Buccaneers vs. New Orleans Saints 
LOSS - Tampa Bay Buccaneers 21 New Orleans Saints 24
Squandering an opportunity to put the game away, the Buccaneers went scoreless after taking a 21–10 lead. The Saints' offense was able to score enough points to win, despite being thwarted all day by the Tampa Bay defense.
The two offenses combined for 127 passing yards and 214 interception yards. Rookie Jeremiah Castille intercepted a Ken Stabler pass for his first career interception, and returned it 69 yards for the Buccaneers' second touchdown. James Wilder scored two touchdowns, catching nine passes for 50 yards, and rushing for a team season-high 64 yards.
Jack Thompson was sacked seven times and intercepted thrice by the Saints. Racial slurs mixed in with the boos, with some fans telling Thompson (actually a native of American Samoa) to go back to Africa. Lee Roy Selmon and Cedric Brown left the game with ankle injuries, Gene Sanders pulled a calf muscle, and center Steve Wilson missed the game with the flu.
Saints coach Bum Phillips afterward noted that the team missed Doug Williams.[146] McKay later expressed concern over Thompson's progress, but continued to stand behind him as the team's starting quarterback.
GAMEDAY BRIEF
OFFICALS
- REFEREE: Chuch Heberling
- UMPIRE: Gordon Wells
- HEAD LINESMAN: Terry Gierke
- LINE JUDGE: Dale Orem
- SIDE JUDGE: Bill Quinby
- BACK JUDGE: Al Jury
- FIELD JUDGE: C. Musser
SCORING
- BUCCANEERS: 11:21-1Q Wilder 2 run (Capece kick)
- BUCCANEERS: 8:24-1Q Castille 69 interception return (Capece kick)
- SAINTS: 11:36-2Q Clark fumble recovery in endzone (Andersen)
- SAINTS: 9:51-2Q Andersen FG50
- BUCCANEERS: 3:23-2Q Wilder 7 run (Capece kick)
- SAINTS: 9:06-3Q Goodlow 12 pass from Stabler (Andersen kick)
- SAINTS: 0:50-3Q Johnson 70 interception return (Andersen kick)
STARTERS OFFENSE
- WR: #87 G. Carter
- LT: #74 G. Sanders
- LG: #72 R. Snell
- C: #57 J. Leonard
- RG: #68 G. Yarno
- RT: #70 K. Thomas
- TE: #88 J. Giles
- WR: #89 K. House
- QB: #14 J. Thompson
- FB: #46 A. Armstrong
- TB: #32 J. Wilder
STARTERS DEFENSE
- LE: #66 B. Reese
- NT: #776 D. Logan
- RE: #63 L. Selmon
- LOLB: #51 E. Judie
- LILB: #58 J. Davis
- RILB: #52 S. Brantley
- ROLB: #53 H. Green
- LCB: #21 J. Holt
- RCB: #40 M. Washington
- SS: #33 M. Cotney
- FS: #34 C. Brown
SUBSTITUTIONS
- 1 Morton, 3 Capece, 5 Garcia, 11 Golsteyn, 22 Smith, 23 Castille, 28 Carver, 41 Thomas, 43 Reece, 54 Wood, 55 Spradlin, 56 Thompson, 60 Grimes, 69 Arbubakrr, 75 Reavis, 77 Bujnoch, 78 Cannon, 81 Tyler, 82 J Bell, 83 T Bell, 85 Witte, 86 Obradovich, 90 White
DID NOT PLAY
- 7 Komlo, 26 Owens, 50 Wilson
INACTIVE
- 62 Farrell
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING
- BUCCANEERS: Wilder 20-64, Thompson 4-8, Armstrong 1-2.
- SAINTS: G.Rogers 23-86, Gajan 7-46, J.Rogers 7-35, Merkens 1-16, Stabler 2-(-4).
PASSING
- BUCCANEERS: Thompson 34-16-124-3-0, Golsteyn 2-0-0-0-0.
- SAINTS: Stabler 29-12-94-4-1.
RECIEVING
- BUCCANEERS: Wilder 9-50, Carter 2-24, Giles 2-24, House 1-13, J.Bell 1-9, T.Bell 1-4.
- SAINTS: Goodlow 4-30, Brenner 3-30, G.Rogers 2-7, Duckett 1-15, Tice 1-9, Groth 1-3.
INTERCEPTIONS
- BUCCANEERS: Washington 2-41, Castille 1-69, Holt 1-25.
- SAINTS: Johnson 1-70, Wattelett 1-9, Jackson 1-0.
KICK RETURNS
- BUCCANEERS: Smith 1-24, Morton 1-23.
- SAINTS: Austin 2-33, Duckett 1-39.
PUNT RETURNS
- BUCCANEERS: Tyler 3-34.
- SAINTS: Groth 6-43.
SACKS
- BUCCANEERS: Selmon 3-26, Logan 1-8.
- SAINTS: Jackson 2-15, Moore 1-9, Paul 1-7, Wilks 1-5.
