1980 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
Encyclopedia
The 1980
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
season began with great optimism in the wake of their surprise NFC championship appearance of the previous season. After scoring a playoff win in only their fourth year, the Buccaneers were considered such a model franchise that the NBA expansion Dallas Mavericks
adopted their building plan. A 3-1 preseason and victories in their first two regular-season games, including an NFC championship rematch against the Los Angeles Rams
in the Buccaneers' Monday Night Football
debut, gave an early impression of the team as a force that had arrived. However, the optimism dissipated as the offense underachieved, while opponents seemed to have solved the Buccaneers' 3-4 defense. A rash of defensive injuries, beginning with the Rams game, required playing many inexperienced players who proved not to be as ready as expected. Losses accumulated as opponents repeatedly took advantage of the Buccaneers' "bend but don't break" defensive strategy of preventing big plays while allowing small gains. In week 6 they recorded their first, and as of 2009, only tie in their history, 14-14 against the Green Bay Packers
. Bright spots included Doug Williams setting numerous Buccaneer passing records while leading the NFC in combined yardage, and a strong draft class.
The season quickly came to be a struggle. As teams began to open up their passing games in response to league rule changes, the Buccaneer defense was exposed as a superior run defense that had difficulty against strong passing attacks. Several quarterbacks had career-best days against Tampa Bay during the season. They also had trouble maintaining consistency in the face of large personnel turnovers, beginning with the preseason trade of Jeris White
, and continuing through the injury-plagued regular season. The most serious injury was to Randy Crowder
, whose dislocated knee in week 2 ended his career and nearly required amputation. The offense improved through the season, with Doug Williams continuing to mature as a quarterback, and rookie receiver Kevin House developing as a reliable target. As the season wore on, the team began to reflect coach John McKay's volatile personality, frequently arguing with and criticizing officials, while gaining a reputation as a team of complainers. The team's lack of enthusiasm was noticeable to McKay, who observed that the team was not playing the way they had the previous year. As fan frustration grew, "Throw McKay in the Bay" signs began to reappear at home games. Because no other team was dominant in the NFC Central, the Buccaneers stayed alive in the division race until a second-half collapse against the Minnesota Vikings
in week 14 guaranteed that they finish the season with a losing record. McKay later described the season as feeling "cursed".
, the Buccaneers began preparations for the next season. Disappointed with the performance of the receivers during the Rams game, John McKay hinted that some of them would not be returning. Ex-Cincinnati Bengals
assistant and Green Bay Packers
All-Pro
receiver Boyd Dowler
was added to the staff as a receivers coach, and tasked with improving the performance of Gordon Jones
, who was considered to have been a draft bust. All other assistant coaches were retained and given three-year contract extensions. McKay was given a five-year extension and was promised lifetime employment by owner Hugh Culverhouse
, who backed up his words by adding a clause to his will to guarantee such. The club honored receiver Morris Owens
' request for a trade, sending him along with fellow demoted former starter Darryl Carlton
to the Washington Redskins
for future draft picks. Another receiver, coach McKay's son Johnny, retired shortly after the draft. The team also added former Oregon State
head coach and McKay associate Craig Fertig
to their staff as a scout.
was traded to the Redskins for a fourth-round draft pick and their leading receiver, Danny Buggs
. The trade was officially motivated by salary issues, as McKay did not like having to give up White, and did not expect Buggs to make the Buccaneers' squad. Observers did however note a pattern in that White was the latest of several highly-vocal players to be traded away, a tendency that had been pointed out as far back as Ira Gordon
's release during the 1976
preseason. The draft pick was used to select Texas Tech
defensive back Larry Flowers, who was released before the end of preseason. The Buccaneers' original fourth-round pick was traded to the San Diego Chargers
for guard Booker Brown, who was waived in preseason. Their fifth-round pick had been traded to the Oakland Raiders
for quarterback Mike Rae
. Their sixth-round pick went the Cincinnati Bengals in return for running back Tony Davis
. The Buccaneers' second tenth-round selection came from the Chargers.
available with the Buccaneers' choice, McKay rushed to select him, believing him to be one of the fastest guards in football. Florida
linebacker Scot Brantley
was considered to be somewhat of a gamble, because it was believed at one point that a concussion received during his senior year meant that playing football could be life-threatening. Although the 1980 draft
was not considered to be particularly deep, McKay indicated that as many as seven of the draftees, including those picked low in the seventh- through tenth-rounds, had good prospects of making the team.
sprained an ankle in an exhibition against the St. Louis Cardinals
while already suffering from back problems, and the arthritis in defensive end Wally Chambers
's knee kept him out of preseason games. The frequently-injured Chambers, although still capable of great play when healthy, was felt by the staff to be a divisive force with a suspect work ethic and was waived without having played a single down in preseason. The concerns about depth led the Buccaneers to trade two draft picks to the Dallas Cowboys
for their starting defensive tackle Dave Stalls
. McKay felt that the general improvement in team talent was such that there would be players cut in preseason who would have made the team and done well in previous seasons. The preseason saw three more original Buccaneers depart from the roster: George Ragsdale
, Dave Green
, and Jimmy DuBose
. Ragsdale was placed on injured reserve, but McKay indicated that he would not be back. Green lost the punting job to Tom Blanchard
. DuBose, still unable to show his form of two seasons prior, before he suffered a severe knee injury, was traded to the Dolphins (who needed a fullback, having lost Larry Csonka
in a contract dispute) along with a second-round draft pick for cornerback Norris Thomas
and running back Gary Davis. Dana Nafziger was also placed on injured reserve, expected to miss the season. Garo Yepremian
, who had set an NFL record the previous season by kicking 20 consecutive successful field goals, was signed to replace Neil O'Donoghue
and became the fourth ex-Dolphin acquired by the Buccaneers in a two-week span. Despite a 3-1 record in preseason play, McKay reported being "unimpressed" with his team's performance.
debut in a week 2 game against the Los Angeles Rams
. The ABC-TV broadcast crew of Howard Cosell
, Frank Gifford
and Fran Tarkenton
singled out several individual Buccaneers for praise, although the game itself was a struggle of defenses and errors that the crew described as "dumb" and "dull". Injuries became a serious issue almost immediately, with three of the team's defensive starters sidelined after the Rams game. The season-ending injury to Randy Crowder in that game required that the Buccaneers replace him with Dave Logan
, a 12th-round draft pick of the previous year who was seen as having great potential but practically no experience. The injuries on defense came at a particularly bad time, as the team needed the defense to compensate for its slumping offense. The offense was hampered by a preseason injury to fullback Johnny Davis, which left McKay concerned about wearing out Ricky Bell
by playing him at fullback. After five games, the Buccaneers found themselves averaging 110 rushing yards per game, which was forty yards less per game than in the previous season, and only three yards better than in their winless 1976
season. The Tampa Bay staff was mystified at why this should be, as the replacement of guard Greg Horton with converted defensive lineman Gene Sanders
and his greater speed was expected to have improved the team's outside running game. Former starting quarterback Mike Rae
, having been displaced by Chuck Fusina
during the preseason as Doug Williams' backup, was placed on injured reserve after three games. His roster spot was filled by blocking tight end Conrad Rucker, who was in turn later replaced by Tony Samuels. The team began to show signs of frustration during a week 5 game against the Chicago Bears, with players arguing with officials and opponents and tackling with excessive violence. Bears safety Doug Plank
reported that several of the Buccaneers were preoccupied with seeking revenge over Plank's excessive but unpenalized hit on Jimmie Giles, a hit for which Plank was later fined by the NFL. A rash of mental mistakes and overall poor performance by the receivers led to midseason changes in which Larry Mucker
was waived, with the intention of replacing him with Gerald Carter
, a rookie who had impressed in training camp but had not made the final cut. Although Carter could not clear waivers, being claimed by the Jets, San Francisco 49ers receiver Mike Shumann
came available, and promptly contributed reliable play.
After a three-game winless streak marked by uncharacteristic defensive collapses, McKay accused the team of "living in the past". At a press conference, McKay drew a diagram showing how a play had failed because players had not run it the same way they practiced it, and wrote an explanation at the bottom: "Mental Don't Give a Bleep". Injury problems worsened, as by the end of October starting guards Sanders and Greg Roberts
were both on injured reserve. League rules allowed teams to activate a maximum of three players per season off of injured reserve, but the Buccaneers had already activated two and intended to save the third for Mike Rae in case of an injury to a quarterback. Although the staff would not publicize players' personal problems, it was later revealed that several players experienced diminished performance due to excessive drug use. David Lewis, Greg Roberts, and Cecil Johnson were identified as being among the half-dozen or so players involved. This became the motivation for a series of surprise trades in the 1982
offseason.
The offense began to improve at midseason, but the defense found it difficult to cope with new rules intended to open up the passing game. It was also alleged that the Buccaneers' first-place schedule was a factor, as the defensive strategy of preventing the big play while allowing small gains was more effective against lower-quality teams that were more mistake-prone and less capable of taking advantage of the opportunities offered them. McKay pointed out a noticeable lack of enthusiasm, saying that players were standing around on the field as though waiting to be interviewed. The season ended with a three-game losing streak, with McKay unable to explain why the season had gone the way it did. Although he still felt confident in the defensive personnel, he called the running backs the worst blockers he'd ever been associated with. He for the first time gave Ricky Bell less than his full support, stating that the team had not gotten their money's worth out of Bell during the season.
The Buccaneers faced a Cincinnati Bengals
team missing quarterback Ken Anderson, who injured his leg during the final preseason game. Buccaneer defensive backs Mike Washington
and Cedric Brown
were expected to see limited action, to avoid aggravating their preseason injuries on Riverfront Stadium's artificial turf. The game was played in a downpour, with coach McKay at one point ordering punter Tom Blanchard to run into the end zone and give up a safety, rather than risk a mistake that might lead to a Bengals touchdown. Randy Crowder
sacked Bengals quarterback Jack Thompson deep in Bengals territory twice in one second-quarter series. Doug Williams took advantage of the resulting good field position to throw a 32-yard touchdown to Jimmie Giles
shortly before the end of the half. Blanchard fumbled the snap on what could have been a game-winning field goal late in the fourth quarter, but the error was nullified when Bengals punter Pat McInally
's fumbled punt snap gave the Buccaneers possession at the Bengals' five-yard line. Williams threw a 15-yard touchdown to Giles to clinch the game.
