The 1979 Bucs against the Hall of Fame 1979 is one of the most romantic seasons in Buccaneer history. John McKay’s “Worst to First” team garners arguably the second biggest victory in franchise history with a playoff win in its fourth season. On the way to this magical run, the Buccaneers competed against some of the best players in NFL history. However, it took a few games into the season before the Bucs played their first opponent with more than one future Hall of Famer. 1979 Game One Tampa Bay 31 Detroit 16 The Lions had no members of the Hall of Fame on their roster during the 1979 season. 1979 Game Two Tampa Bay 29 Baltimore 26 The Colts had no members of the Hall of Fame on their roster during the 1979 season. 1979 Game Three Tampa Bay 21 Green Bay 10 Green Bay Packer Hall of Famers - James Lofton: Wide Receiver (Class of 2003) Green Bay hosted an alumni weekend at Lambeau Field with Hall of Famers ranging from Herb Adderley to Willie Wood eligible to attend. Bart Starr was still the Packers coach so many a Green and Gold great saw the Pack get smacked. Lofton continued to establish himself as an elite NFL receiver. Despite Tampa Bay’s dominance on the day, Lofton still managed to collect seven passes for 78 yards and a touchdown, although his final stats were padded somewhat. Lofton had a couple of receptions on the drive that gave Green Bay a 3-0 lead. In the third quarter Lofton fumbled after catching a pass, setting the Bucs up for a field goal attempt. Lofton’s touchdown came midway through the fourth quarter, a ten-yarder from David Whitehurst after the Bucs were up 21-3. The final play of the game was Lofton’s 29-yard reception. The Bucs were up by 11, the Packers had the ball at their own 19-yard line, so the catch meant nothing in the grand scheme of things. 1979 Game Four Tampa Bay 21 Los Angeles 6 Los Angeles Ram Hall of Famers - Jackie Slater: Tackle (Class of 2001), Jack Youngblood: Defensive End (Class of 2001) A brutally fought game in the tradition of the Bucs-Rams rivalry of the late 70s/early 80s saw the Bucs earn national respect. Jim Youngblood continued to outshine Hall of Famer Jack Youngblood against the Bucs. The non-Hall of Fame, not-related Youngblood scored the Rams only touchdown on a 31-yard interception return. Jack Youngblood finished the game with five tackles, all in the second half and none for a loss on a day when the Bucs offensive line played one of their best games of the John McKay era. A few months later however, Youngblood would make one of the most courageous starts in NFL history against the Bucs. After substituting during his first two games against the Bucs, Slater made a start at right tackle in this game. The Rams offense did very little as neither their running game nor passing game got untracked. 1979 Game Five Tampa Bay 17 Chicago 13 Chicago Bear Hall of Famers - Dan Hampton: Defensive Tackle (Class of 2002), Alan Page: Defensive Tackle (Class of 1988), Walter Payton: Running Back (Class of 1993) A rookie out of the University of Arkansas joined Alan Page on the Chicago defensive line. Dan Hampton’s initial contribution to the NFC Central showdown included a nine-yard sack of Doug Williams late in the second-quarter, knocking them out of a chance for a half-ending field goal attempt. Hampton finished with eight tackles and three passes defensed (the lineman batted down passes at the line of scrimmage). Page, the elder statesman one year removed from his four match-ups with the Bucs, finished with just two tackles, none for a loss. Once again the Bucs were able to handle Walter Payton the running back, limiting “Sweetness” to 46 yards on 15 carries. But the Bucs couldn’t contain Walter Payton, all-around back. Payton gained an additional 88 yards on five receptions, including a 65-yard sprint on a screen from Vince Evans that put the Bears up 13-10 with under five minutes to play. Fortunately for Tampa Bay, Payton’s quick score left Doug Williams enough time to win the game on a strike to Isaac Hagins, giving the Bucs a 5-0 start on their season. 1979 Game Six New York Giants 17 Tampa Bay 14 New York Giant Hall of Famers - Harry Carson: Linebacker (Class of 2006) The undefeated Buccaneers against the winless Giants. No contest, right? Unlike his previous encounters against the Bucs, Harry Carson played just a solid game, not a spectacular one. Carson finished with five tackles for a defense that plagued Doug Williams. Williams’ three interceptions hurt the Bucs cause as they lost by a field goal to Giants first-year coach Ray Perkins. 1979 Game Seven New Orleans 42 Tampa Bay 14 Given the final score, you’d think the Saints were chock full of Hall of Famers. However, the Bucs were run out of the old Sombrero by a mediocre crew that lacked any Hall of Famers. 