The year was 1979, the star was Defensive End Lee Roy Selmon, the Buccaneers finished the season 10-6, and clinched their first ever NFC Central Title and their first-ever playoff berth in team history. On 12/29/1979, the Buccaneers defeat the Philadelphia Eagles 24-17 in their first-ever playoff appearance and the Bucs were a game away from the Super Bowl. The next week the Bucs played in the NFC Conference Championship game and lost to the Los Angeles Rams 0-9, and the Rams faced the Steelers in Super Bowl XIV.
In 1981 the Buccaneers returned to the Post Season after a 9-7 season record. The Buccaneers received a first round bye and traveled to Dallas where they were destroyed 38-0.
In 1982, the NFL saw its first all out strike and the regular season games where cancelled. The Buccaneers finished the regular season at 5-4. The lead team in the NFC was Washington with a 8-1 record followed by Dallas with a 6-3 record. Every team in 1981 made the playoffs. The Bucs played Dallas during the first round and lost 17-30.
The Buccaneers did not return to the postseason until 1997, with new uniforms, a new logo and Coach Dungy. The Buccaneers finished the regular season at 10-6. The Buccaneers won their Wild Card Playoff game against the Detroit Lions 20-10. However during the Divisional game the Buccaneers lost to the Green Bay Packers 7-21.
The Buccaneers failed to make the Playoffs in 1998, but 1999 would bring a memorable year. The Buccaneers finished the season 11-5 and won the NFC Central Division Title. The Buccaneers played in the Divisional Playoff game where they beat the Washington Redskins 14-13. The Buccaneers made it to the NFC Conference Championship game against the St. Louis Rams. Shaun King played a great game for the Buccaneers and the Bucs lost in the last minute of the game, but they should have won. A terrible instant replay decision against Bert Emanuel, who had caught the touchdown pass in the end zone, cost them a realistic shot at the winning score. The NFL later over turned the call and said that it was a touchdown pass, but the damage was done. The Rams beat the Bucs 11-6.
Next two season was Tony Dungy’s demise. In 2000, and 2001 Tampa Bay Buccaneers reached the postseason Wild Card Game. Both years we played the Philadelphia Eagles. In both games the Eagles were too much for Dungy’s Buccaneers and the Buccaneers fired Coach Dungy.
The year is 2002, and history is made, Coach Jon Gruden the youngest head coach in the NFL took the Tampa Bay Buccaneers into the post season. Tampa Bay won the NFC South Division Championship and hosted the San Francisco 49ers. The Buccaneers destroyed the 49ers 31-6. The Buccaneers then had to travel to the cold to face their arch nemesis the Philadelphia Eagles. The Buccaneer’s with the number one Defense in the NFL helped seal Tampa’s fate. The Bucs would beat the Eagles 27-10 and would travel to San Diego for the Team’s first Super Bowl appearance. The Buccaneers would destroy the Oakland Raiders 48-21.
The year is now 2005 and the Buccaneers have once again returned to the post season. Coach Jon Gruden has the Buccaneers at 11-5 during the regular season with the help of a rookie, the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Carnell “Cadillac” Williams, and this Saturday the Buccaneers will host the first playoff game of the 05 season against the Washington Redskins. Can the Buccaneers repeat the performance from the 2002 season. I hope so. I think we match up well against the Skins. I think if the leagues number 2 defense shows up on Saturday the Buccaneers walk away with the win. Win, lose or draw, it is nice just being back in the post season. GO BUCS.
3 comments:
I remember the 1979 playoffs pretty well because it was the first year I really followed the Dolphins. I remember dad took me and the two older girls to the Dolphins/Oilers wildcard game (sorry, baby sister, it was past your bedtime). Anyway, Miami lost.
Tampa Bay was another story. We lived in Miami then, and the Bucs were seen as somewhat of a joke until then. I remember reading a MAD magazine satire on the TV show "Eight is Enough" where the kids were all wearing Buc t-shirts (the implication being that the eight is enough kids were all losers). But making it as far as the Bucs did earlier than any other expansion team did (until the 90's when the NFL gave new teams an easy start) made people respect Tampa Bay.
I remember people in Miami taking notice of the Bucs and rooting for them in the playoffs although some people seemed a bit jeolous since they went farther than us. If I remember correctly, it was raining during the NFC championship game.
Yes, it was raining really bad during that NFC Championship game. The Buccaneers have paid their dues as a joke in the NFL. Thanks to Tony Dungy and Jon Gruden, the Buccaneers are now as good as any team. We just don't have the record as the longest winning streak in the NFL like the Dolphins. I think the Dolphins are going to keep winning with Nick Saben.
Our 1979 season was big because our Buccaneer stars like Lee Roy Selmon, Ricky Bell, Doug Williams, and Jimmie Giles lead the way.
Rumor is that Jacksonville might move to L.A. that would leave all of Florida for the Buccaneers and the Dolphins.
great blog man. GO BUCS!
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