1985 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season The 1985 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season began on a hopeful note , with the hiring of Leeman Bennett as the team ' s head coach . A massive turnover of personnel occurred , which included the offseason career - ending injury of Lee Roy Selmon , the trade of Hugh Green , and the early - season signing of Steve Young . The numerous roster changes produced a team which , while talented , struggled in their new system . Mistake - prone play combined with a difficult early - season schedule helped the team to lose their first nine games , which eliminated them from title contention before the end of October . Despite their poor record , the Buccaneers were repeatedly competitive in games , even against the league ' s top teams . The season saw the resurgence of tight end Jimmie Giles , who returned to Pro Bowl form after having spent the previous two seasons in disfavor with John McKay and his staff . Giles set several Buccaneer records in an October matchup with the Miami Dolphins that Miami coach Don Shula described as having " more thrills than any I can remember " . James Wilder led the NFL in rushing for the first several games while handling the ball on over 50 % of the offense ' s plays , until the team began to diversify their offense more . Rookie kicker Donald Igwebuike set team records for field goals and points scored . Patches were worn on the jerseys to commemorate their 10th season . Offseason . The Hiring of Leeman Bennett . Former Atlanta Falcons coach Leeman Bennett was named by owner Hugh Culverhouse as the replacement for retired head coach John McKay . Other candidates interviewed included Buccaneer defensive coordinator Wayne Fontes , Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Tom Catlin , former Michigan Panthers head coach Jim Stanley , former New England Patriots head coach Ron Meyer , Washington Redskins quarterback coach Jerry Rhome , former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator Bud Carson , and former Florida Gators coach Charley Pell . Bennett was an unexpected choice , as Fontes had long been considered to be the leading candidate and had the near - unanimous support of the players and existing staff . Culverhouse almost gave Fontes the job without conducting an interview process , before having second thoughts and soliciting recommendations from McKay , Tex Schramm , and Dan Rooney . Described as " heartbroken " , Fontes learned while attending a scouting combine in Arizona that he had been passed over for the job . Bennett indicated that nobody who had been a candidate for the head coaching job would be hired as an assistant , ending speculation that he might retain Fontes or bring in his former assistant Jim Stanley . Fontes eventually accepted the defensive coordinator position with the Detroit Lions . Bennett had served as the Los Angeles Rams ' offensive coordinator under Chuck Knox before taking the Falcons job , where he became the only coach to lead that franchise to the playoffs . He did so three times , and was fired after their third playoff appearance , when the owners felt that a change was necessary in order for the Falcons to advance further . The Falcons finished in last place in the NFC West in both of the years following Bennett ' s firing . Twice named NFC Coach of the Year , Bennett was well respected as a coach , with the only knock against him being a reputation as possibly " too nice " . Although Bennett was one of the candidates recommended by McKay , his easygoing style was considered to be a complete opposite to McKay . He vowed to keep the 3 - 4 defensive alignment with which Tampa Bay had been so successful , and said that the team would be a playoff contender in 1985 . He believed that they had a good nucleus of players , although he admitted to knowing little about their personnel . Jerry Glanville , the coordinator of the league - leading 1977 Falcons defense , indicated that he would be unavailable due to his contractual ties to the Houston Oilers . The offensive coordinator position was filled by Jimmy Raye , a former Bennett assistant who had been holding the same position with the Rams . Offensive line coach Kim Helton and linebackers coach Howard Tippett were the only assistants to be retained by the new regime . Rams assistant Vic Rapp was brought in as the running backs coach . Former Michigan Panthers defensive coordinator Dick Roach was brought in as the defensive backfield coach . Longtime trainer Tom Oxley was replaced by former Falcon trainer Jay Shoop . Personnel Moves . Although he and Jimmie Giles had been hoping that the staff turnover would restore their playing time , Richard Wood was not offered a new contract . Maurice Harvey and Jeff Komlo were also released . New contracts were offered to Michael Morton , Adger Armstrong , Leon Bright , Cedric Brown , Robert Thompson and Glenn Bujnoch . Morton eventually rejected his contract offer , and signed with the Washington Redskins . Vagas Ferguson , a former star running back at Notre Dame and a one - time 1st - round draft choice of the New England Patriots , was signed as a free agent . NFL Draft . This was the first time in three years that the Buccaneers held a first - round pick on draft day , and they indicated that they needed much defensive help . The defensive line and linebacker positions lacked depth , and the secondary was aging . Of the three premier defensive ends available , Bruce Smith had already been signed by the Buffalo Bills , who held the first overall choice , and Ray Childress was expected to be taken by the Houston Oilers , leaving University of Washington defensive end Ron Holmes as Tampa Bay ' s most likely selection with the eighth overall pick . Director of player personnel Jim Gruden described his as having the combination of size and speed , versatility , and a productive college career that the Buccaneers desired . The Buccaneers ' 2nd - round pick went to the Denver Broncos as part of the trade for Steve DeBerg . Their 5th - round pick went to the New York Jets for running back Scott Dierking . Their 6th - round pick was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals for tackle Don Swafford . The second 12 - round pick came from the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for defensive end Booker Reese . Draft Selections . Holmes was chosen over Eddie Brown , who was not expected to have been available with the eighth - overall pick . Bennett decided that , with the passing game already performing well , it was more important to select for defense . The Buccaneers envisioned Holmes as a starting end , opposite of Lee Roy Selmon and with Dave Logan at nose tackle . Holmes was named first - team All - America by five different organizations , and was once much - coveted by Memphis State and DePaul as a basketball recruit . Ervin Randle was a versatile linebacker who had also played defensive end and nose tackle at Baylor . Mike Heaven , a Delray Beach , Florida native , was a defensive back who was expected to provide immediate help to a secondary that had aging safeties and struggling young cornerbacks . Likewise , Mike Prior was the Missouri Valley Conference career leader in interceptions as well as a former Baltimore Orioles draftee . He turned down a contract offer from the Los Angeles Dodgers to sign with Tampa Bay . Phil Freeman was the University of Arizona starting tailback until suffering a broken leg in 1982 , but was projected as a wide receiver with what Bennett called " rare speed " . Steve Calabria was the leading quarterback in Colgate history , with a strong arm and the ability to throw while rolling out . He claimed to already have signed a letter of agreement with Tampa Bay Bandits owner John Bassett , although it was unclear whether the Bandits would still be in existence , or whether they would be part of the USFL or part of a new spring league that Bassett was proposing . Calabria had been expected to be drafted as high as the fourth round , until rumors of his USFL agreement ( which the Buccaneers were unaware of ) began to circulate . By the time the ailing Bassett released Calabria from his contract , mini - camp was already over , and he was unprepared for preseason competition . Donald Igwebuike was a soccer player who tried football at the encouragement of his fellow Nigerian and Clemson teammate Obed Ariri , against whom he would now be competing for the kicking job . James Melka was a second - team All - Big Ten selection at linebacker who had been expected to be drafted much higher than the twelfth round . The team followed the draft by signing 22 free agents , including Southern tight end Calvin Magee , LSU quarterback Alan Risher , and cornerback Irvin Phillips , who had been obtained via trade from the Oakland Raiders the previous year , but had been waived after failing a physical . Steroid Controversy . Guard Steve Courson was unable to participate in a team mini - camp due to a heart rate of 160 . Attributing this to his heavy use of anabolic steroids , he quit using them , and detailed his experience in a " Sports Illustrated " article . He later stated that he did not believe that steroid use was really as rampant as he indicated in the article , in which he estimated that 75 % of NFL linemen use steroids and 95 % have tried them , and alleged that amphetamine use was also common . He said that he began using them in an attempt to gain strength , to avoid being dominated by larger defensive linemen in the NFL and at the University of South Carolina . He did not name any other players who used them , other than to say that Rocky Bleier had publicly admitted to it . Former trainer Tom Oxley estimated that the team had three to six steroid users in any given year , and that most were linemen . Oxley said that the team did not provide steroids to players , but that the team medical staff had almost prescribed them to Doug Williams to maintain weight when a 1978 broken jaw left him unable to eat . The article touched off controversy , as