1983 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season The 1983 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season began with high expectations , as it was considered by some to be the Buccaneers ' best squad yet . They were predicted by some to be Super Bowl contenders , but disappointment quickly set in as personnel changes and a rash of injuries contributed to a league - worst 2 - 14 record . The team was unable to agree on a contract with quarterback Doug Williams , resulting in his departure for the USFL . Jack Thompson was acquired from the Cincinnati Bengals as what was termed " an insurance move " during Williams ' negotiations , for a draft choice would turn out to be the top pick in the 1984 NFL Draft . The team ' s record was somewhat deceptive ; they lost numerous close games , but failed to execute at key times . According to McKay , " I think the other teams looking at us respect us . I don ' t think anyone is volunteering to play us " . Opposing coach Bud Grant pointed out that they were " losing games they should ' ve won " . The Buccaneers took their opponents into overtime several times during a season that included a record number of overtime games league - wide . Nine of their losses were by a touchdown or less , and six by a field goal or less . James Wilder emerged as one of the NFL ' s best running backs , but was not able to finish the season due to injury . Eighteen different players spent time on the injured reserve list over the course of the season , and only three started all sixteen games . This season ended the Buccaneers ' streak of having made the playoffs three of the last four seasons , and began a streak of 14 consecutive losing seasons . After the Buccaneers ' first - ever undefeated preseason , the regular season began with a long losing streak . The loss of Williams was believed to be a major distraction to the team . Without Williams ' strong arm and scrambling ability , the Buccaneers were forced to remake their offense as a short passing attack , with James Wilder as the primary target . Opponents were successful at shutting down that short attack , and the Buccaneers were successful at neither running the ball nor hitting Kevin House and Jimmie Giles with deep passes . Injuries had much to do with their troubles : every member of the offensive line suffered an early - season injury . The Buccaneers ranked last in the league in the ratio of touchdowns scored to touchdowns allowed . The linebackers and defensive backfield were also hit hard by injuries . The inconsistency of kicker Bill Capece cost the team some games , and eventually led to McKay ' s famous pronouncement that " Capece is kaput " . McKay blamed the team ' s problems on lack of effort and threatened personnel changes , though admitting that replacements would not be readily found . Attendance began to decline , with fans calling for McKay ' s retirement . It was pointed out that the revenue lost through unsold tickets would have more than covered the $ 200 , 000 gap between what Williams had demanded and the team had been willing to pay . Owner Hugh Culverhouse reported an expected loss of $ 1 . 25 million due to declining ticket sales , while merchants reported a drop in merchandise sales . The team ' s final 2 - 14 record tied them with the Houston Oilers for the league ' s worst mark , but the Buccaneers were awarded last place over the Oilers by virtue of their opponents ' worse combined winning percentage . Offseason . The offense ' s ineffective performance in their 30 - 17 playoff loss to the Dallas Cowboys renewed criticism of the performance of the Buccaneer offense . Cowboys cornerback Everson Walls stated that the Buccaneers ' game plan was very familiar , as it was exactly the same as on previous meetings . He also claimed that Doug Williams made postgame comments complaining of the offense ' s conservatism , although Williams said that his actual comments were misinterpreted by Walls . Coach John McKay responded by saying that he would continue to run the offense as usual , and not hire an offensive coordinator . Rumors began to fly that McKay was hoping for a good season so as to be able to retire on a winning note , with Dick Vermeil and Wayne Fontes mentioned as likely replacements . Coaching Changes . Offensive line coach Bill Johnson and quarterbacks coach Bill Nelsen were fired soon after the end of the 1982 season . Johnson was replaced by University of Miami offensive coordinator and former Florida Gators center Kim Helton . McKay described Helton as an excellent teacher in Miami ' s pro - style offense . University of Illinois receivers coach and former Bengal Chip Myers took over Dowler ' s vacated receivers ' coach spot . The changes were criticized as cosmetic moves that replaced Johnson , who had notable success building offensive lines over a 23 - year career , with Helton , who had no professional experience at all . Furthermore , the Buccaneers had allowed the least sacks of any NFL team during Johnson ' s four - year tenure . Player Movements . Several injured players left the Buccaneer roster in the spring . Jerry Eckwood was waived after failing a physical due to a back injury , Randy Crowder retired to take a coaching job at Penn State , and Bill Kollar was waived when he was deemed to be a medical risk if he played again . The loss of Kollar left the roster thin at defensive end , as there were only four players remaining at that position . Of these , Dave Stalls was trying to maintain Colorado residency in order to obtain a veterinary license , and so notified the club that he would retire if not traded to the Denver Broncos . Charley Hannah entered a contract dispute with the