1988 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
Encyclopedia
The 1988
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
season was the team's first full, non-strike season under head coach Ray Perkins. Perkins had by now rebuilt the Buccaneers as the NFL's youngest team, having replaced so many veterans that leadership became an issue. A strong draft produced several starters, including standout offensive tackle Paul Gruber and eventual 1,000-yard running back Lars Tate. The team was largely competitive and showed an ability to outplay opponents in the second half of games, but continued their tendency toward mental errors, and finished with a disappointing 5-11 record. Second-year quarterback Vinny Testaverde
was inconsistent: an effective leader at times, as in their late-season upset of the AFC-leading Buffalo Bills, mistake-prone at others. His 35 interceptions are still (as of 2011
) a team record. His frequent costly errors caused the coaching staff to lose confidence in him, and at one point to replace him with backup Joe Ferguson. The team finished the season on a strong note with wins in two of their final three games, including respectable performances against two playoff contenders.
disputed the accuracy of the figures. The team filed suit against former linebacker Hugh Green, saying that he still owed more than half of the signing bonus that he was required to repay as part of his trade to Miami.
Founding coach John McKay was honored with election to the College Football Hall of Fame
.
and punter Frank Garcia
, who became free agents with the expiration of their contracts. Powell spoke highly of the team and fondly of his days in Tampa, a sharp contrast with his acrimonious departure from the New York Jets
, who were later cleared of charges of unfair labor practices that were filed when the Jets released him a week after he was elected union president. Several free agents were signed during the offseason, including former Hurricanes
and Dolphins
linebacker Jay Brophy
, and former Buccaneer replacement player Harold Ricks. Former starting quarterback Steve DeBerg
was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs
for safety Mark Robinson
and a pair of draft choices. The move was considered to be a calculated risk, because the team gained a draft pick and a player at a problem area, while they lost experience from a young team. The departure of DeBerg, combined with the loss of quarterbacks coach Marc Trestman
to the Cleveland Browns
, left only Perkins, who also served as the team's head coach, general manager, and offensive coordinator, to coach Testaverde. Robinson, who had been unable to break into the Chiefs' starting lineup behind Deron Cherry
and Lloyd Burruss
, reunited with Chiefs' secondary coach Doug Graber
, now the defensive coordinator at Tampa Bay.
The team's initial qualifying offers to Scot Brantley
, George Yarno
, and Bobby Kemp
were later withdrawn. Injuries had affected Brantley's play over the last several years. Kemp had started all non-strike games the previous season, but was released due to his lack of speed. Yarno requested the release so that he might have a chance to catch on with another team after being told that his chances of making the team were poor. Several of the previous season's backups were released, including Steve Bartalo, Charles Gladman, Harold Ricks, Conrad Goode
, and Mike Stensrud
. Ricks and Gladman were replacement players who had been retained by the team when regular play resumed. Kicker Van Tiffin
and defensive back Rodney Bellinger were signed as free agents. They were also rumored to be interested in acquiring receiver Wes Chandler
from San Diego. Buffalo Bills
linebacker Eugene Marve
was acquired for a 1989 draft pick. Marve was a longtime Bills starter who was made expendable by the drafting of Shane Conlan
. Perkins later referred to the trade as an "absolute steal". The acquisition of Marve allowed the team to release their leading tackler Jeff Davis
, whose request for a trade they had been unable to accommodate.
as an offensive assistant. Shula became the NFL's youngest assistant coach, having been a draft pick of the team the previous year. Perkins had close ties to Shula, having coached him in college, and having been coached by his father, Don Shula
, as a receiver with the Baltimore Colts. Shula assumed some of the responsibility for coaching Vinny Testaverde, although Shula was 17 months younger than Testaverde and was drafted in the same year.
The Buccaneers traded their second-round pick, the 30th overall, to the Philadelphia Eagles for their second- and fourth-round picks, the 39th- and 83rd-overall. The second-round pick at #39 was then traded to the San Francisco 49ers
for their second- and fourth- round picks, the 53rd- and 108th-overall. The Buccaneers also had Kansas City's fourth- and eighth-round picks, from the Steve DeBerg trade. The sixth-round pick used to select Shawn Lee came from the 49ers in exchange for Keith Browner
. The Buccaneers' original fourth-round pick had been traded to New England, for a 1987 fifth-round pick. Their third-round pick was used to select Dan Sileo
in a 1987 supplemental draft.
wide receiver Sterling Sharpe
with their fourth-overall pick, the Buccaneers took Wisconsin
tackle Paul Gruber
. Gruber was considered to be the best offensive lineman in the draft, and Perkins said that he would have drafted Gruber even if the Buccaneers had the first overall selection. Perkins had never drafted an offensive lineman higher than the fourth round, but left tackle had been a problem spot the previous season, and Perkins compared Gruber's abilities to those of John Hannah. Perkins said that his change of mind about spending high picks on left tackles came about because the way that many teams were now lining up their best athletes at right end or outside linebacker had caused left tackle to become a skill position. The selection of Gruber had a ripple effect on the rest of the draft, as it affected the Jets' and Giants' selections shortly thereafter.
The only well-known player the Buccaneers drafted was Lars Tate
, who had scored 30 touchdowns at Georgia
. Perkins claimed that Tate was the running back that the team had rated highest before their trades were made, and that they were surprised to find him still available in the lower second round. Robert Goff was expected to provide help with the pass rush, and John Bruhin was selected because he was the highest-rated player available. William Howard was considered to be a good short-yardage and goal-line running back.
Of the second day's choices, Kerry Goode was considered particularly intriguing. One of Perkins' former players at Alabama
, he had been one of the Southeastern Conference
's top running backs before suffering a knee injury, and after recovering had been unable to get past Bobby Humphrey
into the starting lineup. With defensive line considered to be the team's most pressing need, they drafted North Alabama tackle Shawn Lee in the sixth round, and North Carolina tackle Reuben Davis
in the ninth. Lee, a converted linebacker, impressed scouts with unusual speed and agility for a defensive lineman. The team drafted four running backs for the second year in a row. Despite the draft's unusual depth of talent at wide receiver, the Buccaneers' only selection at that position was 11th-round choice Frank Pillow of Tennessee State University
. Several receivers the Buccaneers were interested in were taken by the team picking directly ahead of them, including Brett Perriman
and Michael Haynes
.
Following the draft, the team announced the signing of James Wilder
to a new contract, and traded a 12th-round 1989
draft choice to the Indianapolis Colts
for recently-signed quarterback Joe Ferguson
. They also traded veteran tackle Ron Heller
to the Seattle Seahawks
for defensive lineman Randy Edwards
and a 1989
draft pick. Heller requested the trade, apparently before an incident the previous season in which Perkins broke two fingers while punching Heller in the head.
for the opening of training camp, only 20 of whom were on the team when Perkins was hired, and only three of whom (Gerald Carter, Joe Ferguson, and James Wilder) were 30 or older. The team's leading tackler three of the last four years, linebacker Jeff Davis held out of training camp in a contract dispute. Perkins attempted to trade him, but Davis was considered by most teams to be past his peak, and there were no willing takers. With newly-acquired Eugene Marve performing well, Perkins released Davis outright. Davis was later signed by San Diego, but failed to make the team out of preseason. Lacking a game-breaking receiver, the team pursued Ron Brown of the Rams, but eventually signed Patriots holdout Stephen Starring
. One of the defensive line questions was solved by the emergence of ninth-round draft pick Reuben Davis midway through camp. His preseason performance moved him ahead of John Cannon
into a starting role. Perkins reported difficulty finding a second safety to play along with Mark Robinson, until the Jets cut Harry Hamilton
in a salary dispute.
The team found signing its two top draft picks to be difficult. Paul Gruber's agent Ralph Cindrich
made public statements to the effect that their contract offer was offensive, although executive Phil Krueger countered that the team's offer was higher than what Bennie Blades
, the player drafted ahead of Gruber, had signed for; and that Cindrich was demanding that Gruber be paid more than first-overall pick Aundray Bruce
. Only when owner Hugh Culverhouse
got involved in the negotiations did Gruber sign, ending a holdout that lasted for a month. Gruber signed a five-year contract that not only made him the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history, but it set a precedent for linemen to be paid on par with defensive stars, and was so much higher than the regular salary ceiling that it was expected to change the NFL's salary structure for offensive linemen.
Perkins' often-harsh treatment of players was in evidence as tight end Calvin Magee walked out of camp, due to pressure to lose 19 pounds in two weeks. Perkins refused to honor Magee's request for a trade, calling it a "cop-out". Rookie fullback William Howard was singled out for his poor physical condition when he was the first to drop out of the 12-minute run on the first day of training camp, although Perkins later praised his toughness. Perkins did, however, ease back from the three-a-day practices of the previous season's training camp, which had been described as the most difficult in NFL history.
The second week of preseason saw the Buccaneers give up five sacks in a 23-3 loss to the Cleveland Browns
. With near-daily changes to the offensive line due to injury, the team could not protect the passer, while their own pass rush was ineffective. Perkins said afterward that they didn't deserve to be called a football team. Perkins repeated that assessment after a game against the Atlanta Falcons, which Tampa Bay lost 19-14 despite outgaining the Falcons 401-304. Perkins would name no more than five of the team's 80 players as having played well. The game was followed by the cut of 15 players, including Monte Robbins, a punter on whom the team had just spent a fourth-round draft pick. Improvement was shown in the final exhibition game, a matchup with the Buffalo Bills at Vanderbilt Stadium
in Nashville, but it still resulted in a winless preseason. By the end of preseason, eight of the previous year's opening-day starters were no longer with the team, and four more had been demoted to backup roles.
, including the expansion Buccaneers and their 26-game losing streak. They began the season with an embarrassing 41-14 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles
, in which Vinny Testaverde was ineffective against the Eagles' starters. This was followed with surprisingly competitive performances against quality teams, leading Perkins to reverse his previous estimation that the Buccaneers didn't deserve to be called a team. Problems in pass defense became evident early, with Perkins reluctant to put his secondary in man-to-man coverage, and no sacks through the first two games. The team frequently had to play from behind, being outscored 71-0 in the first quarter through the first seven games. They did not score any first-quarter points until a matchup with the Vikings in the eighth week of the season, but they outscored their opponents 61-14 in the fourth quarter in those seven games. If the first quarter were not counted, the Buccaneers would have started the season 6-1 instead of 2-5.
Perkins identified the team's main problem spots as turnovers, in which the Buccaneers led the NFL, and an inability to stop the pass on third downs. He praised Testaverde's ability to come back from costly early errors and to perform well late in games as the sign of a potentially great quarterback. However, Perkins' insistence on a one-dimensional running attack displayed a lack of confidence in Testaverde, and was easy for opponents to defend against. Perkins pointed to a late-season upset of the AFC-leading Buffalo Bills as evidence of the team's improvement through the season. This was confirmed by defensive lineman Kevin Kellin, who returned to the team after an 11-week absence to find their attitude changed. The team ended on a strong note, winning two of three games. Their run defense, which had been ranked 21st in the league the previous year, improved to 4th in the NFL. Bruce Hill's 1,040 receiving yards were the second-highest total in team history, behind only Kevin House
's 1,176. Mark Carrier's 970 receiving yards left the team 30 yards short of having only the seventh pair of 1,000-yard receivers in league history.
