1978 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season

1978 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
Head coach John McKay
Owner Hugh Culverhouse
Home field Tampa Stadium
Results
Record 5–11
Division place 5th NFC Central
Playoff finish did not qualify
Pro Bowlers NT Dave Pear
AP All-Pros DE Lee Roy Selmon
Team MVP LB Dewey Selmon

The 1978 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season was the team’s third in the National Football League. As their two 1977 victories had been in the last two games of the season, they entered the 1978 season with the longest active winning streak in the NFC Central.

The Buccaneers entered the season with new offensive talent, having selected Doug Williams with the 17th overall pick of the draft. This choice was questioned by many, as there was still an element of society who claimed that a black quarterback was not mentally capable of winning in the NFL, and prejudice is believed to have been a factor in Williams having been drafted as low as seventeenth. According to Buccaneer coach John McKay, “All things being equal, Williams would have gone higher in the draft”.[1] Second-year tight end Jimmie Giles, part of the trade that landed Williams, emerged as the Buccaneers’ first receiving threat and to this day holds several of their scoring records.[2]

Offseason

Offseason coaching changes led to continued accusations of disorganization, as vice-president of operations Ron Wolf resigned, citing only “personal matters”.[3] This renewed speculation that head coach John McKay, who replaced Wolf with two of his own longtime assistants, was trying to consolidate front-office power.[4] The coaching staff was reshuffled, with Tom Bass being named defensive coordinator, and offensive coordinator Joe Gibbs hired away from the St. Louis Cardinals.[5][6] Offensive line coach Jerry Frei left to take the same position with the Chicago Bears.[7]

Tight end Bob Moore was traded, along with a 1979 first-round draft pick, for three-time All-Pro Bears defensive end Wally Chambers. The Buccaneers were widely considered to have given up too much in the trade, as Chambers was coming off of major knee surgery and was considered by many to be “damaged merchandise,” and the Buccaneers were left with minimal experience at tight end.[8][9] The trade was also criticized on the grounds that the Buccaneers did not require Chambers to undergo a team physical, despite his injury history.[10] Council Rudolph, the only player who had started in all 28 of the Buccaneers’ games to date, was made expendable by the trade and was dealt to the Miami Dolphins for a draft pick.[11]

Preseason speculation ran high about what would happen with the Buccaneers’ first overall choice in the draft, with Houston Oilers’ coach Bum Phillips reportedly stating that the Oilers would better any other team’s offer to the Buccaneers.[12] Unlike the previous year, when it was made clear early on that Ricky Bell was to be their choice, the Buccaneers kept quiet about who they might draft, further fueling speculation about a trade. The New York Jets were said to have offered their fourth-overall draft pick, plus any player on their roster other than Richard Todd.[13] Tight end was considered to be the Buccaneers’ single greatest need, with Ken MacAfee of Notre Dame often mentioned as a likely draft target. According to Don Shula, “With John McKay’s type of offense, an outstanding tight end is absolutely essential. It cannot go without one”. This happened to be one of the positions hit hardest by injury in 1977. With most of their mid-round draft picks traded away, the Buccaneers were looking for a trade that would bring them several draft picks.[14] With no teams willing to give up a starting quarterback as part of a deal, the Buccaneers eventually traded the pick to the Oilers, for tight end Jimmie Giles and the Oilers’ first- and second-round picks in 1978, and their third- and fifth-round picks in 1979.[15] Needing a fullback, the Buccaneers shortly afterward traded Anthony Davis to the Oilers for Don Hardeman.[16]

NFL Draft

Pick Round Player Position School
1 (from Houston) 17 Doug Williams Quarterback Grambling State
2 30 Johnny Davis Running back Alabama
2 (from Houston)44 Brett Moritz Guard Nebraska
6 (from Los Angeles) 162 Elijah Marshall Wide Receiver North Carolina State
8 196 John McGriff Linebacker Miami (FL)
9 223 Willie Taylor Wide Receiver Pittsburgh
10 252 Aaron Brown Linebacker Ohio State
12 307 Kevin McLee Running Back Georgia

[17]

Draft trades

The Buccaneers’ first overall selection in the 1978 draft was traded to the Houston Oilers in exchange for four draft picks and tight end Jimmie Giles. The Oilers used the pick to select running back Earl Campbell. The Buccaneers’ 3rd-, 4th-, and 6th round picks were traded to the Oakland Raiders for guard Dan Medlin, tackle Jeff Winans, and linebacker Rik Bonness, respectively. Their 5th-round pick was traded to the Miami Dolphins for cornerback Jeris White. The Buccaneers received a 6th-round pick from the Los Angeles Rams for center Dan Ryczek. Their 7th-round pick was traded to the Atlanta Falcons in return for kicker Allan Leavitt. Their 11th-round pick, along with a second 10th-rounder obtained from the Raiders, were traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers in return for defensive tackle Ernie Holmes.[14][18]