team , with the result that Sean Farrell began to be trained at tackle . The offseason was marked by disputes over player salary . Offensive tackle Charley Hannah was unable to come to terms with the team , and was traded to the Los Angeles Raiders for defensive end Dave Browning and a 1984 fourth - round draft choice . Jimmie Giles held out of training camp , and attempted to use threats of leaving for the USFL as leverage to get his contract renegotiated . Giles , who was upset because the previous year ' s players ' association contract expiration prevented a promised renegotiation from occurring , became the first Buccaneer to engage in a training camp holdout while under contract . Mark Cotney also had difficulty reaching an agreement with the team , but was eventually able to settle a contract . Lee Roy Selmon was awarded a new three - year contract that made him the highest - paid defensive end in the league . McKay spoke of the need to begin replacing the aging original players , with the process already having begun at linebacker . However , the secondary featured four starters who were all at or near the age of 30 , and who would all need to be replaced over the next couple of years . The Doug Williams Contract Dispute . Doug Williams ' original five - year contract expired at the beginning of the year . A published report of player salaries revealed that Williams , who had led the team to playoff appearances three out of the preceding four seasons , was the sixth - lowest - paid starting quarterback in the NFL . Eighteen NFL backup quarterbacks also had salaries higher than Williams ' . His $ 120 , 000 salary was the same as that of Atlanta Falcons backup Mike Moroski , and behind that of both Dallas backup quarterbacks and some teams ' punters and kickers . Buccaneer spokesman Rick Odioso responded that Williams had refused several offers to increase his salary and extend his contract , instead preferring to play the contract through to the end . Odioso also pointed out that the reported base salaries did not reflect performance and signing bonuses , on which the Buccaneers depended more heavily than most NFL teams . Believing his worth to have been around $ 400 , 000 , which was in line with what most top NFL quarterbacks were being paid , Williams had rejected the team ' s contract offers in previous years in an attempt to force the team to pay him fairly or trade him . Soon after the reporting of the salary , Williams ' wife Janice developed severe headaches . A brain tumor was diagnosed , and emergency surgery was performed . She died a week later . The tragedy required that Williams leave his daughter to be raised by his mother in Louisiana , leaving him with no personal ties to the Tampa area . It also delayed negotiations . Despite rumors that he might retire or leave for the USFL , Williams expressed the desire to play the rest of his career as a Buccaneer before going into coaching , with an eventual goal of succeeding Eddie Robinson as coach of Grambling . The Buccaneers made an offer that owner Hugh Culverhouse called " generous " and said would place Williams among the five highest - paid NFL quarterbacks . Williams ' agent denied this , saying that the Buccaneers ' offer was for substantially less than several quarterbacks make , was less than what his client Joe Namath received from the New York Jets in 1975 , and that the Buccaneers should be embarrassed by it . Williams made two different salary demands during the negotiations , raising his demands when hearing about the salaries paid to Dan Fouts and to rookies John Elway and Tony Eason . The team made a second offer that was described by negotiator Phil Krueger as being comparable to that paid to Atlanta Falcons quarterback Steve Bartkowski . After rejecting this offer , Williams began to speak of the USFL as a definite alternative . Williams ' demands were in the range of $ 800 , 000 to $ 900 , 000 . When Williams rejected the Buccaneers ' offer , they traded the following year ' s first - round draft pick to the Cincinnati Bengals for backup quarterback Jack Thompson . Williams interpreted the move as a message that the team was no longer interested in his services , and suggested that the team ' s willingness to deal first - round draft picks was a sign of their reluctance to pay for top - quality talent . It is believed that , as a traditionally low - paying team ( 25th lowest of the 28 teams , according to union figures ) , the Buccaneers ' salary structure would be disrupted by meeting Williams ' demands , which might result in higher salary demands from Pro Bowlers such as Lee Roy Selmon and Jimmie Giles . Krueger told Williams ' agent , Jimmy Walsh , that the team ' s $ 400 , 000 offer would be withdrawn if Williams did not report for the opening of training camp . Williams and Walsh lowered their request to $ 600 , 000 , a price that the team said they would have been willing to meet before the Thompson trade . Williams charged that he would not have been treated so poorly in negotiations had he been white , and said " I hope the Bucs go 0 - 16 but all my friends make the Pro Bowl " . On August 9 , Williams called a 28th - birthday press conference to announce his signing with the USFL Oklahoma Outlaws for a sum worth substantially more than what Tampa Bay offered , ending his time as a player with the Buccaneers . Williams also reported that guard Greg Roberts , a close friend who had encouraged him to sign with Oklahoma , was also considering moving to the USFL . NFL Draft . The Buccaneers found themselves without a first - round pick , due to the previous season ' s much - criticized trade for the rights to select defensive end Booker Reese . Although Reese ' s development was slow , the team still claimed to have no regrets over the decision . The Buccaneers did not select until the 45th pick in the draft , with offensive line , linebacker , and defensive back considered to be need areas , although the team considered themselves to be a mature team with no glaring needs . Offensive line was considered to be a deep position in the draft , but the team did not expect to find an overlooked player the way they had Sean Farrell the previous year . Tackle Sid Abramowitz , linebacker Darryl Talley , and safety Dave Duerson were highly - regarded candidates expected to be available in the mid - second round , although personnel director Ken Herock stated that the team would pick one of the premier quarterbacks ( Williams was at that point still expected to sign ) if one fell to them . The team eventually identified defensive backs Mike Richardson of Arizona State and Darrell Green of Texas A & I , and Baylor center Randy Grimes , as the three players they would most like to see available . The Buccaneers had no 1st - round pick this year , having traded it the previous year to the Chicago Bears for their 1982 2nd - round pick , which they used to select Booker Reese . The extra 6th - round pick came from the San Francisco 49ers , in return for the Buccaneers ' 1984 4th - round pick . Draft Selections . According to McKay , with the number of quality , improving young players already on the team , none of the twelve draft picks were expected to be able to unseat any of the established veteran starters . The team drafted more for future help , especially at positions such as offensive tackle and defensive back , where the incumbent starters were aging . Randy Grimes , who the team said they would have picked even if All America center Dave Rimington had still been available , was to be given a look at tackle , despite never having played a position other than center . Grimes ' selection was a surprise , as the Buccaneers were considered to already have a stockpile of talent at the interior line positions , but McKay felt that he was too good to pass up . Alabama cornerback Jeremiah Castille , who Bear Bryant had once called " pound for pound , the best player in the SEC " , was considered short at 5 ' 9 " , but was considered to have good speed and to play well against the run . Kelly Thomas and Ken Kaplan were huge offensive tackles with great upper body strength . Thomas , who McKay said would make the team unless he were to drop dead , was believed to potentially be comparable to his USC teammates Bruce Matthews and Don Mosebar , but had been overlooked due to having been an offensive lineman for only three years . Tony Chickillo was a defensive tackle who had fought back from a crushed pelvis to become a starter for the University of Miami . Wide receiver Rheugene Branton had been a star player at Tampa ' s C . Leon King High School . Hasson Arbubakrr was compared to a smaller version of Booker Reese . Weldon Ledbetter , Marcus Dupree ' s blocking back at Oklahoma , was considered to have slim chances against incumbent James Wilder . Mark Witte was considered to have the same problem , behind Jimmie Giles and Jim Obradovich on the depth chart . Preseason . Culverhouse led a campaign , approved unanimously by league owners , to retain the expanded 49 - player roster for the 1983 season . McKay criticized the players who were holding out for more money , saying that they lack understanding of how new contracts are negotiated . He had especially hard words for Jimmie Giles , who was being fined $ 1 , 000 for each day of camp missed , and who he said was in danger of falling behind the greatly improved Jerry Bell . Uncertainty over Giles ' situation forced the team to spend a conditional draft pick on veteran Baltimore Colts tight end Reese McCall . Camp attendance was more important than usual , as the team added the most complicated offensive system that it had yet used . The loss of Williams was expected to be a factor in the team ' s attitude going into the season , as he was considered by teammates to be an exceptional athlete who could do things that few others could . The perception that management had not done everything possible to keep him was expected to create some resentment among the players . Williams pointed out that the debacle made him , and some of the team ' s other players , wonder whether management was committed to building a good team . The loss of Williams created resentment not only among the team , but among fans in Tampa ' s African - American community , where some boycotted games and hoped for a losing season . It was alleged that Culverhouse threw parties that cost more than what Williams had asked for . Some players were angered when they saw the money spent on players by USFL teams , contrasted with Culverhouse ' s reluctance to spend any money on players or the team . Although some observers considered the Buccaneers to have their strongest lineup yet , preseason saw 10 of the team ' s 24 starting positions up for contention . Holdouts , injuries , and the improvement of young players were given as reasons for the turnover . McKay expected to keep three quarterbacks on the roster , as he considered the team to lack a true No . 