB Walt Williams (pass interference and an illegal chuck, which turned an incompletion on a third-and-eight play into a Tampa Bay first down). Later in the second quarter, Doug Williams passed to Giles on a touchdown play that covered 66 yards. The Buccaneers held a solid 24-7 lead at the half.

Following a scoreless third quarter, Tampa Bay put together a drive that was aided by two fourth-down conversions and ended with Williams tossing a two-yard TD pass to Obradovich early in the final period.

Joe Reed suffered a pulled muscle and was relieved by backup Jeff Komlo in the fourth quarter. The rookie quarterback from Delaware led the Lions to a touchdown as RB Rick Kane ran for a three-yard score with 4:39 remaining in the contest, but it was too little, too late. Detroit got two last points when Tampa Bay backup QB Mike Rae was tackled in his end zone for a safety, but the final score was a resounding 31-16 win for the Buccaneers.

It was Tampa Bay’s first win over the Lions as well as its first opening-game victory. The Bucs ground out a club-record 229 rushing yards as they outgained the Lions (334 yards to 231) and had the edge in first downs (18 to 16).

Jerry Eckwood spearheaded the running game with 121 yards on 20 carries while Ricky Bell added 53 yards on 13 attempts that included a touchdown. Doug Williams completed just 4 of 16 passes for 99 yards, but two of the completions were for touchdowns and there were no interceptions, and he kept the offense moving effectively as a result of the running attack. Jimmie Giles (pictured below) caught three passes for 97 yards and the one long TD.


Neither quarterback was particularly effective for Detroit, as Joe Reed completed 8 of 15 passes for 61 yards and a touchdown and Jeff Komlo, attempting to play catch-up, was successful on just 5 of 21 throws for 45 yards; neither was intercepted (Komlo quickly supplanted Reed as the starter). Horace King led the running attack with 53 yards on 10 carries. David Hill was the top receiver with 5 catches for 48 yards and a TD.

The convincing opening-night win signaled a major turnaround by the Buccaneers. They won their first five games on the way to topping the NFC Central with a 10-6 record and advancing to the conference title game. For the Lions, the loss was a bad portent as they proceeded to go 2-14 and finish at the bottom of the division.

As the primary outside running threat, Jerry Eckwood gained 690 yards on 194 carries (the 121-yard performance remained the best of his three-year career). Ricky Bell was the team’s top rusher, accumulating 1263 yards with a 4.5 average. As the opening day showing indicated, Doug Williams was still very much a work in progress, throwing for 2448 yards and 18 TDs, but with 24 interceptions and a 41.8 completion percentage. But the defense ranked first overall in the NFL and Lee Roy Selmon was the Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year.

1981: Bucs Inflict First Home Loss of Season on Lions to Win NFC Central

The NFC Central title was on the line on December 20, 1981 as the Detroit Lions hosted the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the Pontiac Silverdome. For the Lions, under Head Coach Monte Clark, it was auspicious to be playing at home – they were undefeated there thus far in ’81 and had beaten the Vikings impressively by a 45-7 score the week before. But both teams were 8-7, highlighting the mediocrity of the division.

Detroit may have been unbeatable in the Silverdome but had been far less successful on the road, going 1-7 (including a loss at Tampa). Starting QB Gary Danielson went down for the year in the fourth game and, after backup Jeff Komlo proved inadequate, Eric Hipple, who had seen no action in his 1980 rookie season, took over and played surprisingly well. He had good receivers to throw to in wide receivers Freddie Scott and Leonard Thompson, as well as TE David Hill. But even more significant was RB Billy Sims, the star second-year player out of Oklahoma who was among the rushing leaders. The defense was best against the run and featured DT Doug English, DE Dave Pureifory, LB Ken Fantetti, and FS Jimmy Allen.


Head Coach John McKay’s Buccaneers had come out of nowhere to win the division in 1979, regressed in ’80, but were now contending again. They had won three of their last four and a big part of it had been the performance of QB Doug Williams, particularly when passing to deep-threat WR Kevin House (pictured at left). TE Jimmie Giles was also a Pro Bowl-quality player. The defense may not have been as formidable as in ’79, but it was still anchored by star DE Lee Roy Selmon (pictured at top) and the backfield was tough to pass against.