Draft selections

The Buccaneers had a reduced number of selections in what was considered to have been the weakest draft in a long time.[19] Doug Williams was considered to be the closest thing to a can't-miss quarterback prospect available in the draft. Representatives of several other teams, including Green Bay Packers coach and NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Bart Starr, called the Buccaneers to congratulate them on his selection.[20] John McKay, in charge of the draft for the first time, stated that with no outstanding quarterbacks expected to be in the following year’s draft, the team had to have Williams. Johnny Davis was a surprise selection, as running back was considered to be one of the team’s deepest positions, but Davis was drafted for his blocking ability.[21] McKay pointed out that many of the previous year’s quarterback sacks had been the result not of offensive line breakdowns, but of failure of running backs to pick up blitzes.[22] Brett Moritz played half of the 1977 season at Nebraska, after transferring from West Point. He was projected as a backup center.[23] McKay traded a 10th- and an 11th-round pick, players who would not be expected to make the team anyway, to the Pittsburgh Steelers for Ernie Holmes, at one time an important part of the Steelers’ championship defenses. Holmes, who was once involved in a shotgun standoff with police after an incidence of acute paranoid psychosis, was traded for on the understanding that his personal problems were behind him. Steelers coach Chuck Noll called the trade “a gift”.[24] The Buccaneers once again passed on offensive linemen, saying that the existing players would improve with more time together, and that the best linemen were all drafted early.[25] The Buccaneers later traded a future draft choice to the Detroit Lions for veteran tackle Rockne Freitas.[26]

Preseason

Doug Williams’ first preseason pass, an 75-yard incompletion that sailed 10 yards past receiver Isaac Hagins, drew a standing ovation from the Tampa Stadium crowd. He was the first quarterback in Buccaneer history capable of throwing long passes downfield.[27] Miami Dolphins nose tackle Randy Crowder, freshly released from federal prison, was signed as a free agent. Ernie Holmes, who was having trouble adjusting to the Buccaneers’ 3–4 defense, was waived to make room for him. A 1979 3rd-round draft pick was sent to the Dolphins as NFL-ordered compensation.[28] Johnny Davis and Jimmy DuBose performed so well in the preseason that newly acquired fullback Don Hardeman was sent to the Baltimore Colts for a future draft pick. Wins in their first three preseason games, combined with the two wins at the end of the previous season, gave the Buccaneers the longest active NFL win streak going into the final preseason game.[29] That game, a loss to the Dolphins, was the first Buccaneer game to sell out.[30]

Regular season

The Buccaneers opened the season, like their expansion brethren the Seattle Seahawks, 200-to-1 longshots to win the Super Bowl.[31] Their regular-season opener against the New York Giants marked the first time that Las Vegas oddsmakers favored the Buccaneers to win, with Jimmy the Greek naming them as 1-point favorites.[32] A pair of mistake-prone early losses left McKay threatening to release players who cause game-losing errors, a change from the earlier attitude of tolerating mistakes from players who were regarded as having potential.[33] With the defense among the best in the league and the offense sparking behind Doug Williams’ leadership, the Buccaneers began to be respected as a competitive NFL team.[34] Coach McKay’s respect for Williams was such that he spoke of eventually letting Williams call his own plays in the huddle. McKay’s insistence on calling plays from the sideline had been a source of much conflict between McKay and Steve Spurrier during the 1976 season.[35] Williams led the Buccaneers to a 4–4 start before suffering an injury that required his jaw to be wired shut.[27] Even before Williams’ injury, the Buccaneers again found themselves with an injured reserve list in double digits. At midseason, the Buccaneers had 11 players on injured reserve, not counting waived quarterback Mike Boryla.[36] McKay felt that, with a healthy offense, the team would have finished with at least a 10–6 record.[37] Despite a defense that ranked fourth overall in the NFL, the Buccaneers were only able to win one of their remaining eight games behind backup quarterback Mike Rae. McKay summed up the season with the word “frustration”. The 9–7 record that he predicted the team would finish with would have been enough to win the NFC Central.[38] Nose tackle Dave Pear became the first Buccaneer selected to the Pro Bowl, finishing third in voting among defensive tackles behind Randy White and Larry Brooks.[39] Linebacker Richard Wood’s 168 tackles stood for 14 years as a team record.[40]

Schedule

Regular season
Week Date Opponent Result Kickoff[a] Game site TV Attendance Record
1 September 2, 1978 New York Giants L 13–19 8:00 Tampa Stadium CBS 67,456 0–1
2 September 9, 1978 Detroit Lions L 7–15 8:00 Tampa Stadium CBS 64,443 0–2
3 September 17, 1978 at Minnesota Vikings W 16–10 1:00 Metropolitan Stadium CBS 46,152 1–2
4 September 24, 1978 Atlanta Falcons W 14–9 4:00 Tampa Stadium CBS 58,073 2–2
5 October 1, 1978 Minnesota Vikings L 7–24 1:00 Tampa Stadium CBS 65,972 2–3
6 October 8, 1978 at Kansas City Chiefs W 30–13 1:00 Arrowhead Stadium CBS 38,201 3–3
7 October 15, 1978 at New York Giants L 14–17 1:00 Giants Stadium CBS 68,025 3–4
8 October 22, 1978 Chicago Bears W 33–19 1:00 Tampa Stadium CBS 68,146 4–4
9 October 29, 1978 at Green Bay Packers L 7–9 1:00 Lambeau Field CBS 55,108 4–5
10 November 5, 1978 at Los Angeles Rams L 23–26 1:00 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum CBS 55,182 4–6
11 November 12, 1978 at Detroit Lions L 23–34 2:00 Pontiac Silverdome CBS 60,320 4–7
12 November 19, 1978 Buffalo Bills W 31–10 1:00 Tampa Stadium NBC 61,383 5–7
13 November 26, 1978 at Chicago Bears L 3–14 1:00 Soldier Field CBS 42,373 5–8
14 December 3, 1978 Green Bay Packers L 7–17 1:00 Tampa Stadium CBS 67,754 5–9
15 December 10, 1978 at San Francisco 49ers L 3–6 4:00 Candlestick Park CBS 30,931 5–10
16 December 17, 1978 New Orleans Saints L 10–17 1:00 Tampa Stadium CBS 51,207 5–11

