Tampa Bay Buccaneers 13 New Orleans Saints 7 Sunday 24 November 1996 at Tampa Stadium
SCORING TB 8:06-1Q Husted FG43 TB 2:31-1Q Husted FG38 TB 10:16-2Q Alstott 17 pass from Dilfer (Husted kick) NO 2:30-2Q Johnson 1 pass from Everett (Brien kick)
Tampa Bay’s third consecutive victory came courtesy of another outstanding defensive effort as the Saints were limited to just 242 total yards and a ground gain of 58. Mike Alstott put the ball in the end zone in the 3rd quarter with one of his trademark tackle-breaking jaunts on a 17-yard screen pass. The Saints responded with their only scoring drive of the game, a 72-yard march and threatened again in the fourth quarter but Lynch’s interception ended the threat.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING BUCS: Rhett 21-87, Dilfer 2-21, Ellison 2-13, Alstott 5-8, Brooks 1-1. SAINTS: Zellars 12-41, Neal 3-8, Bates 2-5, Everett 1-2, Hayes 1-2. PASSING BUCS: Dilfer 34-20-253-0-1. SAINTS: Everett 31-20-196-3-1. RECEIVING BUCS: Alstott 7-91, Harris 4-63, Thomas 3-46, Hawkins 3-24, Williams 2-13, Moore 1-16. SAINTS: Small 6-85, Lusk 4-30, Zellars 4-11, Neal 3-29, Hayes 1-24, Haynes 1-16, Johnson 1-1. INTERCEPTIONS BUCS: Abraham 1-1, Johnson 1-0, Lynch 1-0. SAINTS: none. KICK RETURNS BUCS: Marshall 1-17, Alstott 1-14. SAINTS: Hughes 4-79. PUNT RETURNS BUCS: Marshall 3-19. SAINTS: Hughes 2-20. SACKS BUCS: Ahanotu 1-12. SAINTS: Mickell 1-2.
STARTERS OFFENSE DEFENSE LT 74 Gruber DE 72 Ahanotu LG 64 Diaz DT 77 Culpepper C 61 Mayberry DT 99 Sapp RG 62 Beckles DE 73 Upshaw RT 70 Odom LLB 51 Marts TE 81 Harris MLB 56 Nickerson WR 84 Thomas RLB 55 Brooks WR 85 Hawkins LCB 35 Mayhew FB 40 Alstott RCB 21 Abraham RB 32 Rhett SS 47 Lynch QB 12 Dilfer FS 25 Johnson PLAYED 1 Marshall, 5 Husted, 6 Barnhardt, 23 Bouie, 29 Gant, 33 Staten, 37 Ellison, 39 Dimry, 41 Brooks, 45 Legette, 50 Gooch, 57 Jones, 68 Crisman, 69 Pierson, 75 Curry, 78 Jones, 82 Tate, 83 Moore, 86 Williams, 93 DuBose, 94 White DID NOT PLAY 11 Weldon, 64 Diaz INACTIVE 13 Milanovich, 22 Mincy, 27 Austin, 67 Ingram, 80 Harper, 87 Silvan, 90 Maniecki, 97 Jackson
COMMENTARY CREW Eric Clemons and Scott Case