The cheers that greeted Vinny Testaverde as he took the field turned to boos after his first three passes, all incompletions. The Philadelphia Eagles
took a 34-0 halftime lead, aided by Testaverde's three interceptions, to which he added two more in the second half. Randall Cunningham
scored two touchdowns passing and one rushing before sitting out the second half, along with Anthony Toney
, Mike Quick
, Reggie White
, and Keith Byars
. Quick and Keith Jackson caught touchdown passes, while Toney rushed for one and Terry Hoage
added to his two interceptions by scoring on a fake punt. It was the Eagles' highest point total since 1981
.
, Green Bay, Wisconsin
The Buccaneers broke their nine-game losing streak with a 28-yard field goal by Donald Igwebuike
on the final play of the game. Vinny Testaverde led a 56-yard drive to set up the kick, which followed Max Zendejas
' missed 52-yard attempt. They capitalized on the Packers' mistake-prone play, which included a Brent Fullwood
fumble that led to a Lars Tate touchdown run, and a late-game fourth-down conversion at the Buccaneer 35 that was called back by a penalty. Packers nose tackle Jerry Boyarsky
suffered a broken arm that required the insertion of a plate and caused him to miss the rest of the season. The injury left the Packers with only three healthy linemen, and required defensive end Blaise Winter
to fill in at nose tackle. Phil Epps
also went on injured reserve with a broken wrist. Tampa Bay linebacker Ervin Randle
left the game with a shoulder injury and was replaced by rookie free agent Sidney Coleman
, who made seven tackles, recovered a fumble, and was awarded a game ball. Perkins later praised the team for continuing to fight, despite turning the ball over in Buccaneer territory on a Testaverde fumble late in the fourth quarter. He also reported pleasure with Testaverde's interception-free performance.
The Phoenix Cardinals
took a 20-3 halftime lead, then withstood a Buccaneer rally to get their first win of the season. Cliff Stoudt
played the second half in relief of Neil Lomax
, who had a sore hip. Stoudt threw the game-winning touchdown, a 42-yard pass to Jay Novacek
. That followed a play in which Lars Tate dove over the line, regained his feet, and ran 47 yards for a touchdown to give the Buccaneers their only lead of the game. The Buccaneers also scored on a James Wilder
run and a Vinny Testaverde pass to Bruce Hill. Stump Mitchell
rushed for 110 yards and a touchdown. The Cardinals 475 yards of offense nearly matched their highest total from the previous season.
, New Orleans, Louisiana
A Bobby Hebert
first-quarter touchdown pass and two Morten Andersen
field goals lifted the New Orleans Saints
past the Buccaneers. The matchup faced Hebert, the NFC's highest-rated passer, against Testaverde, the NFC's lowest-rated. Testaverde was sacked four times and hurried repeatedly by a constant Saints pass rush, but was only intercepted once. After failing to block several blitzers, Lars Tate was replaced with Kerry Goode, who led the team in rushing with ten carries for 44 yards in his NFL debut. Goode also ran for a touchdown which was erased by a penalty, and dropped a pass in the end zone.
The Buccaneers defeated the winless Packers with a fourth-quarter rally led by Vinny Testaverde, who tied the game with a 19-yard touchdown pass to Bruce Hill. Donald Igwebuike kicked the winning field goal with 12 seconds remaining. A strong defense made up for the Buccaneers' early lack of offense. An apparent fumble return touchdown by Kevin Murphy
was called back when the officials ruled the ball dead, but he intercepted a Randy Wright
pass for a 35-yard touchdown on the next play. The offense improved in the second half, when the Buccaneers placed more emphasis on their running game. Testaverde passed for 300 yards, including a stretch of six consecutive completions that gained 107 yards and the touchdown to Hill, and threw two potential touchdowns that were dropped by Mark Carrier in the end zone. Perkins later praised Testaverde for keeping his poise instead of getting frustrated after throwing four interceptions, and said that it was the most physical game the Buccaneer defense had played with him as coach.
, Minneapolis, Minnesota
The Buccaneers took a 10-7 halftime lead, after controlling the ball for 12:17 of a second quarter in which they allowed the Vikings only three offensive plays. A third-quarter James Wilder fumble set up the Vikings' second touchdown. Stephen Starring caught a late Hail Mary pass
that put the Buccaneers in range for a game-winning field goal, but confusion over the play call allowed time to run out before the kick could be made. Perkins accepted blame for the loss, saying that he had not prepared the team for that specific situation; but players said that he should not take the blame, and that the score should not have been close given the number of mistakes made. Kerry Goode led the team in rushing, with 82 yards on 14 carries. The loss denied Tampa Bay the opportunity to tie the Vikings for second place in the NFC Central.
, Indianapolis, Indiana
Vinny Testaverde set a new career high of 469 passing yards in a second-half rally that overwhelmed the Colts' defense, but was not enough to overcome the Buccaneers' early errors. The Buccaneers gave up three sacks, were penalized 10 times for 86 yards, and allowed the Colts to score touchdowns on five consecutive possessions. Eric Dickerson
rushed for two touchdowns, and Eugene Daniel
returned an interception for another. Indianapolis rookie quarterback Chris Chandler
threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to Bill Brooks
and rushed for another, and was able to evade several potential sacks to gain first downs rushing. Still, the Buccaneers' comeback hopes ended only when a potential Bruce Hill pass reception on fourth-and-two with 59 seconds left was defensed by ex-Buccaneer John Holt, with Holt making contact with Hill but not drawing a flag. Hill caught two touchdowns and a career-high 162 yards, which gave him a season yardage total second only to Jerry Rice
in the NFC. Right guard Dan Turk suffered a knee injury, and was replaced in the lineup by rookie John Bruhin. Ron Hall had 7 catches for 121 yards. Don Smith and Lars Tate each rushed for a touchdown, although fullback James Wilder missed the game with an injury and the Buccaneers rushed for a season-low 39 yards.
Testaverde's 469 yards were a career-high (including high school, college, and professional play), the second-most in club history, tenth-most in NFL history, and the most thrown in a game since Ken O'Brien
's 479 in 1986
. It was the second-best performance by a second-year quarterback in NFL history, next to Dan Marino
's 470 yards in 1984
. His 340 second-half yards are a club single-half record, and his .595 completion percentage was the best in his career to date. The performance raised his passer rating enough to move him out of last place in the NFC, raised his season completion percentage above .500 for the first time, and left him leading all NFL quarterbacks in both yardage (1,839) and interceptions (16) thrown.
The Buccaneers scored their first first-quarter points of the season en route to an early 10-7 lead, before Vinny Testaverde's six interceptions led to a 49-20 Vikings victory. The six interceptions set a Vikings club record. The Buccaneers committed a total of seven turnovers, all of which led to Vikings touchdowns. Some players were angered over printed comments that several Vikings players considered the Buccaneers to be a mediocre team, and so had taken them lightly on their first meeting. The interceptions gave Testaverde 22 for the season, putting him on pace to break George Blanda
's NFL record of 42. The performance came one week after Testaverde's 469-yard game against Indianapolis, which had led him to speak of "turning the corner" in his pro career.
A combination of the previous week's poor performance and a back injury led to Vinny Testaverde's surprise replacement by Joe Ferguson as the starter. Ferguson completed 26-of-37 passes for 291 yards and two touchdowns, and nearly led a fourth-quarter comeback. For the second week in a row, Buccaneer turnovers led to all of an opponents' scores. This time, running backs Kerry Goode, Lars Tate, and William Howard combined for four fumbles, leaving the team with a -20 giveaway/takeaway ratio for the season. The Dolphins scored on two touchdown passes from Dan Marino to Mark Clayton, and a Tony Franklin field goal.
, Chicago, Illinois
The Bears played the game with Mike Tomczak
replacing the injured Jim McMahon
at quarterback, and with Vince Tobin
filling in for head coach Mike Ditka
, who was in a hospital recovering from a mild heart attack suffered the previous week. Tomczak completed 18 of 26 passes for 269 yards, including 4 completions for 87 yards and a touchdown to Dennis McKinnon
. Thomas Sanders and Neal Anderson
scored on one-yard runs. The touchdown to McKinnon was the Bears' first third-quarter touchdown of the season. The Buccaneers scored on a 21-yard touchdown pass from Vinny Testaverde to Bruce Hill. Testaverde completed 22 of 52 passes for 305 yards. He was intercepted twice, but Perkins praised Testaverde's performance, saying that he played with "more discipline and more control" than in his six-interception performance on Oct. 23. The Buccaneers had early success running against the Bears' top-ranked run defense, but fell behind as the Bears came to life following Donald Igwebuike's 45-yard second-quarter field goal. The Buccaneers were able to hold the Bears to only 69 yards rushing, although Bears players later attributed their avoidance of the ground game to the ease with which they were able to pass. The game was played on the occasion of Ray Perkins' 47th birthday.
, Pontiac, Michigan
Lars Tate, Kerry Goode, and William Howard combined for 223 yards rushing, which allowed Vinny Testaverde to overcome his early struggles. Testaverde passed for a season-low 107 yards, but was 5-for-5 in the second half, including a 26-yard pass to Bruce Hill with 16 seconds left that set up Donald Igwebuike's winning field goal. Tate's 106 yards rushing made him the first Buccaneer to rush for over 100 yards since James Wilder's 130-yard performance against the Lions two years prior. Howard rushed for 78 yards on 16 carries, in front of a crowd of 250 supporters who had driven to Detroit from his Lima, Ohio
hometown. Testaverde celebrated his 25th birthday with the win. Ron Holmes suffered a season-ending knee injury. The crowd of 25,956 was the smallest non-strike attendance in Silverdome history, and was the smallest Detroit crowd since a 1951
game against the New York Yanks
in Briggs Stadium drew 21,807 fans. The loss resulted in Lions owner William Clay Ford
firing head coach Darryl Rogers
, and replacing him with former Buccaneer defensive coordinator Wayne Fontes
.
The Buccaneers suffered their twelfth consecutive loss to the Bears, as Neal Anderson
rushed for two first-quarter touchdowns, and Mike Tomczak threw a 40-yard touchdown to Brad Muster
. The Buccaneers matched up well statistically with the Bears, but were unable to overcome the early deficit due to mistake-prone play and a poor game from Vinny Testaverde. The Bears also had problems with mistakes, committing four turnovers, and giving up a safety due to a bad snap on a punt. The Buccaneers were able to rush for 168 yards against the Bears' top-ranked defense, more than double the total usually allowed by the Bears. Donald Igwebuike suffered a season-ending groin injury while tackling Dennis Gentry
on a third-quarter kickoff return.
, Atlanta, Georgia
The Buccaneers entered the game with the NFL's fourth-ranked run defense, but the Falcons were able to match the season-high rushing total of 181 yards that had been previously set by the Cardinals on Sept. 18. John Settle
broke several tackles in a 48-yard run, the longest against the Buccaneers all season, which set up Chris Miller's game-winning 37-yard touchdown pass to Michael Haynes. Gerald Riggs
rushed for 98 yards, while Settle gained 83. The Buccaneers outgained the Falcons in total yardage, but dropped passes and committed penalties and turnovers at key times. Vinny Testaverde's three interceptions gave him an NFL-leading total of 31 for the season. The game was played in a downpour, in front of an NFL season-low crowd of 14,020.