Notes:

a All times in North American Eastern Time. (UTC–4 and UTC–5 during Standard Time)

Standings

NFC Central
W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK
Minnesota Vikings(3) 8 7 1 .531 5–2–1 7–4–1 294 306 L2
Green Bay Packers 8 7 1 .531 5–2–1 6–5–1 249 269 L2
Detroit Lions 7 9 0 .438 4–4 5–7 290 300 W2
Chicago Bears 7 9 0 .438 3–5 7–5 253 274 W2
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 5 11 0 .313 2–6 3–11 241 259 L4

Roster

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1978 roster
Quarterbacks

Running Backs

Wide Receivers

Tight Ends

 Offensive Linemen

Defensive Linemen

 Linebackers

Defensive Backs

Special Teams

 Reserve Lists

Practice Squad

Rookies in italics
starter = *

[41][42][43]

Coaching staff

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1978 coaching staff
Front Office

Head Coaches

Offensive Coaches

  • Offensive Coordinator/Running Backs – Joe Gibbs
  • Quarterbacks – Bill Nelsen
  • Wide Receivers – Willie Brown
  • Offensive Line – Skip Husbands
  

Defensive Coaches

[44][45]

Game summaries

Week 1: vs New York Giants

1 2 3 4 Total
Giants 7 3 6 3 19
Buccaneers 7 3 0 3 13

September 2, 1978 at Tampa Stadium, Tampa, Florida

The New York Giants scored ten points off of Buccaneer interceptions en route to an upset victory. The Buccaneers rushed for 165 yards, but were held to field goals on drives deep in Giants territory.[46] Doug Williams suffered a badly bruised shoulder when tackled by Gary Jeter in the first quarter, and was replaced by Gary Huff.[47] Terry Jackson returned Williams’ early interception, called by John McKay a “terrible blunder”, for a touchdown.[48] Williams completed only one of six passes before leaving with the injury. The Buccaneers took the lead on a 2-yard Jimmy DuBose touchdown and a Neil O'Donoghue field goal, but Joe Pisarcik’s 67-yard pass to Johnny Perkins gave the Giants the lead for good.[49]

Week 2: vs Detroit Lions

1 2 3 4 Total
Lions 9 3 0 3 15
Buccaneers 7 0 0 0 7

September 9, 1978 at Tampa Stadium, Tampa, Florida

The Detroit Lions held the Buccaneers to 101 yards of total offense, 56 yards of which came on a first-quarter Ricky Bell run. Bell scored the Buccaneers’ only touchdown on a 1-yard plunge.[50] The Buccaneers were hurt by penalties and turnovers, fumbling four times in the first quarter alone. A Lions drive late in the first half was extended twice by Buc penalties, the first when Curtis Jordan ran into punter Tom Skladany, and the second when Dave Pear’s late hit on Lions quarterback Greg Landry knocked Landry out of the game. This penalty nullified a Mike Washington interception, and resulted in one of Benny Ricardo’s three field goals. Buc passers were sacked seven times.[51] Mike Boryla started the game for the Buccaneers, but was replaced by Gary Huff. Coming off of the previous season’s knee injury, Boryla declared his recovering knee too sore to play on, and went back on injured reserve after the game.[52]

Week 3: at Minnesota Vikings

1 2 3 4 Total
Buccaneers 3 6 7 0 16
Vikings 7 0 0 3 10

September 17, 1978 at Metropolitan Stadium, Bloomington, Minnesota

The Buccaneers took advantage of Minnesota Vikings mistakes to get an upset and their first win of the season. The Buccaneers scored on a 5-yard pass from Doug Williams to Morris Owens, after a live ball that had hit a Viking on a punt return was recovered by Billy Cesare on the Vikings’ 5-yard line. Vikings coach Bud Grant later claimed that returner Kevin Miller never touched the ball, and blamed the loss on the officials.[53] Fran Tarkenton completed 23 of 31 passes for 180 yards, but threw two interceptions and was replaced by Tommy Kramer in the final two minutes. Kramer promptly threw an interception to Cecil Johnson.[54] Tarkenton also hit Ahmad Rashad for a 4-yard touchdown to finish a 63-yard first-quarter drive. Later, Jeris White’s interception of a Tarkenton pass would lead to a 2-yard Ricky Bell touchdown run. The Buccaneers’ defense, still steamed over Tarkenton’s comments two years earlier that the Buccaneers would be his preferred AFC opponent in the Super Bowl, held the Vikings to 73 yards rushing and sacked Tarkenton four times.[55] They also came through big by holding the Vikings to a field goal, following a bizarre play in which the Vikings recovered a live ball on a failed field goal attempt and returned it for 80 yards.[56] Grant called the game a defensive contest, saying that there were no good offensive plays in the entire match. John McKay said that “when we shut off their running game, we knew we were in the game and could get 'em”, and that the Buccaneers should have a 3–0 record. The game left the two teams tied with 1–2 records.[57]

