1978 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
Encyclopedia
The 1978
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
season began with the team trying to improve on a 2-12 season. Since their two 1977
victories came in the last two games of the season, they entered the 1978 season with the longest active winning streak in the NFC Central. The Buccaneers entered the season with new offensive talent, having selected Doug Williams with the 17th overall pick of the draft. This choice was questioned by many, as there was still an element of society who claimed that a black quarterback was not mentally capable of winning in the NFL, and prejudice is believed to have been a factor in Williams having been drafted as low as seventeenth. According to Buccaneer coach John McKay
, "All things being equal, Williams would have gone higher in the draft". Second-year tight end Jimmie Giles
, also a part of the trade that landed Williams, emerged as the Buccaneers' first receiving threat and to this day holds several of their scoring records.
resigned, citing only "personal matters". This renewed speculation that John McKay, who replaced Wolf with two of his own longtime assistants, was trying to consolidate front-office power. The coaching staff was reshuffled, with Tom Bass being named defensive coordinator, and offensive coordinator Joe Gibbs
hired away from the St. Louis Cardinals
. Offensive line coach Jerry Frei
left to take the same position with the Chicago Bears
. Tight end Bob Moore
was traded, along with a 1979
first-round draft pick, for three-time All-Pro
Bears defensive end Wally Chambers
. The Buccaneers were widely considered to have given up too much in the trade, as Chambers was coming off of major knee surgery and was considered by many to be "damaged merchandise", and the Buccaneers were left with minimal experience at tight end. The trade was also criticized on the grounds that the Buccaneers did not require Chambers to undergo a team physical, despite his injury history. Council Rudolph
, the only player who had started in all 28 of the Buccaneers' games to date, was made expendable by the trade and was dealt to the Miami Dolphins
for a draft pick. Preseason speculation ran high about what would happen with the Buccaneers' first overall choice in the draft
, with Houston Oilers
coach Bum Phillips
reportedly stating that the Oilers would better any other team's offer to the Buccaneers. Unlike the previous year, when it was made clear early on that Ricky Bell
was to be their choice, the Buccaneers kept quiet about who they might draft, further fueling speculation about a trade. The New York Jets
were said to have offered their fourth-overall draft pick, plus any player on their roster other than Richard Todd. Tight end was considered to be the Buccaneers' single greatest need, with Ken MacAfee
of Notre Dame
often mentioned as a likely draft target. According to Don Shula
, "With John McKay's type of offense, an outstanding tight end is absolutely essential. It cannot go without one". This happened to be one of the positions hit hardest by injury in 1977
. With most of their mid-round draft picks traded away, the Buccaneers were looking for a trade that would bring them several draft picks. With no teams willing to give up a starting quarterback as part of a deal, the Buccaneers eventually traded the pick to the Oilers, for tight end Jimmie Giles and the Oilers' first- and second-round picks in 1978
, and their third- and fifth-round picks in 1979
. Needing a fullback, the Buccaneers shortly afterward traded Anthony Davis to the Oilers for Don Hardeman
.
draft was traded to the Houston Oilers in exchange for four draft picks and tight end Jimmie Giles. The Oilers used the pick to select running back Earl Campbell
. The Buccaneers' 3rd-, 4th-, and 6th round picks were traded to the Oakland Raiders
for guard Dan Medlin
, tackle Jeff Winans, and linebacker Rik Bonness
, respectively. Their 5th-round pick was traded to the Miami Dolphins for cornerback Jeris White
. The Buccaneers received a 6th-round pick from the Los Angeles Rams
for center Dan Ryczek
. Their 7th-round pick was traded to the Atlanta Falcons
in return for kicker Allan Leavitt. Their 11th-round pick, along with a second 10th-rounder obtained from the Raiders, were traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers
in return for defensive tackle Ernie Holmes
.
coach and NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Bart Starr
, called the Buccaneers to congratulate them on his selection. John McKay, in charge of the draft for the first time, stated that with no outstanding quarterbacks expected to be in the following year's draft, the team had to have Williams. Johnny Davis was a surprise selection, as running back was considered to be one of the team's deepest positions, but Davis was drafted for his blocking ability. McKay pointed out that many of the previous year's quarterback sacks had been the result not of offensive line breakdowns, but of failure of running backs to pick up blitzes. Brett Moritz played half of the 1977 season at Nebraska
, after transferring from West Point
. He was projected as a backup center. McKay traded a 10th- and an 11th-round pick, players who would not be expected to make the team anyway, to the Pittsburgh Steelers for Ernie Holmes, at one time an important part of the Steelers' championship defenses. Holmes, who was once involved in a shotgun standoff with police after an incidence of acute paranoid psychosis, was traded for on the understanding that his personal problems were behind him. Steelers coach Chuck Noll
called the trade "a gift". The Buccaneers once again passed on offensive linemen, saying that the existing players would improve with more time together, and that the best linemen were all drafted early. The Buccaneers later traded a future draft choice to the Detroit Lions
for veteran tackle Rockne Freitas
.
, drew a standing ovation from the Tampa Stadium crowd. He was the first quarterback in Buccaneer history capable of throwing long passes downfield. Miami Dolphins nose tackle Randy Crowder
, freshly released from federal prison, was signed as a free agent. Ernie Holmes, who was having trouble adjusting to the Buccaneers' 3-4 defense, was waived to make room for him. A 1979
3rd-round draft pick was sent to the Dolphins as NFL-ordered compensation. Johnny Davis and Jimmy DuBose
performed so well in the preseason that newly-acquired fullback Don Hardeman was sent to the Baltimore Colts
for a future draft pick. Wins in their first three preseason games, combined with the two wins at the end of the previous season, gave the Buccaneers the longest active NFL win streak going into the final preseason game. That game, a loss to the Dolphins, was the first Buccaneer game to sell out.
, 200-to-1 longshots to win the Super Bowl
. Their regular-season opener against the New York Giants
marked the first time that Las Vegas
oddsmakers favored the Buccaneers to win, with Jimmy the Greek
naming them as 1-point favorites. A pair of mistake-prone early losses left McKay threatening to release players who cause game-losing errors, a change from the earlier attitude of tolerating mistakes from players who were regarded as having potential. With the defense among the best in the league and the offense sparking behind Doug Williams' leadership, the Buccaneers began to be respected as a competitive NFL team. Coach McKay's respect for Williams was such that he spoke of eventually letting Williams call his own plays in the huddle. McKay's insistence on calling plays from the sideline had been a source of much conflict between McKay and Steve Spurrier
during the 1976
season. Williams led the Buccaneers to a 4-4 start before suffering an injury that required his jaw to be wired shut. Even before Williams' injury, the Buccaneers again found themselves with an injured reserve list in double digits. At midseason, the Buccaneers had 11 players on injured reserve, not counting waived quarterback Mike Boryla
. McKay felt that, with a healthy offense, the team would have finished with at least a 10-6 record. Despite a defense that ranked fourth overall in the NFL, the Buccaneers were only able to win one of their remaining eight games behind backup quarterback Mike Rae
. McKay summed up the season with the word "frustration". The 9-7 record that he predicted the team would finish with would have been enough to win the NFC Central. Nose tackle Dave Pear
became the first Buccaneer selected to the Pro Bowl, finishing third in voting among defensive tackles behind Randy White
and Larry Brooks
. Linebacker Richard Wood's 168 tackles stood for 14 years as a team record.
The New York Giants
scored ten points off of Buccaneer interceptions en route to an upset victory. The Buccaneers rushed for 165 yards, but were held to field goals on drives deep in Giants territory. Doug Williams suffered a badly bruised shoulder when tackled by Gary Jeter
in the first quarter, and was replaced by Gary Huff
. Terry Jackson
returned Williams' early interception, called by John McKay a "terrible blunder", for a touchdown. Williams completed only one of six passes before leaving with the injury. The Buccaneers took the lead on a 2-yard Jimmy DuBose touchdown and a Neil O'Donoghue
field goal, but Joe Pisarcik
's 67-yard pass to Johnny Perkins
gave the Giants the lead for good.