numerous players denied its allegations . Steroid use was at the time discouraged , though not prohibited , by the NFL . Steve Young . The Los Angeles Express of the United States Football League had been operating without an owner since the previous fall , and speculation began to be raised in April that the team might be disbanded . The Buccaneers had acquired the NFL rights to Express quarterback Steve Young in a special draft held the previous spring . With the franchise struggling financially , agent Leigh Steinberg said that a delay in payments to Young ' s annuity voided his contract with the team , and USFL Commissioner Harry Usher granted Young permission to negotiate with an NFL team . Usher indicated that if Young were to change teams , his contract would need to be bought out . The Buccaneers expressed reservations , as they were unsure of Young ' s physical condition due to the beating he ' d taken over the past year with the Express . Negotiations intensified toward the end of preseason , with the major sticking points being the $ 1 . 5 million dollar repayment the USFL demanded on the remaining two years of Young ' s contract , and the requirement that Young clear USFL waivers . Steinberg was able to renegotiate the payment with the USFL , and Young signed a series of six one - year contracts with the Buccaneers on September 10 . The financial details were not disclosed , but Steinberg said that Young ' s contract was comparable to those of John Elway , Warren Moon , and Bernie Kosar , who were all paid roughly $ 1 million per year . A star at BYU , Young would have been the first overall pick in the 1984 draft , but instead signed a 40 - year ( due to much of the payment being in the form of annuities ) , $ 43 million contract with the Express . Young had a sub - par 1985 season in Los Angeles , but was still able to complete over 50 % of his passes while playing behind an injury - riddled offensive line . Bennett indicated that the team would be content to bring Young along slowly , and that he would serve as DeBerg ' s backup for at least the time being . The signing put an end to the team ' s interest in veteran quarterback Jim Zorn . Preseason . Defensive End Problems . A soreness in Lee Roy Selmon ' s back that became apparent shortly after the Pro Bowl was originally thought to be a muscular injury , but turned out to be a herniated disc . With uncertainty over how to treat the injury or whether he would ever recover enough to be able to play again , Selmon postponed any decisions about his future plans and was lost to the team for the season . This meant that instead of Selmon and Ron Holmes playing as bookend pass - rushers , Holmes would now become Selmon ' s replacement . However , contract negotiations went so slowly that Holmes ' agent , Leigh Steinberg , began to question whether the team had any intention of signing him , to the point that he asked negotiator Phil Krueger if they intended to trade him . Holmes was eventually signed after a two - week holdout , which caused him to miss much practice time . Selmon eventually chose non - surgical rehabilitation for his back , although he would consider the microsurgery recommended by the team , but only as a last resort . The other two remaining original Buccaneers joined Selmon on the injured list during the preseason . Steve Wilson suffered a broken leg in a preseason game against the Washington Redskins , which left Redskins safety Curtis Jordan as the only remaining original Buccaneer active in the NFL . Safety Mark Cotney had earlier suffered two broken neck vertebrae while trying to tackle Gerald Riggs during an earlier game against the Falcons . Former Michigan Panthers All - USFL safety David Greenwood was signed to add depth after Cotney ' s injury , and wound up as the opening - day starter at strong safety . Preseason Play . Although preseason games had no importance in the standings , Bennett spoke of the importance of setting a winning tone for the season . Bennett had to abandon his plans of using a two - back offense , due to a lack of any quality running backs other than James Wilder . With no second running back standing out in practice , he instead chose to use a single - back offense that would enable tight ends Jimmie Giles and Jerry Bell to be on the field at the same time . The team was not able to find a reliable backup to Wilder until the early - season signing of former Dallas Cowboys fullback Ron Springs . Problems with the pass defense were exposed in the first preseason game , in which the reserves turned a 20 - 0 lead into a 42 - 27 defeat . Bennett expressed concern over the lack of a pass rush , and the way that Steelers receivers were able to jump inside of Buccaneer defenders on slant routes . Pittsburgh third - string quarterback Scott Campbell connected twice with Weegie Thompson for touchdowns on such routes , once burning Anthony Washington for 34 yards . Ron Holmes debuted in the following week ' s loss to Atlanta , although the pass defense saw little improvement . The