1 quarterback . The condition of the secondary was uncertain , as Norris Thomas was placed on the physically unable to perform list with a shoulder problem , and Cedric Brown ' s status was unknown due to a broken ankle . Danny Spradlin was acquired from the Dallas Cowboys for a future draft choice , to address the lack of depth at linebacker . Former FSU and British Columbia Lions running back Larry Key was signed as a free agent , with draft pick John Higginbotham waived to make room for him . The preseason began with quarterbacks Golsteyn and Thompson relatively even , Golsteyn having a slight advantage due to his year of experience in the Tampa Bay offense . McKay described Kelly Thomas as " as good as any offensive lineman we ' ve ever had in here " , and compared his progress to that of Sean Farrell the previous year . The run defense , among the NFC ' s worst the previous season , continued to be a concern . Mental errors also continued to be a problem , with mistakes such as numerous penalties and running plays with only 10 men on the field . The quarterbacks continued to run neck - and - neck through the first two preseason games , with Golsteyn directing two fourth - quarter comebacks for wins . The later part of the preseason saw the offensive line solidifying , showing a previously - unseen drive to move the ball into the end zone , rather than a contentment to let drives stall at around the 20 - yard line . However , injuries became an issue , especially at linebacker , where the team was left with only three healthy veterans . A large number of offensive line injuries prompted McKay to keep an extra lineman on the roster . This meant cutting Dave Browning , for whom the team had just traded Charley Hannah . McKay remarked that Browning lacked the speed he ' d shown in the past , and kept the much quicker Hasson Arbubakrr . Similarly , the team kept speedy rookie receiver Gene Branton , while cutting inconsistent longtime starter Gordon Jones . Final cuts included offseason acquisitions Larry Key , Reese McCall , and Rick Moser . The Buccaneers finished their first undefeated preseason with a 41 - 21 victory over the New England Patriots in which they scored the most points ever while setting records for yardage in a preseason game ( 492 ) and most points scored in a half ( 31 ) . In preseason matchups , the Buccaneers were the NFL ' s highest - scoring team . Regular season . The team opened the season with starting quarterback Jerry Golsteyn , who had thrown only one NFL pass since 1978 , and who had joined the Buccaneers the previous year while playing semi - professional football and working in an Orlando health club . Golsteyn was named the surprise starter after a strong preseason , but was demoted in favor of Jack Thompson after committing key errors in the first two games . Constant injury problems prevented the Buccaneers from establishing any consistency on offense . In addition to all offensive linemen suffering injuries , the team was left with only three healthy receivers when Kevin House pulled a muscle in the same week that Gene Branton was placed on injured reserve . The team continued the previous year ' s trend of needing to come back from second - half deficits , with the difference being that the team no longer had big - play potential . Observers felt that the team performed as though they had lost the confidence that they could score points when they needed to . Despite the team ' s offensive woes , McKay refused to blame Thompson or any of the other quarterbacks , showing a patience similar to that which he showed with Doug Williams . He continued to state that Thompson was consistent and could become " a good solid quarterback " , but acknowledged that he had not performed to expectations . He stated that the team would be looking to improve their quarterback situation the following year , but that the draft was expected to be short on quarterbacks , and that the team was not likely to be able to find a better player than Thompson through trades or free agency . A rumored trade for New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms never developed ; Simms eventually broke his thumb and went on injured reserve . For the first three weeks of the season , the team ranked 2nd in the NFC in defense , but last in offense . The defense collapsed after the third game , allowing 55 , 27 , and 34 points in the next three losses . McKay said that defensive players were beginning to worry about covering for other players instead of focusing on their own position , and that the defense was breaking down as a result . He also noted that the increased booing was causing the players to tighten up and play what McKay called " scared football " . After McKay threatened to punch Milwaukee Sentinel reporter Bud Lea following a 55 - 14 loss to the Packers , a newspaper poll showed that 92 % of Florida residents felt that McKay should be fired . Several injuries to the defensive backfield required that the team play more young players than they desired to , with the result that their pass defense fell among the league ' s worst after having led the NFC the previous season . Injuries later hit the linebacking corps . In a game against the Cardinals , the team had no experienced outside linebackers , and started two players who had both been with the team for less than two weeks and did not even know each other ' s names . Curiously , the team continued to bring in linebackers unfamiliar with their system , despite the presence of a healthy , experienced Richard Wood . Their battered secondary received a boost when former Cowboys and Giants safety Beasley Reece , disgruntled over having his roster spot taken over by Terry Kinard , demanded a release and was claimed off waivers . Reece wound up as a starter , and became one of the league interception leaders . Two Buccaneers signed with the Denver Gold of the USFL : Dave Stalls , who was waived immediately , and offensive lineman George Yarno , who was to leave after finishing the season . As the season went on , an offensive strategy emerged : get the ball as much as possible to James