Calvin Magee suffered a season-ending knee injury, and was replaced by Jeff Parks, who had spent parts of the 1986-1988 seasons with the Oilers and the Packers. The team also cut wide receiver Joey Clinkscales, and replaced him with speedy former Vikings receiver Jeff Richardson.
Vinny Testaverde's only turnover-free game of the season helped the Buccaneers to upset the Buffalo Bills
, who entered the game with the AFC's best record, and whose only previous defeats had come against division leaders Chicago and Cincinnati. Testaverde scored the game's only touchdown on a 4-yard run, while John Carney contributed a 39-yard field goal. Perkins later praised Testaverde's performance as "one of the greatest games I've ever seen a quarterback play". Jim Kelly
was the victim of several dropped passes, and threw an interception in the final minute. Bruce Smith sacked Testaverde for a safety. The Bills committed 12 penalties for 100 yards. It was the first time since 1984
that Tampa Bay won a game against a team with a winning record.
Despite entering the game with a 2-16 record in cold-weather games, the Buccaneers took the Patriots into overtime. The Buccaneers won the overtime coin toss, but based on the team's defensive performance to that point, Perkins decided to kick off in overtime to get the advantage of having the 25-mph wind at their backs. The unusual move backfired, as a pair of Irving Fryar
receptions set up Jason Staurovsky
's 27-yard field goal that won the game for the Patriots without the Buccaneers ever getting a chance to touch the ball. It was the first overtime win in franchise history for the Patriots, who were facing playoff elimination with a loss. New England's touchdown came on a 6-yard run by Robert Perryman. Vinny Testaverde threw his 32nd interception, which tied Fran Tarkenton
's 10-year-old NFC record. Testaverde also threw a touchdown to Mark Carrier
for the Buccaneers' only score, although a John Carney field goal was called back due to a tripping penalty on Jackie Walker
. Roland James
caught Testaverde's interception at the Patriots' 6-yard line, while Harry Hamilton
intercepted a Tony Eason
pass at the Buccaneers' 1-yard line, and Ricky Reynolds
caught another in the end zone. Despite the disappointing loss, players reported feeling upbeat, due to their victory over a playoff team followed by a solid performance against another contender.
Abandoning their conservative running game of recent weeks, the Buccaneers passed on 10 of their first 16 plays. The early result was that Testaverde was sacked four times, and threw three interceptions for a season total of 35, a record for both the team and the NFC. However, he rebounded to throw a career-high three touchdown passes. Lions quarterback Rusty Hilger
was sacked twice by Shaun Lee, and once by John Cannon. Donnie Elder
, Harry Hamilton, and Mark Robinson all intercepted Hilger. Bruce Hill caught a touchdown and passed the 1,000 yard receiving mark, while Mark Carrier caught two and fell just short of 1,000 yards.
Vinny Testaverde, most team season 300-yard passing games (4, tied Doug Williams' 1980
and 1981
marks, matched by Brad Johnson
in 2003
)
Vinny Testaverde, most team single-half passing yards (340 vs. Indianapolis on 10/16)
Bruce Hill, most team single-season receiving touchdowns (9, tied Kevin House
's 1981 mark, broken by Joey Galloway
's 10 in 2005
and Mike Williams' 11 in 2010
)
Lars Tate, most team rookie touchdowns (8, broken in 2010 by Mike Williams)
Team defense, fewest season rushing yards allowed (1,551, broken in 1999
)
Team defense, lowest season rushing average allowed (3.24)
Team, fewest season punts (68, tied 1984
mark)
Team defense, most points allowed in a home game (49 vs. Minnesota on 10/23)
Team defense, most first-quarter points allowed (21 vs. Philadelphia on 9/4)
1988 NFL season
The 1988 NFL season was the 69th regular season of the National Football League. The Cardinals relocated from St. Louis, Missouri to the Phoenix, Arizona area becoming the Phoenix Cardinals but remained in the NFC East division....
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 was the team's first full, non-strike season under head coach Ray Perkins. Perkins had by now rebuilt the Buccaneers as the NFL's youngest team, having replaced so many veterans that leadership became an issue. A strong draft produced several starters, including standout offensive tackle Paul Gruber and eventual 1,000-yard running back Lars Tate. The team was largely competitive and showed an ability to outplay opponents in the second half of games, but continued their tendency toward mental errors, and finished with a disappointing 5-11 record. Second-year quarterback Vinny Testaverde
Vinny Testaverde
Vincent Frank Testaverde is a former NFL quarterback. Testaverde last played for the Carolina Panthers and had previously played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys and New England Patriots. Testaverde holds the NFL record for having...
was inconsistent: an effective leader at times, as in their late-season upset of the AFC-leading Buffalo Bills, mistake-prone at others. His 35 interceptions are still (as of 2011
2011 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
The 2011 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season will be the club's 36th season as a franchise in the NFL. The team will compete in the NFC South. Both of their preseason home games, and seven of their regular season home games will be played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida...
) a team record. His frequent costly errors caused the coaching staff to lose confidence in him, and at one point to replace him with backup Joe Ferguson. The team finished the season on a strong note with wins in two of their final three games, including respectable performances against two playoff contenders.
Offseason
National Football League Players Association figures showed the Buccaneers to have the lowest average salaries in the NFL, despite having one of the league's highest-paid players in Vinny Testaverde. Team assistant Phil KruegerPhil Krueger (coach)
Phil Krueger was a college football coach at Fresno State, and Utah State. From 1964 to 1965, he coached at Fresno State, where he compiled a 10-10 record. From 1973 to 1975, he coached at Utah State, where he compiled a 21-12 record. His overall record stands at 31-22.-References:...
disputed the accuracy of the figures. The team filed suit against former linebacker Hugh Green, saying that he still owed more than half of the signing bonus that he was required to repay as part of his trade to Miami.
Founding coach John McKay was honored with election to the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
.
Personnel Moves
The team was especially active in the offseason, with as many as 123 players on the roster over the summer. They had finished the previous season as the league's youngest team, with an average age of 25, and with the release of several veterans were expected to get even younger. The team declined to make qualifying offers to tackle Marvin PowellMarvin Powell
Marvin Powell is a former Offensive Tackle for the New York Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.-College career:Powell was elected into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1994...
and punter Frank Garcia
Frank Garcia (punter)
Frank Garcia is a former American football punter in the National Football League. He was signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 1981. He played college football at Arizona, Arizona State and UNLV....
, who became free agents with the expiration of their contracts. Powell spoke highly of the team and fondly of his days in Tampa, a sharp contrast with his acrimonious departure from 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...
, who were later cleared of charges of unfair labor practices that were filed when the Jets released him a week after he was elected union president. Several free agents were signed during the offseason, including former Hurricanes
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...
and 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...
linebacker Jay Brophy
Jay Brophy
Jay Brophy is a former American football linebacker who played at the University of Miami, and four seasons in the National Football League, mainly for the Miami Dolphins.-High School Years:...
, and former Buccaneer replacement player Harold Ricks. Former starting quarterback Steve DeBerg
Steve DeBerg
Steven Leroy DeBerg had a long career as an American Football quarterback. His career spanned 21 years over 3 decades. Despite the fact that large portions of his career were spent as a backup, DeBerg ultimately accumulated some impressive NFL statistics, particularly during the early 1990s, when...
was traded to 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...
for safety Mark Robinson
Mark Robinson
Mark Robinson may refer to:Politics*Mark Robinson *Mark Robinson *Mark Robinson *Mark Allan Robinson , Canadian political activistSports...
and a pair of draft choices. The move was considered to be a calculated risk, because the team gained a draft pick and a player at a problem area, while they lost experience from a young team. The departure of DeBerg, combined with the loss of quarterbacks coach Marc Trestman
Marc Trestman
Marc Trestman is the head coach of the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League.-Early life:Trestman is Jewish. He graduated in 1974 from Saint Louis Park High School in Minnesota. He played quarterback for the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers football team for three seasons...
to the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, left only Perkins, who also served as the team's head coach, general manager, and offensive coordinator, to coach Testaverde. Robinson, who had been unable to break into the Chiefs' starting lineup behind Deron Cherry
Deron Cherry
Deron Leigh Cherry is a retired professional American football strong safety who played for the Kansas City Chiefs from 1981 to 1991. Deron was a free safety and punter at Rutgers University. In 1979, he was named the team’s MVP. In 1979 and 1980, Cherry earned AP All-East honors...
and Lloyd Burruss
Lloyd Burruss
Lloyd Earl Burruss Jr. is a former American football safety who played for the Kansas City Chiefs from 1981-1991 in the National Football League. He is the only Chief to ever be the Mack Lee Hill Award winner, the team’s MVP and a member of the Chiefs Hall of Fame.-External links:**...
, reunited with Chiefs' secondary coach Doug Graber
Doug Graber
-Professional:-External links:*...
, now the defensive coordinator at Tampa Bay.
The team's initial qualifying offers to Scot Brantley
Scot Brantley
Scot Eugene Brantley is an American radio and television sports broadcaster and former college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League for eight seasons in the 1980s...
, George Yarno
George Yarno
George Anthony Yarno is a former professional football player, a guard with the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons, and Houston Oilers. He also played two seasons with the Denver Gold of the USFL...
, and Bobby Kemp
Bobby Kemp
Bobby Kemp is a former American football safety who played seven seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the National Football League....
were later withdrawn. Injuries had affected Brantley's play over the last several years. Kemp had started all non-strike games the previous season, but was released due to his lack of speed. Yarno requested the release so that he might have a chance to catch on with another team after being told that his chances of making the team were poor. Several of the previous season's backups were released, including Steve Bartalo, Charles Gladman, Harold Ricks, Conrad Goode
Conrad Goode
Conrad Lawrence Goode is an American actor and former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League for the New York Giants and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers....
, and Mike Stensrud
Mike Stensrud
Michael Iver Stensrud is a former American football defensive lineman who played for five teams in eleven seasons in the National Football League. He wrestled for Lake Mills High School, winning the super heavy weight bracket in the state tournament...
. Ricks and Gladman were replacement players who had been retained by the team when regular play resumed. Kicker Van Tiffin
Van Tiffin
Van Tiffin is a former American football placekicker.- College career :Tiffin was the Alabama Crimson Tide's primary placekicker from 1983-1986. He holds the school record for longest converted field goal, with a successful 57-yard attempt against Texas A&M in 1985...
and defensive back Rodney Bellinger were signed as free agents. They were also rumored to be interested in acquiring receiver Wes Chandler
Wes Chandler
Wesley Sandy "Wes" Chandler is a former American college and professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League for eleven seasons in the 1970s and 1980s...
from San Diego. 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...
linebacker Eugene Marve
Eugene Marve
Eugene Raymond Marve is a former American football linebacker who played in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the San Diego Chargers. He played college football at Saginaw Valley State University....
was acquired for a 1989 draft pick. Marve was a longtime Bills starter who was made expendable by the drafting of Shane Conlan
Shane Conlan
Shane Patrick Conlan is a former professional American football player. He played college football at Penn State University, where he won two national championships...
