Tampa Bay Football History Network - 1985 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

1985 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

John McKay had moved up to the office of President of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The humor he brought to the early days of the Bucs will always be fondly remembered. One of his classic quotes came in that first winless season when a reporter asked what he thought about his team's execution. "I'm in favor of it," was McKay's reply. One of his first tasks in his new position would be to help team owner Hugh Culverhouse find a new head coach. The search ended quickly. On January 23, Leeman Bennett was named as the second head coach in Buccaneers history. Bennett had coached Atlanta to the playoffs three times in six years and had a winning record with the Falcons. Culverhouse said of Bennett, "Leeman is a proven winner who brought about the greatest days in the history of the Atlanta Falcons."

Team doctors recommended surgery on the herniated disk in lower back of Lee Roy Selmon, however, he decided to sit out the 1985 season and begin a rehabilitation program.

Ron Holmes, a defensive end out of the University of Washington, was the first number one draft pick under Leeman Bennett. Holmes was the eighth pick overall and it was hoped that he would eventually replace Lee Roy Selmon. The team selected Clemson place kicker Donald Igwebuike in the tenth round. In the June supplemental draft, the Bucs drafted former Brigham Young quarterback Steve Young with the first pick. Young, coming off two seasons with the Los Angeles Express of the USFL, signed a contract with the Bucs the Tuesday after the season opener. Leeman Bennett said of his new quarterback, "He will be an outstanding star in this league."

On September 8, on an unseasonably hot mid-ninety degree afternoon in Chicago, the Buccaneers opened the team's tenth season. The Bucs wore uniform patches that season to commemorate ten years in the league. James Wilder rushed for 166 yards and a touchdown, 105 of those yards came in the first half, while Walter Payton rushed for 120 yards. The Bucs took a 21-3 lead in the second quarter on three Steve DeBerg (13 of 21 for 160 yards with 2 INTs) TD passes and held a 28-17 advantage at halftime. Bears quarterback Jim McMahon (23 of 34 for 274 yards) threw two touchdown passes, and ran for two more scores, as the Bears came back to win the game 38-28. It was the most points Chicago had scored in an opener since 1948. Of the stifling heat, Bears center Jay Hilgenberg said "It was unbelievable. I can hardly remember the first half."

For the home opener, James Wilder ran for 113 yards and surpassed Ricky Bell as the Bucs all-time leading rusher. Wilder also caught a team record thirteen passes and Steve DeBerg was 26 of 38 for 237 yards with one TD and an interception. Donald Igwebuike missed a 62 yard field goal, the longest attempt in team history. Coincidentally, he would equal that record the following week. Three Bucs fumbles helped Minnesota take a 20-3 lead in the third quarter. The Vikings scored on an interception return and a blocked punt set up another score. Bud Grant, who had come out of retirement to coach the Vikings one final season, watched his team win 31-16.

James Wilder rushed for 114 yards in New Orleans and he was the only Buccaneers running back to carry the ball over the first three games. Steve DeBerg (22 of 44 for 252 yards with a TD and 2 INTs) was sacked four times and Saints QB Dave Wilson (16 of 25 for 246 yards) threw two scoring passes. The Bucs lost 20-13.

The Bucs went to Detroit, where Darryl Rogers was the new head coach of the Lions. James Wilder ran for 104 yards and became the only Bucs running back to rush for 100 yards in four straight games. Eric Hipple (19 of 31 for 250 yards) ran for a touchdown and threw two TD passes to wide receiver Mark Nichols. The Bucs lead 6-3 in the second quarter, but three lost fumbles would lead to a Tampa Bay defeat. Each team recorded four sacks in the 30-9 Detroit victory.

When the Buccaneers hosted Chicago, the home team held a 12-3 halftime lead. Steve DeBerg (23 of 43 for 346 yards with an INT) threw touchdown passes to Kevin House (6 catches for 100 yards) and Gerald Carter, while David Greenwood intercepted Jim McMahon (22 of 34 for 292 yards with a TD) twice. Jimmie Giles lead the Bucs with 112 yards receiving, while tight end Emery Morehead paced the Bears with eight grabs for 114 yards. Midway through the fourth quarter, Walter Payton ran 4 yards for the 100th touchdown of his career. Payton scored again in the final minute to clinch a 27-19 Chicago victory.

On October 9, the Bucs traded linebacker Hugh Green to Miami for first and second round draft picks. Green, a two time Pro Bowl selection with Tampa Bay, was unhappy with Leeman Bennett's defensive philosophy.

