Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20 Detroit Lions 23
Sunday 18 December 1983 at the Silverdome
SCORING
TB
1:13-1Q
J.Bell 4 pass from Thompson (Warnke kick)
DET
10:02-2Q
Sims 3 run (Murray kick)
DET
3:49-2Q
Murray FG34
TB
1:12-2Q
House 20 pass from Thompson (kick failed)
DET
10:27-3Q
Murray FG36
DET
8:52-4Q
Murray FG38
DET
2:32-4Q
Chadwick 6 pass from Danielson (Murray kick)
TB
1:22-4Q
Carter 13 pass from Thompson (Yarno kick)
GAME REPORTS
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Click here for a special feature on the worst kicker in Buc franchise history
Kicking problems again proved instrumental in frustrating the Bucs in their 1983 finale. Bill Capece had been
replaced by free agent signing Dave Warnke, but after he made his first extra point, he missed the next one and
a short fieldgoal as well. The final extra point of the season was converted by offensive tackle George Yarno
who at nearly 300 pounds, is probably the heaviest player ever to kick in the NFL. Jack Thompson passed for
the then-second highest yardage total in team history but the NFC Champion Lions hung on to win.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING
BUCS: Carver 23-44, Thompson 1-0.
LIONS: Jones 14-69, Sims 15-56, Bussey 1-6, Danielson 2-0.
PASSING
BUCS: Thompson 42-28-373-1-3.
LIONS: Danielson 12-9-143-0-0, Hipple 15-9-80-0-0, Jones 1-
0-0-0-0.
RECEIVING
BUCS: House 8-136, Carver 8-67,Carter 5-82, J.Bell 3-49,
Tyler 1-16, T.Bell 1-13, Armstrong 1-5, Witte 1-5.
LIONS: Sims 5-81, Jones 5-38, Chadwick 4-46, Rubick 2-21,
Thompson 1-23, Nichols 1-14.
INTERCEPTIONS
BUCS: none.
LIONS: Cobb 1-13.
KICK RETURNS
BUCS: Owens 4-47, Middleton 1-10, Armstrong 1-10.
LIONS: Hall 2-51, Jenkins 1-19.
PUNT RETURNS
BUCS: T.Bell 1-7, Holt 1-0.
LIONS: Martin 1-5.
SACKS
BUCS: Brantley 1-11, Cannon 1-5.
LIONS: Green 1-9, English 1-9, Cofer 1-6.
STARTERS
OFFENSE
DEFENSE
LT
75 Reavis
LDE
66 Reese
LG
72 Snell
NT
76 Logan
C
60 Grimes
RDE
78 Cannon
RG
62 Farrell
LOLB
51 Judie
RT
68 Yarno
LILB
55 Spradlin
TE
82 J Bell
RILB
52 Brantley
TE
85 Witte
ROLB
53 Green
WR
89 House
LCB
21 Holt
FB
46 Armstrong
SS
33 Cotney
RB
28 Carver
FS
43 Reece
QB
11 Golsteyn
RCB
40 Washington
PLAYED
1 Morton, 2 Warnke, 5 Garcia, 22 Smith, 23 Castille, 26 Owens,
24 Morris, 41 Thomas, 44 Middleton, 54 Wood, 56 Thompson,
57 Leonard, 58 Davis, 69 Arbubakrr, 77 Bujnoch, 81 Tyler, 83 T
Bell, 86 Obradovich, 87 Carter, 90 White
DID NOT PLAY
7 Komlo, 11 Golsteyn, 63 Selmon, 70 Thomas, 74 Sanders, 88
Giles
INACTIVES
3 Capece
COMMENTARY CREW
Frank Gleiber and Dick Vermiel
GAME HIGHLIGHTS Click on the boxes below to watch the clip
Jack Thompson found Jerry Bell for the opening score of the game
The worst kicker in Tampa Bay history - Dave Warnke in action
So offensive lineman George Yarno kicked the final extra point of the season