. Perkins later referred to the trade as an "absolute steal". The acquisition of Marve allowed the team to release their leading tackler Jeff Davis
Jeff Davis (American football)
Jeff Davis is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fifth round of the 1982 NFL Draft. He played college football at Clemson.Davis was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2007.-College career:Davis...
, whose request for a trade they had been unable to accommodate.
Coaching Changes
The Buccaneers' 1988 coaching staff was nearly identical to their 1987 staff, with the exception of Perkins taking over the quarterback-coaching duties from the departed Marc Trestman, and the addition of Mike ShulaMike Shula
Mike Shula is an American football quarterback coach for the Carolina Panthers, an NFL team. Between 2003 and 2006, he was the head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide football program.- Early life :...
as an offensive assistant. Shula became the NFL's youngest assistant coach, having been a draft pick of the team the previous year. Perkins had close ties to Shula, having coached him in college, and having been coached by his father, 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....
, as a receiver with the Baltimore Colts. Shula assumed some of the responsibility for coaching Vinny Testaverde, although Shula was 17 months younger than Testaverde and was drafted in the same year.
NFL Draft
A pair of draft-day trades gained the Buccaneers two extra fourth-round picks; Perkins reasoning that after the first dozen or so selections, the talent level is fairly similar between the next 100 players.| Pick | Round | Player | Position | School |
| 4 | 1 | Paul Gruber Paul Gruber Paul Blake Gruber is a former American football offensive tackle in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers fourth overall in the 1988 NFL Draft... |
Offensive Tackle | Wisconsin Wisconsin Badgers football The Wisconsin Badgers are a college football program that represents the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. They play their home games at Camp Randall Stadium, the fourth-oldest stadium in college football... |
| 53 | 2 (from San Francisco) | Lars Tate Lars Tate Lars Jamel Tate , is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2nd round of the 1988 NFL Draft.... |
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... |
| 83 | 4 (from Philadelphia) | Robert Goff | Defensive End | Auburn Auburn Tigers football Only Mohamed Amin Abughadir set the record with 1,890 yards in 1 season. He was the QB for Auburn in 1998.The Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in college football as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing in the Western Division of the... |
| 86 | 4 (from Kansas City) | John Bruhin | Guard | Tennessee Tennessee Volunteers football The Tennessee Volunteers football team are an American college football team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville . The NCAA Division I team is also a member of the Southeastern Conference .... |
| 107 | 4 (from San Francisco) | Monte Robbins Monte Robbins Dammond R. "Monte" Robbins is a former American football punter. He played for the University of Michigan from 1984 to 1987... |
Punter | Michigan Michigan Wolverines football The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history... |
| 113 | 5 | William Howard William Howard (American football) William Dotson Howard was a professional American football player who played running back for two seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccanneers.-References:... |
Running Back | Tennessee |
| 163 | 6 (from San Francisco) | Shawn Lee | Defensive Tackle | North Alabama North Alabama Lions football The North Alabama Lions football team represents the University of North Alabama in the NCAA Division II competing as a member of the East Division of the Gulf South Conference . UNA plays its home games at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Alabama... |
| 167 | 7 | Kerry Goode | 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... |
| 198 | 8 | Anthony Simpson | Running Back | East Carolina East Carolina Pirates football The East Carolina Pirates is a college football team that represents East Carolina University . The team is currently a member of the Conference USA, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association .The Pirates have won seven conference championships and... |
| 225 | 9 | Reuben Davis Reuben Davis (American football) Reuben Cordell Davis is a former American football defensive lineman in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the ninth round of the 1988 NFL Draft. He played college football at North Carolina.-External links:*... |
Defensive End | North Carolina |
| 279 | 11 | Frank Pillow | Wide Receiver | Tennessee State Tennessee State University Tennessee State University is a land-grant university located in Nashville, Tennessee. TSU is the only state-funded historically black university in Tennessee.-History:... |
| 310 | 12 | Victor Jones Victor Jones Victor Purnell Jones is a former professional American football linebacker in the National Football League for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Detroit Lions, He played college football at Virginia Tech and was drafted in the twelfth round of the 1988 NFL Draft.... |
Inside Linebacker | Virginia Tech Virginia Tech Hokies football The Virginia Tech Hokies football team is a college football program that competes in NCAA Division I-FBS, in the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. They have more wins in team history than any other program in the ACC. Their home games are played at Lane Stadium which seats over... |
The Buccaneers traded their second-round pick, the 30th overall, to the Philadelphia Eagles for their second- and fourth-round picks, the 39th- and 83rd-overall. The second-round pick at #39 was then traded to 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...
for their second- and fourth- round picks, the 53rd- and 108th-overall. The Buccaneers also had Kansas City's fourth- and eighth-round picks, from the Steve DeBerg trade. The sixth-round pick used to select Shawn Lee came from the 49ers in exchange for Keith Browner
Keith Browner
Keith Browner is a former American Football defensive end and outside linebacker. He is also the father of Keith Browner jr who is a standout LB for the Cal Golden Bears.-College career:...
. The Buccaneers' original fourth-round pick had been traded to New England, for a 1987 fifth-round pick. Their third-round pick was used to select Dan Sileo
Dan Sileo
Dan Sileo is a sports radio personality. Sileo started his sports career at Stamford Catholic High School in Stamford,Connecticut...
in a 1987 supplemental draft.
Draft Selections
Despite pre-draft talk that they would select South CarolinaSouth Carolina Gamecocks football
The South Carolina Gamecocks football team represents the University of South Carolina in NCAA Division I college football. The Gamecocks have been a member of the Southeastern Conference since 1992. Steve Spurrier is the current head coach, and the team plays its home games at Williams-Brice...
wide receiver Sterling Sharpe
Sterling Sharpe
Sterling Sharpe is a former American football wide receiver and an analyst for the NFL Network. He attended the University of South Carolina, and played from 1988 to 1994 with the Green Bay Packers.-Early life:...
with their fourth-overall pick, the Buccaneers took Wisconsin
Wisconsin Badgers football
The Wisconsin Badgers are a college football program that represents the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. They play their home games at Camp Randall Stadium, the fourth-oldest stadium in college football...
tackle Paul Gruber
Paul Gruber
Paul Blake Gruber is a former American football offensive tackle in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers fourth overall in the 1988 NFL Draft...
. Gruber was considered to be the best offensive lineman in the draft, and Perkins said that he would have drafted Gruber even if the Buccaneers had the first overall selection. Perkins had never drafted an offensive lineman higher than the fourth round, but left tackle had been a problem spot the previous season, and Perkins compared Gruber's abilities to those of John Hannah. Perkins said that his change of mind about spending high picks on left tackles came about because the way that many teams were now lining up their best athletes at right end or outside linebacker had caused left tackle to become a skill position. The selection of Gruber had a ripple effect on the rest of the draft, as it affected the Jets' and Giants' selections shortly thereafter.
The only well-known player the Buccaneers drafted was Lars Tate
Lars Tate
Lars Jamel Tate , is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2nd round of the 1988 NFL Draft....
, who had scored 30 touchdowns at 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...
. Perkins claimed that Tate was the running back that the team had rated highest before their trades were made, and that they were surprised to find him still available in the lower second round. Robert Goff was expected to provide help with the pass rush, and John Bruhin was selected because he was the highest-rated player available. William Howard was considered to be a good short-yardage and goal-line running back.
Of the second day's choices, Kerry Goode was considered particularly intriguing. One of Perkins' former players at 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...
, he had been one of the Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
's top running backs before suffering a knee injury, and after recovering had been unable to get past Bobby Humphrey
Bobby Humphrey
Bobby Gene Humphrey is a former professional American football player who was selected in the first round by the Denver Broncos in the 1989 NFL Supplemental Draft after a stellar career at the University of Alabama...
into the starting lineup. With defensive line considered to be the team's most pressing need, they drafted North Alabama tackle Shawn Lee in the sixth round, and North Carolina tackle Reuben Davis
Reuben Davis (American football)
Reuben Cordell Davis is a former American football defensive lineman in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the ninth round of the 1988 NFL Draft. He played college football at North Carolina.-External links:*...
in the ninth. Lee, a converted linebacker, impressed scouts with unusual speed and agility for a defensive lineman. The team drafted four running backs for the second year in a row. Despite the draft's unusual depth of talent at wide receiver, the Buccaneers' only selection at that position was 11th-round choice Frank Pillow of Tennessee State University
Tennessee State University
Tennessee State University is a land-grant university located in Nashville, Tennessee. TSU is the only state-funded historically black university in Tennessee.-History:...
. Several receivers the Buccaneers were interested in were taken by the team picking directly ahead of them, including Brett Perriman
Brett Perriman
Brett Perriman is a former American football wide receiver in the NFL for the New Orleans Saints , the Detroit Lions , the Kansas City Chiefs , and the Miami Dolphins...
and Michael Haynes
Michael Haynes (wide receiver)
Michael David Haynes is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the seventh round of the 1988 NFL Draft. He played college football at Northern Arizona.Haynes also played for the New Orleans Saints....
.
Following the draft, the team announced the signing of James Wilder
James Wilder
James Curtis Wilder is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Redskins, and the Detroit Lions.-High school career:...
to a new contract, and traded a 12th-round 1989
1989 NFL Draft
The 1989 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 23–24 , 1989...
draft choice to the Indianapolis 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 recently-signed quarterback Joe Ferguson
Joe Ferguson
Joseph Carlton Ferguson, Jr. is a former American football quarterback in the NFL. Ferguson played college football at the University of Arkansas, where he still holds the school's single game record for most completions and in that same season was named the Southwest Conference's Offensive...
. They also traded veteran tackle Ron Heller
Ron Heller (offensive tackle)
Ronald Ramon Heller is an American football coach and former offensive tackle, who played twelve seasons in the National Football League for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles and Miami Dolphins...
to the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle 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...
for defensive lineman Randy Edwards
Randy Edwards
Randy Edwards is a former professional American football player who played defensive lineman for four seasons for the Seattle Seahawks....
and a 1989
1989 NFL Draft
The 1989 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 23–24 , 1989...
draft pick. Heller requested the trade, apparently before an incident the previous season in which Perkins broke two fingers while punching Heller in the head.
Preseason
Before the season, Perkins identified linebacker and offensive line as the team's strengths, and safety, wide receiver, and defensive end as the team's biggest needs. 74 players reported to the University of TampaUniversity of Tampa
The University of Tampa , is a private, co-educational university in Downtown Tampa, Florida, United States. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. In 2006, the University celebrated its 75th anniversary...
for the opening of training camp, only 20 of whom were on the team when Perkins was hired, and only three of whom (Gerald Carter, Joe Ferguson, and James Wilder) were 30 or older. The team's leading tackler three of the last four years, linebacker Jeff Davis held out of training camp in a contract dispute. Perkins attempted to trade him, but Davis was considered by most teams to be past his peak, and there were no willing takers. With newly-acquired Eugene Marve performing well, Perkins released Davis outright. Davis was later signed by San Diego, but failed to make the team out of preseason. Lacking a game-breaking receiver, the team pursued Ron Brown of the Rams, but eventually signed Patriots holdout Stephen Starring
Stephen Starring
Stephen Starring is a former professional American football player who played wide receiver for six seasons for the New England Patriots, the Detroit Lions, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers....