The rematch of the previous season's NFC Championship game occurred in a special Thursday-night edition of Monday Night Football, for which the teams only had three days to prepare. The Rams were mistake-prone, but nonetheless able to maintain a 9-3 lead over the Buccaneers, until a pass interference penalty on defensive back Ivory Sully
gave the Buccaneers the ball at the Rams' 11-yard line with 1:21 left to play. The 41-yard penalty was Tampa Bay's longest offensive play of the game. Doug Williams dove for a touchdown on the next series, and Garo Yepremian's extra point gave the Buccaneers the lead. Norris Thomas ended the Rams' final threat by intercepting a Vince Ferragamo
pass. The Buccaneers were fortunate to have remained in position for the victory, as they only managed 17 yards of offense in the first quarter and did not get a first down until halfway through the second quarter. Earlier Los Angeles scoring opportunities were defeated by penalties and interceptions. Speculation during the week had been that the Rams might come in disorganized, due to several veterans having just rejoined the team after offseason contract disputes, and several others being disgruntled over salaries. Ferragamo, starting in place of the injured Pat Haden
, had missed practice earlier in the week and threatened not to make the trip to Tampa for the game. The Buccaneers suffered several injuries, the most serious being to nose tackle Randy Crowder, who suffered a knee injury during the second half that required surgery and ended his career.
, Irving, Texas
In a reversal of the previous two weeks, the Buccaneers set several team offensive records, but were unable to come away with a win as their defense was unable to stop the Dallas offense. Doug Williams had his best day yet, completing 17 of 30 passes for 258 yards while rushing seven times for 77 yards and a touchdown. Williams' 335 total yards, the team's 442 total yards, and the team's 312 first-half yards all set new team records. Cowboys quarterback Danny White
threw for 244 yards and three touchdowns, and Tony Dorsett
carried 20 times for 100 yards. After Jimmie Giles beat Dallas safeties Charlie Waters
and Dennis Thurman
for a second-quarter touchdown, Waters and Thurman took turns intercepting Williams in the second half. Waters' interception led to the Cowboys' game-winning drive, while Thurman's interception ended any hopes of a Buccaneer comeback. Missing three starters, the defense was unable to put any pressure on White. A fourth starter, Cecil Johnson
, was lost in the second half.
Cleveland Browns
quarterback Brian Sipe
set a team record by completing 13 consecutive passes en route to passing for 318 yards, the highest total that Tampa Bay had allowed to date. He beat a Buccaneer blitz to hit former Dallas great Calvin Hill
for a touchdown that gave the Browns a 30-13 lead. Despite going into the final two minutes with a two-touchdown deficit, the Buccaneers continued to rally, scoring on a 7-yard pass to Jerry Eckwood
with 45 seconds left. They were able to recover the ensuing onside kick, but were not able to score again in the remaining time. Doug Williams completed 30 passes for 337 yards. Two first-quarter touchdown opportunities ended with penalties, forcing the Buccaneers to settle for field goals which provided the margin of defeat. Injuries again were a factor, as the inexperienced Dave Logan aided a second-quarter Cleveland drive by committing penalties on two consecutive plays, and free safety Cedric Brown was badly missed.
, Chicago, Illinois
A second Monday Night Football appearance saw the Buccaneer defense return to form, but the offense failed to generate any points. A chance at an early lead was lost when Doug Williams' touchdown pass to Jimmie Giles was called back due to a holding penalty. Williams was held to 9 completions for 89 yards on 28 pass attempts, and was benched early to protect him from injury from the Bears' pass rush, according to coach McKay. Walter Payton
's 133 yards on 28 carries moved him ahead of Gayle Sayers as the Bears' all-time offensive leader. Alan Page
had a sack, a fumble recovery, an interception, and blocked a field-goal attempt. Of his team's performance, McKay said afterward that "We set Monday Night Football back 2,000 years". Both teams entered the game as playoff teams from the previous season who were in two-game losing streaks and saw winning this game as important for staying in the current season's playoff picture, as the Detroit Lions
had already taken a two-game division lead.
Lynn Dickey
passed for 418 yards, which set records for the most in Packers history and the most by a Buccaneer opponent. McKay said that none of his linebackers played well, even though Richard Wood returned a fumble 55 yards for a touchdown. McKay also complained that the team gained only 180 yards rushing, despite the line opening "holes so big I couldn't believe it....(we) should have gained 400 yards". He later admitted that the holes were closing quickly and that the linemen were not finishing off their blocks. The offense was marked by indisciplined play, with receivers running wrong routes and fullbacks blocking the wrong opponent. The linebackers had been considered the strength of the team, but played poor pass defense, and lost two more starters (David Lewis and Cecil Johnson) with injuries. Bill Kollar missed the game with a broken hand, and Mike Washington played despite injury. McKay said after the game that the team was coasting on the previous year's performance, and that they would be ready to forget about the current season and pay attention to the following year if there was no improvement.
, Houston, Texas
Lee Roy Selmon was held ineffective by Oilers tackle Leon Gray
. Behind the blocking of Gray and tight end Dave Casper
, Earl Campbell
rushed for 203 yards. Coach McKay singled out rookie linebacker Scot Brantley for praise, but for the most part the Buccaneers' play was marked by missed tackles and mental errors. The receiving corps was especially prone to errors, with receivers frequently running wrong routes or being penalized for illegal formation or pass interference. The poor play of the receivers contributed to the coaching staff's decision to sign a receiver. Their first choice was Gerald Carter, who had been one of the last training camp cuts, but Carter had to clear recall waivers and was claimed by the New York Jets
. San Francisco 49ers
and ex-FSU
receiver Mike Shumann
was signed instead. The Buccaneers had to play many inexperienced players, with rookie Andy Hawkins
taking Dave Lewis' place, all of the regular interior offensive linemen injured, and guard Ray Snell too ill to start. Two starters on the line, center Jim Leonard and left guard George Yarno
, had a combined 1 year of NFL experience between them. Right guard Greg Roberts' place was taken by former Jets starter Darrell Austin, who had caused Roberts' knee injury by falling on him. Austin had no starting experience with the Buccaneers.
Mike Washington's 14-yard interception of a Joe Montana
pass set up a 2-yard Doug Williams touchdown run to give the Buccaneers a third-quarter lead. The 49ers took the lead back on a Ray Wersching
field goal, but Garo Yepremian added a field goal with 47 seconds left to provide the winning points. The kick left Yepremian just two shy of becoming the ninth player to kick 200 career field goals.
The Buccaneers regained their form of the previous season to take a 23-0 halftime lead, as they faced a New York Giants
team with even worse injury problems than their own. With seven starters lost with injuries, the Giants started six rookies on defense. The Buccaneers attempted to alleviate their own injury problems by activating linebacker Rik Bonness
from injured reserve, but this required that he clear waivers, and he was claimed by the Giants only to be released two days later and return to Tampa Bay. Ricky Bell gained 130 yards on 25 carries, and scored two touchdowns. In the minute before halftime, Tampa Bay turned a 10-0 lead into a 23-0 lead, scoring two field goals and a touchdown with the aid of two Giants fumbles. Bill Kollar caused a Phil Simms
fumble that Lee Roy Selmon recovered, setting up Doug Williams' 25-yard touchdown pass to Mike Shumann. On the next play from scrimmage, Selmon delivered a hard hit on Billy Taylor
that caused a fumble which Kollar recovered, setting up a field goal. The Giants were held to 2 first downs, 2 yards passing, and 17 offensive plays in the first half. Garo Yepremian's parents were in attendance to see him kick his 200th career field goal and set a Buccaneer record of 18 consecutive successful extra-point attempts. The game continued a trend of last-minute rallies. In three of their four victories, 37 of their 57 points were scored during the last two minutes before the end of a half, and three times the winning points were scored after the two-minute warning
.
Late-game confusion left the Buccaneers one play away from defeating the defending Super Bowl
champion Pittsburgh Steelers
, as quarterback Doug Williams spiked the ball to stop the game clock on fourth down. Late in the second quarter, Scot Brantley had a clear shot at intercepting a Terry Bradshaw
pass, but Richard Wood stepped in front and tipped it into Lynn Swann
's hands. It became the game-winning touchdown. The game ended with a Buccaneer rally that died with 23 seconds left. Believing that Tampa Bay had gotten a first down on the previous play, Doug Williams spiked the ball to stop the game clock on fourth down, giving the ball back to the Steelers. The Buccaneers did have one remaining time out, but had been reserving it for a field goal attempt. Certainty that the officials had indicated first down kept team captain Dave Reavis
from calling for a meaurement, which also would have stopped the game clock. All Buccaneers and several Steelers believed that an official had said that it was first down, while the stadium scoreboard still read third down and 10. Some Steelers thought that Jimmie Giles had misinterpreted an official's sarcastic response to Giles' question of whether it was first down, while Pittsburgh assistant coach George Perles
insisted that Williams never spiked the ball at all, but simply underthrew Isaac Hagins. It was largely believed that the Buccaneers had outplayed the Steelers, despite the loss. Aside from the touchdown to Swann, the Pittsburgh offense was ineffective. Bradshaw completed just 11 passes for 100 yards and was replaced by Cliff Stoudt
in the fourth quarter. The other seventeen of the Steelers' points were the result of special teams breakdowns. The feared Pittsburgh defense was held to a single sack and only one interception. On one play, all eleven Steeler defenders blitzed Williams, leaving Giles open for a 12-yard touchdown reception. Williams had one of his best performances to date, passing for 302 yards and rushing for 67 more. Williams also threw touchdown passes to Ricky Bell and Kevin House. Steelers receiver John Stallworth
fractured his left foot during the game.
, Bloomington, Minnesota
The Buccaneers lost to the Minnesota Vikings
in an offensive shootout, in which the Vikings were playing for the first time with a set of fully healthy starters at offensive line and quarterback. Quarterback Tommy Kramer
credited the Vikings' success to their strategy of throwing the short passes which the Buccaneer defense allowed, then switching to long passes when the Buccaneers adjusted to the short passes. Improved receiver play helped Doug Williams complete 30 of his 55 passes for 486 yards, then the fourth-highest total in NFL history. This remains (as of 2010
) the Buccaneers' single-game record, as does Williams' total of 499 yards rushing and passing. The game marked the emergence of rookie Kevin House, who beat Nate Wright
for two touchdowns. Issac Hagins caught a 48-yard touchdown, while Gordon Jones caught 7 passes for 121 yards. When Ricky Bell suffered a knee bruise, Tony Davis got his first playing time in his two seasons with the team, and scored a touchdown the first time he touched the ball. A second Davis touchdown reception was nullified by an illegal motion penalty, leaving Tampa Bay to settle for a Garo Yepremian field goal. Kramer threw for 324 yards and two touchdowns, and Ted Brown
rushed for two touchdowns for the Vikings. For the second week in a row, a Buccaneer game involved a strange officiating incident. Trying to avoid the pass rush, Williams dumped a pass to tackle Charley Hannah, who threw the ball to the ground when he saw an official waving his arms. Vikings end Randy Holloway
picked up the ball and ran it into the end zone for an apparent touchdown. The officials needed several minutes to sort out the situation, and eventually penalized Tampa Bay 14 yards for an illegal forward pass.