The Los Angeles Rams committed four turnovers, suffered seven sacks and were penalized eleven times in a game at Tampa Stadium. Steve DeBerg (14 of 34 for 161 yards) threw for two scores, however, he was picked off four times. The Bucs held a 27-24 fourth quarter lead, before the final interception proved to be the difference. Leroy Irvin returned his second pick of the game 34 yards for a score with 5:58 left. It was the Rams second fourth quarter interception return for a touchdown and the Bucs fell 31-27.

For a while it looked as if the rout was on at the Orange Bowl. While James Wilder carried the ball eight straight times on the Bucs first two possessions, Miami quarterback Dan Marino (302 yards passing) threw two touchdown passes for a 14-0 first quarter Dolphins lead. A Wilder TD run put Tampa Bay on the board, but Miami came right back. An interception by linebacker Hugh Green, playing in just his second game since being traded by the Bucs, set up a Dolphins field goal and 24-7 lead. Right before the half, Steve DeBerg hit Jimmie Giles on a touchdown pass to narrow the gap. Miami scored a TD early in the third, DeBerg hooked up with Giles again and Marino's third touchdown pass gave the home team a 38-21 lead. A fumble and an interception set up two more touchdown receptions by Giles and pulled the Bucs within 38-35. Jimmie Giles caught seven balls for 116 yards and his four scores set the team single game record for touchdowns and points scored (24). A field goal by Donald Igwebuike completed the comeback with 38 seconds left in the game. Tampa Bay scored 17 unanswered fourth quarter points and the game appeared headed for overtime. Then the Dolphins drove down the field, Faud Reveiz kicked a 43 yard field goal with six seconds left and Miami had a 41-38 victory. Despite Steve DeBerg's best effort with the Bucs (365 yards), Tampa Bay fell to 0-7. Leeman Bennett commented, "I don`t have anything but admiration for the way my players fought. Miami played better than we did, and they scored three more points. That was the difference." Dolphins head coach Don Shula said of the game, "Talk about eveything you want in a football game, this was it."

Behind a Steve DeBerg (13 of 26 for 141 yards with 2 interceptions) to Jimmie Giles touchdown pass, and a James Wilder scoring run, the Buccaneers lead New England 14-0 in the first period. Patriots running back Craig James rushed for two touchdowns and threw a TD pass to Tony Collins, who had 109 yards in receiving yards. Tony Franklin kicked three field goals, including a 50 yarder, and New England left town with a 32-14 victory. Leeman Bennett said afterwards, "We weren't as strong as they were." Steve DeBerg added, "This is depressing, embarrassing, I don't know how we can go much lower."

On the road, the Bucs lead the Giants 13-6 at the half. Steve DeBerg (21 of 42 for 239 yards and an interception) hit Jimmie Giles on two touchdown passes. New York got to the quarterback four times and Joe Morris ran for 132 yards with a touchdown. Late in the game, the Bucs moved into position to attempt the potential winning field goal, but a holding call on offensive lineman Sean Farrell wiped a big gain. Eric Schubert, who was signed by the Giants two days before the game, booted five field goals in a 22-20 victory. Farrell said of the critical holding penalty, "One official was standing over the play and didn't call it. Then this clown throws the flag from fifty yards away. Do they have binoculars with them?"

The losing streak reached nine before the Bucs beat St. Louis at Tampa Stadium on November 10. Steve DeBerg (11 of 27 for 196 yards) threw a touchdown pass, Donald Igwebuike kicked three long field goals and James Wilder ran for 120 yards. The 16-0 final score gave the Buccaneers the second shutout in team history and its first victory under Leeman Bennett.

The following week, the Bucs traveled to New Jersey to play the Jets, where the game was delayed for fifteen minutes due to a power failure at the Meadowlands. The Jets did not suffer a power failure. Ken O'Brien (23 of 30 for 367 yards with 1 INT) threw for five touchdowns with tight end Mickey Shuler catching three of them. The Jets won 62-28 in a game the Bucs actually lead 14-0. It was the most points allowed by a Bucs defense and the most points ever scored by the Jets. New York lead 41-21 at the half, which was the most points scored in a half in twenty years. James Wilder was held to 13 yards rushing on 14 carries and the Bucs had the ball for only 23 seconds in the fourth quarter. The Jets ran 86 offensive plays and set several records against a Bucs defense, including 581 yards of total offense, eight touchdowns and 35 first downs. Was it revenge for the Bucs allowing the Jets to score, in an attempt to get a total yardage record for James Wilder, in the previous season finale? "No, it never crossed our mind," said Jets tackle Marvin Powell. "Of course, I'm lying" he added.

