1981 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season

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1981 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
Head Coach John McKay
Home Field Tampa Stadium
Results
Record 9-7
Place 1st NFC Central
Playoff Finish L Divisional game against Dallas Cowboys
Timeline
Previous Season Next Season
1980 1982

The 1981 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season began with the team trying to improve on an 5-10-1 season. A miracle finish in game One against the Minnesota Vikings occurred as the Vikings were driving towards at least a winning field goal when former Miami Dolphins defensive back Neal Colzie intercepted the ball and ran it back for a game clinching touchdown. After losses the next two weeks, the Bucs played solid ball to a 4-2 record. They played a roller coaster type season with wins and losses in a row and an eventual 5-6 record before going on a three game winning streak which included a week 12 win over the Green Bay Packers in what was then their largest ever margin of victory at the time 37-3. A wild, lead changing win over the Atlanta Falcons put the Bucs in a position where they only needed to win one of the next two games to clinch the Division. A home game against the high powered San Diego Chargers was probably their best chance, and after two back to back touchdowns in the 4th quarter it looked as if they would do so, but a late Field Goal won the game for San Diego. In the end, the Bucs secured a playoff place by beating the Detroit Lions in a winner-takes-all game in the Silverdome where the Lions had not lost all season. In a 14 point turn around, the Lions were driving with a 10-7 advantage at the Buccaneer 20 yard line, but were intercepted. On the following play, Doug Williams hit Kevin House for a Bomb to take a 14-10 lead. In the end, Tampa Bay won their second division title in three years. 1981 was the year Tampa Bay drafted James Wilder who helped the 1981 rushing attack along with former San Francisco 49ers and Olympic Sprinter James Owens. Quarterback Williams had another impressive season primarily throwing to House and former Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Theo Bell. Tampa Bay's season was ended in a blowout by the Dallas Cowboys in which Doug Williams was sacked four times and threw four interceptions. The defense was ranked in the top five and lead the NFL with 32 interceptions.

Contents

[edit] Offseason

[edit] NFL Draft

[edit] Regular Season

[edit] Season Schedule

[edit] Season Standings

NFC Central
Team W L T PCT PF PA
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 9 7 0 .563 315 268
Detroit Lions 8 8 0 .500 397 322
Green Bay Packers 8 8 0 .500 324 361
Minnesota Vikings 7 9 0 .438 325 369
Chicago Bears 6 10 0 .375 253 324

[edit] Roster

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1981 roster
Quarterbacks
  • 12 Doug Williams QB

Running Backs

Wide Receivers

Tight Ends

Offensive Linemen

Defensive Linemen DE

Linebackers

Defensive Backs CB

Special Teams

Reserve Lists

Practice Squad

Rookies in italics

[edit] Awards and records

[edit] Standings

1981 NFL season
v  d  e
AFC East Central West NFC East Central West
Baltimore Cincinnati Denver Dallas Chicago Atlanta
Buffalo Cleveland Kansas City NY Giants Detroit Los Angeles
Miami Houston Oakland Philadelphia Green Bay New Orleans
New England Pittsburgh San Diego St. Louis Minnesota San Francisco
NY Jets Seattle Washington Tampa Bay
1981 NFL DraftNFL PlayoffsPro BowlSuper Bowl XVI