The Lions moved into sole possession of first place in the NFC central race, as the Buccaneers collapsed after taking a 10-0 lead. The Buccaneers scored on their opening possession, a 66-yard drive which ended in a Garo Yepremian field goal. Curtis Jordan's recovery of a Billy Sims
fumble led to a 12-yard touchdown pass from Doug Williams to Gordon Jones in the second quarter. Detroit answered with an 85-yard drive that ended with the Buccaneer defense overpursuing on a reverse, allowing Ray Williams to run 11 yards untouched for a touchdown. Jerry Eckwood fumbled on the following possession, giving the Lions the ball at the Buccaneer 32-yard line and setting them up for Sims' 24-yard touchdown run. The Lions later scored on a field goal set up by a long punt return by Williams, and a touchdown set up by Norris Thomas' penalty for a late hit on Horace King that gave Detroit the ball back when they had been stopped on third down. Ricky Bell did not play due to a bruised thigh suffered in the previous week's loss to the Vikings. Coach McKay was critical of the fumbling of Eckwood and Danny Reece (who fumbled two punts), stating that both would lose their starting roles.
, Green Bay, Wisconsin
The Buccaneers won in come-from-behind fashion against the Packers. The Buccaneers led for most of the game on a 17-yard Doug Williams touchdown pass to Isaac Hagins, and a pair of Garo Yepremian field goals. Green Bay took a fourth-quarter lead after Cedric Brown's pass-interference penalty (called against Mike Washington) gave them the ball at the Buccaneers' 1-yard line. Eddie Lee Ivery
ran for a touchdown on the next play, and when the Buccaneers failed to move the ball on the ensuing possession, it took less than a minute for Packers quarterback Lynn Dickey
to hit Paul Coffman
with a 17-yard touchdown for the lead. Kevin House caught a tipped pass over safety Johnnie Gray
at the Packers' 1-yard line with 2:45 remaining to set up Johnny Davis' touchdown run for the winning score, though the Buccaneers still needed to survive a Jan Stenerud
field goal attempt with 21 seconds to play. Coach McKay would later joke that the game had been planned all along to end that way, for excitement. Lee Roy Selmon, Bill Kollar, and Ray Snell all left the game with injuries. With Ricky Bell still sidelined with a mild knee injury, Rick Berns made his first career start. Berns had received much press attention during the previous week, due to coach McKay's sarcastic comments that "we might start the fabulous Rick Berns. He doesn't catch the ball in practice, maybe he will in a game". Berns led Tampa Bay rushers with 72 yards on 19 carries, although his fumble on the Packers' 2-yard line ended a scoring opportunity on the opening drive.
The Buccaneers dominated the Vikings through the first half in a game which they needed to win to remain in playoff contention, but in the second half collapsed on both offense and defense. In the first half, Vikings quarterback Tommy Kramer was held to 7 completions for 63 yards, with no catches by the wide receivers and no success in the ground game. In the second half, Kramer went 15-of-19 for 201 yards. His 17-yard touchdown pass to Sammy White gave the Vikings the lead for good early in the fourth quarter. Kramer's scrambling kept the linebackers out of coverage, and opened up passing routes such as Bob Tucker's 25-yard reception that set up the first Viking touchdown. The Buccaneers were still in position to win until Fred McNeill
recovered Rick Berns' fumble at the Viking 12-yard line with five minutes to play. Much-criticized for his handling of players due to his previous week's postgame comments about Berns, McKay responded to all postgame questions by saying "all of the players played lovely".
, Pontiac, Michigan
Despite the Lions having received news of their elimination from contention for the division title only minutes into the game, they were noticeably more motivated to win than the Buccaneers were. Tampa Bay took an early lead on Dave Logan's 60-yard fumble recovery touchdown, but the Lions answered the score on their next possession. The Buccaneers struggled to move the ball all day, gaining only 40 yards on the ground. The Buccaneers were also able to stop Billy Sims and the Lions' running game, but Gary Danielson
had much success passing. Doug Williams completed only 13 of 37 passes, with two interceptions. Lions receiver Ray Williams caught a 22-yard touchdown pass from Danielson, while Sims contributed a 1-yard touchdown run and Eddie Murray kicked two field goals. The Buccaneers still had a shot at victory after Williams hit Kevin House for a 32-yard fourth-quarter touchdown, but Ray Williams returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown.
The Bears took the lead for good after Jerry Eckwood's fumble on the Buccaneer two-yard line set up a Vince Evans
touchdown. The fumble was one of three committed by Eckwood, although one was called back and the other was recovered by Doug Williams. Eckwood was taken out of the game after the third fumble, which occurred while Eckwood was playing with a separated shoulder. Eckwood was not alone in fumbling, as Kevin House and Jimmie Giles were both stripped of the ball near the goal line, ending two potential game-winning fourth-quarter drives. The Buccaneers still had one last opportunity to win the game, but Al Harris
blocked Garo Yepremian's field goal attempt with 40 seconds left. Ricky Bell reinjured his knee and sat out the second half, while Ray Snell suffered a knee injury. $6,000 worth of equipment and uniforms were stolen from the Bears' locker room before the game, but play was not affected, as the Bears had two sets of gear.
1980 NFL season
The 1980 NFL season was the 61st regular season of the National Football League.After the league declined to approve the proposed move by the Raiders from Oakland, California to Los Angeles, the team along with the Los Angeles Coliseum sued the NFL for violating antitrust laws...
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
season began with great optimism in the wake of their surprise NFC championship appearance of the previous season. After scoring a playoff win in only their fourth year, the Buccaneers were considered such a model franchise that the NBA expansion Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
adopted their building plan. A 3-1 preseason and victories in their first two regular-season games, including an NFC championship rematch against the Los Angeles Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
in the Buccaneers' Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
debut, gave an early impression of the team as a force that had arrived. However, the optimism dissipated as the offense underachieved, while opponents seemed to have solved the Buccaneers' 3-4 defense. A rash of defensive injuries, beginning with the Rams game, required playing many inexperienced players who proved not to be as ready as expected. Losses accumulated as opponents repeatedly took advantage of the Buccaneers' "bend but don't break" defensive strategy of preventing big plays while allowing small gains. In week 6 they recorded their first, and as of 2009, only tie in their history, 14-14 against the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
. Bright spots included Doug Williams setting numerous Buccaneer passing records while leading the NFC in combined yardage, and a strong draft class.
The season quickly came to be a struggle. As teams began to open up their passing games in response to league rule changes, the Buccaneer defense was exposed as a superior run defense that had difficulty against strong passing attacks. Several quarterbacks had career-best days against Tampa Bay during the season. They also had trouble maintaining consistency in the face of large personnel turnovers, beginning with the preseason trade of Jeris White
Jeris White
Jeris Jerome White is a former professional American football cornerback in the National Football League for nine seasons for the Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Washington Redskins. He played football at Radford High School, Honolulu, Hawaii and at the University of Hawaii...
, and continuing through the injury-plagued regular season. The most serious injury was to Randy Crowder
Randy Crowder
Randolph Channing Crowder Sr. is a former American football defensive lineman in the NFL. He played three seasons with the Miami Dolphins and three with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers...
, whose dislocated knee in week 2 ended his career and nearly required amputation. The offense improved through the season, with Doug Williams continuing to mature as a quarterback, and rookie receiver Kevin House developing as a reliable target. As the season wore on, the team began to reflect coach John McKay's volatile personality, frequently arguing with and criticizing officials, while gaining a reputation as a team of complainers. The team's lack of enthusiasm was noticeable to McKay, who observed that the team was not playing the way they had the previous year. As fan frustration grew, "Throw McKay in the Bay" signs began to reappear at home games. Because no other team was dominant in the NFC Central, the Buccaneers stayed alive in the division race until a second-half collapse against the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
in week 14 guaranteed that they finish the season with a losing record. McKay later described the season as feeling "cursed".
Offseason
Only one day after their playoff loss to the Los Angeles RamsSt. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
, the Buccaneers began preparations for the next season. Disappointed with the performance of the receivers during the Rams game, John McKay hinted that some of them would not be returning. Ex-Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
assistant and Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
All-Pro
All-Pro
All-Pro is a term mostly used in the NFL for the best players of each position during that season. It began as polls of sportswriters in the early 1920s...
receiver Boyd Dowler
Boyd Dowler
Boyd Hamilton Dowler is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League who played twelve seasons for the Green Bay Packers and Washington Redskins from 1959 to 1971...
was added to the staff as a receivers coach, and tasked with improving the performance of Gordon Jones
Gordon Jones (American football)
Gordon Jones is a former professional American football player who played wide receiver for five seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Los Angeles Rams....
, who was considered to have been a draft bust. All other assistant coaches were retained and given three-year contract extensions. McKay was given a five-year extension and was promised lifetime employment by owner Hugh Culverhouse
Hugh Culverhouse
Hugh Franklin Culverhouse, Sr. was the longtime owner of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League . He was a successful tax lawyer, and his real estate investments made him one of the nation's wealthiest men...
, who backed up his words by adding a clause to his will to guarantee such. The club honored receiver Morris Owens
Morris Owens
Morris Owens , is a former professional American football player who was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers leading receiver in 1976, their first season in the National Football League. He is also Hilly Hicks' uncle....
' request for a trade, sending him along with fellow demoted former starter Darryl Carlton
Darryl Carlton
Darryl Marvin Carlton was a former professional American football offensive tackle in the National Football League. He was a 1st round selection in the 1975 NFL Draft out of the University of Tampa by the Miami Dolphins. He would go on to play for the Dolphins and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ....
to the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
for future draft picks. Another receiver, coach McKay's son Johnny, retired shortly after the draft. The team also added former Oregon State
Oregon State Beavers football
The Oregon State Beavers football team represents Oregon State University in NCAA Division I-A college football. The team first fielded an organized football team in 1893 and is currently a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. The head coach is Mike Riley, with Danny Langsdorf as the offensive...
head coach and McKay associate Craig Fertig
Craig Fertig
-External links:...
to their staff as a scout.