The Detroit Lions
held the Buccaneers to 101 yards of total offense, 56 yards of which came on a first-quarter Ricky Bell run. Bell scored the Buccaneers' only touchdown on a 1-yard plunge. The Buccaneers were hurt by penalties and turnovers, fumbling four times in the first quarter alone. A Lions drive late in the first half was extended twice by Buc penalties, the first when Curtis Jordan
ran into punter Tom Skladany
, and the second when Dave Pear's late hit on Lions quarterback Greg Landry
knocked Landry out of the game. This penalty nullified a Mike Washington
interception, and resulted in one of Benny Ricardo
's three field goals. Buc passers were sacked seven times. Mike Boryla started the game for the Buccaneers, but was replaced by Gary Huff. Coming off of the previous season's knee injury, Boryla declared his recovering knee too sore to play on, and went back on injured reserve after the game.
, Bloomington, Minnesota
The Buccaneeers took advantage of Minnesota Vikings
mistakes to get an upset and their first win of the season. The Buccaneers scored on a 5-yard pass from Doug Williams to Morris Owens
, after a live ball that had hit a Viking on a punt return was recovered by Billy Cesare on the Vikings' 5-yard line. Vikings coach Bud Grant
later claimed that returner Kevin Miller never touched the ball, and blamed the loss on the officials. Fran Tarkenton
completed 23 of 31 passes for 180 yards, but threw two interceptions and was replaced by Tommy Kramer
in the final two minutes. Kramer promptly threw an interception to Cecil Johnson
. Tarkenton also hit Ahmad Rashad
for a 4-yard touchdown to finish a 63-yard first-quarter drive. Later, Jeris White's interception of a Tarkenton pass would lead to a 2-yard Ricky Bell touchdown run. The Buccaneers' defense, still steamed over Tarkenton's comments two years earlier that the Buccaneers would be his preferred AFC opponent in the Super Bowl
, held the Vikings to 73 yards rushing and sacked Tarkenton four times. They also came through big by holding the Vikings to a field goal, following a bizarre play in which the Vikings recovered a live ball on a failed field goal attempt and returned it for 80 yards. Grant called the game a defensive contest, saying that there were no good offensive plays in the entire match. John McKay said that "when we shut off their running game, we knew we were in the game and could get 'em", and that the Buccaneers should have a 3-0 record. The game left the two teams tied with 1-2 records.
The Atlanta Falcons
, who in 1977
had set an NFL record for least points allowed, held the Buccaneers to no first downs and one pass completion in the first half. The Falcons were caught sitting on a 2-point lead when the Buccaneers put together a 57-yard fourth-quarter drive, capped by a touchdown pass from Doug Williams to Jim Obradovich
, to win the game. Mike Washington scored early on a 79-yard return of a blocked field goal, still (as of 2009) a Tampa Bay record. The Buccaneers missed two later touchdown opportunities on dropped passes by Isaac Hagins. Jimmy DuBose carried four times for 21 yards on the game-winning drive. Mike Washington scored on a blocked field goal, and a Ricky Bell fumble led to Steve Bartkowski
's 5-yard pass to Al Jackson. The Buccaneers ran out the clock by holding the ball for the final five minutes of the game, something coach McKay didn't think the team would be able to do against the Atlanta defense. The entire game was played in a driving rainstorm, with wind gusts of up to 40 mph. Hagins later underwent x-rays that revealed that he suffered a fractured vertebra during the game. He was placed on injured reserve, and Larry Franklin
was signed to fill his roster spot.
Vikings quarterback Fran Tarkenton completed 20 of 31 passes for 213 yards. He passed for a touchdown to Sammy White
, and set up a rushing touchdown by Robert Miller. Doug Williams completed a Buccaneer-record 16 of 35 passes for 311 yards, including a 56-yard touchdown to Morris Owens. Alan Page
blocked a Dave Green
punt that was returned for the final touchdown. The Vikings also blocked an earlier field goal attempt, described by John McKay as looking like "The ball was snapped like a dying quail and about 25 men came through to block it". As opposed to the previous meeting, the Vikings played error-free football.
, Kansas City, Missouri
The Buccaneers, playing with the goal of keeping the Kansas City Chiefs
' Wing-T offense on the bench as much as possible, held them to little more than half of their regular rushing average. Meanwhile, the Buccaneers' offense had their most productive day ever, setting a team record with three fourth-quarter touchdowns. Jimmy DuBose ran for two touchdowns and Louis Carter
for one, and Doug Williams threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Morris Owens. Kansas City was held to a pair of Jan Stenerud
field goals for most of the game. A fourth-quarter Tony Adams
pass was ruled a touchdown, although replays showed that receiver Henry Marshall
failed to keep both of his feet inbounds. Richard Wood was given much of the credit for stifling the Chiefs' league-leading rushing attack. Wood correctly expected that Chiefs offensive coordinator Tom Pagna would run the offense straight at him, as he did when Wood played at USC and Pagna coached at Notre Dame
. Pagna assumed incorrectly that the undersized Wood would be overpowered, but Wood instead responded by making 12 tackles. This was the Buccaneers' third consecutive road win, and came one day after the Kansas City Royals
were eliminated from the American League
pennant race.
, East Rutherford, New Jersey
The New York Giants capitalized on two late turnovers to come from behind for the win. Giants linebacker Harry Carson
intercepted a Doug Williams pass, then recovered a Louis Carter fumble. Both turnovers led to touchdown runs by Larry Csonka
. Neil O'Donoghue
missed on a last-minute 42-yard field goal attempt into strong winds. Doug Williams was 7-for-27 passing, with two interceptions. The second of these interceptions proved very costly, as Jimmy DuBose suffered what turned out to be a career-ending knee injury while trying to make a tackle on the return. This occurred only four plays after DuBose's 109 yards rushing made him the first Buccaneer rusher to pass the 100-yard mark in a game. Jerry Golsteyn
replaced Joe Pisarcik at quarterback for the Giants, and led both of the fourth-quarter winning drives.
The Chicago Bears expected to face the mistake-prone Buccaneer team they had seen in game films, but were instead confronted with an efficient team that controlled the ball and took advantage of Bears mistakes. Doug Williams threw touchdown passes to Jim Obradovich and Morris Owens, and unexpectedly ran for some key first downs. Gary Fencik
intercepted him at the goal line on one drive, but the Bears failed to gain a first down on the ensuing possession. Ricky Bell, until recently seeing primary duty blocking for Jimmy DuBose, returned to his lead runner spot and gained 95 yards on 28 carries. He was awarded a game ball for his effort. Dave Lewis intercepted Bob Avellini
twice in the final two minutes, and the Buccaneers' defense held Walter Payton
to a season-low 34 yards rushing in the Bears' fifth consecutive loss. The Buccaneers made several changes in starting lineup going into the game: Wally Chambers made his first start of the year, Johnny Davis replaced the injured DuBose at fullback, and recently-acquired Frank Grant
got the start at wide receiver.
, Green Bay, Wisconsin
The Green Bay Packers
held the Buccaneers without a first down or completed pass for the first 37 minutes of the game. The Buccaneers took the lead on a 2-yard Ricky Bell run that was set up by a Morris Owens reception of a 53-yard Doug Williams pass. Chester Marcol
kicked the game-winning field goal. Neil O'Donoghue missed two field goals in the contest. Williams' final pass was intercepted by Willie Buchanon
. The Buccaneers shut down running back Terdell Middleton
and knocked quarterback David Whitehurst
dizzy, but Whitehurst returned to lead the game-winning 50-yard drive. Tampa Bay's uncharacteristic move to a man-to-man defense left Steve Odom
open to catch Whitehurst's 18-yard pass on a fourth down during that drive.
, Anaheim, California
Three Buccaneer starters went out with injuries, most significantly Doug Williams, who suffered a broken jaw on a Jack Youngblood
blitz. Darryl Carlton
separated a shoulder, and Dewey Selmon
broke his wrist. Mike Rae played in relief of Williams, completing 9 of 17 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown. The Rams double-covered both Buccaneer receivers, leaving no coverage to prevent Rae from rushing for 95 yards on four carries. Ricky Bell had his first 100-yard rushing day, with 21 carries for 104 yards. The Buccaneers set several team records in this game: 209 yards was their highest rushing total yet, Bell's 555 yards were a Buccaneer single-season rushing record, and Neil O'Donoghue's 38 points were a new season scoring record. Although the Rams were not on McKay's list of 18 teams that he felt the Buccaneers were competitive with, Tampa Bay rallied to a 23-23 fourth-quarter tie before losing on a late Frank Corral
field goal. It was the Buccaneers' third fourth-quarter collapse in four weeks. The Buccaneers' performance drew cheers from the Los Angeles crowd, among whom McKay was still a popular figure.