Wilder , an all - purpose back with skills comparable to those of the Cardinals ' Ottis Anderson . This was effective in a near - victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers , in which Wilder ' s 42 carries broke Franco Harris ' NFL record ( Wilder ' s record wound up being broken three weeks later by Butch Woolfolk of the Giants ) ; and in their first win of the year , a victory over the Minnesota Vikings in which Wilder ran for 219 yards . However , broken ribs suffered the following week forced Wilder to miss the rest of the season , which in turn forced McKay to abandon efforts to fashion the Buccaneers as a running team . This roughly coincided with a general return to health along the offensive line , which resulted in a level of pass protection that allowed Thompson to break through with a run of seven touchdown passes in two games . Kicker Bill Capece wound up carrying much of the blame for the team ' s performance ; one year after kicking several last - minute game - winning field goals that helped the team make the playoffs , he went 10 - 23 on field goal attempts . In the season finale , the team resorted to using George Yarno as the kicker on an extra - point attempt . Game summaries . Week 1 : vs Detroit Lions . " September 4 , 1983 at Tampa Stadium , Tampa , Florida " Lions defensive end William Gay recorded 5½ sacks , six tackles and two assists , while Doug English sacked Jerry Golsteyn in the end zone for a safety . Eddie Murray kicked field goals of 29 , 48 , and 38 yards . Tampa Bay drove deep into Lions territory twice , stopped on fourth - and - one in the first quarter , and forced to punt from the Lions ' 30 - yard line in the fourth . Dave Reavis suffered a sprained knee early in the game . McKay later said that both quarterbacks performed well when given the time to throw . Jimmie Giles saw limited duty . Kelly Thomas left the game with heat exhaustion . The seven sacks allowed by the Buccaneers were the result of first - half injuries to three Buccaneer tackles ; Reavis , Thomas , and Gene Sanders . The injuries left the team with four guards and a center , but no tackles . Mark Cotney went on injured reserve after suffering a broken thumb that required surgery . Week 2 : at Chicago Bears . " September 11 , 1983 at Soldier Field , Chicago , Illinois " Offensive line injuries continued , as Steve Wilson and Randy Grimes both injured their snapping hands , and guard Ray Snell bruised his wrist . Despite the absence of three starting linemen , the Buccaneers held the Bears defense to two sacks . The Buccaneers missed numerous opportunities to win or tie the game , including being stopped on three consecutive plays from the one - yard line , dropping interceptions , and committing turnovers . An apparent Melvin Carver touchdown reception was nullified when he failed to keep his feet in bounds . On the following series , a faked reverse by Bears quarterback Jim McMahon fooled cornerback John Holt , freeing Walter Payton for a touchdown reception . A last - minute drive ended when Michael Morton fumbled at the Bears ' 26 - yard line . Another fourth - quarter drive ended when Jerry Golsteyn threw the ball directly to Chicago cornerback Terry Schmidt . Week 3 : vs Minnesota Vikings . " September 18 , 1983 at Tampa Stadium , Tampa , Florida " New Vikings signee Benny Ricardo kicked a 38 - yard field goal with 28 seconds remaining to send the game into overtime , then kicked a 42 - yarder to win the game . It followed a fake field goal attempt that nearly resulted in an interception of a Steve Dils pass . Bill Capece missed two kicks , including one from 33 yards in overtime . The Buccaneers squandered two chances at victory : one the missed overtime field goal , the other a 16 - 13 fourth - quarter lead they lost when a mixup in coverage allowed a 31 - yard reception by Terry LeCount that set up a game - tying field goal . The Vikings took an early 10 - 0 lead on a LeCount touchdown catch and a Ricardo field goal , but the Buccaneers came back with touchdowns on a James Owens run and a James Wilder reception . Tommy Kramer and Keith Nord required season - ending surgeries for torn ligaments suffered in the game . The crowd of 57 , 567 was the Buccaneers ' smallest since 1980 . Week 4 : vs Cincinnati Bengals . " September 25 , 1983 at Tampa Stadium , Tampa , Florida " The matchup featured two statistically - similar teams , both with 0 - 3 records . The Bengals entered the game with the NFL ' s 27th - ranked offense , but were able to move the ball easily against a Buccaneer defense that had performed well in the three previous games . Ken Anderson completed all of his first - half passes , and moved past Len Dawson into 10th place all - time in NFL career passing , with 28 , 775 yards . James Wilder tied his team record of 11 receptions , and gained a career - best 126 receiving yards . Jack Thompson ' s 75 % completion percentage against Cincinnati was a team record . Bengal Ken Riley scored a first - quarter touchdown on his 59th career interception , the most among active players . Riley then sat out the rest of the game , having pulled his hamstring on the return . McKay criticized Thompson for giving Riley an easy interception by not throwing far enough toward the sideline on an out pattern . After falling behind 20 - 7 , Thompson rallied the team to within six points with a 15 - yard fourth - quarter touchdown pass to Kevin House . Robert Jackson preserved the win for the Bengals by intercepting another Thompson pass in the end zone . The win ended the Bengals ' seven - game ( including preseason ) losing streak , dating back to the previous December . Week 5 : at Green Bay Packers . " Oct 2 1983 at