Buccaneers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

LOSS - Tampa Bay Buccaneers 12 Pittsburgh Steelers 17

The Pittsburgh Steelers played poorly for three quarters, allowing the Buccaneers to take a 12–0 lead despite the coaching staff's admonitions not to be fooled by the Buccaneers' 0–8 record.

James Wilder's 42 carries broke Franco Harris' NFL record, Bill Capece kicked four field goals, and the defense forced seven turnovers. Newcomer Beasley Reece caught two of Cliff Stoudt's three interceptions.

The Buccaneer offense was held without a touchdown.

The Steelers came to life in the fourth quarter with rookie Wayne Capers' first NFL touchdown reception, a 57-yard punt return by Paul Skansi that set up a 42-yard Gary Anderson field goal, and a 2-yard Frank Pollard touchdown run.

A wide-open Kevin House dropped a potentially game-winning touchdown pass in the fourth quarter. McKay's entire postgame press conference consisted of two sentences: "We did not play well enough to win. We lost our ninth straight game and that is it". McKay later blamed blown assignments and media distractions for the loss. He said that players were bothered by rumors that injured linebacker Andy Hawkins had signed with a USFL team.

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GAMEDAY BRIEF

OFFICALS

• REFEREE: Ben Dreith
• UMPIRE: Tom Myers
• LINE JUDGE: Bill Reynolds
• HEAD LINESMAN: Dale Williams
• BACK JUDGE: Don Wedge
• FIELD JUDGE: Ron Spitler
• SIDE JUDGE: Ed Ward

SCORING

• BUCCANEERS: 08:16-1Q Capece FG26
• BUCCANEERS: 07:02-1Q Capece FG49
• BUCCANEERS: 07:51-2Q Capece FG27
• BUCCANEERS: 05:37-3Q Capece FG28
• STEELERS: 08:42-4Q Capers 11 pass from Stoudt (Anderson kick)
• STEELERS: 05:49-4Q Anderson FG42
• STEELERS: 00:31-4Q Pollard 1 run (Anderson kick)

STARTERS OFFENSE

• WR: #83 T. Bell
• LT: #74 G. Sanders
• LG: #68 G. Yarno
• C: #50 S. Wilson
• RG: #77 G. Bunjoco
• RT: #70 K. Thomas
• TE: #88 J. Giles
• WR: #89 K. House
• QB: #14 J. Thompson
• RB: #28 M. Carver
• RB: #32 J. Wilder

STARTERS DEFENSE

• LE: #78 J. Cannon
• NT: #76 D. Logan
• RE: #63 R. 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: #43 B. Reece

SUBSTITUTIONS

• 1 Morton, 3 Capece, 5 Garcia, 22 Smith, 23 Castille, 41 Thomas, 46 Armstrong, 54 Wood, 55 Spradlin, 56 Thompson, 57 Leonard, 66 Reese, 69 Arbubakrr, 75 Reavis, 81 Tyler, 82 J Bell, 85 Witte, 86 Obradovich, 87 Carter, 90 White

DID NOT PLAY

• 7 Komlo, 11 Golsteyn, 60 Grimes, 61 Bailey, 72 Snell

INACTIVE

• 26 Owens, 62 Farrell

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING

• BUCCANEERS: Wilder 42-126, Carver 2-7, Thompson 1-(-2).
• STEELERS: Stoudt 8-55, F.Harris 13-37, Pollard 5-29, Abercrombie 3-8.

PASSING

• BUCCANEERS: Thompson 29-14-114-0-0.
• STEELERS: Stoudt 39-20-233-3-1.

RECIEVING

• BUCCANEERS: Wilder 6-48, Carter 5-38, T.Bell 1-11, Armstrong 1-10, J.Bell 1-7.
• STEELERS: Abercrombie 7-71, Capers 5-74, Cunningham 3-49, F.Harris 3-7, Skansi 1-21, Sweeney 1-11.

INTERCEPTIONS

• BUCCANEERS: Reece 2-0, Brantley 1-0.
• STEELERS: none.

KICK RETURNS

• BUCCANEERS: Smith 2-17, Morton 1-18, Carver 1-13.
• STEELERS: Odom 4-83, T.Harris 1-32.

PUNT RETURNS

• BUCCANEERS: Tyler 2-29.
• STEELERS: Skansi 6-100.

SACKS

• BUCCANEERS: Logan 2-17, Green 1-7, Brantley 1-0, Selmon 1-0.
• STEELERS: Willis 2-9.

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