Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24 Washington Redskins 10 Sunday 8 December 1996 at Tampa Stadium
SCORING TB 8:58-1Q Harris 22 pass from Dilfer (Husted kick) TB 4:25-1Q Husted FG42 WAS 14:55-2Q Blanton FG29 TB 0:00-2Q Husted FG35 TB 11:22-3Q Husted FG19 TB 3:12-3Q Alstott 13 run (Harris pass from Dilfer) WAS 2:49-4Q Ellard 3 pass from Frerotte (Blanton kick)
Displaying a consistency reflective of their stalwart Paul Gruber, who appeared in his team-record 133rd game in this contest, the Bucs dominated Washington en route to their fourth win in five weeks. The defense set up Tampa Bay’s first score, as Martin Mayhew’s interception of a Gus Frerotte pass stationed the Bucs at Washington’s 39. The Bucs broke it wide open in the third, scoring on their first two possessions. After a 19- yard Husted chip shot, Mike Alstott powered a 67-yard drive by handling the ball on five of nine plays, the last a 13-yard blast around Gruber’s end for a touchdown.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING BUCS: Rhett 28-97, Alstott 8-67, Dilfer 4-27, Brooks 3-10, Ellison 2-8. REDSKINS: Allen 14-36, Mitchell 2-5. PASSING BUCS: Dilfer 15-8-112-0-1. REDSKINS: Frerotte 39-20-219-1-1. RECEIVING BUCS: Alstott 3-24, Ellison 2-30, Hawkins 1-33, Harris 1-22, Moore 1-3. REDSKINS: Ellard 5-93, Brooks 5-54, Asher 5-31, Mitchell 3-29, Allen 2-12. INTERCEPTIONS BUCS: Mayhew 1-5. REDSKINS: none. KICK RETURNS BUCS: Williams 2-84. REDSKINS: Mitchell 4-66, Bell 1-3. PUNT RETURNS BUCS: Williams 3-24. REDSKINS: none. SACKS BUCS: Nickerson 1-7, Curry 1-6. REDSKINS: Owens 2-11, Harvey 1-9.
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 TE 83 Moore RLB 55 Brooks WR 85 Hawkins LCB 35 Mayhew WR 84 Thomas RCB 21 Abraham RB 40 Alstott SS 47 Lynch QB 12 Dilfer FS 25 Johnson PLAYED 5 Husted, 6 Barnhardt, 23 Bouie, 29 Gant, 32 Rhett, 33 Staten, 37 Ellison, 39 Dimry, 41 Brooks, 45 Legette, 50 Gooch, 57 Jones, 68 Crisman, 69 Pierson, 75 Curry, 78 Jones, 80 Harper, 82 Tate, 86 Williams, 93 DuBose, 97 Jackson DID NOT PLAY 11 Weldon, 64 Diaz INACTIVE 1 Marshall, 13 Milanovich, 22 Mincy, 27 Austin, 67 Ingram, 87 Silvan, 90 Maniecki, 94 White
COMMENTARY CREW Joe Buck and Bill Maas