Week 4: vs Atlanta Falcons

1 2 3 4 Total
Falcons 2 0 7 0 9
Buccaneers 7 0 0 7 14

September 24, 1978 at Tampa Stadium, Tampa, Florida

The Atlanta Falcons, who in 1977 had set an NFL record for least points allowed, held the Buccaneers to no first downs and one pass completion in the first half. The Falcons were caught sitting on a 2-point lead when the Buccaneers put together a 57-yard fourth-quarter drive, capped by a touchdown pass from Doug Williams to Jim Obradovich, to win the game.[58] Mike Washington scored early on a 79-yard return of a blocked field goal, still (as of 2009) a Tampa Bay record.[59] The Buccaneers missed two later touchdown opportunities on dropped passes by Isaac Hagins. Jimmy DuBose carried four times for 21 yards on the game-winning drive. Mike Washington scored on a blocked field goal, and a Ricky Bell fumble led to Steve Bartkowski’s 5-yard pass to Al Jackson.[60] The Buccaneers ran out the clock by holding the ball for the final five minutes of the game, something coach McKay didn't think the team would be able to do against the Atlanta defense. The entire game was played in a driving rainstorm, with wind gusts of up to 40 mph.[61] Hagins later underwent x-rays that revealed that he suffered a fractured vertebra during the game. He was placed on injured reserve, and Larry Franklin was signed to fill his roster spot.[62]

Week 5: vs Minnesota Vikings

1 2 3 4 Total
Vikings 7 10 0 7 24
Buccaneers 0 7 0 0 7

October 1, 1978 at Tampa Stadium, Tampa, Florida

Vikings quarterback Fran Tarkenton completed 20 of 31 passes for 213 yards. He passed for a touchdown to Sammy White, and set up a rushing touchdown by Robert Miller. Doug Williams completed a Buccaneer-record 16 of 35 passes for 311 yards, including a 56-yard touchdown to Morris Owens.[63] Alan Page blocked a Dave Green punt that was returned for the final touchdown. The Vikings also blocked an earlier field goal attempt, described by John McKay as looking like “The ball was snapped like a dying quail and about 25 men came through to block it”.[64] As opposed to the previous meeting, the Vikings played error-free football.[65]

Week 6: at Kansas City Chiefs

1 2 3 4 Total
Buccaneers 0 10 0 20 30
Chiefs 3 0 0 10 13

October 8, 1978 at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

The Buccaneers, playing with the goal of keeping the Kansas City Chiefs’ Wing-T offense on the bench as much as possible, held them to little more than half of their regular rushing average. Meanwhile, the Buccaneers’ offense had their most productive day ever, setting a team record with three fourth-quarter touchdowns. Jimmy DuBose ran for two touchdowns and Louis Carter for one, and Doug Williams threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Morris Owens. Kansas City was held to a pair of Jan Stenerud field goals for most of the game. A fourth-quarter Tony Adams pass was ruled a touchdown, although replays showed that receiver Henry Marshall failed to keep both of his feet inbounds.[66] Richard Wood was given much of the credit for stifling the Chiefs’ league-leading rushing attack. Wood correctly expected that Chiefs offensive coordinator Tom Pagna would run the offense straight at him, as he did when Wood played at USC and Pagna coached at Notre Dame. Pagna assumed incorrectly that the undersized Wood would be overpowered, but Wood instead responded by making 12 tackles.[67] This was the Buccaneers’ third consecutive road win, and came one day after the Kansas City Royals were eliminated from the American League pennant race.[68]

Week 7: at New York Giants

1 2 3 4 Total
Buccaneers 0 14 0 0 14
Giants 3 0 0 14 17

October 15, 1978 at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

The New York Giants capitalized on two late turnovers to come from behind for the win. Giants linebacker Harry Carson intercepted a Doug Williams pass, then recovered a Louis Carter fumble. Both turnovers led to touchdown runs by Larry Csonka.[69] Neil O'Donoghue missed on a last-minute 42-yard field goal attempt into strong winds.[70] Doug Williams was 7-for-27 passing, with two interceptions. The second of these interceptions proved very costly, as Jimmy DuBose suffered what turned out to be a career-ending knee injury while trying to make a tackle on the return. This occurred only four plays after DuBose’s 109 yards rushing made him the first Buccaneer rusher to pass the 100-yard mark in a game.[71] Jerry Golsteyn replaced Joe Pisarcik at quarterback for the Giants, and led both of the fourth-quarter winning drives.[72]

Week 8: vs Chicago Bears

1 2 3 4 Total
Bears 0 10 6 3 19
Buccaneers 6 7 6 14 33

October 22, 1978 at Tampa Stadium, Tampa, Florida

The Chicago Bears expected to face the mistake-prone Buccaneer team they had seen in game films, but were instead confronted with an efficient team that controlled the ball and took advantage of Bears mistakes.[73] Doug Williams threw touchdown passes to Jim Obradovich and Morris Owens, and unexpectedly ran for some key first downs. Gary Fencik intercepted him at the goal line on one drive, but the Bears failed to gain a first down on the ensuing possession.[74] Ricky Bell, until recently seeing primary duty blocking for Jimmy DuBose, returned to his lead runner spot and gained 95 yards on 28 carries. He was awarded a game ball for his effort.[75] Dave Lewis intercepted Bob Avellini twice in the final two minutes, and the Buccaneers’ defense held Walter Payton to a season-low 34 yards rushing in the Bears’ fifth consecutive loss.[76] The Buccaneers made several changes in starting lineup going into the game: Wally Chambers made his first start of the year, Johnny Davis replaced the injured DuBose at fullback, and recently acquired Frank Grant got the start at wide receiver.[77]

Week 9: at Green Bay Packers

1 2 3 4 Total
Buccaneers 0 0 7 0 7
Packers 6 0 0 3 9

October 29, 1978 at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

The Green Bay Packers held the Buccaneers without a first down or completed pass for the first 37 minutes of the game. The Buccaneers took the lead on a 2-yard Ricky Bell run that was set up by a Morris Owens reception of a 53-yard Doug Williams pass. Chester Marcol kicked the game-winning field goal. Neil O'Donoghue missed two field goals in the contest.[78] Williams’ final pass was intercepted by Willie Buchanon. The Buccaneers shut down running back Terdell Middleton and knocked quarterback David Whitehurst dizzy, but Whitehurst returned to lead the game-winning 50-yard drive.[79] Tampa Bay’s uncharacteristic move to a man-to-man defense left Steve Odom open to catch Whitehurst’s 18-yard pass on a fourth down during that drive.[80]