On November 24, Steve Young made his first NFL start against Detroit. The game at Tampa Stadium featured eleven quarterback sacks (six by Detroit and five by Tampa Bay) and seven field goals (four by Donald Igwebuike and three by Detroit's Eddie Murray). After an ineffective start, Young got hot in the second half. Donald Igwebuike kicked a field goal with a minute left to cap off a ten point fourth quarter rally and send the game to overtime. With 2:29 left in the extra period, Igwebuike kicked a 24 yarder to provide the winning margin in a 19-16 victory. Young (16 of 27) finished with 167 yards passing, 60 yards rushing and was the first quarterback in Buccaneers history to win his first start.

The next game was scheduled for Lambeau Field in Green Bay. In the Buccaneers' version of the "Snow Bowl" over six inches of snow fell during the game, and the wind chill factor dipped below zero, as a blizzard hit Eastern Wisconsin. With public safety officials advising people to stay home, only 19,856 Packer faithful filled the stands and there were 35,586 no-shows. The Bucs white uniforms made it virtually impossible to throw the ball and Steve Young (8 of 17 with an interception) finished with 53 yards passing. The visitors had just five first downs, converted only one of eleven third downs and finished with a team record low 65 total yards. Green Bay had no problem moving the ball, they converted seven of ten third downs and totaled 512 yards. Packers quarterback Lynn Dickey passed for 299 yards, 106 yards of that to wide receiver James Lofton, while Eddie Lee Ivery ran for 109 yards and Gerry Ellis ran for 101 yards. Dickey, Ellis and Jessie Clark ran for touchdowns in a 21-0 Green Bay victory. Steve Young, who got up from one of Green Bay's five quarterback sacks with a helmet full of snow, ended up in an Alka-Seltzer commercial on TV. Young said of the game, "I really thought this was going to be fun, but it wasn't."

Steve Young (13 of 32 for 187 yards with 3 interceptions) tossed a touchdown pass to Calvin Magee, but the Bucs gave the ball away six times and were called for ten penalties at Minnesota. Vikings wide receiver Mike Jones caught 104 yards of QB Tommy Kramer's (21 of 36 with 2 interceptions) 306 yards. Jan Stenerud kicked four short field goals in the Vikings 26-7 win.

The Bucs returned home to the smallest crowd ever to see them play at Tampa Stadium, just 25,577. The Colts moved the ball on the ground with George Wonsley scoring two first half TDs and Randy McMillan rushing for 108 yards. James Wilder carried for a touchdown, Steve Young (14 of 25 for 251 yards and 2 interceptions) connected on a TD pass to Kevin House (131 yards receiving) and the game was tied at the half 17-17. Both quarterbacks, Young and Indy's Mike Pagel (17 of 28 for 127 yards with 1 INT), scored on second half runs. The Colts scored the final fourteen points and the Bucs lost the game 31-23.

The following week, 30,992 came out to watch the season finale against Green Bay. Jimmie Giles caught a touchdown pass from Steve Young (21 of 37 for 277 yards and 2 interceptions) and the Bucs were ahead early in the fourth quarter. Jim Zorn (8 of 22 for 117 yards) threw two touchdown passes and the Packers recaptured the lead. The Bucs had a chance to tie the game with 2:58 left, but Donald Igwebuike, who had missed a 41 yard field goal earlier in the game, failed on a 48 yard attempt. Tampa Bay had four turnovers and the Packers had a 20-17 victory.

At 2-14, Leeman Bennett had a rough first season with the Bucs. For the second straight year, the team did not win on the road. The fourteen losses equalled the team record and put the Bucs in the division cellar. Maybe the lone bright spots were the play of Steve Young late in the season and James Wilder rushing for 1,300 yards, the second highest total in team history and fifth best in the NFC. Wilder, who for the second straight year ran for at least 100 yards on five different occasions, was named the Bucs' Most Valuable Player by the area media. The defense really struggled allowing 448 points, and some wondered if trading two time Pro Bowl linebacker Hugh Green to Miami was such a good idea. David Greenwood set a team record for interceptions by a rookie with five and Jeremiah Castille had a career high seven picks. Jimmie Giles, who caught a career high eight touchdowns passes, made the Pro Bowl as a reserve.

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