NFL Draft
| Pick | Round | Player | Position | School |
| 22 | 1 | Ray Snell Ray Snell Ray Snell is a former guard in the National Football League for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, most notably, along with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Tampa Bay, using their 4th ever first round draft pick, acquired Snell with the 22nd in the first round of the 1980 NFL Draft... |
Guard | Wisconsin Wisconsin Badgers football The Wisconsin Badgers are a college football program that represents the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. They play their home games at Camp Randall Stadium, the fourth-oldest stadium in college football... |
| 49 | 2 | Kevin House Kevin House Kevin Nathaniel House is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second round of the 1980 NFL Draft. A 6'1", 175 lbs. wide receiver from Southern Illinois University, House played in eight NFL seasons from 1980-1987 for the Buccaneers... |
Wide Receiver | Southern Illinois Southern Illinois Salukis The Southern Illinois Salukis are the varsity athletic teams representing Southern Illinois University. The nickname comes from the saluki, the royal dog of Egypt and the Persian greyhound, which ties into the fact that southern Illinois has had the nickname "Little Egypt" for just under 200... |
| 76 | 3 | Scot Brantley Scot Brantley Scot Eugene Brantley is an American radio and television sports broadcaster and former college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League for eight seasons in the 1980s... |
Linebacker | Florida Florida Gators football The Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference... |
| 102 | 4 (from Washington) | Larry Flowers | Defensive Back | Texas Tech Texas Tech Red Raiders football Texas Tech Red Raiders football program is a college football team that represents Texas Tech University . The team competes, as a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association... |
| 186 | 7 | Jim Leonard | Guard | Santa Clara Santa Clara Broncos The Broncos are various sports teams of Santa Clara University. The athletic program currently has 19 varsity sports, 9 men's sports and 10 women's. Additionally there are 18 club sports teams that compete intercollegiately. The school colors are red and white... |
| 213 | 8 | Derrick Goddard | Defensive Back | Drake Drake Bulldogs The Drake Bulldogs are the athletic teams of Drake University. Athletic scholarships are offered in basketball, cross-country, golf, soccer, softball, track and field, tennis, and volleyball. However, all football players are walk-ons as Drake does not offer athletic scholarships in that sport... |
| 240 | 9 | Gerald Carter Gerald Carter Gerald Louis Carter , is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 9th round of the 1980 NFL Draft. A 6'1", 190-lb. wide receiver from Texas A&M, Carter played in 8 NFL seasons from 1980 to 1987... |
Wide Receiver | Texas A&M Texas A&M Aggies football The Texas A&M Aggies football team represents Texas A&M University in college football. The Aggies have competed in the Big 12 Conference since the conference's inception in 1996. They will join the Southeastern Conference in July 2012. Texas A&M football has earned one national title and 18... |
| 267 | 10 | Andy Hawkins Andy Hawkins (American football) Anthony James Hawkins is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 10th round of the 1987 NFL Draft. He played college football at Texas A&M-Kingsville.Hawkins brother Mike also played in the NFL for the New England... |
Linebacker | Texas A&M-Kingsville |
| 275 | 10 (from San Diego) | Brett Davis | Running Back | UNLV UNLV Rebels football The UNLV Rebels football program is a college football team that represents the University of Nevada, Las Vegas . The team is currently a member of the Mountain West Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association... |
| 299 | 11 | Terry Jones | Defensive End | Central Oklahoma |
| 326 | 12 | Gene Coleman | Defensive Back | Miami (FL) Miami Hurricanes football The Miami Hurricanes football program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the University of Miami. The program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships... |
Draft trades
Starting cornerback Jeris WhiteJeris White
Jeris Jerome White is a former professional American football cornerback in the National Football League for nine seasons for the Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Washington Redskins. He played football at Radford High School, Honolulu, Hawaii and at the University of Hawaii...
was traded to the Redskins for a fourth-round draft pick and their leading receiver, Danny Buggs
Danny Buggs
Daniel "Danny" Buggs is a former American football wide receiver for the New York Giants and Washington Redskins of the National Football League, the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League, and the Tampa Bay Bandits and San Antonio Gunslingers of the United States Football...
. The trade was officially motivated by salary issues, as McKay did not like having to give up White, and did not expect Buggs to make the Buccaneers' squad. Observers did however note a pattern in that White was the latest of several highly-vocal players to be traded away, a tendency that had been pointed out as far back as Ira Gordon
Ira Gordon
Ira Lawrence Gordon is a former professional American football player who played offensive tackle for six seasons for the San Diego Chargers. He was a starter for the last two. Left unprotected in the 1976 NFL Expansion Draft, he was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers...
's release during the 1976
1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
The NFL Tampa Bay Buccaneers played their debut season in 1976, making league history as the first team to play an entire 14-game season without winning or tying a single game. They did not score until their third game and did not score a touchdown until their fourth. They lost by a touchdown or...
preseason. The draft pick was used to select Texas Tech
Texas Tech Red Raiders football
Texas Tech Red Raiders football program is a college football team that represents Texas Tech University . The team competes, as a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
defensive back Larry Flowers, who was released before the end of preseason. The Buccaneers' original fourth-round pick was traded to the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
for guard Booker Brown, who was waived in preseason. Their fifth-round pick had been traded to the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
for quarterback Mike Rae
Mike Rae
Michael John Rae is a former professional American football quarterback in the National Football League.-Early life:Rae attended and played high school football at Lakewood High School.-College career:...
. Their sixth-round pick went the Cincinnati Bengals in return for running back Tony Davis
Tony Davis (American football)
Michael E. "Tony" Davis is a former American football running back in the National Football League. Davis played both I-back and fullback for new Head Coach Tom Osborne at University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He was Osborne's first 1,000 yard rusher and when he left the Cornhuskers, he was the...
. The Buccaneers' second tenth-round selection came from the Chargers.
Draft selections
Seeing Ray SnellRay Snell
Ray Snell is a former guard in the National Football League for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, most notably, along with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Tampa Bay, using their 4th ever first round draft pick, acquired Snell with the 22nd in the first round of the 1980 NFL Draft...
available with the Buccaneers' choice, McKay rushed to select him, believing him to be one of the fastest guards in football. Florida
Florida Gators football
The Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...
linebacker Scot Brantley
Scot Brantley
Scot Eugene Brantley is an American radio and television sports broadcaster and former college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League for eight seasons in the 1980s...
was considered to be somewhat of a gamble, because it was believed at one point that a concussion received during his senior year meant that playing football could be life-threatening. Although the 1980 draft
1980 NFL Draft
The 1980 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 29–30, 1980. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and...
was not considered to be particularly deep, McKay indicated that as many as seven of the draftees, including those picked low in the seventh- through tenth-rounds, had good prospects of making the team.
Preseason
In an effort to improve the receiving corps, the Buccaneers signed ten wide receivers to compete for the five available spots on the team. Defensive line became a concern, as Reggie Lewis walked out of camp, saying that he had lost his desire to play football. The club never acknowledged his absence, simply declining to answer questions about his progress until reporters noticed several days later that he was missing. He returned less than a week later and was welcomed back by McKay, who was concerned with the team's depth on the defensive line and saw Lewis as a valuable backup and a potential starter. Nose tackle Bill KollarBill Kollar
William Wallace "Bill" Kollar was a National Football League defensive lineman from 1974 through 1981. He has been an NFL assistant coach for 17 years. He has coached the Defensive Line of the Rams, Falcons and Bills...
sprained an ankle in an exhibition against the St. Louis Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
while already suffering from back problems, and the arthritis in defensive end Wally Chambers
Wally Chambers
Wallace Hashim Chambers is a former American football defensive tackle for the Chicago Bears and defensive end for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 1970s...
's knee kept him out of preseason games. The frequently-injured Chambers, although still capable of great play when healthy, was felt by the staff to be a divisive force with a suspect work ethic and was waived without having played a single down in preseason. The concerns about depth led the Buccaneers to trade two draft picks to the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
for their starting defensive tackle Dave Stalls
Dave Stalls
David Milton Stalls is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Los Angeles Raiders. He played college football for the University of Northern Colorado and was drafted in the seventh round of the 1977 NFL...
. McKay felt that the general improvement in team talent was such that there would be players cut in preseason who would have made the team and done well in previous seasons. The preseason saw three more original Buccaneers depart from the roster: George Ragsdale
George Ragsdale
George Ragsdale is a former professional American football player who played running back for three seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Ragsdale more commonly was called on to return kicks on special teams...
, Dave Green
Dave Green (American football)
Dave Green is a former punter and placekicker in the National Football League. He played for the Houston Oilers, the Cincinnati Bengals, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers...
, and Jimmy DuBose
Jimmy DuBose
Jimmy DeWayne DuBose is a former American college and professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League for three seasons in the 1970s...
. Ragsdale was placed on injured reserve, but McKay indicated that he would not be back. Green lost the punting job to Tom Blanchard
Tom Blanchard
Thomas Richard Blanchard is a former American football punter with a 11-year career in the National Football League for the New York Giants, New Orleans Saints, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football at the University of Oregon, where he was quarterback as well as punter...
. DuBose, still unable to show his form of two seasons prior, before he suffered a severe knee injury, was traded to the Dolphins (who needed a fullback, having lost Larry Csonka
Larry Csonka
Larry Richard Csonka is a former collegiate and professional American football fullback.-Childhood:One of six children, Csonka was born in Stow, Ohio where he was raised on a farm by his Hungarian family...
in a contract dispute) along with a second-round draft pick for cornerback Norris Thomas
Norris Thomas
Norris Thomas is a former professional American football player who played cornerback for nine seasons for the Miami Dolphins and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers....
and running back Gary Davis. Dana Nafziger was also placed on injured reserve, expected to miss the season. Garo Yepremian
Garo Yepremian
Garabed Sarkis "Garo" Yepremian is an Armenian-American former football placekicker in the National Football League for the Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers during a career that spanned from 1966 to 1981. -Career:Yepremian was born in Larnaca, Cyprus to...
, who had set an NFL record the previous season by kicking 20 consecutive successful field goals, was signed to replace Neil O'Donoghue
Neil O'Donoghue
Cornelis Joseph Connor Dennis "Neil" O'Donoghue is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League ....
and became the fourth ex-Dolphin acquired by the Buccaneers in a two-week span. Despite a 3-1 record in preseason play, McKay reported being "unimpressed" with his team's performance.
Regular season
The Buccaneers made their Monday Night FootballMonday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
debut in a week 2 game against the Los Angeles Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
. The ABC-TV broadcast crew of Howard Cosell
Howard Cosell
Howard William Cosell was an American sports journalist who was widely known for his blustery, cocksure personality. Cosell said of himself, "Arrogant, pompous, obnoxious, vain, cruel, verbose, a showoff. I have been called all of these...
, Frank Gifford
Frank Gifford
Francis Newton "Frank" Gifford is a Hall of Fame former American football player and American sportscaster.-Early life:Gifford was born in Santa Monica, California, the son of Lola Mae and Weldon Gifford, an oil driller....
and Fran Tarkenton
Fran Tarkenton
Francis Asbury "Fran" Tarkenton is a former professional football player, TV personality, and computer software executive....
singled out several individual Buccaneers for praise, although the game itself was a struggle of defenses and errors that the crew described as "dumb" and "dull". Injuries became a serious issue almost immediately, with three of the team's defensive starters sidelined after the Rams game. The season-ending injury to Randy Crowder in that game required that the Buccaneers replace him with Dave Logan
David Logan (American football)
David Logan was an American football defensive tackle in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 12th round of the 1979 NFL Draft. He played college football at Pittsburgh....