Week 10: at Los Angeles Rams

1 2 3 4 Total
Buccaneers 0 6 3 14 23
Rams 3 14 3 6 26

November 5, 1978 at Anaheim Stadium, Anaheim, California

Three Buccaneer starters went out with injuries, most significantly Doug Williams, who suffered a broken jaw on a Jack Youngblood blitz. Darryl Carlton separated a shoulder, and Dewey Selmon broke his wrist. Mike Rae played in relief of Williams, completing 9 of 17 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown. The Rams double-covered both Buccaneer receivers, leaving no coverage to prevent Rae from rushing for 95 yards on four carries. Ricky Bell had his first 100-yard rushing day, with 21 carries for 104 yards.[81] The Buccaneers set several team records in this game: 209 yards was their highest rushing total yet, Bell’s 555 yards were a Buccaneer single-season rushing record, and Neil O'Donoghue’s 38 points were a new season scoring record.[82] Although the Rams were not on McKay’s list of 18 teams that he felt the Buccaneers were competitive with,[83] Tampa Bay rallied to a 23–23 fourth-quarter tie before losing on a late Frank Corral field goal. It was the Buccaneers’ third fourth-quarter collapse in four weeks.[84] The Buccaneers’ performance drew cheers from the Los Angeles crowd, among whom McKay was still a popular figure.[85]

Week 11: at Detroit Lions

1 2 3 4 Total
Buccaneers 0 13 0 10 23
Lions 7 14 7 6 34

November 12, 1978 at the Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac, Michigan

The Detroit Lions gained 404 yards in the Buccaneers’ worst defensive performance since 1976. Horace King became only the third running back in two seasons to gain 100 yards against the Buccaneers. Three defenders missed tackles on his 75-yard touchdown run. Gary Danielson completed 15 of 24 passes for 206 yards and two touchdowns, both to David Hill. John McKay blamed the poor performance on mental errors, such as three defenders covering one receiver while the other remained open. The Lions also took advantage of the inexperience of middle linebacker Rik Bonness, who was playing at the unfamiliar outside linebacker position due to injuries to Cecil Johnson and Dana Nafziger.[86] The depletion of the linebacker corps required a shift to a 4–3 defense, which the players had difficulty adjusting to.[87] McKay said, “If I had a gun, I would have shot our guys”, of all the receivers left open. Buccaneers quarterbacks were sacked eight times, five times by Bubba Baker. The Buccaneers scored on touchdown passes from Mike Rae to Jim Obradovich and from Gary Huff to George Ragsdale. Neil O'Donoghue kicked three field goals, including a club-record 49-yarder.[88] The loss left the Buccaneers and Lions tied for last place in the NFC Central.[89][90]

Week 12: vs Buffalo Bills

1 2 3 4 Total
Bills 0 0 3 7 10
Buccaneers 7 3 7 14 31

November 19, 1978 at Tampa Stadium, Tampa, Florida

Following two subpar defensive performances, the Buccaneers held the Bills without a touchdown until the fourth quarter, when the Buccaneers already had a 31–3 lead. Buc defenders cheered a return to their regular 3–4 alignment.[91] Johnny Davis gained 78 yards on 18 carries after a Bills player fell on Ricky Bell’s knee. The injury to Bell, combined with the earlier injuries to Doug Williams and Jimmy DuBose, left the Buccaneers without their entire starting backfield. Buccaneers running backs nevertheless combined for 204 yards.[92] Bell and Davis ran for a touchdown each. Mike Rae threw two touchdown passes; one to Morris Owens, and another to Jimmie Giles for the first of Giles’ career.[87]

Week 13: at Chicago Bears

1 2 3 4 Total
Buccaneers 0 3 0 0 3
Bears 0 0 7 7 14

November 26, 1978 at Soldier Field, Chicago Illinois

The Bears held the Buccaneers to a season-low 92 yards of total offense. Tampa Bay repeatedly failed to score, despite getting the ball with good field position.[93] Mike Rae was sacked seven times in his first 11 pass attempts. The Bears controlled the ball for 22:26 of the second half, consistently breaking Walter Payton and Roland Harper for short gains. Payton finished the day with 105 yards rushing and Harper 144, the first time the Buccaneers had allowed two 100-yard rushers in a single game. It was only the second time in history that the Bears had two backs each rush for 100 yards.[94][95] McKay declined to give the Bears much credit, saying that “they had a lot of success running and holding at the same time”.[95]

Week 14: vs Green Bay Packers

1 2 3 4 Total
Packers 10 7 0 0 17
Buccaneers 0 7 0 0 7

December 3, 1978 at Tampa Stadium, Tampa, Florida

Again playing without their entire starting backfield, the Buccaneers outgained Green Bay in several major offensive statistics, including a 321–173 yardage advantage, but were outscored by the Packers. A knee injury to Lee Roy Selmon meant that all three of their players selected with first-round draft picks were out with injuries. George Ragsdale, Johnny Davis, Jim Obradovich, Neil O'Donoghue, and Danny Reece were also injured during the game, which left the Buccaneers with only three running backs on the roster.[96] The Buccaneers finished the game with only 37 healthy players, eight under the NFL roster limit. The 173 yards allowed was one of several team records set during the game, and the season total to date of 228 points equaled the team’s total scoring of the first two seasons combined. Ragsdale’s 14-yard touchdown run was their longest touchdown run of the year. Ragsdale, having been knocked cold, was unable to hear the crowd’s applause.[97] The Packers scored on a 10-yard David Whitehurst pass to James Lofton, a 27-yard Chester Marcol field goal, and a 1-yard Barty Smith run. The win broke the Packers’ four-game losing streak.[98]

