Buccaneers vs. Buffalo Bills

LOSS - Tampa Bay Buccaneers 09 Buffalo Bills 14

***HISTORIC MARKER*** The Buccaneers scored their first points.

The Buccaneers scored their first points, but were not able to score enough to win, despite statistically outperforming the Buffalo Bills in most phases of the game. The Buccaneers had only three Dave Green field goals to show for seven possessions inside the Bills’ 22-yard line. O.J. Simpson, who would rush for a season total of 1,503 yards, was held to only 39 yards on twenty carries.

The Bills, the highest-scoring team in recent years, were 1 of 12 in third-down conversions, and were surpassed in yardage, first downs, rushing average, and number of total plays.

Buffalo took the lead on Bob Chandler’s 58-yard reception of a tipped pass. The Buccaneers’ 338 yards of offense, a great improvement over their previous two games, coincided with coach McKay’s relenting to Steve Spurrier’s demands that he be able to call his own plays. Spurrier suffered a bone chip in his throwing hand that made his status questionable for the next week’s game.

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GAMEDAY BRIEF

OFFICALS

• REFEREE: Bernie Ulman
• UMPIRE: Tony Kramer
• LINE JUDGE: Bill Reynolds
• HEAD LINESMAN: Tony Veteri
• BACK JUDGE: Ben Tompkins
• FIELD JUDGE: Pat Mallette

SCORING

• BUCCANEERS: 07:46-1Q Green FG39
• BUCCANEERS: 01:01-2Q Green FG24
• BILLS: 13:16-2Q Chandler 59 pass from Ferguson (Ricardo kick)
• BUCCANEERS: 12:18-4Q Green FG19
• BILLS: 09:15-4Q Gant 15 pass from Ferguson (Ricardo kick)

STARTERS OFFENSE

• WR: #89 J. McKay
• LT: #71 S. Young
• LG: #72 H. Fest
• C: #73 J. Ward
• RG: #67 T. Alward
• RT: #74 M. Current
• TE: #82 F. Pagac
• WR: #83 L. McGriff
• QB: #11 S. Spurrier
• RB: #43 E. Williams
• RB: #26 C. Davis

STARTERS DEFENSE

• LE: #78 C. Rudolph
• LT: #76 D. Pear
• RT: #63 L. Selmon
• RE: #66 P. Toomay
• LLB: #58 C. Peterson
• MLB: #56 B. Cooper
• RLB: #57 J. Peterson
• LCB: #40 M. Washington
• RCB: #46 D. Reece
• LS: #33 M. Cotney
• RS: #28 K. Stone

SUBSTITUTIONS

• 4 Green, 19 Johnson, 25 Jordan, 30 Gunn, 32 Carter, 35 DuBose, 42 Oliver, 44 Moore, 51 Ryczek, 53 Ball, 54 Wood, 61 Selmon, 64 Robinson, 80 Novak, 85 Owens, 86 Moore, 88 Smith

DID NOT PLAY

• 13 Lawrence, 18 Dickinson, 77 Little, 79 Wilson

INACTIVE

• 22 McNeill, 27 Davis, 52 Reese

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING

• BUCCANEERS: Carter 12-72, Williams 12-50, C.Davis 10-31, Johnson 3-14, DuBose 1-1, M.Moore 1-1, B.Moore 1-1.
• BILLS: Kinney 12-62, Simpson 20-39, Powell 2-8, Ferguson 1-0.

PASSING

• BUCCANEERS: Spurrier 27-13-170-1-0, Carter 1-0-0-0-0.
• BILLS: Ferguson 22-12-188-0-2.

RECIEVING

• BUCCANEERS: B.Moore 4-65, C.Davis 3-32, Owens 1-15, McKay 1-14, Williams 1-14, B.Smith 1-13, Green 1-9, Carter 1-8.
• BILLS: Chandler 5-110, Gant 3-50, Simpson 2-19, Holland 1-9, Kinney 1-0.

INTERCEPTIONS

• BUCCANEERS: none.
• BILLS: Greene 1-18.

KICK RETURNS

• BUCCANEERS: Carter 1-17, C.Davis 1-11, DuBose 1-6.
• BILLS: Word 2-36, Moody 1-24, Hooks 1-14.

PUNT RETURNS

• BUCCANEERS: M.Moore 4-37, Reece 2-29.
• BILLS: Hooks 1-0, Moody 1-0, Word 1-(-8).

SACKS

• BUCCANEERS: Pear 1-2.
• BILLS: Smith 1-2.

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