Buccaneers vs. Chicago Bears

LOSS - Tampa Bay Buccaneers 06 Chicago Bears 25

The Buccaneers season opener was a big bust, with seven turnovers and a blocked punt for a touchdown, paving the way for all 16 second-half Chicago points in the Bears' 25-6 victory.

On a positive note the game was attended by the fifth-largest Buccaneers Fan crowd in franchise history - 71,507.

Trent Dilfer, who tossed a career-high four interceptions before being pulled in favor of backup Casey Weldon with just under 10 minutes remaining in the game. Dilfer finished 11-of-27 for 149 yards, two sacks, and those four interceptions. Weldon was no improvement, completing 4 of 7 for 39 yards, but with two sacks, two lost fumbles and a few of overthrows.

Click here to view official GAMEBOOK & play-by-play highlights

GAMEDAY BRIEF

OFFICALS

• REFEREE: Howard Roe
• UMPIRE: Ron Botchan
• LINE JUDGE: Tom Barnes
• SIDE JUDGE: Nate Jones
• HEAD LINESMAN: Mark Baltz
• BACK JUDGE: Tony Corrente
• FIELD JUDGE: Don Dorkowski
• REPLAY OFFICIAL: not documented

SCORING

• BEARS: 10:12-1Q Butler FG24
• BUCCANEERS: 10:09-2Q Husted FG23
• BEARS: 05:48-2Q Butler FG37
• BEARS: 00:10-2Q Butler FG22
• BEARS: 13:35-3Q Green 7 run (Butler kick)
• BEARS: 11:55-3Q Marshall 13 blocked punt return (2pt conversion failed)
• BUCCANEERS: 04:38-3Q Husted FG40
• BEARS: 03:13-4Q Butler FG27

STARTERS OFFENSE

• WR: #88 Copeland
• LT: #74 P. Gruber
• LG: #70 C. McRae
• C: #61 T. Mayberry
• RG: #62 I. Beckles
• RT: #69 P. Pierson
• TE: #81 J. Harris
• WR: #86 T. Armstrong
• QB: #12 T. Dilfer
• RB: #32 E. Rhett
• FB: #83 D. Moore

STARTERS DEFENSE

• LE: #72 C. Ahanotu
• NT: #77 M. Wheeler
• UT: #99 W. Sapp
• RE: #75 E. Curry
• LLB: #55 L. Marts
• MLB: #56 H. Nickerson
• RLB: #55 D. Brooks
• LCB: #21 M. McGruder
• RCB: #39 C. Dimry
• SS: #27 B. Bussey
• FS: #22 T. Everett

SUBSTITUTIONS

• 1 Roby, 5 Husted, 11 Weldon, 26 Abraham, 28 Buckley, 29 Gant, 37 Ellison, 41 Edmonds, 44 Booty, 47 Lynch, 52 Rouse, 53 Brady, 54 Stephens, 60 Pyne, 71 Dotson, 73 Culpepper, 80 Dawsey, 85 Hawkins, 87 Thomas, 93 DuBose, 94 McIntosh

DID NOT PLAY

• 65 Ingram, 67 Sullivan

INACTIVE

• 15 Philcox, 25 Johnson, 35 Mayhew, 45 Stargell, 76 Dill, 81 Davis, 82 Harper, 95 Powe

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING

• BUCCANEERS: Rhett 19-66, Dilfer 2-7, Ellison 1-1.
• BEARS: Green 13-72, Salaam 20-55, Johnson 1-2, Kramer 1-(-1).

PASSING

• BUCCANEERS: Dilfer 27-11-149-4-0, Weldon 7-4-39-0-0.
• BEARS: Kramer 38-18-207-0-0.

RECIEVING

• BUCCANEERS: Hawkins 6-74, Copeland 2-29, Dawsey 2-29, J Harris 2-28, Thomas 1-20, Moore 1-5, Ellison 1-3.
• BEARS: Conway 4-56, Graham 4-53, Timpson 2-31, Green 2-18, Johnson 2-16, Wetnight 2-13, Jennings 1-11, Gedney 1-9.

INTERCEPTIONS

• BUCCANEERS: none.
• BEARS: Lincoln 1-32, Carter 1-15, Joseph 1-0, Woolford 1-0.

KICK RETURNS

• BUCCANEERS: Edmonds 6-111.
• BEARS: Timpson 1-31.

PUNT RETURNS

• BUCCANEERS: Edmonds 3-19.
• BEARS: Graham 3-14.

SACKS

• BUCCANEERS: none.
• BEARS: Thierry 2-11, Spellman 1-8, Flanigan 1-4.

Click here to view official GAMEBOOK & play-by-play highlights