Week 15: at San Francisco 49ers

1 2 3 4 Total
Buccaneers 0 3 0 0 3
49ers 0 3 0 3 6

December 10, 1978 at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California

In a meeting between the NFL’s two worst offenses, the San Francisco 49ers’ Ray Wersching kicked a fourth-quarter field goal to win the first game in which the Buccaneer defense held their opposition without a touchdown.[99] The Buccaneers committed ten fumbles, were intercepted five times, allowed eleven sacks, and scored no touchdowns. McKay was so upset that he cancelled his regular press conference the Monday following the game, and indicated that he would not be present at his Friday press conference.[100] The 49ers fumbled six times, were intercepted twice, and allowed five sacks. Mark Cotney’s 28-yard interception return set up Tampa Bay’s only score, a 35-yard Dave Green field goal. The previous week’s injury to Neil O'Donoghue became an issue, as Green’s limited range prevented the Buccaneers from attempting potential game-winning or -tying field goals.[101] Bill Kollar started and led the team in tackles for the second week in a row. The boredom of the game was such that one of the coaches spoke of setting himself on fire on the sideline, prompting a Buccaneer publicist to request that the team band be ready to play “You Light Up My Life”.[102]

Week 16: vs New Orleans Saints

1 2 3 4 Total
Saints 3 0 7 7 17
Buccaneers 3 0 0 7 10

December 17, 1978 at Tampa Stadium, Tampa, Florida

New Orleans Saints quarterback Archie Manning completed 25 of 38 passes for 250 yards, the most passing yards yet allowed by the Buccaneers, and a touchdown to Henry Childs.[103] Chuck Muncie broke four tackles while scoring on a 21-yard run. The Buccaneer defense played uncharacteristically poorly, allowing 421 yards of offense. Special teams also broke down on several occasions. McKay called it the worst game the team had yet played, and promised that changes would be made.[104] Buccaneer receivers blamed lack of concentration for missed routes and dropped balls.[105] Doug Williams returned to the starting lineup, but Tampa Bay was able to control the ball for only 19 of the game’s 60 minutes.[106] Williams, playing with his jaw still wired shut, threw a 2-yard fourth-down pass to Jimmie Giles for the Buccaneers’ only touchdown.[107]