special teams performed well , but quarterback Jack Thompson struggled in his attempt to reclaim the starting job . The team ' s first win under Bennett came in New Orleans , the site of the franchise ' s first victory . The defense played better , while DeBerg led the team on two long touchdown drives . By the end of preseason , Bennett began to back off of his original assessment of the team as a playoff contender , with linebacker being the only position on the team he expressed confidence in . He was uncharacteristically silent following the final preseason game , a 20 - 7 loss to the Washington Redskins that was marked by a dismal offensive effort . Preseason Personnel Moves . Gene Sanders , the offensive tackle who had shouldered much of the criticism for the offensive line ' s performance in recent seasons , was moved to Steve Courson ' s guard spot . Ken Kaplan took Sanders ' place , with Courson still in contention for the starting guard spot . Needing depth in the secondary , the team traded former starting right tackle Kelly Thomas to the Redskins in return for Anthony Washington , the starting cornerback in Super Bowl XVII ; and sent an eighth round draft pick to the Rams for safety Ivory Sully , conditional on his making the team . Sully was a Pro Bowl alternate as a special teams player , but had been unable to break into the starting lineup , playing behind Nolan Cromwell and Johnnie Johnson . He became one of the team ' s opening - day starters , originally slated at strong safety , but moved over to free safety with the signing of David Greenwood . Jay Carroll , a tight end who had played in all 16 games as a rookie in 1984 , announced his retirement from football , as did backup fullback Scott Dierking . Fourth - round draft pick Mike Heaven , who was having difficulty with the transition to strong safety , was released with the second round of cuts . The cut to sixty players saw Cedric Brown , the team ' s all - time leader in interceptions , released . Numerous players who had been expected to contend , or even to have the inside track for starting jobs , were released at the end of preseason . These included team kicking leader Obed Ariri , beaten out by childhood friend Donald Igwebuike , to whom Ariri had introduced the sport of football ; defensive end Byron Braggs , who had been considered a candidate for the starting right defensive end spot until his lack of pass rush became a liability ; preseason starters Glenn Bujnoch and Danny Spradlin ; Fred Acorn , a third - round selection the previous year who had started some late - season games ; and Anthony Washington , a speedy and experienced player who nonetheless failed to live up to expectations . Jack Thompson , the previous season ' s opening - day starting quarterback , and starting safety Beasley Reece were also released . Regular season . Bennett said that , given the Buccaneers ' record over the past two seasons , it was " automatically a rebuilding year " . The squad began play as a young team , with 17 players who had not been there the previous year , and ten of the previous year ' s opening - day starters out of the starting lineup . The season began with a second - half collapse in a loss to the Chicago Bears , in which Bennett noted a lack of concentration and attention to detail . He admitted to being unable to explain the reason for the large number of errors , which in the first two games alone included 20 penalties , 4 interceptions ( two returned for touchdowns ) , 3 fumbles , 2 blocked punts ( one returned for a touchdown ) , and a missed extra - point and field goal attempt . Special teams coach Howard Tippett pointed out that the Buccaneers weren ' t making any mistakes that other teams didn ' t , but that the Buccaneer mistakes tended to get magnified and repeated . Linebacker Chris Washington attributed the defense ' s problems to a young , inexperienced team trying to learn a new system . Even as the losses mounted , opponents reported surprise , both from studying game films and playing the team on the field , at the Buccaneers ' record . The Buccaneers frequently held halftime leads and lost by a touchdown or less ; through the first 9 games , they were outscored 77 - 17 in the third quarter . In one game , Jimmie Giles was congratulated despite having turned over the ball by fumbling , because the 44 - yard reception that preceded the fumble was a rare example of a player making something happen in the third quarter . Off - field problems . The early season was marked by off - the - field problems with players . Hugh Green had told Jeff Davis on the first day of practice that the new defense wasn ' t going to work . As the season began , he became critical of the defensive schemes , saying that they were not " molded to the individual talents of the players " , and that he was just " trying to survive this season " . He then walked out of camp for a day . It came to light that this had occurred regularly over the past four seasons , but that John McKay had kept the matter away from the