Buccaneers vs. Cincinnati Bengals

WON - Tampa Bay Buccaneers 35 Cincinnati Bengals 00

Tampa Bay shot all cannons to sink the Cincinnati Bengals 35–0, a franchise best for a road shutout. Mike Alstott scored three rushing touchdowns, and the Buccaneers defense intercepted the Bengals twice (including a 56-yard return by Ronde Barber)

Tampa Bay finished 8–8 on the season, winning four out of their last five games, and the end of the game, were still alive for an NFC wild card spot. Tampa Bay needed the Giants to beat the Eagles and the Chargers to beat the Cardinals.

The Giants won, helping Tampa Bay, but the Cardinals beat the Chargers 16–13 with a 52-yard field goal as time expired. By the time the Buccaneers' plane had landed back in Tampa, they were ousted from the 1998 playoffs.

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GAMEDAY BRIEF

OFFICALS

• REFEREE: Phil Luckett
• UMPIRE: Hendi Ancich
• LINE JUDGE: Dale Orem
• SIDE JUDGE: Laird Hayes
• HEAD LINESMAN: Earnie Frantz
• BACK JUDGE: Ron Spitler
• FIELD JUDGE: Jim Saracino
• VIDEO REPLAY OFFICIAL: not documented

SCORING

• BUCCANEERS: 12:29-1Q Thomas 50 pass from Dilfer (Husted kick)
• BUCCANEERS: 02:46-2Q Alstott 1 run (Husted kick)
• BUCCANEERS: 14:57-2Q Alstott 1 run (Husted kick)
• BUCCANEERS: 08:07-2Q Anthony 4 pass from Dilfer (Husted kick)
• BUCCANEERS: 09:20-4Q Alstott 3 run (Husted kick)

STARTERS OFFENSE

• WR: #85 R. Anthony
• LT: #74 P. Gruber
• LG: #65 K. Dogins
• C: #61 T. Mayberry
• RG: #73 F. Middleton
• RT: #70 J. Odom
• TE: #83 D. Moore
• WR: #86 K. Williams
• QB: #12 T. Dilfer
• RB: #28 W. Dunn
• FB: #40 M. Alstott

STARTERS DEFENSE

• LE: #97 T. Jackson
• NT: #77 B. Culpepper
• DT: #99 W. Sapp
• RE: #91 R. UpShaw
• SLB: #50 J. Gooch
• MLB: #59 J. Duncan
• WLB: #55 D. Brooks
• LCB: #21 D. Abraham
• RCB: #20 R. Barber
• SS: #47 J. Lynch
• FS: #22 C. Mincy

SUBSTITUTIONS

• 4 Walsh, 5 Husted, 6 Barnhardt, 23 Bouie, 25 Kelly, 27 Parker, 31 Young, 33 Vance, 37 Ellison, 41 Neal, 53 Quarles, 54 Palmer, 59 Davis, 69 Pierson, 71 Wunsch, 75 Washington, 78 Jones, 80 Davis, 81 Green, 82 Hape, 84 Thomas, 94 White, 98 Cannida

DID NOT PLAY

• none.

INACTIVE

• 13 Milanovich, 26 Abdullah, 29 Smith, 51 Singleton, 64 Diaz, 87 Emanuel, 88 Copeland, 98 Mix

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING

• BUCCANEERS: Dunn 19-89, Alstott 20-69, Neal 4-25, Dilfer 2-22, Ellison 6-18.
• BENGALS: Dillon 14-70, Bennett 5-13, Milne 1-3, Scott 1-2, Costello 1-0, Kresser 1-(-1).

PASSING

• BUCCANEERS: Dilfer 16-10-111-1-2.
• BENGALS: Kresser 17-7-102-2-0, Justin 10-4-74-0-0.

RECIEVING

• BUCCANEERS: Green 3-23, Williams 2-18, Alstott 2-8, Thomas 1-50, Dunn 1-8, Anthony 1-4.
• BENGALS: McGee 3-68, Dillon 3-51, Scot 2-37, Pickens 2-17, Milne 1-3.

INTERCEPTIONS

• BUCCANEERS: Barber 1-56, Mincy 1-5.
• BENGALS: Ambrose 1-0

KICK RETURNS

• BUCCANEERS: Green 1-12.
• BENGALS: Gibson 4-85, Bienemy 1-16.

PUNT RETURNS

• BUCCANEERS: none.
• BENGALS: Williams 2-16.

SACKS

• BUCCANEERS: Upshaw 1-9, Culpepper 1-8.
• BENGALS: Simmons 1-8, Bankston 1-6.

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