| 1981 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | Hugh Culverhouse |
| Head coach | John McKay |
| Home field | Tampa Stadium |
| Results | |
| Record | 9–7 |
| Division place | 1st NFC Central |
| Playoff finish | Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Cowboys) 0–38 |
| Pro Bowlers | DE Lee Roy Selmon (Co-MVP) TE Jimmie Giles |
| Team MVP | QB Doug Williams |
The 1981 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season was the franchise's 6th season in the National Football League the 6th playing their home games at Tampa Stadium and the 6th under head coach John McKay. The team improved on their 5–10–1 record from the 1980 season and finished 9–7.
The team was considered to be superior to the 1979 team that finished the season one game shy of the Super Bowl.[1][2] With the running game and special teams ineffective, the Buccaneers depended heavily on the pass, and particularly on the big play.[3] Jimmie Giles returned to form, establishing numerous team receiving records.[4] Doug Williams became (with Jim Zorn) the second active quarterback to need only four seasons to reach the 10,000 career passing yards mark.[5] The defense improved over the previous season, a change that McKay attributed to less reliance on blitzes, and a general improvement in speed due to changes in the secondary and the drafting of Hugh Green.[6] Their defense allowed the fewest touchdowns of any NFL team, and was described by opponents as "outstanding"[7][8] and "almost awesome". The team was dogged by inconsistent play throughout the season. Players and coaches believed the Buccaneers to be a playoff-worthy team, but a tendency to self-destruct kept them on the edge of the playoff race, thanks in part to a failure of any other team to take control in either the NFC Central division or the NFC wild-card chase.[9] "We make more mistakes at crucial times than any team I've ever been associated with", said ex-Buckeyes, -Raiders, and -Dolphins safety Neal Colzie.[10] Opposing coach Dick Vermeil said, "I'm not sure they know how good they are", after his Philadelphia Eagles team beat the Buccaneers despite having been outplayed.[11] Nevertheless, the team developed a maturity through the season which allowed them to remain competitive instead of collapsing when behind or when being outplayed.[12]
Late-season coaching adjustments improved the effectiveness of the offense and cut down on opposing teams' ability to control the ball against the defense. This resulted in their playing with more confidence, and less predictability.[13] It also resulted in a three-game winning streak that put them in control of the division race. The regular season culminated in a season-finale matchup between the Buccaneers and the Detroit Lions, two 8–7 teams vying for the division lead in the Pontiac Silverdome, where the Lions had gone undefeated all season.[14] The Buccaneers won and entered the playoffs as the number three seed in the NFC, where they lost to the Dallas Cowboys in a 38–0 rout which tied the NFL record for largest margin of victory in a playoff game.[11]
- ^ Mizell, Hubert (October 12, 1981). "First-place Bucs full of confidence". St. Petersburg Times.
- ^ Favia, Tony (December 1981). "NFL Playoff Roundup". United Press International.
- ^ Tierney, Mike. "Bucs' halfway verdict: just so-so". St. Petersburg Times. 17 Oct 1981
- ^ Henry, Mike. "Jimmie & Wilbur: Reality is their dream". St. Petersburg Evening Independent. 22 Oct 1981
- ^ Associated Press. "Buccaneers Blaze Closer To Central Division Crown". Ocala Star-Banner. 9 Dec 1981
- ^ Zier, Patrick. "Bucs back to basics". The Lakeland Ledger. 13 Nov 1981
- ^ Huber, Mic. "Sims Sums Up Tampa Bay: Best Defense We've Faced". The Sarasota Herald-Tribune. 6 Oct 1981
- ^ News Services. "Buccaneers Get Title, but No Champagne". The Washington Post. 21 Dec 1981
- ^ Chick, Bob. "There's still so much to prove". St. Petersburg Evening Independent. 5 Oct 1981
- ^ Cardon, Mark. "Eagles Fly With Help From Bucs". The Sarasota Herald-Tribune. 26 Oct 1981
- ^ a b Tierney, Mike. "CLUNK!". St. Petersburg Times. 3 Jan 1982
- ^ McDonald, Tim. "Bucs rejoice in their new-found maturity". St. Petersburg Evening Independent. 22 Dec 1981
- ^ McDonald, Tim. "Changes had to be made; now the Bucs are scoring". 8 Dec 1981
- ^ Jackson, Orval. "Win Or Lose, Buccaneers Aren't Out Of It". The Sarasota Journal. 15 Dec 1981