press . Seeing Green ' s attitude as a negative influence on the team , and unsure of why Green was unhappy , Bennett traded him to the Miami Dolphins for their 1986 first - round draft choice , and the second - round pick obtained from Minnesota in the Anthony Carter trade . Team owner Hugh Culverhouse also required Green to repay $ 335 , 000 of the signing bonus from his 1984 two - year contract , which was believed to be the first such buyout in NFL history . The trade was thought to be the Dolphins ' biggest - ever trade for a defensive player , with Green considered to be second - only to Lawrence Taylor as an NFL linebacker . Green ' s disgruntlement was attributed to a combination of the team ' s losing record , and the new defensive scheme that did not give him the opportunity to freelance . The trade put Keith Browner back into the starting lineup , despite Bennett ' s criticism of his lack of effort . Meanwhile , former Dallas Cowboys fullback Ron Springs was offered a contract on the very day that a Dallas police officer testified that she believed him to have been on drugs the night that he was arrested for aggravated assault on a police officer at a Dallas - area topless nightclub . He was eventually sentenced on the reduced charge of resisting arrest , following a trial marked by character testimony from Springs ' teammates . Shortly afterward , it was revealed that Springs was one of several Cowboys players under investigation by the NFL and the FBI , for suspicion of shaving points in return for cocaine . The FBI eventually concluded that there was no basis to the allegations . Quarterback controversy . As the loss column incremented , fans began to clamor for Steve Young . Bennett insisted that he would not play Young until he felt that he was ready , and at one point was booed for inserting Alan Risher into a game as Steve DeBerg ' s replacement . While DeBerg ' s statistics were not bad , he had difficulty completing long passes , even though receivers Kevin House and Gerald Carter had combined for the third - most catches of any receiving duo in the NFL the previous year . Although Bennett insisted that the timing was unrelated , Young ' s first start was announced one day after one of the team ' s worst - ever losses , a 62 – 28 blowout against the New York Jets . Bennett said that he felt comfortable enough with Young ' s progress to give him the start , but Young admitted to having taken only " 10 or 12 " snaps in practice , and had never run any of the Buccaneers ' plays . Starting behind an injury - battered offensive line against a blitzing Detroit Lions team , Young struggled for three quarters before rallying the team for a victory . Although Young ' s statistics were not especially impressive , Bennett noted that he had little practice time and no training camp , and that he performed well enough through his first three starts that Bennett would consider modifying the next season ' s offense to take better advantage of Young ' s abilities . Snow Bowl . The Snow Bowl was played on December 1 , 1985 against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in Green Bay , Wisconsin . The game was played in a record snowfall , with a foot of snow on the field , and four more inches falling during the game . It was nearly delayed , as the tarp protecting the field was frozen to the ground , and could not be removed until shortly before kickoff . The 35 - mph wind produced a wind - chill factor of zero . According to an employee who had been to every Packer home game in their history , it was the worst weather ever at Lambeau Field . The attendance of 19 , 856 , and the 36 , 586 unused tickets , were the lowest in both Buccaneer and Lambeau Field history . The Packers gained 512 yards to the Buccaneers ' 65 , as Tampa Bay lost their 18th consecutive road game . Speaking after the season of the team ' s future plans , Bennett would not immediately say how the next year ' s first - round pick would be spent , but offered that he ' d seen enough of the team ' s one - back offense that featured Wilder and no supporting players . John McKay announced that he would step down as team president , though he would maintain a part - time advisory role with the team . Game summaries . Week 1 : at Chicago Bears . " Sep . 8 , 1985 at Soldier Field , Chicago , Illinois " The Buccaneers scored a team - record 28 first - half points against the Bears ' defense , which had been ranked first in the league the previous season . James Wilder ' s 105 first - half rushing yards was higher than the average the 1984 Bears had allowed per game . The Bears got no sacks , and Steve DeBerg was able to complete eight passes for three touchdowns , repeatedly able to fool the Bears with fake handoffs . After halftime adjustments , the Bears held the Buccaneers scoreless for the remainder of the game , while scoring three touchdowns to take the lead . The turning point of the game was considered by Bennett to be a DeBerg pass that was deflected by Richard Dent , and returned by Leslie Frazier for a touchdown . The Bears clinched the game when a blocked punt led to a 1 - yard Jim McMahon touchdown run . Phil Freeman returned a kickoff 58 yards , the longest in Buccaneer history . Walter Payton rushed for 120 yards , his 64th career 100 - yard rushing game . On - field temperatures were recorded at 121 degrees . Week 2 : vs Minnesota Vikings . " Sep . 