Lambeau Field , Green Bay , Wisconsin " The win was Green Bay ' s first over the Buccaneers in their last seven meetings . The Buccaneers had only 20 yards rushing . The Packers ' 49 first - half points broke their old NFL record of 45 in a single half , set in 1967 . Their 55 points were the most scored by the team during Bart Starr ' s 9 - year tenure as head coach , and were only two less than Tampa Bay ' s entire season total . Jan Stenerud ' s seven extra points and two field goals moved him past Jim Turner into second place all - time in NFL scoring , with 1 , 447 points . James Lofton became the fifth Packers receiver with 300 receptions , and had his 20th 100 - yard receiving day . Green Bay scored first on Phil Epps ' 90 - yard punt return , and then a 75 - yard pass from Lynn Dickey to Jessie Clark . In the second quarter , they scored on a 1 - yard Harlan Huckleby run , passes to Paul Coffman and Lofton , a 35 - yard Mike Douglass fumble return , and a 27 - yard John Anderson interception return . The Buccaneers scored on a 21 - yard Hugh Green interception return , and a 2 - yard James Owens run . When a reporter asked about the team ' s ineptitude , McKay called it the most disgraceful performance he ' d ever seen , and then threatened to punch the reporter . At least eight negative team records were broken , including the longest punt return and pass play by a Buccaneer opponent ( Epps ' 90 - yard return and Dickey ' s 75 - yard touchdown ) , most passing yards ( 363 ) , points ( 55 ) , and touchdowns ( 7 ) allowed in a game , and most points allowed in a quarter ( 35 ) . James Lofton ' s four receptions for 112 yards made him the first wide receiver to catch for 100 yards in a single game against Tampa Bay . Dickey ' s three touchdown passes and Green Bay ' s seven touchdowns tied the records for a Tampa Bay opponent , and the final score was 1 point short of the team ' s biggest - ever margin of defeat . Eight of the team ' s 22 starters missed the game with injuries . Several linebackers and members of the secondary were playing either out - of - position or hurt . The aftermath of the game saw several lineup changes . McKay alleged that several players were not putting forth full effort , although he admitted that better players were not available . Terdell Middleton was waived and replaced by Adger Armstrong , without ever having gained a single yard for the Buccaneers . Cecil Johnson and Neal Colzie were placed on injured reserve . Week 6 : at Dallas Cowboys . " October 9 , 1983 at Texas Stadium , Irving , Texas " The Cowboys got their sixth come - from - behind victory in six games , despite being outplayed by the Buccaneers . Tampa Bay remained ( with Houston ) one of only two winless teams . Buccaneer defensive lapses allowed the Cowboys to move the ball when they needed to . Fourteen Buccaneer penalties for 185 yards , the most ever by a Cowboys opponent and five yards short of the Buccaneer team record , led to 13 Cowboy points . The most damaging was a running - into - the - kicker penalty against Thomas Morris that gave Rafael Septien a second , successful chance to kick a game - winning field goal . The miscues erased the Buccaneers ' best offensive performance to this point in the season . With the Buccaneers playing the same offensive line for two weeks in a row the first time all season , they were able to score the most points they ever had against the Cowboys . The secondary got a boost from the return of Mark Cotney . The linebacking corps received a blow only days after the loss of Cecil Johnson , when Andy Hawkins suffered a season - ending knee injury and was replaced by former 49ers linebacker Ed Judie , described by McKay as " a guy who just got in Thursday " . Week 7 : vs St . Louis Cardinals . " October 16 , 1983 at Tampa Stadium , Tampa , Florida " The Cardinals got only their second win of the season , after a Buccaneer rally failed to overcome a 27 - 6 deficit . The Cardinals had been the last remaining NFL team never to have beaten the Buccaneers . Numerous players missed starts due to injuries , including Sean Farrell and Dave Reavis . Booker Reese made his first start , in place of the injured John Cannon . Hugh Green missed the start due to a hamstring injury , and was replaced by Robert Thompson , a rookie claimed off of waivers from Houston the previous week . Jeff Davis ' 18 tackles set a new Buccaneer record . Cardinals quarterback Neil Lomax passed for touchdowns to Roy Green and Doug Marsh in the span of 26 seconds in the third quarter , and three touchdowns in all . The Buccaneers then scored twice in 63 seconds , with a 23 - yard pass from Jack Thompson to Theo Bell and a 33 - yard Hugh Green interception return , closing the score to 27 - 20 . The Buccaneers were then held scoreless until an 11 - yard pass to Jimmie Giles with one second left . Tampa Stadium fans not only booed the Buccaneers , but began to cheer for the Cardinals . When asked afterward about the Buccaneers ' outlook , McKay replied , " Bleak " . Some fans wore bags on their heads , one of which read , " We want Ed Biles " , referring to the recently - fired Houston Oilers coach . Week 8 : vs New Orleans Saints . " October 23 , 1983 at Tampa Stadium , Tampa , Florida " Squandering an opportunity to put the game away , the Buccaneers went scoreless after taking a 21 - 10 lead . The Saints ' offense was able to score enough points to win , despite being thwarted all day by the Tampa Bay defense . The two offenses combined for 127 passing yards and 214 interception yards . Rookie Jeremiah Castille intercepted a Ken Stabler pass for his first career interception , and returned it 69 yards for the Buccaneers ' second