, a 12th-round draft pick of the previous year who was seen as having great potential but practically no experience. The injuries on defense came at a particularly bad time, as the team needed the defense to compensate for its slumping offense. The offense was hampered by a preseason injury to fullback Johnny Davis, which left McKay concerned about wearing out Ricky Bell
Ricky Bell (running back)
Ricky Lynn Bell younger brother of recording artist Archie Bell, was an American professional football player who played running back in the NFL for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and San Diego Chargers from 1977 to 1982...
by playing him at fullback. After five games, the Buccaneers found themselves averaging 110 rushing yards per game, which was forty yards less per game than in the previous season, and only three yards better than in their winless 1976
1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
The NFL Tampa Bay Buccaneers played their debut season in 1976, making league history as the first team to play an entire 14-game season without winning or tying a single game. They did not score until their third game and did not score a touchdown until their fourth. They lost by a touchdown or...
season. The Tampa Bay staff was mystified at why this should be, as the replacement of guard Greg Horton with converted defensive lineman Gene Sanders
Gene Sanders
Eugene Sanders is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the eighth round of the 1979 NFL Draft. He played college football at Texas A&M and Washington....
and his greater speed was expected to have improved the team's outside running game. Former starting quarterback Mike Rae
Mike Rae
Michael John Rae is a former professional American football quarterback in the National Football League.-Early life:Rae attended and played high school football at Lakewood High School.-College career:...
, having been displaced by Chuck Fusina
Chuck Fusina
Charles Anthony Fusina is a former professional American football quarterback. He played in both the National Football League and United States Football League and was an All-American and Maxwell Award winner at Penn State University in 1978.-Professional football:At 6'1" 195-lb., Fusina was a...
during the preseason as Doug Williams' backup, was placed on injured reserve after three games. His roster spot was filled by blocking tight end Conrad Rucker, who was in turn later replaced by Tony Samuels. The team began to show signs of frustration during a week 5 game against the Chicago Bears, with players arguing with officials and opponents and tackling with excessive violence. Bears safety Doug Plank
Doug Plank
Douglas Walter Plank is a former American-football safety and coach in the National Football League. Currently, he is the head coach of the Philadelphia Soul in the Arena Football League.- Early life :...
reported that several of the Buccaneers were preoccupied with seeking revenge over Plank's excessive but unpenalized hit on Jimmie Giles, a hit for which Plank was later fined by the NFL. A rash of mental mistakes and overall poor performance by the receivers led to midseason changes in which Larry Mucker
Larry Mucker
Larry Donnell Mucker is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the ninth round of the 1977 NFL Draft. He played college football at Arizona State.-References:...
was waived, with the intention of replacing him with Gerald Carter
Gerald Carter
Gerald Louis Carter , is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 9th round of the 1980 NFL Draft. A 6'1", 190-lb. wide receiver from Texas A&M, Carter played in 8 NFL seasons from 1980 to 1987...
, a rookie who had impressed in training camp but had not made the final cut. Although Carter could not clear waivers, being claimed by the Jets, San Francisco 49ers receiver Mike Shumann
Mike Shumann
Mike Shumann is a former American football wide receiver who played for the San Francisco 49ers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and St. Louis Cardinals of the National Football League. He is a member of the Florida State Seminoles Hall of Fame. Shumann is currently a sports anchor for KGO-TV in San...
came available, and promptly contributed reliable play.
After a three-game winless streak marked by uncharacteristic defensive collapses, McKay accused the team of "living in the past". At a press conference, McKay drew a diagram showing how a play had failed because players had not run it the same way they practiced it, and wrote an explanation at the bottom: "Mental Don't Give a Bleep". Injury problems worsened, as by the end of October starting guards Sanders and Greg Roberts
Greg Roberts (football player)
Gregory Lafeyette Roberts is a former professional American football offensive guard. Roberts was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2nd round of the 1979 NFL Draft. One of the best Offensive Guard in Ncaa History...
were both on injured reserve. League rules allowed teams to activate a maximum of three players per season off of injured reserve, but the Buccaneers had already activated two and intended to save the third for Mike Rae in case of an injury to a quarterback. Although the staff would not publicize players' personal problems, it was later revealed that several players experienced diminished performance due to excessive drug use. David Lewis, Greg Roberts, and Cecil Johnson were identified as being among the half-dozen or so players involved. This became the motivation for a series of surprise trades in the 1982
1982 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
The 1982 Tampa Bay Buccaneers were regarded for the first time as a regular playoff contender. They were considered by some to be the best Buccaneer team yet, despite a mediocre offensive line and the lack of a feature running back. The team played only two games before the players' union called a...
offseason.
The offense began to improve at midseason, but the defense found it difficult to cope with new rules intended to open up the passing game. It was also alleged that the Buccaneers' first-place schedule was a factor, as the defensive strategy of preventing the big play while allowing small gains was more effective against lower-quality teams that were more mistake-prone and less capable of taking advantage of the opportunities offered them. McKay pointed out a noticeable lack of enthusiasm, saying that players were standing around on the field as though waiting to be interviewed. The season ended with a three-game losing streak, with McKay unable to explain why the season had gone the way it did. Although he still felt confident in the defensive personnel, he called the running backs the worst blockers he'd ever been associated with. He for the first time gave Ricky Bell less than his full support, stating that the team had not gotten their money's worth out of Bell during the season.
Schedule
| Regular season | ||||||||
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Kickoff | Game site | TV | Attendance | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 7, 1980 | at Cincinnati Bengals Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL... |
W 17-12 | 1:00 | Riverfront Stadium | CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
|
1-0 |
| 2 | September 11, 1980 | Los Angeles Rams | W 10-9 | 9:00 | Tampa Stadium | ABC Monday Night Football Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series... |
|
2-0 |
| 3 | September 21, 1980 | at Dallas Cowboys Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas... |
L 28-17 | 4:00 | Texas Stadium Texas Stadium Texas Stadium was a football stadium in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. The stadium opened on September 17, 1971.Built to replace the aging Cotton Bowl, it was the home field of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, and had a seating capacity of 65,675... |
CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
|
2-1 |
| 4 | September 28, 1980 | Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 34-27 | 1:00 | Tampa Stadium | NBC NFL on NBC NFL on NBC is the brand given to NBC Sports coverage of National Football League games until 1998, when NBC lost the NFL American Football Conference rights to CBS... |
|
2-2 |
| 5 | October 6, 1980 | at Chicago Bears Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 23-0 | 9:00 | Soldier Field Soldier Field Soldier Field is located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois, United States, in the Near South Side. It is home to the NFL's Chicago Bears... |
ABC Monday Night Football Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series... |
|
2-3 |
| 6 | October 12, 1980 | Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... |
T 14-14 | 1:00 | Tampa Stadium | CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
|
2-3-1 |
| 7 | October 19, 1980 | at Houston Oilers Tennessee Titans The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter... |
L 20-14 | 4:00 | Houston Astrodome Reliant Astrodome Reliant Astrodome, also known as the Houston Astrodome or simply the Astrodome, is the world's first multi-purpose, domed sports stadium, located in Houston, Texas, USA. The stadium is part of the Reliant Park complex... |
CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
|
2-4-1 |
| 8 | October 26, 1980 | at San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and... |
W 24-23 | 4:00 | Candlestick Park | CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
|
3-4-1 |
| 9 | November 2, 1980 | New York Giants New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 30-13 | 1:00 | Tampa Stadium | CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
|
4-4-1 |
| 10 | November 9, 1980 | Pittsburgh Steelers Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC... |
L 24-21 | 1:00 | Tampa Stadium | NBC NFL on NBC NFL on NBC is the brand given to NBC Sports coverage of National Football League games until 1998, when NBC lost the NFL American Football Conference rights to CBS... |
|
4-5-1 |
| 11 | November 16, 1980 | at Minnesota Vikings Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960... |
L 38-30 | 2:00 | Metropolitan Stadium Metropolitan Stadium Metropolitan Stadium was a sports stadium that once stood in Bloomington, Minnesota, just outside Minneapolis. The area where the stadium once stood is now the site of the Mall of America... |
CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
|
4-6-1 |
| 12 | November 23, 1980 | Detroit Lions Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and... |
L 24-10 | 1:00 | Tampa Stadium | CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
|
4-7-1 |
| 13 | November 30, 1980 | at Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... |
W 20-17 | 2:00 | Milwaukee County Stadium Milwaukee County Stadium Milwaukee County Stadium was a ballpark in Milwaukee, Wisconsin from 1953 to 2000. It was primarily used as a baseball stadium for the Milwaukee Braves and Brewers, but was also used for football games, ice skating, religious services, concerts and other large events... |
CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
|
5-7-1 |
| 14 | December 7, 1980 | Minnesota Vikings Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960... |
L 21-10 | 1:00 | Tampa Stadium | CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
|
5-8-1 |
| 15 | December 14, 1980 | at Detroit Lions Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and... |
L 27-14 | 4:00 | Pontiac Silverdome Silverdome The Silverdome is an indoor sporting and entertainment venue located in Launceston, Tasmania built in 1984. The Silverdome was built at an estimated cost of A$4 million, as the Tasmanian Government "proposed a world class facility" to replace the run down velodrome in the Launceston suburb of St... |
CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
|
5-9-1 |
| 16 | December 20, 1980 | Chicago Bears Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 14-13 | 4:00 | Tampa Stadium | CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
|
5-10-1 |
1980 Roster
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1980 roster | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Wide Receivers
Tight Ends
|
Offensive Linemen
Darrell Austin Kenneth Darrell Austin is a former professional American football offensive lineman in the National Football League. He played eight seasons for the New York Jets and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.... G-C-T Charley Hannah Charley Hannah is a former American football offensive guard and defensive end who played in the National Football League from 1977 to 1988. Charley played six years for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and six years for the Los Angeles Raiders... RT Dave Reavis David Craig Reavis was a National Football League offensive lineman from 1974 through 1983.... LT Gene Sanders Eugene Sanders is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the eighth round of the 1979 NFL Draft. He played college football at Texas A&M and Washington.... T-G-DE-NT Ray Snell Ray Snell is a former guard in the National Football League for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, most notably, along with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Tampa Bay, using their 4th ever first round draft pick, acquired Snell with the 22nd in the first round of the 1980 NFL Draft... RG Steve Wilson (offensive lineman) Steve Wilson is a former American football center in the National Football League who played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1976 to 1985. He was the last original Buccaneer to retire and the only original Buc player to be a starter in each of the first 10 seasons of the franchise... C George Yarno George Anthony Yarno is a former professional football player, a guard with the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons, and Houston Oilers. He also played two seasons with the Denver Gold of the USFL... LG Defensive Linemen
|
Linebackers
Scot Brantley Scot Eugene Brantley is an American radio and television sports broadcaster and former college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League for eight seasons in the 1980s... Aaron Brown (linebacker) Aaron Cedric Brown is a former professional American football player who played linebacker for six seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles, and Atlanta Falcons.-References:... Andy Hawkins (American football) Anthony James Hawkins is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 10th round of the 1987 NFL Draft. He played college football at Texas A&M-Kingsville.Hawkins brother Mike also played in the NFL for the New England... Dewey Selmon Dewey Selmon is a former football linebacker. He played collegiate football at Oklahoma . He went on to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the San Diego Chargers in the National Football League.... LILB Cecil Johnson Cecil Johnson is a former professional American football player who played linebacker for nine seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers... ROLB Defensive Backs
Special Teams
|
Reserve Lists
Practice Squad Rookies in italics Starters in Boldface |
|||||
Coaching staff
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1980 coaching staff | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Front Office
Head Coaches
Offensive Coaches
|
Defensive Coaches
Special Teams Coaches
|
|||||
Week 1: at Cincinnati Bengals
September 7, 1980 at Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati, OhioCincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
The Buccaneers faced a Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
team missing quarterback Ken Anderson, who injured his leg during the final preseason game. Buccaneer defensive backs Mike Washington
Mike Washington
Mike Washington , is a former American professional football player who played in 9 NFL seasons from 1976-1984 for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Mike was selected in the in 3rd round of 1975 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Colts....