Awards and records

References

  1. ↑ Marshall, Joe. “It Was the Same Old Song and Dance”. Sports Illustrated. 15 May 1978
  2. ↑ Its A Man’s World...: A Blast from the Past: Number 88 TE, Jimmie Giles. Accessed 27 March 2009
  3. ↑ "Sports in Brief”. Spokane Daily Chronicle. 23 February 1978
  4. ↑ Zier, Patrick. “Wolf’s Resignation An Indication That All’s Not Well”. The Lakeland Ledger. 23 February 1978
  5. ↑ Times staff. “Bucs name Tom Bass defensive coordinator”. St. Petersburg Times. 25 February 1978
  6. ↑ Notes from the sports world”. The Boca Raton News. 9 February 1978
  7. ↑ UPI. “Frei to Bears”. Ellensburg Daily Record. 14 March 1978
  8. ↑ Martz, Ron. “Bay Bucs sign Chambers but give up Moore”. St. Petersburg Times. 14 April 1978
  9. ↑ "No tearful goodbyes in Chicago”. St. Petersburg Times. 14 April 1978
  10. ↑ Martz, Ron. “Are the Bucs sure of what they're doing?” St. Petersburg Times. 14 April 1978
  11. ↑ Zier, Patrick. “Rudolph’s Trade End Of An Era”. The Lakeland Ledger. 7 July 1978
  12. ↑ Times staff. “Oilers’ eyes upon Campbell”. St. Petersburg Times. 4 February 1978
  13. ↑ Martz, Ron. “Chandler is ‘secret’ No. 1 with Bucs”. St. Petersburg Times. 7 April 1978
  14. 1 2 Mizell, Hubert. “Rams, Oilers eager to trade for Bucs’ No. 1”. St. Petersburg Times. 20 April 1978
  15. ↑ Wire services. “Oilers make a deal”. Eugene Register-Guard. 25 April 1978
  16. ↑ Associated Press. “Oilers obtain Anthony Davis from Tampa”. The Eugene Register-Guard. 30 April 1978
  17. ↑ Buccaneers 1978 draft at pro-football-reference.com. Accessed 20 September 2009
  18. ↑ 1978 Draft at bucpower.com. Accessed 27 March 2009
  19. ↑ Associated Press. “Dallas Brass Agree Draft Pickings Were Slim”. The Lakeland Ledger. 4 May 1978
  20. ↑ Zier, Patrick. “Bucs Make History By Taking Williams”. The Lakeland Ledger. 3 May 1978
  21. ↑ Martz, Ron. “Bucs use picks for offensive talent”. St. Petersburg Times. 3 May 1978
  22. ↑ Martz, Ron. “Johnny Davis”. St. Petersburg Times. 3 May 1978
  23. ↑ Martz, Ron. “Brett Moritz”. St. Petersburg Times. 3 May 1978
  24. ↑ Zier, Patrick. “Buccaneers Give Little For Holmes”. The Lakeland Ledger. 4 May 1978
  25. ↑ Meyer, John. “Bucs Aren't Knocking the Deal”. St. Petersburg Evening Independent. 4 May 1978
  26. ↑ Associated Press. “Bucs Trade For Piece of 'Rock'”. St. Petersburg Evening Independent. 11 May 1978
  27. 1 2 Tierney, Mike. “30 Seasons: 1976–2005. From Sinking Ship to World-Class Cruise. St. Petersburg Times. 11 September 2005
  28. ↑ Martz, Ron. “Crowder joins Buccaneers; Holmes cut to make room”. St. Petersburg Times. 22 August 1978
  29. ↑ Stiff, Robert. “The Bowl Talk is Premature”. St. Petersburg Evening Independent. 23 August 1978
  30. ↑ Martz, Ron. “Midday visitor gives Bucs their first sellout”. St. Petersburg Times. 22 August 1978
  31. ↑ Wire reports. “200-to-1: Bay Bucs’ Super odds”. St. Petersburg Times. 29 August 1978
  32. ↑ Martz, Ron. “Bucs could be ‘upset’ by Giants”. St. Petersburg Times. 29 August 1978
  33. ↑ Ledman, Gary. “Even McKay’s Patience Has Its Limit”. St. Petersburg Evening Independent. 12 September 1978
  34. ↑ Sewell, Dan. “Growing up”. The Boca Raton News. 30 September 1978
  35. ↑ Zier, Patrick. “In Time, Williams Will Call Buccaneers’ Plays In Huddle”. The Lakeland Ledger. 26 October 1978
  36. ↑ Martz, Ron. “Injuries: how a team is able to cope with them can determine how successful the team is”. St. Petersburg Times. 26 October 1978
  37. ↑ Zier, Patrick. “Injuries Have Kept Buccaneers Unimpressive”. The Lakeland Ledger. 2 December 1978
  38. ↑ Martz, Ron. “McKay’s one-word summary of '78 season: frustration”. St. Petersburg Times. 18 December 1978
  39. ↑ Associated Press. “A First for Bucs and Pear”. St. Petersburg Evening Independent. 15 December 1978
  40. ↑ 1978 season at bucpower.com. Accessed 27 March 2009
  41. ↑ All-time player roster on the Buccaneers’ official website. Accessed 8–27–09. Archived 2009-09-03.
  42. ↑ . pro-football-reference.com. Accessed 8–27–09. Archived 2009-09-03.
  43. ↑ . 1978 roster on bucpower.com. Accessed 8–27–09. Archived 2009-09-03.
  44. ↑ Buccaneers All-Time Coaches Roster. Accessed 27 August 2009. Archived 2012-03-03.
  45. ↑ 1978 coaches roster on bucpower.com. Accessed 27 August 2009
  46. ↑ Martz, Ron. “Bucs, fans are back from Cloud 9”. St. Petersburg Times. 4 September 1978
  47. ↑ Martz, Ron. “Williams may miss two games”. St. Petersburg Times. 4 September 1978
  48. ↑ Holliman, Ray. “Injury and interception put a dismal end to Williams’ debut”. St. Petersburg Times. 3 September 1978
  49. ↑ Associated Press. “Pisarcik Stars In Opener As Giants Prevail”. Toledo Blade. 3 September 1978
  50. ↑ Associated Press. “Tampa’s tumbled by Detroit”. The Spokesman-Review. 10 September 1978
  51. ↑ LeNoir, Bob. “Anything can happen when two inept offenses tangle”. St. Petersburg Times. 10 September 1978
  52. ↑ Wire services. “People in Sports”. Eugene Register-Guard. 12 September 1978
  53. ↑ Associated Press. “Fumbling Officiating Cost Us Game – Grant”. Victoria Advocate. 20 September 1978
  54. ↑ Associated Press. “Tampa Bay Stuns Minnesota”. The Victoria Advocate. 18 September 1978
  55. ↑ Martz, Ron. “This win was especially sweet for 'bread and butter’ defense”. St. Petersburg Times. 18 September 1978
  56. ↑ Martz, Ron. “Bizarre plays? Bucs lead the league”. St. Petersburg Times. 18 September 1978