, Pontiac, Michigan
The Detroit Lions
had 404 yards, in the Buccaneers' worst defensive performance since 1976
. Horace King became only the third running back in two seasons to gain 100 yards against the Buccaneers. Three defenders missed tackles on his 75-yard touchdown run. Gary Danielson
completed 15 of 24 passes for 206 yards and two touchdowns, both to David Hill. John McKay blamed the poor performance on mental errors, such as three defenders covering one receiver while the other remained open. The Lions also took advantage of the inexperience of middle linebacker Rik Bonness, who was playing at the unfamiliar outside linebacker position due to injuries to Cecil Johnson and Dana Nafziger. The depletion of the linebacker corps required a shift to a 4-3 defense, which the players had difficulty adjusting to. McKay said, "If I had a gun, I would have shot our guys", of all the receivers left open. Buccaneers quarterbacks were sacked eight times, five times by Bubba Baker. The Buccaneers scored on touchdown passes from Mike Rae to Jim Obradovich and from Gary Huff to George Ragsdale
. Neil O'Donoghue kicked three field goals, including a club-record 49-yarder. The loss left the Buccaneers and Lions tied for last place in the NFC Central.
Following two subpar defensive performances, the Buccaneers held the Bills without a touchdown until the fourth quarter, when the Buccaneers already had a 31-3 lead. Buc defenders cheered a return to their regular 3-4 alignment. Johnny Davis gained 78 yards on 18 carries after a Bills player fell on Ricky Bell's knee. The injury to Bell, combined with the earlier injuries to Doug Williams and Jimmy DuBose, left the Buccaneers without their entire starting backfield. Buccaneers running backs nevertheless combined for 204 yards. Bell and Davis ran for a touchdown each. Mike Rae threw two touchdown passes; one to Morris Owens, and another to Jimmie Giles for the first of Giles' career.
, Chicago Illinois
The Bears held the Buccaneers to a season-low 92 yards of total offense. Tampa Bay repeatedly failed to score, despite getting the ball with good field position. Mike Rae was sacked seven times in his first 11 pass attempts. The Bears controlled the ball for 22:26 of the second half, consistently breaking Walter Payton and Roland Harper
for short gains. Payton finished the day with 105 yards rushing and Harper 144, the first time the Buccaneers had allowed two 100-yard rushers in a single game. It was only the second time in history that the Bears had two backs each rush for 100 yards. McKay declined to give the Bears much credit, saying that "they had a lot of success running and holding at the same time".
Again playing without their entire starting backfield, the Buccaneers outgained Green Bay in several major offensive statistics, including a 321-173 yardage advantage, but were outscored by the Packers. A knee injury to Lee Roy Selmon meant that all three of their players selected with first-round draft picks were out with injuries. George Ragsdale, Johnny Davis, Jim Obradovich, Neil O'Donoghue, and Danny Reece
were also injured during the game, which left the Buccaneers with only three running backs on the roster. The Buccaneers finished the game with only 37 healthy players, eight under the NFL roster limit. The 173 yards allowed was one of several team records set during the game, and the season total to date of 228 points equaled the team's total scoring of the first two seasons combined. Ragsdale's 14-yard touchdown run was their longest touchdown run of the year. Ragsdale, having been knocked cold, was unable to hear the crowd's applause. The Packers scored on a 10-yard David Whitehurst pass to James Lofton
, a 27-yard Chester Marcol field goal, and a 1-yard Barty Smith
run. The win broke the Packers' four-game losing streak.
In a meeting between the NFL's two worst offenses, the San Francisco 49ers
' Ray Wersching
kicked a fourth-quarter field goal to win the first game in which the Buccaneer defense held their opposition without a touchdown. The Buccaneers committed ten fumbles, were intercepted five times, allowed eleven sacks, and scored no touchdowns. McKay was so upset that he cancelled his regular press conference the Monday following the game, and indicated that he would not be present at his Friday press conference. The 49ers fumbled six times, were intercepted twice, and allowed five sacks. Mark Cotney
's 28-yard interception return set up Tampa Bay's only score, a 35-yard Dave Green field goal. The previous week's injury to Neil O'Donoghue became an issue, as Green's limited range prevented the Buccaneers from attempting potential game-winning or -tying field goals. Bill Kollar
started and led the team in tackles for the second week in a row. The boredom of the game was such that one of the coaches spoke of setting himself on fire on the sideline, prompting a Buccaneer publicist to request that the team band be ready to play "You Light Up My Life
".
New Orleans Saints
quarterback Archie Manning
completed 25 of 38 passes for 250 yards, the most passing yards yet allowed by the Buccaneers, and a touchdown to Henry Childs
. Chuck Muncie
broke four tackles while scoring on a 21-yard run. The Buccaneer defense played uncharacteristically poorly, allowing 421 yards of offense. Special teams also broke down on several occasions. McKay called it the worst game the team had yet played, and promised that changes would be made. Buccaneer receivers blamed lack of concentration for missed routes and dropped balls. Doug Williams returned to the starting lineup, but Tampa Bay was able to control the ball for only 19 of the game's 60 minutes. Williams, playing with his jaw still wired shut, threw a 2-yard fourth-down pass to Jimmie Giles for the Buccaneers' only touchdown.
1978 NFL season
The 1978 NFL season was the 59th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded the regular season from a 14-game schedule to 16. Furthermore, the playoff format was expanded from 8 teams to 10 teams by adding another wild card from each conference...
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 the team trying to improve on a 2-12 season. Since their two 1977
1977 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
The 1977 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season continued the losing streak that encompassed the entire 1976 season, and extended it to 26 games, which as of remains a record in the modern National Football League. Fear of becoming the Buccaneers' first victim provided motivation to opposing teams...
victories came in the last two games of the season, they entered the 1978 season with the longest active winning streak in the NFC Central. The Buccaneers entered the season with new offensive talent, having selected Doug Williams with the 17th overall pick of the draft. This choice was questioned by many, as there was still an element of society who claimed that a black quarterback was not mentally capable of winning in the NFL, and prejudice is believed to have been a factor in Williams having been drafted as low as seventeenth. According to Buccaneer coach John McKay
John McKay (football coach)
John Harvey McKay was an American football player and coach. He was served as the head coach at the University of Southern California from 1960 to 1975 and of the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1976 to 1984. In 16 seasons with the USC Trojans, McKay compiled a record of 127–40–8 and...
, "All things being equal, Williams would have gone higher in the draft". Second-year tight end 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...
, also a part of the trade that landed Williams, emerged as the Buccaneers' first receiving threat and to this day holds several of their scoring records.
Offseason
Offseason coaching changes led to continued accusations of disorganization, as vice-president of operations Ron WolfRon Wolf
Ron Wolf is the former American football general manager of the NFL's Green Bay Packers. He also played a significant role in personnel operations with the Oakland and Los Angeles Raiders from 1963–1975, and again from 1978–1990...
resigned, citing only "personal matters". This renewed speculation that John McKay, who replaced Wolf with two of his own longtime assistants, was trying to consolidate front-office power. The coaching staff was reshuffled, with Tom Bass being named defensive coordinator, and offensive coordinator Joe Gibbs
Joe Gibbs
Joe Jackson Gibbs is a former American football coach, NASCAR Championship team owner, and two time NHRA Pro Stock team owner. He was the 20th and 26th head coach in the history of the Washington Redskins...
hired away from 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...
. Offensive line coach Jerry Frei
Jerry Frei
Gerald L. "Jerry" Frei was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Oregon from 1967 to 1971, compiling a record of 22–29–2. At Oregon, Frei coached Dan Fouts and Ahmad Rashad...
left to take the same position with the 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...
. Tight end Bob Moore
Bob Moore (American football)
Robert Moore is a former American football tight end, who played eight seasons in the National Football League. He played college football at Stanford University....
was traded, along with a 1979
1979 NFL season
The 1979 NFL season was the 60th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XIV when the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Los Angeles Rams...
first-round draft pick, for three-time 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...
Bears 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...
. The Buccaneers were widely considered to have given up too much in the trade, as Chambers was coming off of major knee surgery and was considered by many to be "damaged merchandise", and the Buccaneers were left with minimal experience at tight end. The trade was also criticized on the grounds that the Buccaneers did not require Chambers to undergo a team physical, despite his injury history. Council Rudolph
Council Rudolph
Council Rudolph, Jr. is a former professional American football player.-Career:Rudolph played defensive end for six seasons for the Houston Oilers, the St. Louis Cardinals, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Council attended Kentucky State University, where he is in the Hall of Fame...