and Cedric Brown
Cedric Brown
Cedric Brown , is a former American professional football player who played in 9 NFL seasons from 1976-1984 for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.Brown was a very solid and underrated free safety for the Bucs, seldom making errors but capable of big plays also....
were expected to see limited action, to avoid aggravating their preseason injuries on Riverfront Stadium's artificial turf. The game was played in a downpour, with coach McKay at one point ordering punter Tom Blanchard to run into the end zone and give up a safety, rather than risk a mistake that might lead to a Bengals touchdown. Randy Crowder
Randy Crowder
Randolph Channing Crowder Sr. is a former American football defensive lineman in the NFL. He played three seasons with the Miami Dolphins and three with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers...
sacked Bengals quarterback Jack Thompson deep in Bengals territory twice in one second-quarter series. Doug Williams took advantage of the resulting good field position to throw a 32-yard touchdown to Jimmie Giles
Jimmie Giles
Jimmie Giles, Jr. ; , was a former professional American football player who was drafted by the Houston Oilers in the third round of the 1977 NFL Draft. A 6'3", 238 lbs. tight end from Alcorn State University, Giles played in 13 NFL seasons from 1977-1989...
shortly before the end of the half. Blanchard fumbled the snap on what could have been a game-winning field goal late in the fourth quarter, but the error was nullified when Bengals punter Pat McInally
Pat McInally
John Patrick "Pat" McInally , is a former punter and wide receiver for the National Football League's Cincinnati Bengals from 1976 to 1985.-Early career:...
's fumbled punt snap gave the Buccaneers possession at the Bengals' five-yard line. Williams threw a 15-yard touchdown to Giles to clinch the game.
Week 2: vs Los Angeles Rams
September 11, 1980 at Tampa Stadium, Tampa, FloridaTampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
The rematch of the previous season's NFC Championship game occurred in a special Thursday-night edition of Monday Night Football, for which the teams only had three days to prepare. The Rams were mistake-prone, but nonetheless able to maintain a 9-3 lead over the Buccaneers, until a pass interference penalty on defensive back Ivory Sully
Ivory Sully
Ivory Sully is a retired American football player.Sully grew up in Leonia, New Jersey, and played high school football there at Leonia High School. Undrafted as a running back from Division II Delaware, he was signed as a free agent by the Los Angeles Rams, who moved him to safety...
gave the Buccaneers the ball at the Rams' 11-yard line with 1:21 left to play. The 41-yard penalty was Tampa Bay's longest offensive play of the game. Doug Williams dove for a touchdown on the next series, and Garo Yepremian's extra point gave the Buccaneers the lead. Norris Thomas ended the Rams' final threat by intercepting a Vince Ferragamo
Vince Ferragamo
Vince Anthony Ferragamo is a former professional football player, a quarterback in the National Football League and Canadian Football League.-College career:...
pass. The Buccaneers were fortunate to have remained in position for the victory, as they only managed 17 yards of offense in the first quarter and did not get a first down until halfway through the second quarter. Earlier Los Angeles scoring opportunities were defeated by penalties and interceptions. Speculation during the week had been that the Rams might come in disorganized, due to several veterans having just rejoined the team after offseason contract disputes, and several others being disgruntled over salaries. Ferragamo, starting in place of the injured Pat Haden
Pat Haden
Patrick Capper "Pat" Haden is the athletic director at the University of Southern California. He played quarterback for the USC Trojans before playing professionally in the NFL for the Los Angeles Rams from 1976 to 1981...
, had missed practice earlier in the week and threatened not to make the trip to Tampa for the game. The Buccaneers suffered several injuries, the most serious being to nose tackle Randy Crowder, who suffered a knee injury during the second half that required surgery and ended his career.
Week 3: at Dallas Cowboys
September 21, 1980 at Texas StadiumTexas Stadium
Texas Stadium was a football stadium in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. The stadium opened on September 17, 1971.Built to replace the aging Cotton Bowl, it was the home field of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, and had a seating capacity of 65,675...
, Irving, Texas
Irving, Texas
Irving is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within Dallas County. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city population was 216,290. Irving is within the Dallas–Plano–Irving metropolitan division of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan area, designated...
In a reversal of the previous two weeks, the Buccaneers set several team offensive records, but were unable to come away with a win as their defense was unable to stop the Dallas offense. Doug Williams had his best day yet, completing 17 of 30 passes for 258 yards while rushing seven times for 77 yards and a touchdown. Williams' 335 total yards, the team's 442 total yards, and the team's 312 first-half yards all set new team records. Cowboys quarterback Danny White
Danny White
Wilford Daniel "Danny" White is a former quarterback and punter for the Dallas Cowboys, an American football coach in the Arena Football League and also occasionally appears as an analyst on broadcasts of college football games. He was named the head coach of the Arena Football League expansion...
threw for 244 yards and three touchdowns, and Tony Dorsett
Tony Dorsett
Anthony "Tony" Drew Dorsett is a former American football running back in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos.-Early years:...
carried 20 times for 100 yards. After Jimmie Giles beat Dallas safeties Charlie Waters
Charlie Waters
Charlie Tutan Waters is a former American football safety for the Dallas Cowboys from 1970-1981 in the National Football League...
and Dennis Thurman
Dennis Thurman
Dennis Lee Thurman is a retired American football cornerback in the National Football League.- Early life :...
for a second-quarter touchdown, Waters and Thurman took turns intercepting Williams in the second half. Waters' interception led to the Cowboys' game-winning drive, while Thurman's interception ended any hopes of a Buccaneer comeback. Missing three starters, the defense was unable to put any pressure on White. A fourth starter, Cecil Johnson
Cecil Johnson
Cecil Johnson is a former professional American football player who played linebacker for nine seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers...
, was lost in the second half.
Week 4: vs Cleveland Browns
September 28, 1980 at Tampa Stadium, Tampa, FloridaTampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
quarterback Brian Sipe
Brian Sipe
Brian Winfield Sipe is a former professional American football quarterback who played in the National Football League from 1974 to 1983 and the United States Football League from 1984 to 1985....
set a team record by completing 13 consecutive passes en route to passing for 318 yards, the highest total that Tampa Bay had allowed to date. He beat a Buccaneer blitz to hit former Dallas great Calvin Hill
Calvin Hill
Calvin G. Hill is a retired American football running back who had a 12-year NFL career from 1969 to 1981. He played for the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins and Cleveland Browns...
for a touchdown that gave the Browns a 30-13 lead. Despite going into the final two minutes with a two-touchdown deficit, the Buccaneers continued to rally, scoring on a 7-yard pass to Jerry Eckwood
Jerry Eckwood
Jerry Eckwood is a former NFL running back. He played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1979–1981, and was a key member of the Buccaneers team that made the first playoff appearance in franchise history in 1979...
with 45 seconds left. They were able to recover the ensuing onside kick, but were not able to score again in the remaining time. Doug Williams completed 30 passes for 337 yards. Two first-quarter touchdown opportunities ended with penalties, forcing the Buccaneers to settle for field goals which provided the margin of defeat. Injuries again were a factor, as the inexperienced Dave Logan aided a second-quarter Cleveland drive by committing penalties on two consecutive plays, and free safety Cedric Brown was badly missed.
Week 5: at Chicago Bears
October 6, 1980 at Soldier FieldSoldier Field
Soldier Field is located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois, United States, in the Near South Side. It is home to the NFL's Chicago Bears...
, Chicago, Illinois
A second Monday Night Football appearance saw the Buccaneer defense return to form, but the offense failed to generate any points. A chance at an early lead was lost when Doug Williams' touchdown pass to Jimmie Giles was called back due to a holding penalty. Williams was held to 9 completions for 89 yards on 28 pass attempts, and was benched early to protect him from injury from the Bears' pass rush, according to coach McKay. Walter Payton
Walter Payton
Walter Jerry Payton was an American football running back who played for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League for thirteen seasons. Walter Payton was known around the NFL as "Sweetness". He is remembered as one of the most prolific running backs in the history of American football...
's 133 yards on 28 carries moved him ahead of Gayle Sayers as the Bears' all-time offensive leader. Alan Page
Alan Page
Alan Cedric Page is a justice on the Minnesota Supreme Court and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He graduated from Central Catholic High School in 1963, received his B.A. in political science from the University of Notre Dame in 1967, and received his J.D. from the University of...
had a sack, a fumble recovery, an interception, and blocked a field-goal attempt. Of his team's performance, McKay said afterward that "We set Monday Night Football back 2,000 years". Both teams entered the game as playoff teams from the previous season who were in two-game losing streaks and saw winning this game as important for staying in the current season's playoff picture, as the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
had already taken a two-game division lead.