. One of the defensive line questions was solved by the emergence of ninth-round draft pick Reuben Davis midway through camp. His preseason performance moved him ahead of John Cannon
John Cannon (American football)
John Cannon is a former professional American football player who attended Holmdel High School in Holmdel, New Jersey and played defensive end for nine seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers....
into a starting role. Perkins reported difficulty finding a second safety to play along with Mark Robinson, until the Jets cut Harry Hamilton
Harry Hamilton
Harry Hamilton is a former professional American football player. He was an Academic All-American safety at Penn State University in 1982 and 1983. He played 8 seasons as a safety in the National Football League. He attended John S. Fine High school in Nanticoke, Pennsylvania...
in a salary dispute.
The team found signing its two top draft picks to be difficult. Paul Gruber's agent Ralph Cindrich
Ralph Cindrich
Ralph Edward Cindrich is a sports agent and former NFL player. A linebacker for the New England Patriots , the Houston Oilers and the Denver Broncos , Cindrich graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 1972 and South Texas College of Law in 1978...
made public statements to the effect that their contract offer was offensive, although executive Phil Krueger countered that the team's offer was higher than what Bennie Blades
Bennie Blades
Horatio Benedict "Bennie" Blades Sr. is a former American football cornerback and safety in the National Football League. He played college football at the University of Miami.-University of Miami:...
, the player drafted ahead of Gruber, had signed for; and that Cindrich was demanding that Gruber be paid more than first-overall pick Aundray Bruce
Aundray Bruce
Aundray Bruce is a former American football linebacker. He played college football at Auburn University and professionally for the Atlanta Falcons and Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders of the NFL.-College career:...
. Only when owner Hugh Culverhouse
Hugh Culverhouse
Hugh Franklin Culverhouse, Sr. was the longtime owner of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League . He was a successful tax lawyer, and his real estate investments made him one of the nation's wealthiest men...
got involved in the negotiations did Gruber sign, ending a holdout that lasted for a month. Gruber signed a five-year contract that not only made him the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history, but it set a precedent for linemen to be paid on par with defensive stars, and was so much higher than the regular salary ceiling that it was expected to change the NFL's salary structure for offensive linemen.
Perkins' often-harsh treatment of players was in evidence as tight end Calvin Magee walked out of camp, due to pressure to lose 19 pounds in two weeks. Perkins refused to honor Magee's request for a trade, calling it a "cop-out". Rookie fullback William Howard was singled out for his poor physical condition when he was the first to drop out of the 12-minute run on the first day of training camp, although Perkins later praised his toughness. Perkins did, however, ease back from the three-a-day practices of the previous season's training camp, which had been described as the most difficult in NFL history.
The second week of preseason saw the Buccaneers give up five sacks in a 23-3 loss to the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. With near-daily changes to the offensive line due to injury, the team could not protect the passer, while their own pass rush was ineffective. Perkins said afterward that they didn't deserve to be called a football team. Perkins repeated that assessment after a game against the Atlanta Falcons, which Tampa Bay lost 19-14 despite outgaining the Falcons 401-304. Perkins would name no more than five of the team's 80 players as having played well. The game was followed by the cut of 15 players, including Monte Robbins, a punter on whom the team had just spent a fourth-round draft pick. Improvement was shown in the final exhibition game, a matchup with the Buffalo Bills at Vanderbilt Stadium
Vanderbilt Stadium
Vanderbilt Stadium at Dudley Field is a football stadium located in Nashville, Tennessee. Completed in 1922 as the first stadium in the South to be used exclusively for college football, it is the home of the Vanderbilt University football team...
in Nashville, but it still resulted in a winless preseason. By the end of preseason, eight of the previous year's opening-day starters were no longer with the team, and four more had been demoted to backup roles.
Regular season
The Buccaneers entered the season with the worst five-year winning percentage of any NFL team since World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, including the expansion Buccaneers and their 26-game losing streak. They began the season with an embarrassing 41-14 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, in which Vinny Testaverde was ineffective against the Eagles' starters. This was followed with surprisingly competitive performances against quality teams, leading Perkins to reverse his previous estimation that the Buccaneers didn't deserve to be called a team. Problems in pass defense became evident early, with Perkins reluctant to put his secondary in man-to-man coverage, and no sacks through the first two games. The team frequently had to play from behind, being outscored 71-0 in the first quarter through the first seven games. They did not score any first-quarter points until a matchup with the Vikings in the eighth week of the season, but they outscored their opponents 61-14 in the fourth quarter in those seven games. If the first quarter were not counted, the Buccaneers would have started the season 6-1 instead of 2-5.
Perkins identified the team's main problem spots as turnovers, in which the Buccaneers led the NFL, and an inability to stop the pass on third downs. He praised Testaverde's ability to come back from costly early errors and to perform well late in games as the sign of a potentially great quarterback. However, Perkins' insistence on a one-dimensional running attack displayed a lack of confidence in Testaverde, and was easy for opponents to defend against. Perkins pointed to a late-season upset of the AFC-leading Buffalo Bills as evidence of the team's improvement through the season. This was confirmed by defensive lineman Kevin Kellin, who returned to the team after an 11-week absence to find their attitude changed. The team ended on a strong note, winning two of three games. Their run defense, which had been ranked 21st in the league the previous year, improved to 4th in the NFL. Bruce Hill's 1,040 receiving yards were the second-highest total in team history, behind only Kevin House
Kevin House
Kevin Nathaniel House is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second round of the 1980 NFL Draft. A 6'1", 175 lbs. wide receiver from Southern Illinois University, House played in eight NFL seasons from 1980-1987 for the Buccaneers...
's 1,176. Mark Carrier's 970 receiving yards left the team 30 yards short of having only the seventh pair of 1,000-yard receivers in league history.
Schedule
| Regular season | ||||||||
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Kickoff | Game site | TV | Attendance | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 4, 1988 | Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 41-14 | 1:00 | Tampa Stadium | CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
43,502 | 0-1 |
| 2 | September 11, 1988 | at Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... |
W 13-10 | 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:... |
52,584 | 1-1 |
| 3 | September 18, 1988 | Phoenix Cardinals | L 30-24 | 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:... |
35,034 | 1-2 |
| 4 | September 25, 1988 | at 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 13-9 | 1:00 | Louisiana Superdome | 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:... |
66,714 | 1-3 |
| 5 | October 2, 1988 | Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... |
W 27-24 | 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:... |
40,003 | 2-3 |
| 6 | October 9, 1988 | at Minnesota Vikings Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960... |
L 14-13 | 1:00 | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, commonly called the Metrodome, is a domed sports stadium in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Opened in 1982, it replaced Metropolitan Stadium, which was on the current site of the Mall of America in Bloomington and Memorial Stadium on the University... |
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:... |
55,274 | 2-4 |
| 7 | October 16, 1988 | at Indianapolis 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 .... |
L 35-31 | 1:00 | Hoosier Dome RCA Dome RCA Dome was a domed stadium, located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and the home of the Indianapolis Colts NFL franchise for 24 seasons .... |
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:... |
53,135 | 2-5 |
| 8 | October 23, 1988 | 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 49-20 | 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:... |
48,020 | 2-6 |
| 9 | October 30, 1988 | 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... |
L 17-14 | 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... |
67,352 | 2-7 |
| 10 | November 6, 1988 | 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 28-10 | 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:... |
56,892 | 2-8 |
| 11 | November 13, 1988 | 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... |
W 23-20 | 1:00 | 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:... |
25,956 | 3-8 |
| 12 | November 20, 1988 | 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 27-15 | 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:... |
67,070 | 3-9 |
| 13 | November 27, 1988 | at 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... |
L 17-10 | 1:00 | Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, often shortened to "Fulton County Stadium," was a multi-purpose stadium that formerly stood in Atlanta, Georgia, United States.-History:... |
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:... |
14,020 | 3-10 |
| 14 | December 4, 1988 | 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 10-5 | 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... |
49,498 | 4-10 |
| 15 | December 11, 1988 | at New England Patriots New England Patriots The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National... |
L 10-7 | 1:00 | Sullivan Stadium Foxboro Stadium Foxboro Stadium was an outdoor stadium, located in Foxborough, Massachusetts... |
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:... |
39,889 | 4-11 |
| 16 | December 18, 1988 | 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... |
W 21-10 | 1:00 | Tampa Stadium | CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
37,778 | 5-11 |
Standings
| NFC Central | ||||||
| Team | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears 1988 Chicago Bears season The 1988 Chicago Bears season was their 69th regular season and 19th postseason completed in the National Football League. The club posted a 12-4 record, winning the NFC Central for the fifth straight season, but lost in the NFC Championship Game. Coach Mike Ditka suffered a heart attack during the... |
12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 312 | 215 |
| Minnesota Vikings 1988 Minnesota Vikings season -Schedule:-Postseason:*12/26 LA Rams W 28-17 *1/1 at San Francisco L 9-34 -Standings:-NFC Divisional Playoff:-References:* *... |
11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 406 | 233 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 261 | 350 |
| Detroit Lions 1988 Detroit Lions season The 1988 Detroit Lions season was the 59th season in franchise history. Darryl Rogers was released after 11 games and was replaced by Wayne Fontes.-NFL Draft:-Schedule:-Standings:-Roster:-References:***... |
4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 220 | 313 |
| Green Bay Packers 1988 Green Bay Packers season The 1988 Green Bay Packers season was their 68th season in the National Football League. The club posted a 4–12 record under coach Lindy Infante, earning them a fifth-place finish in the NFC Central division... |
4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 240 | 315 |
1988 Roster
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1988 roster | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Wide Receivers
Tight Ends
|
Offensive Linemen
Randy Grimes Randy Grimes was an American football player who played center for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1983 to 1992.Randy played for Baylor University during the early 1980s and was a part of the 1980 Southwest Conference Champion Bears, which also included the likes of other NFL players Mike Singletary,... C Paul Gruber Paul Blake Gruber is a former American football offensive tackle in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers fourth overall in the 1988 NFL Draft... LT Tom McHale (American football) Thomas McHale was an American offensive guard in the National Football League. During his career he played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers , Philadelphia Eagles and Miami Dolphins... G Dan Turk Daniel Anthony Turk was an American football center in the National Football League from 1985 to 1999 for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Oakland Raiders, and Washington Redskins. Turk was mainly used as a long snapper and reserve center... RG Defensive Linemen
|
Linebackers
Sidney Coleman (American football) Sidney Coleman is a former professional American football player who played linebacker for five seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Arizona Cardinals.... RILB Victor Jones Victor Purnell Jones is a former professional American football linebacker in the National Football League for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Detroit Lions, He played college football at Virginia Tech and was drafted in the twelfth round of the 1988 NFL Draft.... Eugene Marve Eugene Raymond Marve is a former American football linebacker who played in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the San Diego Chargers. He played college football at Saginaw Valley State University.... LILB Winston Moss Winston Moss is a former American football linebacker and current assistant head coach / inside linebackers coach for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second round of the 1987 NFL Draft... ROLB Kevin Murphy (American football) Kevin Murphy is a former American football linebacker who played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the San Diego Chargers and the Seattle Seahawks in the National Football League. He was converted from defensive lineman to linebacker in the NFL. He played college football for the Oklahoma Sooners... LOLB Ervin Randle Ervin Randle is a former American football linebacker in the NFL. He played in the NFL from 1985-1992 for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs. He attended Baylor University for college. He is the older brother of Hall of Famer John Randle.... RILB Henry Rolling Henry Rolling is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fifth round of the 1987 NFL Draft. He played college football at Nevada-Reno.Rolling also played for the San Diego Chargers and Los Angeles Rams.... Jackie Walker Jackie Walker who attended Carroll High School in Monroe, Louisiana was an American football linebacker for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was the 28th player selected in the 1986 NFL Draft, the first player drafted in the second round of a year in which there were... LB/TE Chris Washington Chris Washington is a former linebacker in the NFL. He played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Phoenix Cardinals. He played seven seasons in the league, and has suffered from debilitating injuries brought on by his NFL career since his retirement.... ROLB Defensive Backs
Special Teams
|
Reserve Lists
Rookies in italics Starters in boldface |
|||||
Coaching staff
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1988 coaching staff | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Front Office
Head Coaches
Offensive Coaches
|
Defensive Coaches
Special Teams Coaches
|
|||||
Week 1: vs Philadelphia Eagles
Sep 4, 1988 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 cheers that greeted Vinny Testaverde as he took the field turned to boos after his first three passes, all incompletions. The Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
took a 34-0 halftime lead, aided by Testaverde's three interceptions, to which he added two more in the second half. Randall Cunningham
Randall Cunningham
Randall W. Cunningham is a former American football quarterback.After playing college football at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, he was selected in the second round of the 1985 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, with whom he remained through the 1995 season...