1979 Game Eight Tampa Bay 21 Green Bay 3 Green Bay Packer Hall of Famers - James Lofton: Wide Receiver (Class of 2003) The Bucs right the ship against Green Bay. Lofton had a solid if mixed-bag day, catching 4 passes for 80 yards. The yards per catch average was aided by a 44-yard reception midway through the second quarter. The reception put the Packers in field goal range, but Chester Marcol missed the attempt. After that point, the Packers only other serious threats occurred in the third quarter when Jeris White intercepted a pass intended for Lofton in the end zone and Lofton dropped a pass that would have given the Pack a first and goal. Green Bay only mustered three points on those chances. 1979 Game Nine Tampa Bay 12 Minnesota 10 Minnesota Viking Hall of Famers - Bud Grant: Head Coach (Class of 1994), Paul Krause: Safety (Class of 1998), Ron Yary: Tackle (Class of 2001) “Scramblin’” Fran Tarkenton was now retired, as was defensive lineman Carl Eller. Coach Bud Grant was left to rebuild with Tommy Kramer at quarterback. Following a legend is never easy, but Kramer did go on to a solid career in Minnesota. 1979 would mark Paul Krause’s last year in the NFL and on this day the safety managed four tackles but did not have an interception or pass defensed listed. Ron Yary’s offensive line surrendered 2.5 sacks to Wally Chambers and one to Lee Roy Selmon but for the most part held up against the Bucs defense. The Vikings rolled up over 300 yards of offense but when the game got tight in the fourth quarter, Minnesota couldn’t sustain anything. 1979 Game 10 Atlanta 17 Tampa Bay 14 How did the Bucs lose this game? It’s not just the fact the Falcons had no Hall of Famers, but the fact the Bucs got off to a hot start but just couldn’t close the deal. This is a real head-scratcher from 1979. 1979 Game 11 Tampa Bay 16 Detroit 14 The Lions had no Hall of Famers on the roster but did start Jeff Komlo at quarterback. The future Buccaneer starter who died under odd circumstances in 2009 had a pretty good day. 1979 Game 12 Tampa Bay 31 New York Giants 3 New York Giant Hall of Famers - Harry Carson: Linebacker (Class of 2006) The Bucs blow out the Giants, but Carson is still a tackling machine, racking up nine solo stops and one assist. At least in this game the big-play linebacker didn’t force any turnovers or get a sack or two as he always seemed to against Tampa Bay. The only tackle Carson had for no yardage came on a stop of Ricky Bell in the second quarter. 1979 Game 13 Minnesota 23 Tampa Bay 22 Minnesota Viking Hall of Famers - Bud Grant: Head Coach (Class of 1994), Paul Krause: Safety (Class of 1998), Ron Yary: Tackle (Class of 2001) One of the most frustrating losses in franchise history occurred while Hall of Fame coach John Madden made his debut as Pat Summerall’s broadcast partner. On the field, Bud Grant’s Vikings kept the Bucs from clinching the NFC Central division championship in a game Tampa Bay dominated. Three blocked kicks (two extra points and a punt) and numerous special team gaffes handed the resourceful Vikes a victory. Special teams were often the difference for Grant against the Bucs in the 70’s. After the game Grant explained his team’s kick-blocking philosophy: “The special teams do a good job because they believe they can do it,” Grant said. “They believe they can block kicks and they do it. We lead the league in blocked kicks, we have a number of players who are good in that phase of the game.” It’s a shame the special teams were such a letdown because neither Viking offensive or defensive Hall of Famer helped their units much. Ron Yary and his fellow offensive lineman didn’t allow a sack on the day but the Vikings only gained 250 yards of total offense. Paul Krause saw limited action for a Minnesota defense that gave up 425 total yards to the Bucs. Krause had only one tackle in the game, early in the contest when he tackled Jimmie Giles at the two-yard line right before Ricky Bell’s touchdown run opened the scoring. 1979 Game 14 Chicago 14 Tampa Bay 0 Chicago Bear Hall of Famers - Dan Hampton: Defensive Tackle (Class of 2002), Alan Page: Defensive Tackle (Class of 1988), Walter Payton: Running Back (Class of 1993) For the second week in a row the Buccaneer defense played well enough to clinch the NFC Central only to be betrayed by the team’s other units. The Bucs defense held Walter Payton to just 77 yards on 22 carries. Payton never got untracked on the day. A signature play occurred when Lee Roy Selmon chased Payton down from behind on a sweep, stripping away the ball which was recovered by Cedric Brown. Payton did score on a one-yard touchdown in the first quarter. Payton’s touchdown was set up by the fourth blocked kick allowed by the Bucs in five quarters. The Bears defense made big plays throughout the entire game. Alan Page led the Bears with one and a half sacks on the day, including one for a loss of eight yards on Tampa Bay’s first drive. Dan Hampton teamed up with Page on one sack later in the first quarter. The Chicago abuse of Williams led to an interesting exchange. After Williams was intercepted by Gary Fencik in the second quarter, the Bucs quarterback grabbed the facemask of defensive lineman Mike Hartenstine and threw him to the ground. This led to Alan Page getting in Williams’ face. No fisticuffs ensued, but there would be bad blood between both rivals for the rest of the game. In addition to the sacks and arguments, Hampton and Page also combined for six total tackles. 