Week 6: vs Green Bay Packers
October 12, 1980 at Tampa Stadium, Tampa, FloridaTampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
Lynn Dickey
Lynn Dickey
Clifford Lynn Dickey is a retired National Football League quarterback, who played for the Houston Oilers and the Green Bay Packers in the 1970s and 1980s.-High school:...
passed for 418 yards, which set records for the most in Packers history and the most by a Buccaneer opponent. McKay said that none of his linebackers played well, even though Richard Wood returned a fumble 55 yards for a touchdown. McKay also complained that the team gained only 180 yards rushing, despite the line opening "holes so big I couldn't believe it....(we) should have gained 400 yards". He later admitted that the holes were closing quickly and that the linemen were not finishing off their blocks. The offense was marked by indisciplined play, with receivers running wrong routes and fullbacks blocking the wrong opponent. The linebackers had been considered the strength of the team, but played poor pass defense, and lost two more starters (David Lewis and Cecil Johnson) with injuries. Bill Kollar missed the game with a broken hand, and Mike Washington played despite injury. McKay said after the game that the team was coasting on the previous year's performance, and that they would be ready to forget about the current season and pay attention to the following year if there was no improvement.
Week 7: at Houston Oilers
October 19, 1980 at the Houston AstrodomeReliant Astrodome
Reliant Astrodome, also known as the Houston Astrodome or simply the Astrodome, is the world's first multi-purpose, domed sports stadium, located in Houston, Texas, USA. The stadium is part of the Reliant Park complex...
, Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
Lee Roy Selmon was held ineffective by Oilers tackle Leon Gray
Leon Gray
Leon Gray was an American football tackle in the National Football League for the New England Patriots, Houston Oilers, and the New Orleans Saints. Gray played college football at Jackson State University.-Early life:...
. Behind the blocking of Gray and tight end Dave Casper
Dave Casper
David John Casper , nicknamed "The Ghost." is a former American football player. He was an offensive lineman and tight end.-High school:...
, Earl Campbell
Earl Campbell
Earl Christian Campbell , nicknamed The Tyler Rose, is a former professional American Football running back. He, Paul Hornung and O.J Simpson are the only people to have won the Heisman Trophy , were first overall National Football League draft picks and are in both the Pro Football Hall of Fame...
rushed for 203 yards. Coach McKay singled out rookie linebacker Scot Brantley for praise, but for the most part the Buccaneers' play was marked by missed tackles and mental errors. The receiving corps was especially prone to errors, with receivers frequently running wrong routes or being penalized for illegal formation or pass interference. The poor play of the receivers contributed to the coaching staff's decision to sign a receiver. Their first choice was Gerald Carter, who had been one of the last training camp cuts, but Carter had to clear recall waivers and was claimed by the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
and ex-FSU
Florida State Seminoles football
The Florida State Seminoles football team represents Florida State University in college football. The Florida State Seminoles compete in NCAA Division I-FBS and are members of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
receiver Mike Shumann
Mike Shumann
Mike Shumann is a former American football wide receiver who played for the San Francisco 49ers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and St. Louis Cardinals of the National Football League. He is a member of the Florida State Seminoles Hall of Fame. Shumann is currently a sports anchor for KGO-TV in San...
was signed instead. The Buccaneers had to play many inexperienced players, with rookie Andy Hawkins
Andy Hawkins (American football)
Anthony James Hawkins is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 10th round of the 1987 NFL Draft. He played college football at Texas A&M-Kingsville.Hawkins brother Mike also played in the NFL for the New England...
taking Dave Lewis' place, all of the regular interior offensive linemen injured, and guard Ray Snell too ill to start. Two starters on the line, center Jim Leonard and left guard George Yarno
George Yarno
George Anthony Yarno is a former professional football player, a guard with the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons, and Houston Oilers. He also played two seasons with the Denver Gold of the USFL...
, had a combined 1 year of NFL experience between them. Right guard Greg Roberts' place was taken by former Jets starter Darrell Austin, who had caused Roberts' knee injury by falling on him. Austin had no starting experience with the Buccaneers.
Week 8: at San Francisco 49ers
October 26, 1980 at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, CaliforniaSan Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
Mike Washington's 14-yard interception of a Joe Montana
Joe Montana
Joseph Clifford "Joe" Montana, Jr. , nicknamed Joe Cool, Golden Joe, The Golden Great and Comeback Joe, is a retired American football player. Montana started his NFL career in 1979 with the San Francisco 49ers, where he played quarterback for the next 14 seasons...
pass set up a 2-yard Doug Williams touchdown run to give the Buccaneers a third-quarter lead. The 49ers took the lead back on a Ray Wersching
Ray Wersching
Raimund "Ray" Wersching is an Austrian former placekicker in the National Football League . He played in the NFL for a span of 15 years, stretching from 1973 through 1987.-NFL career:...
field goal, but Garo Yepremian added a field goal with 47 seconds left to provide the winning points. The kick left Yepremian just two shy of becoming the ninth player to kick 200 career field goals.
Week 9: vs New York Giants
November 2, 1980 at Tampa Stadium, Tampa, FloridaTampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
The Buccaneers regained their form of the previous season to take a 23-0 halftime lead, as they faced a New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
team with even worse injury problems than their own. With seven starters lost with injuries, the Giants started six rookies on defense. The Buccaneers attempted to alleviate their own injury problems by activating linebacker Rik Bonness
Rik Bonness
Richard Kyes "Rik" Bonness is a former professional football player, a linebacker for four seasons in the NFL for the Oakland Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers....
from injured reserve, but this required that he clear waivers, and he was claimed by the Giants only to be released two days later and return to Tampa Bay. Ricky Bell gained 130 yards on 25 carries, and scored two touchdowns. In the minute before halftime, Tampa Bay turned a 10-0 lead into a 23-0 lead, scoring two field goals and a touchdown with the aid of two Giants fumbles. Bill Kollar caused a Phil Simms
Phil Simms
Phillip Martin "Phil" Simms is a former American football quarterback, and currently a television sportscaster for the CBS network. After a standout career at Morehead State University, Simms was drafted in the first round by the New York Giants of the National Football League with the number...
fumble that Lee Roy Selmon recovered, setting up Doug Williams' 25-yard touchdown pass to Mike Shumann. On the next play from scrimmage, Selmon delivered a hard hit on Billy Taylor
Billy Taylor (running back)
Billy Taylor is a former professional American football player who was selected by the New York Giants in the fourth round of the 1978 NFL Draft. A 6'0", 215-lb. running back from Texas Tech, Taylor played for five NFL seasons as a running back and kick returner...
that caused a fumble which Kollar recovered, setting up a field goal. The Giants were held to 2 first downs, 2 yards passing, and 17 offensive plays in the first half. Garo Yepremian's parents were in attendance to see him kick his 200th career field goal and set a Buccaneer record of 18 consecutive successful extra-point attempts. The game continued a trend of last-minute rallies. In three of their four victories, 37 of their 57 points were scored during the last two minutes before the end of a half, and three times the winning points were scored after the two-minute warning
Two-minute warning
In the National Football League, the two-minute warning is given when two minutes of game time remain on the game clock in each half of a game, i.e. near the end of the second and fourth quarters. There is an additional two-minute warning in the rare event only two minutes remain in an overtime...
.
Week 10: vs Pittsburgh Steelers
November 9, 1980 at Tampa Stadium, Tampa, FloridaTampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
Late-game confusion left the Buccaneers one play away from defeating the defending Super Bowl
Super Bowl XIV
Super Bowl XIV was an American football game played on January 20, 1980 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1979 regular season...
champion Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
, as quarterback Doug Williams spiked the ball to stop the game clock on fourth down. Late in the second quarter, Scot Brantley had a clear shot at intercepting a Terry Bradshaw
Terry Bradshaw
Terry Paxton Bradshaw is a former American football quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League . He played 14 seasons. He is a football analyst and co-host of Fox NFL Sunday...
pass, but Richard Wood stepped in front and tipped it into Lynn Swann
Lynn Swann
-Collegiate:Swann attended the University of Southern California, where he was an All-American on the Trojans football team. He played under legendary coach John McKay, including the 1972 undefeated and national championship season. McKay said of Swann, "He has speed, soft hands, and grace." He...
's hands. It became the game-winning touchdown. The game ended with a Buccaneer rally that died with 23 seconds left. Believing that Tampa Bay had gotten a first down on the previous play, Doug Williams spiked the ball to stop the game clock on fourth down, giving the ball back to the Steelers. The Buccaneers did have one remaining time out, but had been reserving it for a field goal attempt. Certainty that the officials had indicated first down kept team captain Dave Reavis
Dave Reavis
David Craig Reavis was a National Football League offensive lineman from 1974 through 1983....
from calling for a meaurement, which also would have stopped the game clock. All Buccaneers and several Steelers believed that an official had said that it was first down, while the stadium scoreboard still read third down and 10. Some Steelers thought that Jimmie Giles had misinterpreted an official's sarcastic response to Giles' question of whether it was first down, while Pittsburgh assistant coach George Perles
George Perles
George J. Perles is a former American football player and coach. He was a defensive line coach, defensive coordinator, and assistant head coach for the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers from 1972–1981 and the head coach at Michigan State University from 1983–1994...
insisted that Williams never spiked the ball at all, but simply underthrew Isaac Hagins. It was largely believed that the Buccaneers had outplayed the Steelers, despite the loss. Aside from the touchdown to Swann, the Pittsburgh offense was ineffective. Bradshaw completed just 11 passes for 100 yards and was replaced by Cliff Stoudt
Cliff Stoudt
Clifford Lewis Stoudt is a former American football quarterback for Youngstown State University and the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers...
in the fourth quarter. The other seventeen of the Steelers' points were the result of special teams breakdowns. The feared Pittsburgh defense was held to a single sack and only one interception. On one play, all eleven Steeler defenders blitzed Williams, leaving Giles open for a 12-yard touchdown reception. Williams had one of his best performances to date, passing for 302 yards and rushing for 67 more. Williams also threw touchdown passes to Ricky Bell and Kevin House. Steelers receiver John Stallworth
John Stallworth
Johnny Lee Stallworth is a former American football wide receiver who played fourteen seasons in the National Football League for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played college football at Alabama A&M, and was the Steelers' fourth-round draft pick in 1974. Stallworth played in six AFC championships,...
fractured his left foot during the game.
Week 11: at Minnesota Vikings
November 16, 1980 at Metropolitan StadiumMetropolitan Stadium
Metropolitan Stadium was a sports stadium that once stood in Bloomington, Minnesota, just outside Minneapolis. The area where the stadium once stood is now the site of the Mall of America...
, Bloomington, Minnesota
Bloomington, Minnesota
Bloomington is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota in Hennepin County. Located on the north bank of the Minnesota River above its confluence with the Mississippi River, Bloomington lies at the heart of the southern...