  57. ↑ Wire reports. “Bucs make Vikings walk plank, 16–10”. The Eugene Register-Guard. 18 September 1978
  58. ↑ Chick, Bob. “Sneak Attack”. St. Petersburg Evening Independent. 25 September 1978
  59. 1 2 The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Public Relations Department. 2009 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Media Guide
  60. ↑ Ledman, Gary. “Woe Be Gone, Wow Begins”. St. Petersburg Evening Independent. 25 September 1978
  61. ↑ Martz, Ron. Hail, hail to Bucs- two in row”. St. Petersburg Times. 26 September 1978
  62. ↑ Zier, Patrick. “Bucs Don't Believe Underdog Status”. The Lakeland Ledger. 27 September 1978
  63. ↑ Martz, Ron. “Vikes thrash Bucs 24–7”. St. Petersburg Times. 2 October 1978
  64. ↑ Staff writers. “Locker Room Q & A”. St. Petersburg Times. 2 October 1978
  65. ↑ LeNoir, Bob. “Vikes give Bucs energy conservation lesson”. St. Petersburg Times. 2 October 1978
  66. ↑ Martz, Ron. “Bucs humiliate Chiefs 30–13”. St. Petersburg Times. 9 October 1978
  67. ↑ Martz, Ron. “Beware, Gotham: Bucs’ Batman is back in town”. St. Petersburg Times. 14 October 1978
  68. ↑ Mizell, Hubert. “Grambling Gun drills the Chiefs”. St. Petersburg Times. 9 October 1978
  69. ↑ Chick, Bob. “Ironing Out His Problems”. St. Petersburg Evening Independent. 16 October 1978
  70. ↑ Chick, Bob. “The Answer Was Blowin’ In The Wind”. St. Petersburg Evening Independent. 16 October 1978
  71. ↑ Martz, Ron. “DuBose out for season; Bay Bucs sign Maxson”. St. Petersburg Times. 18 October 1978
  72. ↑ Chick, Bob. “A Psyche Job”. St. Petersburg Evening Independent. 16 October 1978
  73. ↑ Chick, Bob. “They Waited, But The Bucs Didn't Stop”. St. Petersburg Evening Independent. 23 October 1978
  74. ↑ Ledman, Gary. “Doug Dashed Past Chicago”. St. Petersburg Evening Independent. 23 October 1978
  75. ↑ Ledman, Gary. “His Running Wasn't Sickly”. St. Petersburg Evening Independent. 23 October 1978
  76. ↑ Chick, Bob. “They Can't Bear To Talk About It”. St. Petersburg Evening Independent. 23 October 1978
  77. ↑ Martz, Ron. “New look for Bucs: Chambers, Grant are starters against Bears”. St. Petersburg Times. 21 October 1978
  78. ↑ Associated Press. “Field Goal Lifts Pack in Battle of the Bays”. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 30 October 1978
  79. ↑ Lea, Bud. “Dame Fortune Can Visit In Green Bay Any Day”. The Milwaukee Sentinel. 30 October 1978
  80. ↑ Ledman, Gary. “Bucs Unwittingly Outwit Themselves”. St. Petersburg Evening Independent.
  81. ↑ Cobb, Mike. “McKay Isn't Too Worried About Injuries”. The Lakeland Ledger. 7 November 1978
  82. ↑ Staff writers. “Despite setback, Buc records fall”. St. Petersburg Times. 7 November 1978
  83. ↑ Zier, Patrick. “Rams Aren't Among the 18 Bucs Can Beat”. The Lakeland Ledger. 5 November 1978
  84. ↑ Martz, Ron. “Unpredictable Bucs frighten Rams, but falter – of course – 26–23”. St. Petersburg Times. 6 November 1978
  85. ↑ Mizell, Hubert. “A miracle fades into L.A. smog”. St. Petersburg Times. 6 November 1978
  86. ↑ Martz, Ron. “Bucs’ goal now: not contention, but survival”. St. Petersburg Times. 14 November 1978
  87. 1 2 Zier, Patrick. “Bucs Able To Defense The Bills”. The Lakeland Ledger. 20 November 1978
  88. ↑ Martz, Ron. “Bucs find losing key, fall 34–23”. St. Petersburg Times. 13 October 1978
  89. ↑ Associated Press. “McKay Out Looking For Bucs’ Defense”. The Ocala Star-Banner. 13 November 1978
  90. ↑ Associated Press. “‘Sack Time’ Has Appeal To Rookie”. Ludington Daily News. 14 November 1978
  91. ↑ Mizell, Hubert. “Bay Bucs’ defense roars back”. St. Petersburg Times. 20 November 1978
  92. ↑ Martz, Ron. “Bucs’ Bell sidelined indefinitely”. St. Petersburg Times. 21 November 1978
  93. ↑ Zier, Patrick. “Rae Says Bucs Had Bad Plan”. The Lakeland Ledger. 27 November 1978
  94. ↑ Zier, Patrick. “Victory Slips From Buccaneers’ Grasp”. The Lakeland Ledger. 27 November 1978
  95. 1 2 Zier, Patrick. “Nothing Stopped The Bears’ Backs”. The Lakeland Ledger. 27 November 1978
  96. ↑ Mizell, Hubert. “Bucs deserve red badge of courage”. St. Petersburg Times. 4 December 1978
  97. ↑ Martz, Ron. “Packers pound Bucs”. St. Petersburg Times. 4 December 1978
  98. ↑ Hofmann, Dale. “Packers Keep Tampa at Bay”. The Milwaukee Sentinel. 4 December 1978
  99. ↑ Mizell, Hubert. “Bucs’ defense deserved better”. St. Petersburg Times. 11 December 1978
  100. ↑ Martz, Ron. Sh-h-h-h: McKay left speechless by Sunday’s debacle”. St. Petersburg Times. 12 December 1978
  101. ↑ Martz, Ron. “Buccaneers outblunder 49ers 6–3”. St. Petersburg Times. 11 December 1978
  102. ↑ Ledman, Gary. “It’s a Matter of Time Past, Present, Future”. St. Petersburg Evening Independent. 12 December 1978
  103. ↑ Associated Press. “Eagles attain goal, secure playoff berth”. The Boca Raton News. 18 December 1978
  104. ↑ Zier, Patrick. “Bucs’ 17–10 Loss Irritates McKay”. The Lakeland Ledger. 18 December 1978
  105. ↑ Ledman, Gary. “Bottomed Out And Out Of Work”. St. Petersburg Evening Independent. 18 December 1978
  106. ↑ Zier, Patrick. “Tampa Bay’s Hannah Anxious For Return To Offensive Duties”. The Lakeland Ledger. 18 December 1978
  107. ↑ Associated Press. “Wild Cards Deter Falcons”. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 18 December 1978
  108. ↑ UPI. “Bucs’ Williams All-Rookie QB”. St. Petersburg Times. 8 December 1978
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