1979 Game 15 San Francisco 23 Tampa Bay 7 San Francisco 49er Hall of Famers - Joe Montana: Quarterback (Class of 2000), O.J. Simpson: Running Back (Class of 1985) , Bill Walsh: Head Coach (Class of 1993) Two Hall of Famers get their first big moment and another calls it a career in his hometown in an historically significant game in the evolution of pro football. Joe Montana and Bill Walsh started their amazing run in 1979. Although the 49ers finished a dismal 2-14 on the season, the “West Coast” offense was beginning to get to its feet evolutionarily speaking. Using short passes rather than a running game, the 49ers moved the ball consistently on the number one-rated defense in the NFL in 1979. Jerry Rice, John Taylor, Roger Craig and other star receivers were still a few years away. Instead the 49ers beat the Bucs with a system employing the non-speedy Mike Shumann, Dwight Clark, Paul Hofer and Ken Macafee. Future Buc Steve DeBerg started but was spelled for a few series by rookie Joe Montana. Montana completed 3 of 4 passes for 30 yards and held on placements but he did not lead the 49ers to any points. O.J. Simpson playing in his final game in Candlestick Park ran for 26 yards on six carries and had one flash of his former brilliance. In the closing moments of the third quarter with the 49ers up 13-7, Simpson ran off right tackle for seven yards and received an ovation from the crowd. David Lewis made the tackle on Simpson’s last hurrah. Bill Walsh was carried off the field following this game and many historians point to the 49ers dominance of the best defense in the league as the moment the West Coast offense gained credibility and gave San Francisco the confidence with which to continue building a system so contrary to NFL tradition. Interestingly, two names, one famous and one infamous, also saw action in this game. Future Bucs coach Tony Dungy saw a limited role as a substitute but made no tackles from his defensive backfield position. Also, Al Cowlings, who would become known as the driver of O.J.’s white Ford Bronco in 1994, also saw spot duty on defense but had no tackles credited to him. The above should be the only time in human history that Tony Dungy and Al Cowlings get mentioned in the same paragraph! 1979 Game 16 Tampa Bay 3 Kansas City 0 Kansas City Chief Hall of Famers - Marv Levy: Head Coach (Class of 2001), Jan Stenerud: Kicker (Class of 1991) The Bucs not only clinch the first playoff berth and divisional championship in franchise history, they also prevent Levy from finishing at .500 in a season of rapid improvement. Levy took over a rotten Chiefs team and after enduring a brutal 1978 season, had the Chiefs seeing brighter days ahead. This day in Tampa was not bright however as a torrential rain fell. Jan Stenerud suited up but only took the field twice. Once to kick off to open the second half and once when he had a 39-yard field goal blocked by the interior Buccaneer line in the second quarter. On this day kicking glory went to Neil O’Donoghue, who kicked the biggest field goal in franchise history to win the game. 1979 NFC Divisional Playoffs Tampa Bay 24 Philadelphia 17 The biggest victory in franchise history came against an opponent who surprisingly had no Hall of Fame players on its roster. 1979 NFC Championship Game Los Angeles 9 Tampa Bay 0 Los Angeles Ram Hall of Famers - Jackie Slater: Tackle (Class of 2001), Jack Youngblood: Defensive End (Class of 2001) A brutal, hard-hitting and ultimately heartbreaking end to a magical season also gave birth to the legend of Jack Youngblood. During the Rams 21-19 upset of the Dallas Cowboys the week before, Youngblood broke his leg making a tackle. Instead of coming out of the game, Youngblood continued to play and made the start against Tampa Bay. Youngblood didn’t just play, he played well, recording two tackles, one for a loss, as the Rams bottled up the Tampa Bay offense all day. Youngblood also played in the Super Bowl and Pro Bowl that year on his broken leg. Any question why he was referred to as the NFL’s “John Wayne?” On offense, Jackie Slater and the Rams offensive line paved the way for 216 yards rushing, including 106 by Cullen Bryant as Los Angeles played keep-away. The Rams 23 first downs helped give them a 37 minute – 22 minute time of possession advantage in wearing down the Bucs. A sad way to end the year but in 1979 the Buccaneers won a division title, won a playoff game and came within 10 points of a Super Bowl. Their most significant encounter with Hall of Famers occurred in Week Fifteen against San Francisco when Bill Walsh proved his ball-control passing game was going to change the way everyone in the NFL played offense. Denis Crawford, July 2012