touchdown . James Wilder scored two touchdowns , catching nine passes for 50 yards , and rushing for a team season - high 64 yards . Jack Thompson was sacked seven times and intercepted thrice by the Saints . Racial slurs mixed in with the boos , with some fans telling Thompson ( actually a native of American Samoa ) to go back to Africa . Lee Roy Selmon and Cedric Brown left the game with ankle injuries , Gene Sanders pulled a calf muscle , and center Steve Wilson missed the game with the flu . Saints coach Bum Phillips afterward noted that the team missed Doug Williams . McKay later expressed concern over Thompson ' s progress , but continued to stand behind him as the team ' s starting quarterback . Week 9 : at Pittsburgh Steelers . " October 30 , 1983 at Three Rivers Stadium , Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania " The Pittsburgh Steelers played poorly for three quarters , allowing the Buccaneers to take a 12 - 0 lead despite the coaching staff ' s admonitions not to be fooled by the Buccaneers ' 0 - 8 record . James Wilder ' s 42 carries broke Franco Harris ' NFL record , Bill Capece kicked four field goals , and the defense forced seven turnovers . Newcomer Beasley Reece caught two of Cliff Stoudt ' s three interceptions . The Buccaneer offense was held without a touchdown . The Steelers came to life in the fourth quarter with rookie Wayne Capers ' first NFL touchdown reception , a 57 - yard punt return by Paul Skansi that set up a 42 - yard Gary Anderson field goal , and a 2 - yard Frank Pollard touchdown run . A wide - open Kevin House dropped a potentially game - winning touchdown pass in the fourth quarter . McKay ' s entire postgame press conference consisted of two sentences : " We did not play well enough to win . We lost our ninth straight game and that is it " . McKay later blamed blown assignments and media distractions for the loss . He said that players were bothered by rumors that injured linebacker Andy Hawkins had signed with a USFL team . Week 10 : at Minnesota Vikings . " November 6 , 1983 at Hubert H . Humphrey Metrodome , Minneapolis , Minnesota " Tampa Bay upset Minnesota to leave the Houston Oilers as the league ' s only winless team . Wilder ' s 75 - yard third - quarter run gave the Buccaneers the lead for good , and was the longest run play in team history . His 219 yards broke Ricky Bell ' s single - game team record of 167 , and were the second most yards ever gained against the Vikings , behind Walter Payton ' s NFL single - game record 275 in 1977 . David Logan scored the first touchdown , a 54 - yard return of a fumble caused by a Lee Roy Selmon sack of Steve Dils . This was Logan ' s third career fumble - return touchdown , one short of the NFL record . Ted Brown left the game after injuring his shoulder while scoring the Vikings ' only touchdown . Steve Dils was hospitalized overnight after a hard hit left him disoriented . Gene Sanders , Lee Roy Selmon , Jimmie Giles , Randy Grimes , and Hugh Green all left the game with injuries . Selmon ' s injury was the result of an illegal chop block to the knee , one play after his sack of Dils . Some observers had predicted the upset , given the Buccaneers ' performance through three quarters of the previous week ' s game , and the Vikings ' struggles over the past several weeks . Week 11 : at Cleveland Browns . " November 13 , 1983 at Riverfront Stadium , Cleveland , Ohio " The Browns ' victory over the Buccaneers was their first shutout since 1974 . Jimmie Giles was held out of the game with an injury , while Mike Washington became the third member of the opening - day secondary to go on injured reserve . Injuries to starting defensive ends Lee Roy Selmon and John Cannon contributed to the lack of pressure on Cleveland quarterback Brian Sipe , who had time to complete 14 of 26 passes for 174 yards and no interceptions . Rookie cornerback Jeremiah Castille had seven tackles , but was exploited by Sipe throughout the game . The Buccaneers ' best scoring opportunity ended when Jerry Bell dropped a pass in the end zone . Long snapper Steve Wilson played with a broken bone in his right hand , which contributed to Bill Capece ' s missed field goal attempts of 23 and 31 yards . For the second week in a row , Melvin Carver fumbled on his first play of the game . The Browns defense was able to stifle James Wilder , who was held to 62 yards on 19 carries before a blow to the chest from the helmet of linebacker Eddie Johnson knocked him out of the game . Nevertheless , he became only the second Buccaneer ( after Ricky Bell in 1979 ) to combine for over 1 , 000 yards rushing and receiving in a season . The injury , which Wilder called a " cheap shot " , ended his season . McKay did not bother to show up for the postgame press conference , making reporters wait for 15 minutes but issuing only a brief written statement through a spokesperson . Week 12 : vs Chicago Bears . " November 20 , 1983 at Tampa Stadium , Tampa , Florida " Several of the previous game ' s starters missed the game with injuries , including James Wilder , Jack Thompson , and both starting defensive ends ( Lee Roy Selmon and John Cannon ) . Walter Payton rushed for 106 yards despite having been held out of practice the preceding week with fluid on his knee . In the process , he also passed 1 , 000 yards for the season , and moved past O . J . Simpson into third place on the NFL ' s all - time career rushing list with 11 , 257 yards . It was Payton ' s 53rd career 100 - yard game and his seventh 1 , 000 - yard season , which tied the record of Jim Brown and Franco Harris , the two players ahead of him on the career list . It also left him with 315 pass receptions , third all - time