Tampa Bay Buccaneers 16 Minnesota Vikings 19 Sunday 18 September 1983 at Tampa Stadium
SCORING MIN 7:10-1Q LeCount 8 pass from Kramer (Ricardo kick) MIN 13:49-2Q Ricardo FG29 TB 5:07-2Q Owens 1 run (kick failed) MIN 0:52-2Q Ricardo FG37 TB 9:33-3Q Capece FG40 TB 8:29-4Q Wilder 5 pass from Thompson (Capece kick) MIN 0:24-4Q Ricardo FG38 MIN 5:33-OT Ricardo FG42
Benny Ricardo's fourth field goal of the game, 9:27 into overtime, handed the Bucs the first of three overtime losses they would suffer during 1983. With just over a minute remaining in regulation, and Tampa Bay clinging to a 16-13 lead, the Vikings converted a 4th and 11 from the Buc 48-yard line to set up Ricardo for a tying fieldgoal with 24 seconds remaining. In overtime, the Bucs drove to the Minnesota 15, but Bill Capece missed a 33-yard fieldgoal wide right. Steve Dils then hit Rickey Young with a 48-yard pass play to set up the game winner.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING BUCS: Owens 22-55, Wilder 16-45, Thompson 2-12, Morton 2-2. VIKINGS: Brown 21-61, Nelson 8-15, Kramer 1-8, Dils 2-4, Galbreath 1-2. PASSING BUCS: Thompson 30-17-192-2-1 VIKINGS: Dils 33-16-205-0-0, Kramer 8-8-78-0-1, LeCount 1-0-0- 0-0. RECEIVING BUCS: Carter 5-85, Wilder 4-35, T.Bell 3-33, Owens 2-9, House 1- 12, Obradovich 1-9, Tyler 1-9. VIKINGS: Brown 7-58, Young 6-94, LeCount 6-92, Bruer 2-30, White 1-7, Nelson 1-5, Galbreath 1-(-3). INTERCEPTIONS BUCS: none. VIKINGS: Swain 1-0, Turner 1-0. KICK RETURNS BUCS: Morton 3-74, Owens 1-22, Carver 1-11. VIKINGS: Redwine 2-49, Nelson 2-32. PUNT RETURNS BUCS: Tyler 2-5, T.Bell 1-8. VIKINGS: Bess 2-16. SACKS BUCS: Cannon 1-10, Hawkins 1-8, Selmon 1-1. VIKINGS: none.
STARTERS OFFENSE DEFENSE LT 75 Reavis LDE 78 Cannon LG 68 Yarno NT 76 Logan C 50 Wilson RDE 63 Selmon RG 62 Farrell LOLB 59 Hawkins RT 70 Thomas LILB 58 Davis TE 88 Giles RILB 52 Brantley WR 89 House ROLB 53 Green WR 87 Carter LCB 21 Holt FB 32 Wilder SS 20 Colzie RB 26 Owens FS 34 Brown QB 14 Thompson RCB 40 Washington PLAYED 1 Morton, 3 Capece, 5 Garcia, 8 Hewko, 22 Smith, 23 Castille, 24 Morris, 28 Carver, 43 Middleton, 44 O'Steen, 54 Wood, 55 Spradlin, 56 Johnson, 57 Leonard, 60 Grimes, 65 Stalls, 66 Reese, 69 Arbubakrr, 74 Sanders, 81 Tyler, 82 J Bell, 83 T Bell, 85 Witte, 86 Obradovich, 90 White DID NOT PLAY 11 Golsteyn, 72 Snell
COMMENTARY CREW Jim Kelly and John Dockery
GAME HIGHLIGHTS Click on the boxes below to watch the clip James Owens had another one of his goal-line leaps for a touchdown James Wilder recorded his first score of the season on a nice flare pass Bill Capece had the chance to win the game in overtime … and missed