15 , 1985 at Tampa Stadium , Tampa , Florida " The Minnesota Vikings took advantage of Buccaneer turnovers ; intercepting Steve DeBerg twice , recovering two James Wilder fumbles , and blocking a punt . Joey Browner returned one of the interceptions for a touchdown , and the blocked punt set up a 1 - yard Alfred Anderson touchdown run . Wilder rushed for 113 yards and a touchdown , while catching 13 passes for 71 yards . Week 3 : at New Orleans Saints . " Sep 22 , 1985 at the Louisiana Superdome , New Orleans , Louisiana " Preparing for a matchup between two 0 - 2 teams , a New Orleans radio station invited a voodoo priestess to hold an on - air ritual to remove the hex that had prevented the team from having a winning season in any of its 18 years . Three New Orleans offensive linemen suffered injuries in a 12 - minute span , but Dave Wilson was still able to pass for 246 yards , and touchdowns to tight ends Hoby Brenner and Larry Hardy . Morten Andersen contributed two field goals , while Terry Hoage forced a James Wilder fumble and intercepted a Steve DeBerg pass . Wilder ' s 114 yards left him as the NFL ' s leading rusher , and through three games the only Buccaneer running back with a carry . Week 4 : at Detroit Lions . " Sep . 29 , 1985 at the Pontiac Silverdome , Pontiac , Michigan " The Buccaneers were held without a touchdown for the first time in 21 games , despite two first - and - goal situations inside the Lions ' five - yard line . The first resulted in a field goal which gave them only their second lead of the season . The Buccaneers committed three fumbles , while allowing 315 yards to the Lions ' 27th - ranked offense . Buccaneer pass - rushers got four sacks , almost as many as their total in the first three games , but the secondary was victimized for numerous big plays . Karl Morgan forced Eric Hipple to fumble on one of his two sacks , while Dave Logan and Hugh Green also got to Hipple . Mark Nichols beat Jeremiah Castille twice for touchdowns . Week 5 : vs Chicago Bears . " Oct 6 , 1985 at Tampa Stadium , Tampa , Florida " The Buccaneers were unable to obtain a victory over the Chicago Bears , despite holding a lead in a dominant first half against what was widely considered to be the best team in football , and lackluster games from Jim McMahon and the Bears ' defense . The Bears held James Wilder to 29 yards , preventing him from tying an NFL record by joining O . J . Simpson and Earl Campbell as the only backs with seven consecutive 100 - yard rushing games . In doing so , they allowed Steve DeBerg to have his best passing day as a Buccaneer , with 346 yards . Jimmie Giles and Kevin House both had over 100 yards receiving . Giles ' 112 yards came on 7 catches , his career high . The game was sealed with a daring , late - game bomb to Willie Gault that set up a 9 - yard Walter Payton touchdown run . Payton scored his 100th and 101st touchdowns , making him the sixth NFL player to reach the 100 - touchdown mark . It was the Bears ' sixth consecutive victory over Tampa Bay . Week 6 : vs Los Angeles Rams . " Oct . 13 , 1985 at Tampa Stadium , Tampa , Florida " For the second consecutive week , the Buccaneers lost , despite holding a halftime lead against an unbeaten team . The Buccaneers ' defense played well in their first game without Hugh Green , and they recovered three Ram fumbles in the first half . The Rams also committed eight first - half penalties . In the second half , LeRoy Irvin and Carl Ekern returned interceptions for touchdowns to edge past the Buccaneers . DeBerg ' s four interceptions gave him a season total of 13 , the most in the NFL . Week 7 : at Miami Dolphins . " Oct . 20 , 1985 at the Orange Bowl , Miami , Florida " For the third week in a row , the Buccaneers suffered a close loss to one of the NFL ' s best teams . This time , it was a final - period rally in which the Buccaneers outscored the Dolphins 17 - 3 . Don Shula said of Jimmie Giles , " I can ' t remember any other tight end dominating us that way " , after Giles caught 7 passes for 116 yards and 4 touchdowns against the Dolphins ' man - to - man coverage . Giles ' 4 touchdowns and 24 points scored remain , as of 2010 , the all - time Tampa Bay records . James Wilder evaded Hugh Green on Tampa Bay ' s first touchdown , a 10 - yard run . Green reported playing " the worst game of my career " and feeling lost in Miami ' s defensive scheme , although he produced the Dolphins ' only interception of the day . With starting linebackers Jeff Davis and Scot Brantley out with injuries , and Green no longer with the team , the Buccaneers were defenseless against the Dolphins ' attack . Fuad Reveiz scored the winning field goal with 