, the only player who had started in all 28 of the Buccaneers' games to date, was made expendable by the trade and was dealt to the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
for a draft pick. Preseason speculation ran high about what would happen with the Buccaneers' first overall choice in the draft
1978 NFL Draft
The 1978 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 May 2–3, 1978...
, with 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...
coach Bum Phillips
Bum Phillips
Oail Andrew "Bum" Phillips is a retired American football coach and the father of Wade Phillips, the Defensive Coordinator for the Houston Texans...
reportedly stating that the Oilers would better any other team's offer to the Buccaneers. Unlike the previous year, when it was made clear early on that 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...
was to be their choice, the Buccaneers kept quiet about who they might draft, further fueling speculation about a trade. 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...
were said to have offered their fourth-overall draft pick, plus any player on their roster other than Richard Todd. Tight end was considered to be the Buccaneers' single greatest need, with Ken MacAfee
Ken MacAfee
Kenneth Adams MacAfee, Jr. , is a former college and professional American football player. He played collegiately at the University of Notre Dame and professionally for the San Francisco 49ers.-High school:...
of Notre Dame
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame's nickname is inherited from Irish immigrant soldiers who fought in the Civil War with the Union's Irish Brigade, , recollected among other places in the poetry of Joyce Kilmer who served with one of the Irish Brigade regiments during World War I...
often mentioned as a likely draft target. According to Don Shula
Don Shula
Donald Francis "Don" Shula is a former American football cornerback and coach.He is best known as coach of the Miami Dolphins, the team he led to two Super Bowl victories, and to the National Football League's only perfect season. Shula was named 1993 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated....
, "With John McKay's type of offense, an outstanding tight end is absolutely essential. It cannot go without one". This happened to be one of the positions hit hardest by injury in 1977
1977 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
The 1977 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season continued the losing streak that encompassed the entire 1976 season, and extended it to 26 games, which as of remains a record in the modern National Football League. Fear of becoming the Buccaneers' first victim provided motivation to opposing teams...
. With most of their mid-round draft picks traded away, the Buccaneers were looking for a trade that would bring them several draft picks. With no teams willing to give up a starting quarterback as part of a deal, the Buccaneers eventually traded the pick to the Oilers, for tight end Jimmie Giles and the Oilers' first- and second-round picks in 1978
1978 NFL Draft
The 1978 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 May 2–3, 1978...
, and their third- and fifth-round picks in 1979
1979 NFL Draft
The 1979 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 May 3–4, 1979...
. Needing a fullback, the Buccaneers shortly afterward traded Anthony Davis to the Oilers for Don Hardeman
Don Hardeman
Donald Ray "Don" Hardeman is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League....
.
NFL Draft
| Pick | Round | Player | Position | School |
| 1 (from Houston) | 17 | Doug Williams | Quarterback | Grambling State Grambling State Tigers football The Grambling State Tigers are the college football team representing the Grambling State University. The Tigers play in NCAA Division I Football Championship as a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference.-Black College Football National Championships:... |
| 2 | 30 | Johnny Davis | Running back | Alabama Alabama Crimson Tide football |TeamName = Alabama football |Image = Alabama Crimson Tide Logo.svg |ImageSize = 110 |Helmet = Alabama Football.png |ImageSize2 = 150 |CurrentSeason = 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide football team... |
| 2 (from Houston) | 44 | Brett Moritz | Guard | Nebraska Nebraska Cornhuskers football The Nebraska Cornhuskers represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in college football. The program has established itself as a traditional powerhouse, and has the fourth-most all-time victories of any NCAA Division I-A team. Nebraska is one of only six football programs in NCAA Division I-A... |
| 6 (from Los Angeles 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,... ) |
162 | Elijah Marshall | Wide Receiver | North Carolina State |
| 8 | 196 | John McGriff | Linebacker | 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... |
| 9 | 223 | Willie Taylor | Wide Receiver | Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Panthers football Pittsburgh Panthers football is the intercollegiate football team of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Traditionally the most popular sport at the university, Pitt football has played at the highest level of American college football... |
| 10 | 252 | Aaron Brown 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:... |
Linebacker | Ohio State Ohio State Buckeyes football The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state... |
| 12 | 307 | Kevin McLee | Running Back | Georgia Georgia Bulldogs football The Georgia Bulldogs football team represents the University of Georgia in football. The Bulldogs are a member of the Southeastern Conference and are frequently a top-25 team. The University of Georgia has had a football team since 1892 and has an all-time record of 738–398–54... |
Draft trades
The Buccaneers' first overall selection in the 19781978 NFL Draft
The 1978 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 May 2–3, 1978...
draft was traded to the Houston Oilers in exchange for four draft picks and tight end Jimmie Giles. The Oilers used the pick to select running back 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...
. The Buccaneers' 3rd-, 4th-, and 6th round picks were 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 guard Dan Medlin
Dan Medlin
Daniel Ellis Medlin is a former American football Guard who played for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League between 1974 and 1976 and again in 1979. He also played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers between 1977 and 1978. He played 76 games in 6 seasons in the NFL...
, tackle Jeff Winans, and 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....
, respectively. Their 5th-round pick was traded to the Miami Dolphins for cornerback 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...
. The Buccaneers received a 6th-round pick from 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,...
for center Dan Ryczek
Dan Ryczek
Daniel Stanley Ryczek is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Los Angeles Rams. He played college football at the University of Virginia and was drafted in the thirteenth round of the 1971 NFL...
. Their 7th-round pick was traded to the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in return for kicker Allan Leavitt. Their 11th-round pick, along with a second 10th-rounder obtained from the Raiders, were traded to the 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...
in return for defensive tackle Ernie Holmes
Ernie Holmes
Earnest Lee "Ernie" Holmes, also nicknamed "Fats" was an American football player who was most famous for his years with the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1972-77. He was part of the famous Steel Curtain and played at defensive lineman. His fellow linemen during this period were Joe Greene, Dwight...
.
Draft selections
The Buccaneers had a reduced number of selections in what was considered to have been the weakest draft in a long time. Doug Williams was considered to be the closest thing to a can't-miss quarterback prospect available in the draft. Representatives of several other teams, including Green Bay PackersGreen 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...
coach and NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Bart Starr
Bart Starr
Bryan Bartlett "Bart" Starr is a former professional American football player and coach. Wearing #15, he was the quarterback for the Green Bay Packers from 1956 to 1971 and head coach from 1975 to 1983, compiling a record of 52–76–3 ....
, called the Buccaneers to congratulate them on his selection. John McKay, in charge of the draft for the first time, stated that with no outstanding quarterbacks expected to be in the following year's draft, the team had to have Williams. Johnny Davis was a surprise selection, as running back was considered to be one of the team's deepest positions, but Davis was drafted for his blocking ability. McKay pointed out that many of the previous year's quarterback sacks had been the result not of offensive line breakdowns, but of failure of running backs to pick up blitzes. Brett Moritz played half of the 1977 season at Nebraska
Nebraska Cornhuskers football
The Nebraska Cornhuskers represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in college football. The program has established itself as a traditional powerhouse, and has the fourth-most all-time victories of any NCAA Division I-A team. Nebraska is one of only six football programs in NCAA Division I-A...
, after transferring from West Point
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
. He was projected as a backup center. McKay traded a 10th- and an 11th-round pick, players who would not be expected to make the team anyway, to the Pittsburgh Steelers for Ernie Holmes, at one time an important part of the Steelers' championship defenses. Holmes, who was once involved in a shotgun standoff with police after an incidence of acute paranoid psychosis, was traded for on the understanding that his personal problems were behind him. Steelers coach Chuck Noll
Chuck Noll
Charles Henry "Chuck" Noll is a former professional American football player and coach, and a member of the Sid Gillman coaching tree. He served most notably as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League from 1969 to 1991...
called the trade "a gift". The Buccaneers once again passed on offensive linemen, saying that the existing players would improve with more time together, and that the best linemen were all drafted early. The Buccaneers later traded a future draft choice to 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...
for veteran tackle Rockne Freitas
Rockne Freitas
Rockne Crowningburg "Rocky" Freitas is a former American Football offensive tackle who played for the Detroit Lions and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in an eleven-year career that lasted from 1968 to 1978 in the National Football League....
