1997 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Season 22 Brief

The 1997 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season was the team's 22nd in the National Football League. Having gone 6–10 season the previous season, Tampa Bay finished second in the NFC Central, and secured their first playoff berth since the strike-shortened 1982 season.

The 1997 season was notable for several reasons. The club retired their orange and white "Buccaneer Bruce" color scheme and logo, replacing it with a new more marketable and intimidating image. The brand new pewter and red uniforms featured a new "skulls and swords" logo, new fonts, and prominent end zone markings. The 1997 season would also be their final season playing in Houlihan's Stadium. Next door, the much-anticipated brand new Raymond James Stadium was under construction. It was also Ronde Barber's first season with the team.

During the regular season, the Buccaneers surprised many experts by starting off with a 5–0 record. By the end of the season, they had amassed a record of 10–6 and went to the playoffs for the first time in 15 years. After beating the Detroit Lions 20–10 in the Wild Card Game, they lost to the eventual NFC champions, the Green Bay Packers, 21–7 in the Divisional Playoff Game.

Head coach Tony Dungy was named NFL Coach of the Year.

NFC Wild Card Game Against the Detroit Lions

The Buccaneers won their first playoff game since 1979, in what turned out to be their final game at Houlihan's Stadium. Tampa Bay built a 20–0 lead midway through the third quarter. Quarterback Trent Dilfer threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to receiver Horace Copeland, running back Mike Alstott had a 31-yard touchdown run, and Michael Husted made two field goals. The Bucs defense limited Lions quarterback Scott Mitchell to just 10 of 25 completions for 78 yards, and running back Barry Sanders to 18 carries for 65 yards. Frank Reich replaced Mitchell after he suffered a concussion late in the third quarter. Detroit then scored 10 points to cut the lead in half midway through the fourth quarter, with Jason Hanson's 33-yard field goal and Tommy Vardell's 1-yard touchdown run. But the comeback was short-lived when, after completing a long pass on third down during the final minutes of the game, Reich accidentally spiked the ball on fourth down, giving the ball to Tampa Bay.

NFC Divisional Playoffs Against the Green Bay Packers

Packers running back Dorsey Levens rushed for a team playoff record of 112 yards and a touchdown while also catching 4 passes for 29 yards as the Green Bay defense held Tampa Bay to 90 rushing yards and intercepted 2 passes from Trent Dilfer, who finished the game with only 11 of 36 completions for 200 yards.

Early in the game, Tampa Bay had a chance to score first, but Packers defensive tackle Bob Kuberski blocked Michael Husted's 43-yard field goal attempt. Green Bay then drove for the first touchdown of the game with Brett Favre's 3-yard touchdown pass to tight end Mark Chmura. Early in the second quarter, Packers receiver Robert Brooks' 28-yard punt return and 21-yard reception set up a field goal by Ryan Longwell. And later on, defensive back Tyrone Williams intercepted a pass from Dilfer and returned it 14 yards, setting up Longwell's second field goal with six seconds left in the half, making the score 13–0.

Green Bay receiver Antonio Freeman returned the second half kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown, but a holding penalty on Darren Sharper eliminated the score and moved the ball all the way back to their own 11-yard line. Green Bay still managed to drive into scoring range, but on the eighth play of the drive, Bucs defensive back Donnie Abraham intercepted a pass from Favre on the Tampa Bay 6-yard line. Dilfer subsequently led the Bucs offense 94 yards in 8 plays to score on fullback Mike Alstott's 6-yard touchdown run, cutting the score to 13–7. But two possessions later, the Packers drove 54 yards and scored with a 2-yard touchdown run by Levens. Then, Favre closed out the scoring by running in the 2-point conversion on a quarterback draw.

		PRESEASON
Date		Opponent	Week/Record	Outcome
Saturday Aug. 2		Washington Redskins Houlihan's Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL	PS - wk 1 0-1	Lost 8-20
Saturday Aug. 9		@ Atlanta Falcons Georgis Dome, Atlanta, GA	PS - wk 2 0-2	Lost 12-17
Saturday Aug. 16		Miami Dolphins Houlihan's Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL	PS - wk 3 1-2	Won 24-10
Friday Aug. 22		@ New York Jets MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ	PS - wk 4 1-3	Lost 9-15
1997 Season Results Record: 11-7, DIV: 3-5 (2nd in NFC Central)
Date		Opponent	Week/Record	Outcome
Sunday Aug. 31		New York Giants Houlihan's Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL	RS - wk 1 1-0	Won 13-6
Sunday Sep. 7		@ Detroit Lions Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac, MI	RS - wk 2 2-0	Won 24-17
Sunday Sep. 14		@ Minnesota Vikings Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, MN	RS - wk 3 3-0	Won 28-14
Sunday Sep. 21		Miami Dolphins Houlihan's Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL	RS - wk 4 4-0	Won 31-21
Sunday Sep. 28		Arizona Cardinals Houlihan's Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL	RS - wk 5 5-0	Won 19-18
Sunday Oct. 5		@ Green Bay Packers Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI	RS - wk 6 5-1	Lost 16-21
Sunday Oct. 12		Detroit Lions Houlihan's Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL	RS - wk 7 5-2	Lost 9-27
Sunday Oct. 19		BYE	RS - wk 8 5-2
Sunday Oct. 26		Minnesota Vikings Houlihan's Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL	RS - wk 9 5-3	Lost 6-10
Sunday Nov. 2		@ Indianapolis Colts RCA Dome, Indianapolis, IN	RS - wk 10 6-3	Won 31-28
Sunday Nov. 9		@ Atlanta Falcons Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA	RS - wk 11 7-3	Won 31-10
Sunday Nov. 16		New England Patriots Houlihan's Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL	RS - wk 12 8-3	Won 27-7
Sunday Nov. 23		@ Chicago Bears Soldier Field, Chicago, IL	RS - wk 13 8-4	Lost 7-13
Sunday Nov. 30		@ New York Giants Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ	RS - wk 14 9-4	Won 20-8
Sunday Dec. 7		Green Bay Packers Houlihan's Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL	RS - wk 15 9-5	Lost 6-17
Sunday Dec. 14		@ New York Jets Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ	RS - wk 16 9-6	Lost 0-32
Sunday Dec. 21		Chicago Bears Houlihan's Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL	RS - wk 17 10-6	Won 31-15
		PLAYOFFS
Date		Opponent	NFC/Superbowl	Outcome
Sunday Dec. 28		Detroit Lions Houlihan's Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL	PO - WILD CARD 11-6	Won 20-10
Sunday Jan. 4		@ Green Bay Packers Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI	NFC DIVISIONAL 11-7	Lost 6-11

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