scored two touchdowns passing and one rushing before sitting out the second half, along with Anthony Toney
Anthony Toney
Anthony Toney is a former professional American football running back for five seasons in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles. He played college football at Texas A&M University and was drafted in the second round of the 1986 NFL Draft by the Eagles....
, Mike Quick
Mike Quick
Michael Anthony Quick is a former American football wide receiver who played his entire career with the Philadelphia Eagles .-Playing career:...
, Reggie White
Reggie White
Reginald Howard "Reggie" White was a professional American football player. He played 15 seasons as a defensive end in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers and Carolina Panthers, becoming one of the most decorated players in NFL history...
, and Keith Byars
Keith Byars
Keith Alan Byars is an American sports broadcaster and former American football player in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots and New York Jets.-Early life:...
. Quick and Keith Jackson caught touchdown passes, while Toney rushed for one and Terry Hoage
Terry Hoage
Terrell Lee "Terry" Hoage is a former football defensive back for the University of Georgia from 1980 – 1983 and several National Football League teams. He was a two time consensus All-American and graduated from Georgia in 1985 with a B.S. in Genetics with a 3.85 GPA...
added to his two interceptions by scoring on a fake punt. It was the Eagles' highest point total since 1981
1981 Philadelphia Eagles season
The 1981 Philadelphia Eagles season resulted in an appearance in the postseason.-Offseason:After going 12–4 and winning the NFC title and losing in Super Bowl XV to the Oakland Raiders in the 1980 season the Eagles would be picking next to last in the 12 rounds of the draft-1981 NFL Draft:The 1981...
.
Week 2: at Green Bay Packers
Sep 11, 1988 at Lambeau FieldLambeau Field
Lambeau Field is an outdoor football stadium in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the home of the NFL's Green Bay Packers. Opened in 1957 as City Stadium, it replaced the original City Stadium as the Packers' home field...
, Green Bay, Wisconsin
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Green Bay is a city in and the county seat of Brown County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, located at the head of Green Bay, a sub-basin of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River. It has an elevation of above sea level and is located north of Milwaukee. As of the 2010 United States Census,...
The Buccaneers broke their nine-game losing streak with a 28-yard field goal by Donald Igwebuike
Donald Igwebuike
Donald Amechi Igwebuike is a former Nigerian kicker of American football for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers . He is the fourth place all-time scorer for the Buccaneers with 416 overall points...
on the final play of the game. Vinny Testaverde led a 56-yard drive to set up the kick, which followed Max Zendejas
Max Zendejas
Maximmillian Javier Zendejas is a Mexican former placekicker in the National Football League.Zendejas played college football for the University of Arizona from 1982 to 1985...
' missed 52-yard attempt. They capitalized on the Packers' mistake-prone play, which included a Brent Fullwood
Brent Fullwood
Brent Lanard Fullwood , from St. Cloud High School, is a former professional American football player who was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the 1st round of the 1987 NFL Draft...
fumble that led to a Lars Tate touchdown run, and a late-game fourth-down conversion at the Buccaneer 35 that was called back by a penalty. Packers nose tackle Jerry Boyarsky
Jerry Boyarsky
Gerard Mark Joseph Boyarsky is a former American football player who was a defensive tackle who played for four teams in the National Football League. He played college football at the University of Pittsburgh. Jerry Boyarsky graduated from Lakeland School District, Pennsylvania...
suffered a broken arm that required the insertion of a plate and caused him to miss the rest of the season. The injury left the Packers with only three healthy linemen, and required defensive end Blaise Winter
Blaise Winter
Blaise Winter was an American football player for the Indianapolis Colts, the Green Bay Packers, and the San Diego Chargers. Blaise is now an inspirational speaker , visiting many high school football programs in the Midwest. He has recently visited Mount Carmel High School in Southern Illinois....
to fill in at nose tackle. Phil Epps
Phil Epps
Phillip Epps is a former American football wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers and the New York Jets...
also went on injured reserve with a broken wrist. Tampa Bay linebacker Ervin Randle
Ervin Randle
Ervin Randle is a former American football linebacker in the NFL. He played in the NFL from 1985-1992 for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs. He attended Baylor University for college. He is the older brother of Hall of Famer John Randle....
left the game with a shoulder injury and was replaced by rookie free agent Sidney Coleman
Sidney Coleman (American football)
Sidney Coleman is a former professional American football player who played linebacker for five seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Arizona Cardinals....
, who made seven tackles, recovered a fumble, and was awarded a game ball. Perkins later praised the team for continuing to fight, despite turning the ball over in Buccaneer territory on a Testaverde fumble late in the fourth quarter. He also reported pleasure with Testaverde's interception-free performance.
Week 3: vs Phoenix Cardinals
Sep 18, 1988 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 Phoenix 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...
took a 20-3 halftime lead, then withstood a Buccaneer rally to get their first win of the season. Cliff Stoudt
Cliff Stoudt
Clifford Lewis Stoudt is a former American football quarterback for Youngstown State University and the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers...
played the second half in relief of Neil Lomax
Neil Lomax
Neil Vincent Lomax is a former American football quarterback.-College career:Lomax was a standout college player at Portland State University, going from fifth-string freshman quarterback on partial scholarship to emergency starter to NCAA legend...
, who had a sore hip. Stoudt threw the game-winning touchdown, a 42-yard pass to Jay Novacek
Jay Novacek
Jay McKinley Novacek is a former American football tight end in the National Football League who played for the St. Louis/Phoenix Cardinals and the Dallas Cowboys . Novacek was a five-time Pro Bowler, who was selected to play each year from 1991 through 1995...
. That followed a play in which Lars Tate dove over the line, regained his feet, and ran 47 yards for a touchdown to give the Buccaneers their only lead of the game. The Buccaneers also scored on a James Wilder
James Wilder
James Curtis Wilder is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Redskins, and the Detroit Lions.-High school career:...
run and a Vinny Testaverde pass to Bruce Hill. Stump Mitchell
Stump Mitchell
Lyvonia Albert "Stump" Mitchell is an American football coach and former running back. He is currently the head coach of the Jaguars of Southern University.-Early years:...
rushed for 110 yards and a touchdown. The Cardinals 475 yards of offense nearly matched their highest total from the previous season.
Week 4: at New Orleans Saints
Sep 25, 1988 at Louisiana SuperdomeLouisiana Superdome
The Mercedes-Benz Superdome, previously known as the Louisiana Superdome and colloquially known as the Superdome, is a sports and exhibition arena located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA...
, New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
A Bobby Hebert
Bobby Hebert
Bobby Joseph Hebert Jr., is an American sportscaster who is best known as a retired Pro bowl American football quarterback of the New Orleans Saints. He played professionally in the USFL and NFL from 1983 to 1996 for the Michigan Panthers, Oakland Invaders, New Orleans Saints, and Atlanta Falcons...
first-quarter touchdown pass and two Morten Andersen
Morten Andersen
Morten Andersen , nicknamed "The Great Dane", is a former National Football League kicker. He holds the distinction of being the all-time leading scorer in NFL history, as well as being the all-time leading scorer for two different teams; the New Orleans Saints, with whom he spent 13 seasons, and...
field goals lifted the 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 ....
past the Buccaneers. The matchup faced Hebert, the NFC's highest-rated passer, against Testaverde, the NFC's lowest-rated. Testaverde was sacked four times and hurried repeatedly by a constant Saints pass rush, but was only intercepted once. After failing to block several blitzers, Lars Tate was replaced with Kerry Goode, who led the team in rushing with ten carries for 44 yards in his NFL debut. Goode also ran for a touchdown which was erased by a penalty, and dropped a pass in the end zone.
Week 5: vs Green Bay Packers
Oct 2, 1988 at Tampa Stadium, Tampa, FloridaTampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
The Buccaneers defeated the winless Packers with a fourth-quarter rally led by Vinny Testaverde, who tied the game with a 19-yard touchdown pass to Bruce Hill. Donald Igwebuike kicked the winning field goal with 12 seconds remaining. A strong defense made up for the Buccaneers' early lack of offense. An apparent fumble return touchdown by Kevin Murphy
Kevin Murphy (American football)
Kevin Murphy is a former American football linebacker who played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the San Diego Chargers and the Seattle Seahawks in the National Football League. He was converted from defensive lineman to linebacker in the NFL. He played college football for the Oklahoma Sooners...
was called back when the officials ruled the ball dead, but he intercepted a Randy Wright
Randy Wright
Randall Steven Wright is a former professional American football quarterback who played for the Green Bay Packers from 1984 to 1988.-High school:...
pass for a 35-yard touchdown on the next play. The offense improved in the second half, when the Buccaneers placed more emphasis on their running game. Testaverde passed for 300 yards, including a stretch of six consecutive completions that gained 107 yards and the touchdown to Hill, and threw two potential touchdowns that were dropped by Mark Carrier in the end zone. Perkins later praised Testaverde for keeping his poise instead of getting frustrated after throwing four interceptions, and said that it was the most physical game the Buccaneer defense had played with him as coach.