6 seconds remaining . The loss , combined with an Atlanta Falcons victory , left the Buccaneers as the league ' s only winless team at 0 - 7 . Week 8 : vs New England Patriots . " Oct 27 , 1985 at Tampa Stadium , Tampa , Florida " The Buccaneers took a 14 - 0 lead on a 1 - yard James Wilder run , but barely crossed midfield for the rest of the game . Wilder ' s touchdown was his 33rd and gave him 198 career points , which made him the franchise scoring leader ahead of Bill Capece , with 196 . Injuries were again a problem , with starting linebackers Brantley and Davis leaving the game for the second week in a row , along with starting tackle George Yarno and kick returner Leon Bright . Bright ' s knee injury required surgery . Injured guard Sean Farrell did not play at all . The game eliminated the Buccaneers from the NFC Central Division race , and had the second - smallest home attendance in team history , 34 , 661 . Week 9 : at New York Giants . " Nov . 3 , 1985 at Giants Stadium , East Rutherford , New Jersey " Freshly signed kicker Eric Schubert kicked five field goals to help the highly favored New York Giants to edge past the Buccaneers . Four times , the Giants had possession of the ball in the red zone , but were held to field goals . Heavy Buccaneer blitzes failed to stop Joe Morris from rushing for 132 yards , making Morris the first Giant in two years to have consecutive 100 - yard games . A last - minute rally appeared to have brought the Buccaneers in position to attempt a game - winning field goal , but a holding penalty on Sean Farrell erased Adger Armstrong ' s reception at the Giants ' 38 - yard line , and Terry Kinard intercepted a DeBerg pass on the next play . Farrell criticized the call at the time , but Bennett later confirmed that it was correct , although he questioned why the only holding penalty of the entire game would be called in that situation . Craig Curry started at safety , leaving David Greenwood on the bench . U - back ( a second tight end position ) Jerry Bell suffered a season - ending knee injury . His backup , Calvin Magee , also went out with an injured knee , although it didn ' t require immediate surgery . Week 10 : vs . St . Louis Cardinals . " Nov . 10 , 1985 at Tampa Stadium , Tampa , Florida " Donald Igwebuike kicked three field goals as the Buccaneers recorded their first victory under Leeman Bennett . James Wilder rushed for 120 yards , while Steve DeBerg passed for 196 yards and a touchdown to Adger Armstrong . The Cardinals ' offense was ineffective without injured starters Ottis Anderson and Roy Green . It was the Buccaneers ' first shutout since their division - clinching 3 - 0 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Dec . 16 , 1979 . The game was attended by a crowd of 34 , 736 , the third - smallest in team history . Players afterward expressed relief , rather than joy , at getting their first win . Igwebuike , Wilder , and David Logan were presented with game balls after the game , the first ever awarded by the Buccaneers . Week 11 : at New York Jets . " Nov . 17 , 1985 at Giants Stadium , East Rutherford , New Jersey " After the Buccaneers took a 14 - 0 lead on a recovery of a Ken O ' Brien fumble and Steve DeBerg touchdown passes to Kevin House and Calvin Magee , the Jets ' offense caught fire , scoring a team - record 62 points . Players afterward denied that they were thinking about revenge for the previous season ' s " Buc Flop " incident , in which James Wilder was approaching an NFL record , and the Buccaneer defense allowed the Jets to score a touchdown in an attempt to get the ball back so that Wilder could get more carries . O ' Brien passed for 367 yards and 5 touchdowns , with Al Toon catching 6 of his passes for 133 yards . Mickey Shuler tied a Jets record with three touchdown receptions . Jeremiah Castille intercepted an O ' Brien pass , but then fumbled it back to Wesley Walker . Week 12 : vs Detroit Lions . " Nov 24 , 1985 at Tampa Stadium , Tampa , Florida " Donald Igwebuike kicked a field goal to force overtime with a minute remaining in regulation , and then kicked another with 2 : 29 remaining in overtime to secure the victory in Steve Young ' s NFL debut . The Buccaneers were aided by the decision of Lions coach Don Rogers , who as a former college coach in the NFL for the first time had no experience with overtime , to punt on fourth - and - inches from the 50 - yard line in hopes that Young ' s inexperience would give the Lions the ball back with good field position . The Lions blamed the 80 - degree heat , and crowd noise that drowned out several audibles , for a series of fourth - quarter breakdowns that allowed the Buccaneers to erase a 16 - 6 deficit . Fatigued Lions defenders allowed James Wilder to gain 42 yards on his last 9 carries . Young ' s scrambling style gained zero net passing yards through the first three quarters , but when he switched to a dropback style of passing in the fourth quarter , he began to find success completing long passes . The Buccaneers scored on a 6 - yard Wilder run , while the defense held the Lions scoreless , and Young drove the team into field goal range twice . Young became the first Buccaneer quarterback to win in his first start . Week 13 : at Green Bay Packers . " Dec 1 , 1985 at Lambeau Field , Green Bay , Wisconsin " The Buccaneers ' 65 net yards and their average gain of 1 . 