.
Preseason
Doug Williams' first preseason pass, an 75-yard incompletion that sailed 10 yards past receiver Isaac HaginsIsaac Hagins
Isaac Ben Hagins is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the ninth round of the 1976 NFL Draft. He played college football at Southern....
, drew a standing ovation from the Tampa Stadium crowd. He was the first quarterback in Buccaneer history capable of throwing long passes downfield. Miami Dolphins nose tackle 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...
, freshly released from federal prison, was signed as a free agent. Ernie Holmes, who was having trouble adjusting to the Buccaneers' 3-4 defense, was waived to make room for him. A 1979
1979 NFL Draft
The 1979 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 May 3–4, 1979...
3rd-round draft pick was sent to the Dolphins as NFL-ordered compensation. Johnny Davis 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...
performed so well in the preseason that newly-acquired fullback Don Hardeman was sent to the Baltimore Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
for a future draft pick. Wins in their first three preseason games, combined with the two wins at the end of the previous season, gave the Buccaneers the longest active NFL win streak going into the final preseason game. That game, a loss to the Dolphins, was the first Buccaneer game to sell out.
Regular season
The Buccaneers opened the season, like their expansion brethren the Seattle SeahawksSeattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
, 200-to-1 longshots to win the Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
. Their regular-season opener against the 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...
marked the first time that Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
oddsmakers favored the Buccaneers to win, with Jimmy the Greek
Jimmy Snyder
Dimetrios Georgios Synodinos , better known as Jimmy "the Greek" Snyder, was an American sports commentator and Las Vegas bookie.-Life and career:...
naming them as 1-point favorites. A pair of mistake-prone early losses left McKay threatening to release players who cause game-losing errors, a change from the earlier attitude of tolerating mistakes from players who were regarded as having potential. With the defense among the best in the league and the offense sparking behind Doug Williams' leadership, the Buccaneers began to be respected as a competitive NFL team. Coach McKay's respect for Williams was such that he spoke of eventually letting Williams call his own plays in the huddle. McKay's insistence on calling plays from the sideline had been a source of much conflict between McKay and Steve Spurrier
Steve Spurrier
Stephen Orr Spurrier is an American college football coach and player. Spurrier is the current head coach of the University of South Carolina's Gamecocks football team. He is also a former professional player and coach...
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...
season. Williams led the Buccaneers to a 4-4 start before suffering an injury that required his jaw to be wired shut. Even before Williams' injury, the Buccaneers again found themselves with an injured reserve list in double digits. At midseason, the Buccaneers had 11 players on injured reserve, not counting waived quarterback Mike Boryla
Mike Boryla
Michael Jay Boryla was an American football quarterback in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 1970s. He played college football at Stanford University, where he was the team's MVP during his senior season...
. McKay felt that, with a healthy offense, the team would have finished with at least a 10-6 record. Despite a defense that ranked fourth overall in the NFL, the Buccaneers were only able to win one of their remaining eight games behind backup 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:...
. McKay summed up the season with the word "frustration". The 9-7 record that he predicted the team would finish with would have been enough to win the NFC Central. Nose tackle Dave Pear
Dave Pear
David Pear is a retired American football defensive tackle. He was the first Tampa Bay Buccaneers player to be selected to the Pro Bowl and played in Super Bowl XV for the winning Oakland Raiders....
became the first Buccaneer selected to the Pro Bowl, finishing third in voting among defensive tackles behind Randy White
Randy White (American football)
Randall Lee "Randy" White is a former American football defensive lineman and linebacker. He attended the University of Maryland from 1971 to 1974, and played professionally for the Dallas Cowboys from 1975 to 1988. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, the Pro Football Hall of Fame...
and Larry Brooks
Larry Brooks
Lawrence Lee Brooks, Sr. , is a former American Football defensive tackle for the Los Angeles Rams eleven seasons from 1972 to 1982 in the National Football League...
. Linebacker Richard Wood's 168 tackles stood for 14 years as a team record.
Schedule
| Regular season | ||||||||
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Kickoff | Game site | TV | Attendance | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 2, 1978 | 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... |
L 19-13 | 8:00 | 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:... |
67,456 | 0-1 |
| 2 | September 9, 1978 | 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 15-7 | 8:00 | 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:... |
64,443 | 0-2 |
| 3 | September 17, 1978 | 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... |
W 16-10 | 1:00 | 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:... |
46,152 | 1-2 |
| 4 | September 24, 1978 | Atlanta Falcons Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 14-9 | 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:... |
58,073 | 2-2 |
| 5 | October 1, 1978 | 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 24-7 | 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:... |
65,972 | 2-3 |
| 6 | October 8, 1978 | at Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a... |
W 30-13 | 1:00 | Arrowhead Stadium Arrowhead Stadium Arrowhead Stadium is a stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri and home to the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs.... |
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:... |
38,201 | 3-3 |
| 7 | October 15, 1978 | at 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... |
L 17-14 | 1:00 | Giants Stadium Giants Stadium Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to... |
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:... |
68,025 | 3-4 |
| 8 | October 22, 1978 | 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... |
W 33-19 | 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:... |
68,146 | 4-4 |
| 9 | October 29, 1978 | 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... |
L 9-7 | 1:00 | Lambeau Field Lambeau 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... |
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:... |
55,108 | 4-5 |
| 10 | November 5, 1978 | at 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,... |
L 26-23 | 1:00 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is a large outdoor sports stadium in the University Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, at Exposition Park, that is home to the Pacific-12 Conference's University of Southern California Trojans football team... |
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:... |
55,182 | 4-6 |
| 11 | November 12, 1978 | 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 34-23 | 2:00 | 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:... |
60,320 | 4-7 |
| 12 | November 19, 1978 | Buffalo Bills Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 31-10 | 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... |
61,383 | 5-7 |
| 13 | November 26, 1978 | 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 14-3 | 1:00 | 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... |
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:... |
42,373 | 5-8 |
| 14 | December 3, 1978 | 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... |
L 17-7 | 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:... |
67,754 | 5-9 |
| 15 | December 10, 1978 | 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... |
L 6-3 | 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:... |
30,931 | 5-10 |
| 16 | December 17, 1978 | New Orleans Saints New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League .... |
L 17-10 | 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:... |
51,207 | 5-11 |
Standings
| NFC Central | ||||||
| Minnesota Vikings 1978 Minnesota Vikings season 1978 was the 18th year of season play for the Minnesota Vikings and the 59th regular season of the National Football League. The Vikings finished with a record of eight wins, seven losses, and one tie.-Schedule:-Playoffs:-Standings:... |
8 | 7 | 1 | .531 | 294 | 306 |
| Green Bay Packers 1978 Green Bay Packers season The 1978 Green Bay Packers season was their 58th season in the National Football League. The club posted a 8-7-1 record under coach Bart Starr, earning them a second place finish in the NFC Central division... |
8 | 7 | 1 | .531 | 249 | 269 |
| Detroit Lions 1978 Detroit Lions season The 1978 Detroit Lions season was the 47th season in franchise history.-NFL Draft:-Schedule:-Standings:-Roster:-References:***... |
7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 290 | 300 |
| Chicago Bears 1978 Chicago Bears season The 1978 Chicago Bears season was their 59th regular season completed in the National Football League. The club posted a 7-9 record in the first year of Coach Neill Armstrong, yet another below .500 record in the 1970s.-Schedule:-Standings:... |
7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 253 | 274 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 241 | 259 |
Roster
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1978 roster | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Wide Receivers
Tight Ends
|
Offensive Linemen
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 .... * T Rockne Freitas Rockne Crowningburg "Rocky" Freitas is a former American Football offensive tackle who played for the Detroit Lions and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in an eleven-year career that lasted from 1968 to 1978 in the National Football League.... T Dan Medlin Daniel Ellis Medlin is a former American football Guard who played for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League between 1974 and 1976 and again in 1979. He also played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers between 1977 and 1978. He played 76 games in 6 seasons in the NFL... G Garry Puetz Garry Spencer Puetz is a former American football guard and tackle in the National Football League for the New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles, New England Patriots, and the Washington Redskins... * G/T Dave Reavis David Craig Reavis was a National Football League offensive lineman from 1974 through 1983.... * T Kurt Schumacher (American football) Kurt Schumacher is a former American football guard and tackle in the National Football League for the New Orleans Saints and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was the 12th overall pick in the 1975 NFL Draft.-External links:*... G 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 Defensive Linemen
|
Linebackers
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.... 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:... Cecil Johnson Cecil Johnson is a former professional American football player who played linebacker for nine seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers... * ROLB 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 Defensive Backs
Special Teams
|
Reserve Lists
Practice Squad Rookies in italics starter = * |
|||||
Coaching staff
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1978 coaching staff | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Front Office
Head Coaches
Offensive Coaches
|
Defensive Coaches
|
|||||
Week 1: vs New York Giants
September 2, 1978 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 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...
scored ten points off of Buccaneer interceptions en route to an upset victory. The Buccaneers rushed for 165 yards, but were held to field goals on drives deep in Giants territory. Doug Williams suffered a badly bruised shoulder when tackled by Gary Jeter
Gary Jeter
Gary Michael Jeter is a former professional American football defensive end in the National Football League...
in the first quarter, and was replaced by Gary Huff
Gary Huff
Gary Earl Huff , who graduated from Leto Senior High School in Tampa, Florida and played college football and baseball at Florida State University, was a professional football quarterback. He was an All-American at FSU, where he led the nation in touchdown passes in 1971 and 1972...