Week 6: at Minnesota Vikings
Oct 9, 1988 at Hubert H. Humphrey MetrodomeHubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, commonly called the Metrodome, is a domed sports stadium in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Opened in 1982, it replaced Metropolitan Stadium, which was on the current site of the Mall of America in Bloomington and Memorial Stadium on the University...
, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
The Buccaneers took a 10-7 halftime lead, after controlling the ball for 12:17 of a second quarter in which they allowed the Vikings only three offensive plays. A third-quarter James Wilder fumble set up the Vikings' second touchdown. Stephen Starring caught a late Hail Mary pass
Hail Mary pass
A Hail Mary pass or Hail Mary route in American football refers to any very long forward pass made in desperation with only a small chance of success, especially at or near the end of a half....
that put the Buccaneers in range for a game-winning field goal, but confusion over the play call allowed time to run out before the kick could be made. Perkins accepted blame for the loss, saying that he had not prepared the team for that specific situation; but players said that he should not take the blame, and that the score should not have been close given the number of mistakes made. Kerry Goode led the team in rushing, with 82 yards on 14 carries. The loss denied Tampa Bay the opportunity to tie the Vikings for second place in the NFC Central.
Week 7: at Indianapolis Colts
Oct 16, 1988 at Hoosier DomeRCA Dome
RCA Dome was a domed stadium, located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and the home of the Indianapolis Colts NFL franchise for 24 seasons ....
, Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
Vinny Testaverde set a new career high of 469 passing yards in a second-half rally that overwhelmed the Colts' defense, but was not enough to overcome the Buccaneers' early errors. The Buccaneers gave up three sacks, were penalized 10 times for 86 yards, and allowed the Colts to score touchdowns on five consecutive possessions. Eric Dickerson
Eric Dickerson
Eric Demetric Dickerson is a former professional running back in the National Football League who in his career played for the Los Angeles Rams, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Raiders, and Atlanta Falcons.-College career:...
rushed for two touchdowns, and Eugene Daniel
Eugene Daniel
Eugene Daniel, Jr. is a former professional American football cornerback who played 14 seasons in the NFL for the Indianapolis Colts and Baltimore Ravens from 1984 to 1997. Daniel attended Louisiana State University. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the 8th round of the 1984 NFL Draft...
returned an interception for another. Indianapolis rookie quarterback Chris Chandler
Chris Chandler
Christopher Mark Chandler is a retired American football player, who played as a quarterback in the National Football League for 17 seasons. He is known for leading the Atlanta Falcons to a 14-2 season in 1998, followed up with an appearance in Super Bowl XXXIII.-Early years:Chris Chandler was...
threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to Bill Brooks
Bill Brooks (American football)
William T. Brooks, Jr. is a former American football wide receiver who was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the fourth round of the 1986 NFL Draft. A 6'1",...
and rushed for another, and was able to evade several potential sacks to gain first downs rushing. Still, the Buccaneers' comeback hopes ended only when a potential Bruce Hill pass reception on fourth-and-two with 59 seconds left was defensed by ex-Buccaneer John Holt, with Holt making contact with Hill but not drawing a flag. Hill caught two touchdowns and a career-high 162 yards, which gave him a season yardage total second only to Jerry Rice
Jerry Rice
Jerry Lee Rice is a retired American football wide receiver. He is generally regarded as the greatest wide receiver of all time and one of the greatest players in National Football League history...
in the NFC. Right guard Dan Turk suffered a knee injury, and was replaced in the lineup by rookie John Bruhin. Ron Hall had 7 catches for 121 yards. Don Smith and Lars Tate each rushed for a touchdown, although fullback James Wilder missed the game with an injury and the Buccaneers rushed for a season-low 39 yards.
Testaverde's 469 yards were a career-high (including high school, college, and professional play), the second-most in club history, tenth-most in NFL history, and the most thrown in a game since Ken O'Brien
Ken O'Brien
Kenneth John O'Brien is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League for the New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles. When he retired he was the only Jets quarterback to have ever been the top ranked passer in a season. He held the team record for most...
's 479 in 1986
1986 New York Jets season
-Regular season:-Postseason:-Standings:-External links:*...
. It was the second-best performance by a second-year quarterback in NFL history, next to Dan Marino
Dan Marino
Daniel Constantine "Dan" Marino, Jr. is a retired American football quarterback who played for the Miami Dolphins in the National Football League...
's 470 yards in 1984
1984 Miami Dolphins season
1984 was the 18th season in football for the Miami Dolphins and the fifteenth for coach Don Shula with the club. The Dolphins sought to build on a spectacular 1983 season where they went 12–4 with rookie quarterback Dan Marino only to be upended by the Seattle Seahawks in the playoffs...
. His 340 second-half yards are a club single-half record, and his .595 completion percentage was the best in his career to date. The performance raised his passer rating enough to move him out of last place in the NFC, raised his season completion percentage above .500 for the first time, and left him leading all NFL quarterbacks in both yardage (1,839) and interceptions (16) thrown.
Week 8: vs Minnesota Vikings
Oct 23, 1988 at Tampa Stadium, Tampa, FloridaTampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
The Buccaneers scored their first first-quarter points of the season en route to an early 10-7 lead, before Vinny Testaverde's six interceptions led to a 49-20 Vikings victory. The six interceptions set a Vikings club record. The Buccaneers committed a total of seven turnovers, all of which led to Vikings touchdowns. Some players were angered over printed comments that several Vikings players considered the Buccaneers to be a mediocre team, and so had taken them lightly on their first meeting. The interceptions gave Testaverde 22 for the season, putting him on pace to break George Blanda
George Blanda
George Frederick Blanda was a collegiate and professional football quarterback and placekicker...
's NFL record of 42. The performance came one week after Testaverde's 469-yard game against Indianapolis, which had led him to speak of "turning the corner" in his pro career.
Week 9: vs Miami Dolphins
Oct 30, 1988 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....
A combination of the previous week's poor performance and a back injury led to Vinny Testaverde's surprise replacement by Joe Ferguson as the starter. Ferguson completed 26-of-37 passes for 291 yards and two touchdowns, and nearly led a fourth-quarter comeback. For the second week in a row, Buccaneer turnovers led to all of an opponents' scores. This time, running backs Kerry Goode, Lars Tate, and William Howard combined for four fumbles, leaving the team with a -20 giveaway/takeaway ratio for the season. The Dolphins scored on two touchdown passes from Dan Marino to Mark Clayton, and a Tony Franklin field goal.
Week 10: at Chicago Bears
Nov 6, 1988 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 played the game with Mike Tomczak
Mike Tomczak
Michael John "Mike" Tomczak is a former American football player. Tomczak played quarterback for several NFL teams including the Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Cleveland Browns, and Pittsburgh Steelers....
replacing the injured Jim McMahon
Jim McMahon
James Robert "Jim" McMahon, Jr. is a former American football player. He played college football at Brigham Young University, where he was a two-time All-American and later in the professional ranks with the Chicago Bears, San Diego Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona...
at quarterback, and with Vince Tobin
Vince Tobin
Vincent Michael Tobin is a longtime American football coach and former head coach of the Arizona Cardinals. He is currently a special assistant to the Green Bay Packers.-College coaching career:...
filling in for head coach Mike Ditka
Mike Ditka
Michael Keller Ditka, Jr. is a former American football NFL player, television commentator, and coach. Ditka coached the Chicago Bears for 11 years and New Orleans Saints for three years. Ditka and Tom Flores are the only two people to win Super Bowls as a player, an assistant coach, and a head...
, who was in a hospital recovering from a mild heart attack suffered the previous week. Tomczak completed 18 of 26 passes for 269 yards, including 4 completions for 87 yards and a touchdown to Dennis McKinnon
Dennis McKinnon
Dennis Lewis McKinnon is a former professional American football wide receiver in the National Football League for the Chicago Bears and the Dallas Cowboys....
. Thomas Sanders and Neal Anderson
Neal Anderson
Charles Neal Anderson is a former American college and professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League for eight seasons in the 1980s and 1990s...
scored on one-yard runs. The touchdown to McKinnon was the Bears' first third-quarter touchdown of the season. The Buccaneers scored on a 21-yard touchdown pass from Vinny Testaverde to Bruce Hill. Testaverde completed 22 of 52 passes for 305 yards. He was intercepted twice, but Perkins praised Testaverde's performance, saying that he played with "more discipline and more control" than in his six-interception performance on Oct. 23. The Buccaneers had early success running against the Bears' top-ranked run defense, but fell behind as the Bears came to life following Donald Igwebuike's 45-yard second-quarter field goal. The Buccaneers were able to hold the Bears to only 69 yards rushing, although Bears players later attributed their avoidance of the ground game to the ease with which they were able to pass. The game was played on the occasion of Ray Perkins' 47th birthday.
Week 11: at Detroit Lions
Nov 13, 1988 at 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...
Lars Tate, Kerry Goode, and William Howard combined for 223 yards rushing, which allowed Vinny Testaverde to overcome his early struggles. Testaverde passed for a season-low 107 yards, but was 5-for-5 in the second half, including a 26-yard pass to Bruce Hill with 16 seconds left that set up Donald Igwebuike's winning field goal. Tate's 106 yards rushing made him the first Buccaneer to rush for over 100 yards since James Wilder's 130-yard performance against the Lions two years prior. Howard rushed for 78 yards on 16 carries, in front of a crowd of 250 supporters who had driven to Detroit from his Lima, Ohio
Lima, Ohio
Lima is a city in and the county seat of Allen County, Ohio, United States. The municipality is located in northwestern Ohio along Interstate 75 approximately north of Dayton and south-southwest of Toledo....
hometown. Testaverde celebrated his 25th birthday with the win. Ron Holmes suffered a season-ending knee injury. The crowd of 25,956 was the smallest non-strike attendance in Silverdome history, and was the smallest Detroit crowd since a 1951
1951 Detroit Lions season
The 1951 Detroit Lions season was their 22nd in the league. The team improved on their previous season's output of 6-6, winning seven games. They failed to qualify for the playoffs for the 16th consecutive season.-Schedule:-Standings:-References:...
game against the New York Yanks
New York Yanks
The New York Yanks American football team played in the National Football League under that name in the 1950 and 1951 seasons. In 1949, Boston Yanks owner Ted Collins had requested the NFL to fold his Boston team and give him a new one in New York City...
in Briggs Stadium drew 21,807 fans. The loss resulted in Lions owner William Clay Ford
William Clay Ford
William Clay Ford may refer to:*William Clay Ford, Sr., grandson of Henry Ford, son of Edsel Ford and owner of the Detroit Lions*William Clay Ford, Jr., great-grandson of Henry Ford, son of William Clay Ford, Sr., chairman of Ford Motor Company...
firing head coach Darryl Rogers
Darryl Rogers
Darryl Dale Rogers is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at California State University, Fresno , San Jose State University , Michigan State University , and Arizona State University , compiling a career college football record of 126–77–7...
, and replacing him with former Buccaneer defensive coordinator Wayne Fontes
Wayne Fontes
Wayne Fontes is a former American football coach and college and professional football player who was the head coach of the NFL's Detroit Lions from 1988 to 1996. His 67 wins and 71 losses are each the most for a head coach in team history.-Background and early career:Fontes was born in the...
