Buccaneers vs. Chicago Bears 
LOSS - Tampa Bay Buccaneers 14 Chicago Bears 34
Tampa Bay Buccaneers put on a mistake-filled performance reminiscent of the 1983 season, with a team-record eight turnovers. Dave Logan was called offsides twice on the Bears' first possession, which ended in a punt that Theo Bell fumbled. The team controlled the ball for less than three minutes of the first quarter. A potential touchdown pass was dropped by Jimmie Giles, and intercepted by Gary Fencik in what McKay felt was the turning point of the game. Jack Thompson completed only 4 of 17 passes and threw two interceptions. He was replaced by Steve DeBerg in the fourth quarter, as he was beginning to show signs of nervousness due to the receivers dropping so many of his passes. DeBerg threw four more interceptions, including one on the final play of the game. Thompson did find Gerald Carter for a 74-yard touchdown pass early in the second quarter, causing McKay to comment that it was a good thing that Carter's contract had not been renegotiated, as the recently re-signed and highly paid Giles and Kevin House were dropping so many passes.
Original Buccaneer Mike Washington was knocked out by Dennis McKinnon on his first play of the game, and held at a hospital for observation with what was later described as a "significant" neck injury. He was placed in a cervical collar, and went on injured reserve. Washington suffered two ruptured discs that later required career-ending surgery.
The Buccaneers maintained that McKinnon's play was illegal, as film appeared to show him jumping off the ground for extra leverage while delivering a forearm strike to Washington's head.
GAMEDAY BRIEF
OFFICALS
- REFEREE: Fred Silva
- UMPIRE: Tom Hensley
- LINE JUDGE: Bob Beeks
- HEAD LINESMAN: Norm Kragseth
- BACK JUDGE: Pete Liske
- FIELD JUDGE: Don Orr
- SIDE JUDGE: Dave Parry
SCORING
- BEARS: 11:15-1Q Thomas FG29
- BUCCANEERS: 12:15-2Q Carter 74 pass from Thompson (Ariri kick)
- BEARS: 05:45-2Q Thomas FG32
- BEARS: 02:40-3Q McMahon 9 run (Thomas kick)
- BEARS: 08:31-3Q Gault 21 pass from McMahon (Thomas kick)
- BEARS: 06:37-3Q Suhey 1 run (Thomas kick)
- BEARS: 05:02-4Q Hutchinson 1 run (Thomas kick)
- BUCCANEERS: 03:16-4Q Owens 4 pass from DeBerg (Ariri kick)
STARTERS OFFENSE
- WR: #82 J. Bell
- LT: #74 G. Sanders
- LG: #65 N. Jackson
- C: #50 S. Wilson
- RG: #62 S. Farrell
- RT: #70 K. Thomas
- TE: #88 J. Giles
- QB: #14 J. Thompson
- RB: #46 A. Armstrong
- TB: #32 J. Wilder
- WR: #87 G. Carter
STARTERS DEFENSE
- LE: #78 J. Cannon
- NT: #76 D. Logan
- RE: #63 L. Selmon
- LOLB: #56 C. Johnson
- LILB: #58 J. Davis
- RILB: #52 S. Brantley
- ROLB: #53 H. Green
- LCB: #23 J. Castille
- RCB: #21 J. Holt
- RS: #34 C. Brown
- LS: #43 B. Reece
SUBSTITUTIONS
- 2 Ariri, 5 Garcia, 16 Kiel, 17 DeBerg, 20 Morton, 26 Owens, 27 Acorn, 28 Carver, 33 Cotney, 40 Washington, 41 Thomas, 51 Washington, 54 Wood, 55 Spradlin, 57 Browner, 66 Reese, 71 Braggs, 72 Courson, 75 Manor, 79 Kaplan, 82 J Bell, 83 T Bell, 85 Witte, 86 Carroll
DID NOT PLAY
- 60 Grimes, 73 Heller, 81 Tuttle
INACTIVE
- none.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING
- BUCCANEERS: Wilder 16-73, Thompson 1-13, Armstrong 1-3
- BEARS: Payton 16-61, Suhey 14-57, Thomas 4-25, McMahon 3-21, Jordan 3-18, Gentry 7-5, Hutchinson 2-(-4).
PASSING
- BUCCANEERS: Thompson 17-4-105-4-1, DeBerg 10-5-96-2-1.
- BEARS: McMahon 22-16-138-1-1, Avellini 1-1-17-0-0.
RECIEVING
- BUCCANEERS: Carter 2-86, Wilder 2-56, Giles 2-41, House 1-12, Owens 1-4, Armstrong 1-2.
- BEARS: Payton 6-18, Suhey 4-30, Gault 2-40, McKinnon 2-23, Saldi 1-20, Baschnagel 1-17, Gentry 1-7.
INTERCEPTIONS
- BUCCANEERS: Brown 1-14.
- BEARS: Fencik 2-64, Harris 1-34, Singletary 1-4, Richardson 1-0, Schmidt 1-0.
KICK RETURNS
- BUCCANEERS: Owens 4-61, Morton 2-54, Wood 1-6.
- BEARS: Cameron 2-37.
PUNT RETURNS
- BUCCANEERS: T.Bell 1-0.
- BEARS: Fisher 2-13.
SACKS
- BUCCANEERS: Washington 1-8, Green 1-3.
- BEARS: Keys 1-15, Hampton 1-11, Hartenstine 1-10, Singletary 1-0.