The Buccaneers lost to the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
in an offensive shootout, in which the Vikings were playing for the first time with a set of fully healthy starters at offensive line and quarterback. Quarterback Tommy Kramer
Tommy Kramer
Thomas Francis Kramer is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the NFL from 1977 to 1990...
credited the Vikings' success to their strategy of throwing the short passes which the Buccaneer defense allowed, then switching to long passes when the Buccaneers adjusted to the short passes. Improved receiver play helped Doug Williams complete 30 of his 55 passes for 486 yards, then the fourth-highest total in NFL history. This remains (as of 2010
2010 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
The 2010 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season was the club's 35th season as a franchise in the NFL. The Buccaneers entered the season attempting to improve on their 3–13 record and last place finish in the NFC South in 2009, a feat they accomplished after only six games...
) the Buccaneers' single-game record, as does Williams' total of 499 yards rushing and passing. The game marked the emergence of rookie Kevin House, who beat Nate Wright
Nate Wright
-Professional career:Wright earned All-Pro honors at defensive back in 1974 and 1976. His career consisted mostly of time as a defensive back with the great Minnesota Vikings teams of the 1970s...
for two touchdowns. Issac Hagins caught a 48-yard touchdown, while Gordon Jones caught 7 passes for 121 yards. When Ricky Bell suffered a knee bruise, Tony Davis got his first playing time in his two seasons with the team, and scored a touchdown the first time he touched the ball. A second Davis touchdown reception was nullified by an illegal motion penalty, leaving Tampa Bay to settle for a Garo Yepremian field goal. Kramer threw for 324 yards and two touchdowns, and Ted Brown
Ted Brown
Ted Brown is an American and former collegiate and professional football player. He attended High Point high school, before attending North Carolina State University.-Football career:...
rushed for two touchdowns for the Vikings. For the second week in a row, a Buccaneer game involved a strange officiating incident. Trying to avoid the pass rush, Williams dumped a pass to tackle Charley Hannah, who threw the ball to the ground when he saw an official waving his arms. Vikings end Randy Holloway
Randy Holloway
Randy Holloway is a former National Football League defensive end who played from 1978 to 1984 for the Minnesota Vikings and the St. Louis Cardinals. He attended the University of Pittsburgh and was the Vikings first round draft pick in the 1978 NFL Draft....
picked up the ball and ran it into the end zone for an apparent touchdown. The officials needed several minutes to sort out the situation, and eventually penalized Tampa Bay 14 yards for an illegal forward pass.
Week 12: vs Detroit Lions
November 23, 1980 at Tampa Stadium, Tampa, FloridaTampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
The Lions moved into sole possession of first place in the NFC central race, as the Buccaneers collapsed after taking a 10-0 lead. The Buccaneers scored on their opening possession, a 66-yard drive which ended in a Garo Yepremian field goal. Curtis Jordan's recovery of a Billy Sims
Billy Sims
Billy Sims is a former college football and NFL running back. He won the Heisman Trophy in 1978.-Early years:...
fumble led to a 12-yard touchdown pass from Doug Williams to Gordon Jones in the second quarter. Detroit answered with an 85-yard drive that ended with the Buccaneer defense overpursuing on a reverse, allowing Ray Williams to run 11 yards untouched for a touchdown. Jerry Eckwood fumbled on the following possession, giving the Lions the ball at the Buccaneer 32-yard line and setting them up for Sims' 24-yard touchdown run. The Lions later scored on a field goal set up by a long punt return by Williams, and a touchdown set up by Norris Thomas' penalty for a late hit on Horace King that gave Detroit the ball back when they had been stopped on third down. Ricky Bell did not play due to a bruised thigh suffered in the previous week's loss to the Vikings. Coach McKay was critical of the fumbling of Eckwood and Danny Reece (who fumbled two punts), stating that both would lose their starting roles.
Week 13: at Green Bay Packers
November 30, 1980 at Lambeau FieldLambeau Field
Lambeau Field is an outdoor football stadium in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the home of the NFL's Green Bay Packers. Opened in 1957 as City Stadium, it replaced the original City Stadium as the Packers' home field...
, Green Bay, Wisconsin
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Green Bay is a city in and the county seat of Brown County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, located at the head of Green Bay, a sub-basin of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River. It has an elevation of above sea level and is located north of Milwaukee. As of the 2010 United States Census,...
The Buccaneers won in come-from-behind fashion against the Packers. The Buccaneers led for most of the game on a 17-yard Doug Williams touchdown pass to Isaac Hagins, and a pair of Garo Yepremian field goals. Green Bay took a fourth-quarter lead after Cedric Brown's pass-interference penalty (called against Mike Washington) gave them the ball at the Buccaneers' 1-yard line. Eddie Lee Ivery
Eddie Lee Ivery
Eddie Lee Ivery is a former professional American football player.-Early years through college:Ivery was born in McDuffie County, Georgia. He played high school football at Thomson High School in Thomson, Georgia...
ran for a touchdown on the next play, and when the Buccaneers failed to move the ball on the ensuing possession, it took less than a minute for Packers quarterback Lynn Dickey
Lynn Dickey
Clifford Lynn Dickey is a retired National Football League quarterback, who played for the Houston Oilers and the Green Bay Packers in the 1970s and 1980s.-High school:...
to hit Paul Coffman
Paul Coffman
Paul Randolph Coffman is a former professional American football player who played tight end for ten seasons for the Green Bay Packers and the Kansas City Chiefs in the National Football League.-Personal:...
with a 17-yard touchdown for the lead. Kevin House caught a tipped pass over safety Johnnie Gray
Johnnie Gray
Johnnie Lee Gray was a safety who played nine seasons in the National Football League for the Green Bay Packers. Gray attended California State University, Fullerton.- References :...
at the Packers' 1-yard line with 2:45 remaining to set up Johnny Davis' touchdown run for the winning score, though the Buccaneers still needed to survive a Jan Stenerud
Jan Stenerud
Jan Stenerud is a former professional football player for the American Football League's Kansas City Chiefs , and the NFL's Chiefs , Green Bay Packers , and Minnesota Vikings .-Background:...
field goal attempt with 21 seconds to play. Coach McKay would later joke that the game had been planned all along to end that way, for excitement. Lee Roy Selmon, Bill Kollar, and Ray Snell all left the game with injuries. With Ricky Bell still sidelined with a mild knee injury, Rick Berns made his first career start. Berns had received much press attention during the previous week, due to coach McKay's sarcastic comments that "we might start the fabulous Rick Berns. He doesn't catch the ball in practice, maybe he will in a game". Berns led Tampa Bay rushers with 72 yards on 19 carries, although his fumble on the Packers' 2-yard line ended a scoring opportunity on the opening drive.
Week 14: vs Minnesota Vikings
December 7, 1980 at Tampa Stadium, Tampa, FloridaTampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
The Buccaneers dominated the Vikings through the first half in a game which they needed to win to remain in playoff contention, but in the second half collapsed on both offense and defense. In the first half, Vikings quarterback Tommy Kramer was held to 7 completions for 63 yards, with no catches by the wide receivers and no success in the ground game. In the second half, Kramer went 15-of-19 for 201 yards. His 17-yard touchdown pass to Sammy White gave the Vikings the lead for good early in the fourth quarter. Kramer's scrambling kept the linebackers out of coverage, and opened up passing routes such as Bob Tucker's 25-yard reception that set up the first Viking touchdown. The Buccaneers were still in position to win until Fred McNeill
Fred McNeill
Frederick Arnold McNeill was a linebacker for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League for 12 seasons from 1974-1985. McNeill was selected out of UCLA by the Vikings in the first round of the 1974 NFL Draft with the 17th overall selection...
recovered Rick Berns' fumble at the Viking 12-yard line with five minutes to play. Much-criticized for his handling of players due to his previous week's postgame comments about Berns, McKay responded to all postgame questions by saying "all of the players played lovely".
Week 15: at Detroit Lions
December 14, 1980 at the Pontiac SilverdomePontiac Silverdome
The Silverdome is a domed stadium located in the city of Pontiac, Michigan, USA, which sits on . It was the largest stadium in the National Football League until FedEx Field in suburban Washington, D.C...
, Pontiac, Michigan
Pontiac, Michigan
Pontiac is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan named after the Ottawa Chief Pontiac, located within the Detroit metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 59,515. It is the county seat of Oakland County...
Despite the Lions having received news of their elimination from contention for the division title only minutes into the game, they were noticeably more motivated to win than the Buccaneers were. Tampa Bay took an early lead on Dave Logan's 60-yard fumble recovery touchdown, but the Lions answered the score on their next possession. The Buccaneers struggled to move the ball all day, gaining only 40 yards on the ground. The Buccaneers were also able to stop Billy Sims and the Lions' running game, but Gary Danielson
Gary Danielson
Gary Danielson is a former professional football player, a quarterback in the National Football League . He played for the Detroit Lions from 1976 to 1984 and for the Cleveland Browns in 1985, 1987, and 1988...
had much success passing. Doug Williams completed only 13 of 37 passes, with two interceptions. Lions receiver Ray Williams caught a 22-yard touchdown pass from Danielson, while Sims contributed a 1-yard touchdown run and Eddie Murray kicked two field goals. The Buccaneers still had a shot at victory after Williams hit Kevin House for a 32-yard fourth-quarter touchdown, but Ray Williams returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown.
Week 16: vs Chicago Bears
December 20, 1980 at Tampa Stadium, Tampa, FloridaTampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
The Bears took the lead for good after Jerry Eckwood's fumble on the Buccaneer two-yard line set up a Vince Evans
Vince Evans
Vincent Tobias Evans is a former professional American football quarterback who was selected by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 1977 NFL Draft...
touchdown. The fumble was one of three committed by Eckwood, although one was called back and the other was recovered by Doug Williams. Eckwood was taken out of the game after the third fumble, which occurred while Eckwood was playing with a separated shoulder. Eckwood was not alone in fumbling, as Kevin House and Jimmie Giles were both stripped of the ball near the goal line, ending two potential game-winning fourth-quarter drives. The Buccaneers still had one last opportunity to win the game, but Al Harris
Al Harris (defensive lineman)
Alfred Carl Harris is a former professional American football defensive end and linebacker in the National Football League for the Chicago Bears during the early 1980s. He played with the team from 1979 to 1984...
blocked Garo Yepremian's field goal attempt with 40 seconds left. Ricky Bell reinjured his knee and sat out the second half, while Ray Snell suffered a knee injury. $6,000 worth of equipment and uniforms were stolen from the Bears' locker room before the game, but play was not affected, as the Bears had two sets of gear.
Awards and honors
- Lee Roy Selmon, All-ProAll-ProAll-Pro is a term mostly used in the NFL for the best players of each position during that season. It began as polls of sportswriters in the early 1920s...
selection - Lee Roy Selmon, Pro Bowl selection
- Jimmie Giles, Pro Bowl selection
- Dave Lewis, Pro Bowl Selection
- Ray Snell, All-Rookie