.
Week 12: vs Chicago Bears
Nov 20, 1988 at Tampa Stadium, Tampa, FloridaTampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
The Buccaneers suffered their twelfth consecutive loss to the Bears, as Neal Anderson
Neal Anderson
Charles Neal Anderson is a former American college and professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League for eight seasons in the 1980s and 1990s...
rushed for two first-quarter touchdowns, and Mike Tomczak threw a 40-yard touchdown to Brad Muster
Brad Muster
Brad William Muster is a former American football fullback in the NFL for the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints from 1988 to 1994.Muster prepped at San Marin High School in Novato, CA, graduating in 1983....
. The Buccaneers matched up well statistically with the Bears, but were unable to overcome the early deficit due to mistake-prone play and a poor game from Vinny Testaverde. The Bears also had problems with mistakes, committing four turnovers, and giving up a safety due to a bad snap on a punt. The Buccaneers were able to rush for 168 yards against the Bears' top-ranked defense, more than double the total usually allowed by the Bears. Donald Igwebuike suffered a season-ending groin injury while tackling Dennis Gentry
Dennis Gentry
Dennis Louis Gentry is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Chicago Bears in the 4th round of the 1982 NFL Draft. He spent his entire 11-year NFL career with the Bears from 1982 to 1992, and was a part of the Bears team that was victorious in Super Bowl XX versus...
on a third-quarter kickoff return.
Week 13: at Atlanta Falcons
Nov 27, 1988 at Atlanta-Fulton County StadiumAtlanta-Fulton County Stadium
Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, often shortened to "Fulton County Stadium," was a multi-purpose stadium that formerly stood in Atlanta, Georgia, United States.-History:...
, Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
The Buccaneers entered the game with the NFL's fourth-ranked run defense, but the Falcons were able to match the season-high rushing total of 181 yards that had been previously set by the Cardinals on Sept. 18. John Settle
John Settle
John R. Settle , is a former professional American football player. A 5'9", 207-lb. undrafted running back from Appalachian State University, Settle attended Rockingham County High School and played for the Atlanta Falcons from 1987 to 1990...
broke several tackles in a 48-yard run, the longest against the Buccaneers all season, which set up Chris Miller's game-winning 37-yard touchdown pass to Michael Haynes. Gerald Riggs
Gerald Riggs
Gerald Antonio Riggs is a former American football running back in the National Football League for the Atlanta Falcons from 1982-1988 and the Washington Redskins from 1989-1991....
rushed for 98 yards, while Settle gained 83. The Buccaneers outgained the Falcons in total yardage, but dropped passes and committed penalties and turnovers at key times. Vinny Testaverde's three interceptions gave him an NFL-leading total of 31 for the season. The game was played in a downpour, in front of an NFL season-low crowd of 14,020.
Calvin Magee suffered a season-ending knee injury, and was replaced by Jeff Parks, who had spent parts of the 1986-1988 seasons with the Oilers and the Packers. The team also cut wide receiver Joey Clinkscales, and replaced him with speedy former Vikings receiver Jeff Richardson.
Week 14: vs Buffalo Bills
Dec 4, 1988 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....
Vinny Testaverde's only turnover-free game of the season helped the Buccaneers to upset the 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...
, who entered the game with the AFC's best record, and whose only previous defeats had come against division leaders Chicago and Cincinnati. Testaverde scored the game's only touchdown on a 4-yard run, while John Carney contributed a 39-yard field goal. Perkins later praised Testaverde's performance as "one of the greatest games I've ever seen a quarterback play". Jim Kelly
Jim Kelly
James Edward Kelly is a former American football quarterback in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills and the USFL's Houston Gamblers....
was the victim of several dropped passes, and threw an interception in the final minute. Bruce Smith sacked Testaverde for a safety. The Bills committed 12 penalties for 100 yards. It was the first time since 1984
1984 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
The 1984 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season began with the team making efforts to address the problems faced in the disastrous 1983 season. For the first time, the team renegotiated the contracts of players in their option years, which kept discontent over salaries to a minimum. An assistant coach was...
that Tampa Bay won a game against a team with a winning record.
Week 15: at New England Patriots
Dec 11, 1988 at Sullivan Stadium, Foxboro, MassachusettsDespite entering the game with a 2-16 record in cold-weather games, the Buccaneers took the Patriots into overtime. The Buccaneers won the overtime coin toss, but based on the team's defensive performance to that point, Perkins decided to kick off in overtime to get the advantage of having the 25-mph wind at their backs. The unusual move backfired, as a pair of Irving Fryar
Irving Fryar
Irving Dale Fryar is a former American football wide receiver of the National Football League.Fryar grew up in Mount Holly Township, New Jersey and played high school football at Rancocas Valley Regional High School...
receptions set up Jason Staurovsky
Jason Staurovsky
Jason Charles Staurovsky is a former American football placekicker from 1987 to 1992. He attended Bishop Kelley High School and the University of Tulsa, for whom he is the all-time leading scorer. He played for the St Louis Cardinals in 1987, the New England Patriots from 1988 to 1991, and the New...
's 27-yard field goal that won the game for the Patriots without the Buccaneers ever getting a chance to touch the ball. It was the first overtime win in franchise history for the Patriots, who were facing playoff elimination with a loss. New England's touchdown came on a 6-yard run by Robert Perryman. Vinny Testaverde threw his 32nd interception, which tied Fran Tarkenton
Fran Tarkenton
Francis Asbury "Fran" Tarkenton is a former professional football player, TV personality, and computer software executive....
's 10-year-old NFC record. Testaverde also threw a touchdown to Mark Carrier
Mark Carrier (wide receiver)
John Mark Carrier is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 1987 NFL Draft 57th overall. A 6'0", 198-lb. wide receiver from Nicholls State University, Carrier played in 12 National Football League seasons from 1987 to...
for the Buccaneers' only score, although a John Carney field goal was called back due to a tripping penalty on Jackie Walker
Jackie Walker
Jackie Walker who attended Carroll High School in Monroe, Louisiana was an American football linebacker for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was the 28th player selected in the 1986 NFL Draft, the first player drafted in the second round of a year in which there were...
. Roland James
Roland James
Roland Orlando James is a former American football defensive back who was selected by the New England Patriots in the first round of the 1980 NFL Draft. At 6'2", 190 lbs from the University of Tennessee, James played his entire NFL career for the Patriots from 1980 to 1990...
caught Testaverde's interception at the Patriots' 6-yard line, while Harry Hamilton
Harry Hamilton
Harry Hamilton is a former professional American football player. He was an Academic All-American safety at Penn State University in 1982 and 1983. He played 8 seasons as a safety in the National Football League. He attended John S. Fine High school in Nanticoke, Pennsylvania...
intercepted a Tony Eason
Tony Eason
Charles Carroll "Tony" Eason, IV is a former quarterback. He played college football for the University of Illinois and professional football for the New England Patriots and New York Jets .-Early years:Eason grew up in Walnut Grove, California, and attended Delta High School in Clarksburg,...
pass at the Buccaneers' 1-yard line, and Ricky Reynolds
Ricky Reynolds
Derrick "Ricky" Scott Reynolds , is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second round of the 1987 NFL Draft. A 6' 0", 195-lb...
caught another in the end zone. Despite the disappointing loss, players reported feeling upbeat, due to their victory over a playoff team followed by a solid performance against another contender.
Week 16: vs Detroit Lions
Dec 18, 1988 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....
Abandoning their conservative running game of recent weeks, the Buccaneers passed on 10 of their first 16 plays. The early result was that Testaverde was sacked four times, and threw three interceptions for a season total of 35, a record for both the team and the NFC. However, he rebounded to throw a career-high three touchdown passes. Lions quarterback Rusty Hilger
Rusty Hilger
Rusty Hilger is a former professional National Football League American football player who played quarterback eight seasons for the Los Angeles Raiders , Detroit Lions , Indianapolis Colts and Seattle Seahawks .He attended Southeast High School where he was a standout football and baseball...
was sacked twice by Shaun Lee, and once by John Cannon. Donnie Elder
Donnie Elder
Donald Elder is a former professional American football player who played cornerback for six seasons for the New York Jets, Detroit Lions, Pittsburgh Steelers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and San Diego Chargers. He currently resides in Tampa, Florida....
, Harry Hamilton, and Mark Robinson all intercepted Hilger. Bruce Hill caught a touchdown and passed the 1,000 yard receiving mark, while Mark Carrier caught two and fell just short of 1,000 yards.
Milestones
Vinny Testaverde, most team single-season interceptions thrown (35)Vinny Testaverde, most team season 300-yard passing games (4, tied Doug Williams' 1980
1980 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
The 1980 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season began with great optimism in the wake of their surprise NFC championship appearance of the previous season. After scoring a playoff win in only their fourth year, the Buccaneers were considered such a model franchise that the NBA expansion Dallas Mavericks...
and 1981
1981 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
The 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...
marks, matched by Brad Johnson
Brad Johnson (American football)
James Bradley Johnson is a former National Football League Super Bowl-winning quarterback. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the ninth round of the 1992 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida State.-Early years:Brad went to Charles D...
in 2003
2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
The 2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season began with the team trying to defend its Super Bowl XXXVII title of 2002. Despite high expectations, several last-minute losses led to locker room tension and front-office struggles. The Buccaneers finished 7-9, and missed the playoffs for the first time since...
)
Vinny Testaverde, most team single-half passing yards (340 vs. Indianapolis on 10/16)
Bruce Hill, most team single-season receiving touchdowns (9, tied Kevin House
Kevin House
Kevin Nathaniel House is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second round of the 1980 NFL Draft. A 6'1", 175 lbs. wide receiver from Southern Illinois University, House played in eight NFL seasons from 1980-1987 for the Buccaneers...
's 1981 mark, broken by Joey Galloway
Joey Galloway
Joseph Scott Galloway is an American football wide receiver. He most recently played for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks eighth overall in the 1995 NFL Draft...
's 10 in 2005
2005 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
The 2005 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season began with the team trying to improve on their 5-11 record in 2004. Carnell Williams won rookie of the year....
and Mike Williams' 11 in 2010
2010 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
The 2010 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season was the club's 35th season as a franchise in the NFL. The Buccaneers entered the season attempting to improve on their 3–13 record and last place finish in the NFC South in 2009, a feat they accomplished after only six games...
)
Lars Tate, most team rookie touchdowns (8, broken in 2010 by Mike Williams)
Team defense, fewest season rushing yards allowed (1,551, broken in 1999
1999 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
The 1999 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season began with the team trying to improve on an 8-8 season. Rookie Shaun King replaced the injured and inconsistent Trent Dilfer late in the season...
)
Team defense, lowest season rushing average allowed (3.24)
Team, fewest season punts (68, tied 1984
1984 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
The 1984 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season began with the team making efforts to address the problems faced in the disastrous 1983 season. For the first time, the team renegotiated the contracts of players in their option years, which kept discontent over salaries to a minimum. An assistant coach was...
mark)
Team defense, most points allowed in a home game (49 vs. Minnesota on 10/23)
Team defense, most first-quarter points allowed (21 vs. Philadelphia on 9/4)