Tampa Bay Buccaneers 0  New York Jets 31 Sunday 14 December 1997 at the Meadowlands
SCORING NYJ 1:05-1Q Hall FG32 NYJ 11:05-2Q Smith 45 interception return (Hall kick) NYJ 6:19-2Q Smith 51 interception return (Hall kick) NYJ 14:43-3Q L.Johnson 101 kickoff return (Hall kick) NYJ 11:56-3Q Murrell 7 run (Hall kick)
The Buccaneers’worst Sunday of 1997 came at the hands of a Jets team desperate for a win to remain in the AFC playoff picture. Little went well for the Bucs who, despite a solid defensive unit that gave up just 234 yards and no scoring drives of over 24 yards, surrendered their highest point total of the year and scored their lowest.  A pair of interception returns by Otis Smith in the second half was capped by a kick return score to open the second half.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING BUCS: Dunn 23-88, Rhett 1-2, Dilfer 1-0. JETS: Murrell 26-73, Sowell 7-35, Lucas 2-10, Anderson 2-3, Neal 1-3, L.Johnson 1-0, O’Donnell 4-(-2) . PASSING BUCS: Dilfer 15-2-38-2-0, Walsh 7-1-8-0-0. JETS: O’Donnell 22-14-112-1-0. RECEIVING BUCS: Dunn 1-22, Davis 1-16, Copeland 1-8. JETS: K.Johnson 3-22, Baxter 2-26, Graham 2-20, VanDyke 1-18, L.Johnson 1-12, Sowell 1-8, Brady 1-3, Murrell 1-3, Neal 1-1, Anderson 1-(-1). INTERCEPTIONS BUCS: Parker 1-5. JETS: Smith 2-96. KICK RETURNS BUCS: Anthony 5-97 JETS: Johnson 1-101. PUNT RETURNS BUCS: Williams 4-40. JETS: Johnson 4-45. SACKS BUCS: none. JETS: Terry 1-9, Ferguson 1-7, Farrior 0.5-4.5, Lewis 0.5-4.5.
STARTERS OFFENSE DEFENSE LT 74 Gruber LDE 72 Ahanotu LG 60 Pyne DT 77 Culpepper C 61 Mayberry DT 99 Sapp RG 64 Diaz RDE 91 Upshaw RT 70 Odom WLB 55 Brooks TE 87 Davis MLB 56 Nickerson WR 85 Anthony SLB 50 Gooch WR 86 Williams LCB 21 Abraham QB 12 Dilfer SS 47 Lynch TE 82 Hape FS 22 Mincy RB 28 Dunn RCB 23 Bouie PLAYED 4 Walsh, 5 Husted, 7 Landeta, 25 Johnson, 27 Parker, 31 Young, 32 Rhett, 37 Ellison, 45 Legette, 48 Jordan, 51 Singleton, 52 Bellisari, 53 Quarles, 69 Pierson, 71 Wunsch, 73 Middleton, 83 Moore, 84 Thomas, 88 Copeland, 90 Maniecki, 94 White, 97 Jackson DID NOT PLAY 65 Dogins INACTIVES 13 Milanovich, 20 Barber, 24 Robinson, 40 Alstott, 59 Porter, 75 Curry, 78 Jones, 80 Harris
COMMENTARY CREW Dick Stockton and Matt Millen
GAME REPORTS Rick Stroud reports from Giants' Stadium At least the playoff berth can't be dropped Dilfer offers no excuses Jets use special effects to confound the Bucs Click here for the gamebook and the play-by-play
GAME HIGHLIGHTS        Click on the boxes below to view the clips Anthony Parker gave the Bucs some early hope with this interception Trent Dilfer’s scramble and pass completion to Warrick Dunn was about it for Buc offense Alshermond Singleton had his second punt block of the season