There was a big crowd of 80,444 on hand to see if the Lions could remain dominant at home and make it to the postseason. The Bucs scored first with a 40-yard field goal by Bill Capece in the opening period, but Detroit went ahead 7-3 thanks to a nine-yard touchdown run by Hipple in the second quarter.

It appeared that the Lions would add to the margin as they again drove deep into Tampa Bay territory, but Hipple’s pass intended for Scott was intercepted by safety Cedric Brown at the three yard line and returned to the 16. On the Bucs’ first play, Williams lofted a pass to House that resulted in an 84-yard touchdown. Rather than being ahead by seven to ten points, Detroit was down by 10-7 at halftime.

Eddie Murray tied the score for the Lions with a 47-yard field goal with just over five minutes remaining in the third quarter. But as the game entered the fourth quarter, Tampa Bay took command with 10 points in a span of 70 seconds.

First, Capece broke the tie with a field goal 12 seconds into the final period. The biggest play of the game came on the following Detroit possession. In a third-and-10 situation, Selmon hit Hipple from behind and forced a fumble that was recovered by NT David Logan, who gathered the ball in on one hop off the artificial surface and ran 21 yards for a touchdown. From 10-10, the Buccaneers now held a 20-10 lead.

Still, the Lions, urged on by the enthusiastic crowd, came back and drove to the Tampa Bay 13. But once again Hipple was intercepted by Brown, this time in the end zone. While Detroit managed to score once more with 1:21 remaining as Hipple connected with Thompson for an eight-yard TD, it was too late. The Bucs came away with a 20-17 win and the division title.

The Lions outgained Tampa Bay (340 yards to 276) and also had the edge in first downs (21 to 11). But they turned the ball over three times, to none suffered by the Bucs, and that was the key to the outcome.

Doug Williams completed just 8 of 19 passes for 172 yards, but that included the long touchdown pass and he tossed no interceptions. Kevin House caught only one pass, but it was for 84 yards and a TD. RB James Owens was the club’s leading rusher, with 61 yards on 17 carries, and also caught two passes for 49 yards that included Tampa Bay’s second-longest completion of the day, of 35 yards. Jimmie Giles caught two passes as well, totaling 19 yards.


Eric Hipple (pictured at right) was successful on 18 of 28 passes for 205 yards, but his one touchdown was offset by two costly interceptions. Billy Sims was held to 76 yards on 19 carries and caught three passes for 39 more. RB Dexter Bussey had a team-leading four catches out of the backfield for 32 yards, while Freddie Scott gained 56 yards on his three receptions.

The 9-7 Buccaneers traveled to Dallas for the Divisional playoff, and lost convincingly by a 38-0 score. Detroit’s 8-8 tally tied for second with Green Bay.

Doug Williams (pictured below) passed for a career-high 3563 yards and had 19 touchdown passes as opposed to 14 interceptions. His 7.6 yards per attempt ranked seventh in the league, as did his 3.0 percentage of interceptions.

Eric Hipple led the NFL in both yards per attempt (8.5, tied with Denver’s Craig Morton) and yards per completion (16.8). He threw for 2358 yards with 14 touchdown passes and 15 interceptions. While he created some excitement early on, his nine-year career ended up being decidedly average.

Kevin House capped a breakout season with the long scoring catch against Detroit. Following a quiet rookie season in which he had one reception, House caught 56 passes for a career-high 1176 yards (21.0 avg.) and 9 TDs in ’81.

Billy Sims placed third among NFL rushers with 1437 yards on 296 carries (4.9 avg.) that included 13 touchdowns.

Cedric Brown ended up with nine interceptions, tying him for third in the NFL with Detroit’s Jimmy Allen, among others. In nine seasons, all spent with Tampa Bay, he intercepted 29 passes to rank third in franchise history to date. Few were bigger than the two against the Lions.

1986: Lee Roy Selmon Announces Retirement

It was not a surprise on April 23, 1986 when star DE Lee Roy Selmon announced his retirement. He had not appeared in a game since the Pro Bowl following the ’84 season where he suffered a herniated disk in his back. Selmon was forced to sit out all of 1985, hoping that surgery would not be necessary and that he would be able to return to action. But once he received word that even with surgery there was no certainty of playing again, he made the decision to retire. At the press conference, he said “I’m just thankful I was able to play ten years.”