. Terry Jackson
Terry Jackson (cornerback)
Terry Jackson is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the fifth round of the 1978 NFL Draft. He played college football at San Diego State....
returned Williams' early interception, called by John McKay a "terrible blunder", for a touchdown. Williams completed only one of six passes before leaving with the injury. The Buccaneers took the lead on a 2-yard Jimmy DuBose touchdown and a Neil O'Donoghue
Neil O'Donoghue
Cornelis Joseph Connor Dennis "Neil" O'Donoghue is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League ....
field goal, but Joe Pisarcik
Joe Pisarcik
Joseph Anthony Pisarcik is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League for eight seasons, from 1977 through 1984 after playing college football at New Mexico State University. His first professional team was the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football...
's 67-yard pass to Johnny Perkins
Johnny Perkins
John Eugene "Johnny" Perkins was an American football wide receiver in the National Football League who spent his entire career with the New York Giants. Perkins was born in Franklin, Texas. He played college football at Ranger College before transferring to Abilene Christian University...
gave the Giants the lead for good.
Week 2: vs Detroit Lions
September 9, 1978 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 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...
held the Buccaneers to 101 yards of total offense, 56 yards of which came on a first-quarter Ricky Bell run. Bell scored the Buccaneers' only touchdown on a 1-yard plunge. The Buccaneers were hurt by penalties and turnovers, fumbling four times in the first quarter alone. A Lions drive late in the first half was extended twice by Buc penalties, the first when Curtis Jordan
Curtis Jordan
Curtis Wayne Jordan is a former American football safety in the National Football League for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Washington Redskins...
ran into punter Tom Skladany
Tom Skladany
Thomas Edward Skladany was an American football punter with a six-year career in the National Football League from 1978 to 1983. Skladany was a three-time All-American at The Ohio State University—. He was selected to the Pro Bowl after the 1981 season.Simmons....
, and the second when Dave Pear's late hit on Lions quarterback Greg Landry
Greg Landry
Gregory Paul Landry is a former American football player and coach who played quarterback in the National Football League from 1968 to 1981 and again in 1984...
knocked Landry out of the game. This penalty nullified a 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....
interception, and resulted in one of Benny Ricardo
Benny Ricardo
Benito Concepcion "Benny" Ricardo is a former American football placekicker in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions, New Orleans Saints, Minnesota Vikings, and the San Diego Chargers...
's three field goals. Buc passers were sacked seven times. Mike Boryla started the game for the Buccaneers, but was replaced by Gary Huff. Coming off of the previous season's knee injury, Boryla declared his recovering knee too sore to play on, and went back on injured reserve after the game.
Week 3: at Minnesota Vikings
September 17, 1978 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 Buccaneeers took advantage of 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...
mistakes to get an upset and their first win of the season. The Buccaneers scored on a 5-yard pass from Doug Williams to 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....
, after a live ball that had hit a Viking on a punt return was recovered by Billy Cesare on the Vikings' 5-yard line. Vikings coach Bud Grant
Bud Grant
Harry Peter "Bud" Grant, Jr is the former longtime American football head coach of the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League for eighteen seasons. Grant was the second and fourth head coach of the team...
later claimed that returner Kevin Miller never touched the ball, and blamed the loss on the officials. Fran Tarkenton
Fran Tarkenton
Francis Asbury "Fran" Tarkenton is a former professional football player, TV personality, and computer software executive....
completed 23 of 31 passes for 180 yards, but threw two interceptions and was replaced by 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...
in the final two minutes. Kramer promptly threw an interception to Cecil Johnson
Cecil Johnson
Cecil Johnson is a former professional American football player who played linebacker for nine seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers...
. Tarkenton also hit Ahmad Rashad
Ahmad Rashad
Ahmad Rashād is an American sportscaster and former professional football player. An All-American running back and wide receiver from Oregon known as Bobby Moore, Rashad was the fourth overall pick in the 1972 NFL Draft, drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals...
for a 4-yard touchdown to finish a 63-yard first-quarter drive. Later, Jeris White's interception of a Tarkenton pass would lead to a 2-yard Ricky Bell touchdown run. The Buccaneers' defense, still steamed over Tarkenton's comments two years earlier that the Buccaneers would be his preferred AFC opponent in the Super Bowl
Super Bowl XI
Super Bowl XI was a football game played on January 9, 1977 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1976 regular season...
, held the Vikings to 73 yards rushing and sacked Tarkenton four times. They also came through big by holding the Vikings to a field goal, following a bizarre play in which the Vikings recovered a live ball on a failed field goal attempt and returned it for 80 yards. Grant called the game a defensive contest, saying that there were no good offensive plays in the entire match. John McKay said that "when we shut off their running game, we knew we were in the game and could get 'em", and that the Buccaneers should have a 3-0 record. The game left the two teams tied with 1-2 records.
Week 4: vs Atlanta Falcons
September 24, 1978 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 Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, who in 1977
1977 Atlanta Falcons season
The 1977 Atlanta Falcons season was the Falcons 12th season.-NFL Draft:-Schedule:-Standings:-Milestones:* Jerry Glanville's "Grits Blitz" defense set the NFL record for fewest points allowed per game since the AFL-NFL Merger .-References:**...
had set an NFL record for least points allowed, held the Buccaneers to no first downs and one pass completion in the first half. The Falcons were caught sitting on a 2-point lead when the Buccaneers put together a 57-yard fourth-quarter drive, capped by a touchdown pass from Doug Williams to Jim Obradovich
Jim Obradovich
For the MLB player, see Jim Obradovich.----James Robert Obradovich is a former professional American football tight end in the National Football League for the New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers...
, to win the game. Mike Washington scored early on a 79-yard return of a blocked field goal, still (as of 2009) a Tampa Bay record. The Buccaneers missed two later touchdown opportunities on dropped passes by Isaac Hagins. Jimmy DuBose carried four times for 21 yards on the game-winning drive. Mike Washington scored on a blocked field goal, and a Ricky Bell fumble led to Steve Bartkowski
Steve Bartkowski
Steven Joseph "Steve" Bartkowski is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League who played for the Atlanta Falcons and the Los Angeles Rams...
's 5-yard pass to Al Jackson. The Buccaneers ran out the clock by holding the ball for the final five minutes of the game, something coach McKay didn't think the team would be able to do against the Atlanta defense. The entire game was played in a driving rainstorm, with wind gusts of up to 40 mph. Hagins later underwent x-rays that revealed that he suffered a fractured vertebra during the game. He was placed on injured reserve, and Larry Franklin
Larry Franklin
Lawrence Anthony Franklin is a former U.S. Air Force Reserve colonel who has pleaded guilty to passing information about U.S. policy towards Iran to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee , the foremost pro-Israel lobbying organization in the U.S, while he was working for the Defense...
was signed to fill his roster spot.
Week 5: vs Minnesota Vikings
October 1, 1978 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....
Vikings quarterback Fran Tarkenton completed 20 of 31 passes for 213 yards. He passed for a touchdown to Sammy White
Sammy White (American football)
Sammy White is a former American football wide receiver in the NFL.After attending Grambling State University, White played all ten seasons of his professional career as a wide receiver with the Minnesota Vikings, winning the Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year and UPI NFL-NFC Rookie of...
