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.
