Buccaneers vs. Chicago Bears

WON - Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31 Chicago Bears 15

The final regular season game at Tampa Stadium saw Tampa Bay take on division rival Chicago, with playoff seeding on the line. A win by Tampa Bay would clinch the #4 seed in the playoffs, and secure a home game for the wild card round.

Karl Williams scored a dramatic 61-yard punt return touchdown at the end of the first quarter, en route to a 21–3 halftime lead. Tampa Bay padded the lead in the second half, particularly with Warrick Dunn's 119 yards rushing.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers won 31–15, winning the final regular season game at Tampa Stadium, and secured a home game against Detroit for the wild card playoffs. In only head coach Tony Dungy's second season, the Buccaneers had a winning record and a return to the postseason.

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GAMEDAY BRIEF

OFFICALS

• REFEREE: Bob McElwee
• UMPIRE: Jim Duke
• LINE JUDGE: Ron Phares
• SIDE JUDGE: Larry Rose
• HEAD LINESMAN: Tony Veteri
• BACK JUDGE: Bill Lovett
• FIELD JUDGE: Scott Green
• REPLAY OFFICIAL: not documented

SCORING

• BUCCANEERS: 02:19-1Q Dilfer 7 run (Husted kick)
• BUCCANEERS: 00:00-1Q Williams 61 punt return (Husted kick)
• BEARS: 08:52-2Q Autry 3 run (Jaeger kick)
• BUCCANEERS: 00:19-2Q Williams 7 pass from Dilfer (Husted kick)
• BUCCANEERS: 08:16-3Q Husted FG20
• BUCCANEERS: 03:01-3Q Rhett 5 run (Husted kick)
• BEARS: 12:53-4Q Mirer 1 run (Mirer run)

STARTERS OFFENSE

• WR: #85 R. Anthony
• LT: #74 P. Gruber
• LG: #64 J. Diaz
• C: #61 T. Mayberry
• RG: #73 F. Middleton
• RT: #70 J. Odom
• TE: #83 D. Moore
• WR: #86 K. Williams
• QB: #12 T. Dilfer
• TE: #87 J. Davis
• FB: #40 M. Alstott

STARTERS DEFENSE

• DE: #75 E. Curry
• NT: #77 B. Culpepper
• UT: #99 W. Sapp
• RE: #91 R. Upshaw
• SLB: #50 J. Gooch
• MLB: #56 H. Nickerson
• WLB: #55 D. Brooks
• LCB: #21 D. Abraham
• RCB: #27 A. Parker
• SS: #47 J. Lynch
• FS: #22 C. Mincy

SUBSTITUTIONS

• 4 Walsh, 5 Husted, 7 Landeta, 23 Bouie, 25 Johnson, 28 Dunn, 31 Young, 32 Rhett, 37 Ellison, 45 Legette, 48 Jordan, 51 Singleton, 52 Bellisari, 53 Quarles, 60 Pyne, 69 Pierson, 71 Wunsch, 72 Ahanotu, 82 Hape, 84 Thomas, 88 Copeland, 90 Maniecki, 94 White

DID NOT PLAY

• none.

INACTIVE

• 13 Milanovich, 20 Barber, 24 Robinson, 59 Porter, 65 Dogins, 78 Jones, 80 Harris, 97 Jackson

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING

• BUCCANEERS: Dunn 16-119, Anthony 1-23, Rhett 6-20, Alstott 5-12, Dilfer 1-7, Ellison 1-5, Walsh 3-(-3).
• BEARS: Autry 16-45, Carter 2-25, Hicks 2-9, Mirer 4-6, Harmon 2-6, Kramer 1-(-1).

PASSING

• BUCCANEERS: Dilfer 18-10-94-0-1, Walsh 1-1-0-0-0.
• BEARS: Kramer 19-12-82-1-0, Mirer 10-6-39-1-0.

RECIEVING

• BUCCANEERS: Williams 4-47, Dunn 3-18, Davis 1-16, Anthony 1-8, Alstott 1-5, Jordan 1-0.
• BEARS: Proehl 4-41, Conway 2-18, Wetnight 2-15, Engram 2-12, Carter 2-9, Harmon 2-8, Autry 2-4, Allen 1-9, Allred 1-5.

INTERCEPTIONS

• BUCCANEERS: Johnson 1-19, Abraham 1-0.
• BEARS: none.

KICK RETURNS

• BUCCANEERS: Anthony 3-90.
• BEARS: Smith 6-119.

PUNT RETURNS

• BUCCANEERS: Williams 6-116.
• BEARS: Proehl 4-30.

SACKS

• BUCCANEERS: Sapp 2-6, Upshaw 1-2.
• BEARS: Mangum 1-8

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