, and set up a rushing touchdown by Robert Miller. Doug Williams completed a Buccaneer-record 16 of 35 passes for 311 yards, including a 56-yard touchdown to Morris Owens. 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...
blocked a 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...
punt that was returned for the final touchdown. The Vikings also blocked an earlier field goal attempt, described by John McKay as looking like "The ball was snapped like a dying quail and about 25 men came through to block it". As opposed to the previous meeting, the Vikings played error-free football.
Week 6: at Kansas City Chiefs
October 8, 1978 at Arrowhead StadiumArrowhead Stadium
Arrowhead Stadium is a stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri and home to the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs....
, Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
The Buccaneers, playing with the goal of keeping the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
' Wing-T offense on the bench as much as possible, held them to little more than half of their regular rushing average. Meanwhile, the Buccaneers' offense had their most productive day ever, setting a team record with three fourth-quarter touchdowns. Jimmy DuBose ran for two touchdowns and Louis Carter
Louis Carter
Louis Edward Carter is a former running back in the National Football League. He played for the Oakland Raiders and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers....
for one, and Doug Williams threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Morris Owens. Kansas City was held to a pair of 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 goals for most of the game. A fourth-quarter Tony Adams
Tony Adams (American football)
Anthony Lee Adams is a former gridiron football player in the World Football League , the National Football League , and the Canadian Football League...
pass was ruled a touchdown, although replays showed that receiver Henry Marshall
Henry Marshall
Henry H. Marshall , is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 3rd round of the 1976 NFL Draft. A 6'2", 212-lb...
failed to keep both of his feet inbounds. Richard Wood was given much of the credit for stifling the Chiefs' league-leading rushing attack. Wood correctly expected that Chiefs offensive coordinator Tom Pagna would run the offense straight at him, as he did when Wood played at USC and Pagna coached at Notre Dame
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
. Pagna assumed incorrectly that the undersized Wood would be overpowered, but Wood instead responded by making 12 tackles. This was the Buccaneers' third consecutive road win, and came one day after the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
were eliminated from the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
pennant race.
Week 7: at New York Giants
October 15, 1978 at Giants StadiumGiants Stadium
Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to...
, East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,913. It is an inner-ring suburb of New York City, located west of Midtown Manhattan....
The New York Giants capitalized on two late turnovers to come from behind for the win. Giants linebacker Harry Carson
Harry Carson
Harold Donald Carson is a former American football inside linebacker who played his entire professional career for the NFL's New York Giants...
intercepted a Doug Williams pass, then recovered a Louis Carter fumble. Both turnovers led to touchdown runs by 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...
. Neil O'Donoghue
Neil O'Donoghue
Cornelis Joseph Connor Dennis "Neil" O'Donoghue is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League ....
missed on a last-minute 42-yard field goal attempt into strong winds. Doug Williams was 7-for-27 passing, with two interceptions. The second of these interceptions proved very costly, as Jimmy DuBose suffered what turned out to be a career-ending knee injury while trying to make a tackle on the return. This occurred only four plays after DuBose's 109 yards rushing made him the first Buccaneer rusher to pass the 100-yard mark in a game. Jerry Golsteyn
Jerry Golsteyn
Jerry Mark Golsteyn was a former professional American football player. A 12th round drafted quarterback from Northern Illinois University, Golsteyn played in 8 NFL seasons from 1977-1984 for 5 different teams...
replaced Joe Pisarcik at quarterback for the Giants, and led both of the fourth-quarter winning drives.
Week 8: vs Chicago Bears
October 22, 1978 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 Chicago Bears expected to face the mistake-prone Buccaneer team they had seen in game films, but were instead confronted with an efficient team that controlled the ball and took advantage of Bears mistakes. Doug Williams threw touchdown passes to Jim Obradovich and Morris Owens, and unexpectedly ran for some key first downs. Gary Fencik
Gary Fencik
John Gary Fencik is a former professional American-football free safety and currently an executive with Adams Street Partners. Fencik played twelve seasons with the Chicago Bears and is their all-time leader in interceptions and total tackles. He was the team's defensive captain through the 1980s...
intercepted him at the goal line on one drive, but the Bears failed to gain a first down on the ensuing possession. Ricky Bell, until recently seeing primary duty blocking for Jimmy DuBose, returned to his lead runner spot and gained 95 yards on 28 carries. He was awarded a game ball for his effort. Dave Lewis intercepted Bob Avellini
Bob Avellini
Robert Hayden Avellini was a quarterback in the NFL. For most of his career, he played for the Chicago Bears before finishing with the New York Jets. His nickname was "Slow-Mo".-Pro career:...
twice in the final two minutes, and the Buccaneers' defense held 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...
to a season-low 34 yards rushing in the Bears' fifth consecutive loss. The Buccaneers made several changes in starting lineup going into the game: Wally Chambers made his first start of the year, Johnny Davis replaced the injured DuBose at fullback, and recently-acquired Frank Grant
Frank Grant
* , Personal profiles at Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. – identical to Riley -External links:* – unknown content, URL confirmed 2010-04-16...
got the start at wide receiver.
Week 9: at Green Bay Packers
October 29, 1978 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 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...
held the Buccaneers without a first down or completed pass for the first 37 minutes of the game. The Buccaneers took the lead on a 2-yard Ricky Bell run that was set up by a Morris Owens reception of a 53-yard Doug Williams pass. Chester Marcol
Chester Marcol
Czesław "Chester" Marcol is a former American Football Placekicker for the Green Bay Packers. He was inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 1987.-Early years:...
kicked the game-winning field goal. Neil O'Donoghue missed two field goals in the contest. Williams' final pass was intercepted by Willie Buchanon
Willie Buchanon
Willie James Buchanon is a former cornerback for the National Football League's Green Bay Packers and San Diego Chargers; he was defensive rookie of the year in 1972 and a three-time Pro Bowl player...
. The Buccaneers shut down running back Terdell Middleton
Terdell Middleton
Terdell Middleton is a former professional American football player who played running back for seven seasons in the NFL. Originally a third round pick in the 1977 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals, Middleton was traded to the Green Bay Packers in the preseason...
and knocked quarterback David Whitehurst
David Whitehurst
Charles David Whitehurst is a former professional American football quarterback in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the 8th round of the 1977 NFL Draft. A 6'2" quarterback from Furman University, Whitehurst played seven seasons with the Packers from 1977-1983...
dizzy, but Whitehurst returned to lead the game-winning 50-yard drive. Tampa Bay's uncharacteristic move to a man-to-man defense left Steve Odom
Steve Odom
Steve Odom is a former American football wide receiver and kick returner in the National Football League who played for the Green Bay Packers and New York Giants . He went to the Pro Bowl after the 1975 season.Odom holds the Packers team record for the longest punt return for a touchdown...
open to catch Whitehurst's 18-yard pass on a fourth down during that drive.
Week 10: at Los Angeles Rams
November 5, 1978 at Anaheim StadiumAngel Stadium of Anaheim
Angel Stadium of Anaheim is a modern-style ballpark located in Anaheim, California. It is the home ballpark to Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of the American League, and was previously home to the NFL's Los Angeles Rams...
, Anaheim, California
Anaheim, California
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was about 365,463, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California, and ranked 54th in the United States...
Three Buccaneer starters went out with injuries, most significantly Doug Williams, who suffered a broken jaw on a Jack Youngblood
Jack Youngblood
Herbert Jackson "Jack" Youngblood, III is a former American college and professional football player who was a defensive end for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League for fourteen seasons during the 1970s and 1980s. He was a five-time consensus All-Pro and a seven-time Pro Bowl...
blitz. 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 ....
separated a shoulder, and Dewey Selmon
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....
broke his wrist. Mike Rae played in relief of Williams, completing 9 of 17 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown. The Rams double-covered both Buccaneer receivers, leaving no coverage to prevent Rae from rushing for 95 yards on four carries. Ricky Bell had his first 100-yard rushing day, with 21 carries for 104 yards. The Buccaneers set several team records in this game: 209 yards was their highest rushing total yet, Bell's 555 yards were a Buccaneer single-season rushing record, and Neil O'Donoghue's 38 points were a new season scoring record. Although the Rams were not on McKay's list of 18 teams that he felt the Buccaneers were competitive with, Tampa Bay rallied to a 23-23 fourth-quarter tie before losing on a late Frank Corral
Frank Corral
Frank Corral is a former National Football League placekicker from 1978-1981. He attended Norte Vista High School in Riverside, California. He was a part of the Rams' Super Bowl XIV team...
field goal. It was the Buccaneers' third fourth-quarter collapse in four weeks. The Buccaneers' performance drew cheers from the Los Angeles crowd, among whom McKay was still a popular figure.