among Bears players and one short of Mike Ditka ' s total . Matt Suhey ran for 112 yards , a career best . The game was played in a heavy downpour , which contributed to the attendance of 36 , 816 , the lowest in Buccaneer history . Jerry Golsteyn started in place of Jack Thompson , who had a bruised elbow . The Buccaneers totaled only 132 yards of offense , 42 of it on a single pass from Golsteyn to Kevin House at the end of the first half . The ineffective Golsteyn was replaced with Jeff Komlo in the fourth quarter . Golsteyn completed 3 of 13 passes for 49 yards and an interception . The Bears ' 273 yards rushing was the most the Buccaneers had ever allowed , just one week after an opponent compared the physicality of the Tampa Bay defense to that of the Pittsburgh Steelers . Komlo was sacked three times , and his first pass was intercepted . He moved ahead of Golsteyn on the depth chart following the game . It was the first time since 1977 , the week before their first franchise victory , that the Buccaneers had been shut out on consecutive weekends . McKay said of his defense ' s effort : " Based on today , none of them are going to the Hall of Fame . . . then again , neither am I " . Week 13 : vs Houston Oilers . " November 27 , 1983 at Tampa Stadium , Tampa , Florida " The Buccaneers won the matchup between the two teams with the league ' s worst records , referred to variously as the " Turkey Bowl " , the " Toilet Bowl " , and the " Repus Bowl " . It was the first time since the AFL merger that a meeting had occurred between two teams with such poor records so late in the season . There were 20 , 474 no - shows for the game ; some of the fans in attendance held up a banner that read " Our Wives Think We ' re At A Pro Football Game " . The offensive line suffered no major injuries for the first time all season , with the result that Jack Thompson had time to complete four touchdown passes . The first was to fullback Adger Armstrong , who had been released by the Oilers earlier in the year . Thompson also threw two to Kevin House and one to Jim Obradovich , and completed 17 of 29 passes for 224 yards with no interceptions . The Buccaneers got three interceptions , one by Booker Reece and two by Beasley Reece . The early Tampa Bay lead kept Earl Campbell from becoming a factor in the game . Week 14 : at San Francisco 49ers . " December 4 , 1983 at Candlestick Park , San Francisco , California " The 49ers were able to move the ball easily against the injury - riddled Buccaneer defense . Six defensive starters missed the game . By the end of the day , the only regular defensive starter still on the field was Ed Judie , who was not with the team at the beginning of the season . The Tampa Bay defense was able to hold Joe Montana to no touchdowns passing , but he scored on a 12 - yard run , while Roger Craig ran for three touchdowns . The 49ers had their highest rushing total since 1978 , with 227 yards . Jack Thompson threw for 337 yards and three touchdowns , with Kevin House accounting for 156 yards and a touchdown on six receptions . Week 15 : vs Green Bay Packers . " December 12 , 1983 at Tampa Stadium , Tampa , Florida " Tampa Bay entered the game hoping to avenge their embarrassing early - season loss , by spoiling the Packers ' playoff hopes . Instead , the Packers won the game to tie the Detroit Lions for the division lead . The Buccaneer defense kept Green Bay ' s second - ranked offense out of the end zone for the entire game . The Buccaneer offense was criticized for being overly conservative , although receiver Theo Bell pointed out that the Packers ' style of defense left better rushing opportunities , due to the defensive backs ' double - coverage of the outside receivers . Jan Stenerud ' s second field goal moved him past George Blanda ' s record of 335 career field goals . Stenerud went on to kick two more , one to put the game into overtime , and the other to win . McKay publicly blamed Bill Capece for the loss , as did Monday Night Football announcer Don Meredith , after Capece missed an extra - point attempt and a potentially game - winning field goal attempt . Stenerud expressed sympathy for Capece , pointing out the difficulty of kicking when the team is constantly rotating the snapper and holder , as the Buccaneers had been doing . McKay later vowed not to attempt any field goals in the following week ' s game , and said , " I ' m tired of being crucified by all these wonderful Florida people . God bless you and merry Christmas " . Week 16 : at Detroit Lions . " December 18 , 1983 at Pontiac Silverdome , Pontiac , Michigan " Bill Capece did not make the trip to Detroit , reportedly having walked off of the practice field during the week due to McKay ' s public criticism of his performance . The Buccaneers signed Dave Warnke , a rookie who had lasted with the Lions until the final roster cuts , but who had never attempted a regular - season NFL kick . When Warnke missed a field goal and an extra - point attempt , guard George Yarno became the first offensive lineman to kick an extra point in an NFL game . Observers pointed out the irony of Warnke and Capece blaming their kicking troubles on instability at the snapper and holder positions , while the USFL - bound Yarno , a lineman who had not kicked since high school , connected on his only career attempt . The missed kicks provided the margin of defeat and nullified an effective passing attack . Jack Thompson completed 28 of 43 passes for 373 yards , the second - highest total in Buccaneer history . Awards and records . Team and Individual Records . The following team records set in 1983 still stand : The following team records set in 1983 have since been broken :