6 yards per play were both team lows . It was the lowest offensive total by any Packers opponent since a game against the Atlanta Falcons on Oct 1 , 1967 . Having difficulty finding open receivers , Steve Young ran 7 times for 31 yards , and was sacked 5 times for 42 yards . He completed no passes longer than 10 yards , and reported trouble keeping a grip on the ball . James Wilder was held to 23 yards rushing . Anticipating bad weather , the Packers prepared for the game by moving their practices outdoors during the week . Several Buccaneers reported loss of feeling in their extremities . Lynn Dickey passed for 299 yards and a touchdown , James Lofton caught passes for 106 yards , Eddie Lee Ivery rushed for 109 yards , and Gerry Ellis rushed for 101 yards and a touchdown . Alphonso Carreker got four of the Packers ' five sacks . It was the Buccaneers ' 18th consecutive road loss , tying the 2nd - longest such streak in NFL history , and their 25th consecutive road loss in an outdoor stadium . Week 14 : at Minnesota Vikings . " Dec 8 , 1985 at Hubert H . Humphrey Metrodome , Minneapolis , Minnesota " An attempted rally from a 19 - 0 deficit died when a holding penalty called back a Kevin House pass reception at the Vikings ' 3 - yard line . The Buccaneers committed 10 penalties in all , for a total of 76 yards . In a 1 : 42 stretch of the third quarter , the two teams combined for five turnovers in nine plays , with James Wilder afterward fumbling on his next possession . Wilder became the first Buccaneer to pass the 4 , 000 - yard rushing mark , but could not savor it , due to the injury - filled loss . Kick returner Phil Freeman broke a wrist and linebacker Dennis Johnson bruised a shoulder , both while making tackles . Craig Curry suffered an eye injury , and Scot Brantley injured a shoulder . Week 15 : vs Indianapolis Colts . " Dec 15 , 1985 at Tampa Stadium , Tampa , Florida " Steve Young threw for a career - high 251 yards , but threw two late - game interceptions that ended the team ' s chances for a rally . The game opened with a 59 - yard pass to Kevin House , the team ' s longest pass in 30 games . The attendance of 25 , 577 shattered the team ' s previous record - low attendance , and the 17 , 419 no - shows were also a record . The 55 - degree weather was also a record , the coldest - ever for a game in Tampa Stadium . In only their fourth win of the season , the Colts rushed for 257 yards , and scored 14 fourth - quarter points to come from behind for the win . Along with the interceptions , they were aided by two fourth - quarter fumbles . Randy McMillan led Colts rushers , with 108 yards . George Wonsley rushed for two touchdowns , and Albert Bentley one . The loss assured the Buccaneers of the following year ' s first - overall draft pick , as the strength of schedule gave the Buccaneers the advantage over the Atlanta Falcons , the only other team that could potentially win as few as 3 games . ( The Buffalo Bills would finish with two wins , but their first - round pick had already been traded away and spent on Bernie Kosar in a supplemental draft the previous season , leaving the 1986 NFL Draft with only 27 first - round picks ) . Of his defense ' s performance , Bennett could only say , " That team shouldn ' t have scored 31 points on us " . Week 16 : vs Green Bay Packers . " Dec 22 , 1985 at Tampa Stadium , Tampa , Florida " Thanks to a missed Donald Igwebuike field goal attempt late in the fourth quarter , the Packers edged Tampa Bay in a game full of turnovers and errors . David Greenwood fumbled the ball back to the Packers on a return of an intercepted Jim Zorn pass , a John Holt fumble recovery was called back due to an offside penalty , and Calvin Magee fumbled the ball back to the Packers on the first play following a Jeremiah Castille interception . Gerry Ellis fumbled the second - half kickoff for the Packers . The Buccaneers ' first touchdown was set up by a Mark Murphy pass interference penalty in the end zone . With a glut of aging quarterbacks , the Packers used the fourth quarter to get a look at Randy Wright , who led the team to their winning points . Wide receiver Theo Bell , noted for his team leadership and for his contributions to the community , retired from a 10 - year NFL career following the game . Awards and records . Postseason Honors . Jimmie Giles , Pro Bowl James Wilder , Pro Bowl alternate James Wilder , team Most Valuable Player Theo Bell , the NFL Alumni Tampa Bay Buccaneers Chapter Ricky Bell Award for contributions on and off the field Team and Individual Records . Most team records set this season tended to be either of the individual variety , or related to the Nov . 17 game against the New York Jets :