Week 11: at Detroit Lions
November 12, 1978 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...
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 404 yards, in the Buccaneers' worst defensive performance since 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...
. Horace King became only the third running back in two seasons to gain 100 yards against the Buccaneers. Three defenders missed tackles on his 75-yard touchdown run. 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...
completed 15 of 24 passes for 206 yards and two touchdowns, both to David Hill. John McKay blamed the poor performance on mental errors, such as three defenders covering one receiver while the other remained open. The Lions also took advantage of the inexperience of middle linebacker Rik Bonness, who was playing at the unfamiliar outside linebacker position due to injuries to Cecil Johnson and Dana Nafziger. The depletion of the linebacker corps required a shift to a 4-3 defense, which the players had difficulty adjusting to. McKay said, "If I had a gun, I would have shot our guys", of all the receivers left open. Buccaneers quarterbacks were sacked eight times, five times by Bubba Baker. The Buccaneers scored on touchdown passes from Mike Rae to Jim Obradovich and from Gary Huff to 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...
. Neil O'Donoghue kicked three field goals, including a club-record 49-yarder. The loss left the Buccaneers and Lions tied for last place in the NFC Central.
Week 12: vs Buffalo Bills
November 19, 1978 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....
Following two subpar defensive performances, the Buccaneers held the Bills without a touchdown until the fourth quarter, when the Buccaneers already had a 31-3 lead. Buc defenders cheered a return to their regular 3-4 alignment. Johnny Davis gained 78 yards on 18 carries after a Bills player fell on Ricky Bell's knee. The injury to Bell, combined with the earlier injuries to Doug Williams and Jimmy DuBose, left the Buccaneers without their entire starting backfield. Buccaneers running backs nevertheless combined for 204 yards. Bell and Davis ran for a touchdown each. Mike Rae threw two touchdown passes; one to Morris Owens, and another to Jimmie Giles for the first of Giles' career.
Week 13: at Chicago Bears
November 26, 1978 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
The Bears held the Buccaneers to a season-low 92 yards of total offense. Tampa Bay repeatedly failed to score, despite getting the ball with good field position. Mike Rae was sacked seven times in his first 11 pass attempts. The Bears controlled the ball for 22:26 of the second half, consistently breaking Walter Payton and Roland Harper
Roland Harper
Roland Harper is a former professional American football player who played running back for eight seasons for the Chicago Bears. He was selected in the 17th and final round of the 1975 draft from Louisiana Tech...
for short gains. Payton finished the day with 105 yards rushing and Harper 144, the first time the Buccaneers had allowed two 100-yard rushers in a single game. It was only the second time in history that the Bears had two backs each rush for 100 yards. McKay declined to give the Bears much credit, saying that "they had a lot of success running and holding at the same time".
Week 14: vs Green Bay Packers
December 3, 1978 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....
Again playing without their entire starting backfield, the Buccaneers outgained Green Bay in several major offensive statistics, including a 321-173 yardage advantage, but were outscored by the Packers. A knee injury to Lee Roy Selmon meant that all three of their players selected with first-round draft picks were out with injuries. George Ragsdale, Johnny Davis, Jim Obradovich, Neil O'Donoghue, and Danny Reece
Danny Reece
Danny Reece is a retired American football cornerback.-Childhood:Danny grew up with 8 siblings -- 5 brothers and 3 sisters, most of them younger. His brothers also played football, but Danny was the only one who played professionally. His father, Lyoud Reece, served on the USS Arizona during the...
were also injured during the game, which left the Buccaneers with only three running backs on the roster. The Buccaneers finished the game with only 37 healthy players, eight under the NFL roster limit. The 173 yards allowed was one of several team records set during the game, and the season total to date of 228 points equaled the team's total scoring of the first two seasons combined. Ragsdale's 14-yard touchdown run was their longest touchdown run of the year. Ragsdale, having been knocked cold, was unable to hear the crowd's applause. The Packers scored on a 10-yard David Whitehurst pass to James Lofton
James Lofton
James David Lofton is a former American football player and coach. He is a former American football coach for the San Diego Chargers but is best known for his years in the National Football League as a wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers , Los Angeles Raiders , the Buffalo Bills...
, a 27-yard Chester Marcol field goal, and a 1-yard Barty Smith
Barty Smith
Barton Elliott Smith is a native of Richmond, Virginia. He was a fullback for the National Football League.-High School:...
run. The win broke the Packers' four-game losing streak.
Week 15: at San Francisco 49ers
December 10, 1978 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...
In a meeting between the NFL's two worst offenses, the 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...
' 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:...
kicked a fourth-quarter field goal to win the first game in which the Buccaneer defense held their opposition without a touchdown. The Buccaneers committed ten fumbles, were intercepted five times, allowed eleven sacks, and scored no touchdowns. McKay was so upset that he cancelled his regular press conference the Monday following the game, and indicated that he would not be present at his Friday press conference. The 49ers fumbled six times, were intercepted twice, and allowed five sacks. Mark Cotney
Mark Cotney
Mark Cotney , is a former professional American football player who played in 10 NFL seasons from 1975-1984 for the Houston Oilers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Selected by the Buccaneers in the 1976 NFL Expansion Draft, he was a member of the original winless 1976 team and the 1979 team that played in...
's 28-yard interception return set up Tampa Bay's only score, a 35-yard Dave Green field goal. The previous week's injury to Neil O'Donoghue became an issue, as Green's limited range prevented the Buccaneers from attempting potential game-winning or -tying field goals. Bill Kollar
Bill 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...
started and led the team in tackles for the second week in a row. The boredom of the game was such that one of the coaches spoke of setting himself on fire on the sideline, prompting a Buccaneer publicist to request that the team band be ready to play "You Light Up My Life
You Light Up My Life (song)
Many artists have covered "You Light Up My Life" since 1977. The following year, Johnny Mathis recorded and named his album after the song. LeAnn Rimes released her version as a single in 1997, 20 years after Boone's version was released and on the same record label . Her version fared modestly...
".
Week 16: vs New Orleans Saints
December 17, 1978 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....
New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
quarterback Archie Manning
Archie Manning
Elisha Archibald "Archie" Manning III is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League, playing for the New Orleans Saints from 1971 to 1982, then for the Houston Oilers and Minnesota Vikings...
completed 25 of 38 passes for 250 yards, the most passing yards yet allowed by the Buccaneers, and a touchdown to Henry Childs
Henry Childs
Henry Childs is a retired American football tight end in the NFL for the Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, Los Angeles Rams, and the Green Bay Packers. He was a Pro Bowl player in 1979....
. Chuck Muncie
Chuck Muncie
Harry Vance "Chuck" Muncie is a former American football running back who played for the New Orleans Saints and San Diego Chargers in the National Football League from 1976 to 1984...
broke four tackles while scoring on a 21-yard run. The Buccaneer defense played uncharacteristically poorly, allowing 421 yards of offense. Special teams also broke down on several occasions. McKay called it the worst game the team had yet played, and promised that changes would be made. Buccaneer receivers blamed lack of concentration for missed routes and dropped balls. Doug Williams returned to the starting lineup, but Tampa Bay was able to control the ball for only 19 of the game's 60 minutes. Williams, playing with his jaw still wired shut, threw a 2-yard fourth-down pass to Jimmie Giles for the Buccaneers' only touchdown.
Awards and records
- Lee Roy Selmon, Second Team Associated Press and Newspaper Enterprise Association 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 - Dave Pear, Pro BowlPro BowlIn professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
- Doug Williams, UPI All-Rookie Quarterback
- The 1,895 passing yards allowed are the lowest in team history. The 337 passing attempts and 190 completions allowed are the second-lowest.
- Dave Green's 100 punts are the most in team history.
- The defense forced 43 turnovers, surpassed only by the 19811981 Tampa Bay Buccaneers seasonThe 1981 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season began with the team trying to improve on an 5-10-1 season. The team was considered to be superior to the 1979 team that finished the season one game shy of the Super Bowl. With the running game and special teams ineffective, the Buccaneers depended heavily on...
team's 46. Their 29 interceptions was also surpassed in 1981, but remains their third-best total.