It had actually been just nine years encompassing 121 regular season games, but a great nine years. Selmon’s retirement marked a significant milestone in Buccaneers history. He was the first player ever drafted by Tampa Bay with the initial overall pick as an expansion team in 1976 (the other new team that year, the Seattle Seahawks, lost a coin toss to the Bucs and chose second). His college credentials at Oklahoma were outstanding, where he had won both the Outland and Lombardi trophies for his play on the line. Head Coach John McKay was looking to emphasize defense in the new team’s first draft, and going with the best defensive player available made sense. In the second round, Tampa Bay picked Selmon’s older brother (by 11 months), Dewey, a defensive tackle (he was moved to linebacker in his second pro season); the two had played together in high school and college, and would now have the opportunity to do so again in the NFL.

The Buccaneers got off to a rough start, even for an expansion team, losing all 14 games in ’76 and the first 26 altogether before finally winning the last two contests of the 1977 season. The defense was the league’s worst in ’76, not helped by Selmon missing half of the campaign due to a knee injury.

The team began to improve in 1977, and Selmon was a key contributor. When they won their first game, at New Orleans, Selmon had three sacks (not yet an official statistic) and 12 tackles. The big breakthrough came in 1979, however, as Tampa Bay went 10-6 and advanced all the way to the NFC Championship game.

The overall performance of the defense was significant to the club’s success in ’79, and not surprisingly, Selmon led the way. Playing at right defensive end in a 3-4 alignment, he recorded 11 sacks (unofficially). He also had 117 tackles and forced three fumbles (with two recoveries, one for a touchdown). For his efforts, Selmon was a consensus first team All-Pro selection, went to the Pro Bowl for the first of six consecutive years, and was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press.

Brother Dewey was part of an outstanding group of linebackers that included Richard Wood at the other inside spot and David Lewis and Cecil Johnson on the outside. The secondary was the most effective in the league and consisted of cornerbacks Jeris White and Mike Washington and safeties Mark Cotney and Cedric Brown. The other two starting defensive linemen, nose tackle Randy Crowder and left end Wally Chambers, rounded out the solid unit that ranked first overall in the NFL – they gave up the fewest points (237), total yards (3949), and passing yards (2076).

The Buccaneers failed to sustain the success of 1979 – they sank back to 5-10-1 in ’80 and made it to the postseason just twice more during Selmon’s career.

The 6’3”, 250-pounder was often double- and triple-teamed by opposing offenses, yet his speed, strength, and agility made him an impact player in any event. In 1980, with offenses concentrated on stopping him, Selmon was credited with 72 quarterback “hurries” to go along with nine sacks. In all, he was credited with 78.5 sacks and 380 “hurries” over the course of his career.

Selmon received first or second team All-Pro recognition in five of his nine seasons, and was an All-NFC choice (first or second team) after seven of them. It was hardly surprising that the Buccaneers retired his number 63; he also became the first inductee into the team’s Ring of Honor at Raymond James Stadium in 2009. Selmon was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1995.

Brother Dewey also played well for Tampa Bay (he was named team MVP in 1978) until a thigh injury suffered in training camp knocked him out for the 1981 season; he was traded to San Diego, where he played one year in ’82 prior to retiring.

Pleasant and soft-spoken off the field, Selmon was a terror on it. As Coach McKay put it at the time of Selmon’s selection to the Hall of Fame, “He was almost unblockable. I can’t imagine anyone being better. He was the heart of our team. At a time when we were pretty fair, he was what made us pretty fair.” Doug Williams, the club’s quarterback during much of Selmon’s career, added, “If he had been in a four-man front, they would have banned Lee Roy from the game.”

Maybe the most telling tribute came from an opposing offensive tackle, Ted Albrecht of the Bears, who once told an assistant coach at halftime of a game against the Bucs, “There are four things in the world I don’t want to do under any circumstance. Number one, I don’t want to milk a cobra. Number two, I don’t want to be buried at sea. Number three, I don’t want to get hit in the head with a hockey puck. And number four, I don’t want to play the second half against Lee Roy Selmon.”