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Tom Brew, The St.Petersburg Times, published 6 September 1981
All night, there was Lee Roy Selmon playing defensive end with the fire of Godzilla, the muscle of Hercules and the destructive ability of that bomb named Neutron. If one game can get a player into the Pro Football -Hall-of Fame, send these films to Canton, Ohio, for examination.
But, Lee Roy did get help. Put a halo on the formerly-troubled head of Neil CoIzie, a defensive back who so washed out with the Miami Dolphins that coach Don Shula called him "one of my biggest mistakes."
On a Saturday evening when Tampa Bay's offense only now and then did something sweet, the hearts of 66,287 Tampa Stadium customers were kept pumping right to the stomach-churning end.
Minnesota, like a purple snake in the grass, was poised to pull it out at the gun. With half a minute to go, the Vikings had just scored an llth hour touchdown and were threatening a game-winning field goal. The ball was there.
Dils, who threw an arm-deadening 62 passes for 361 yards, had hit Ted Brown for 10 and Joe Senser for 10 more. Then, a dandy Dils quarterback draw got seven yards. The football was laid at the Tampa Bay 26. A 43-yard Rick Danmeier field goal was there for the taking - a kick that would win it 16-14.
Bud Grant got greedy. The Minnesota coach went to the pass for the 62nd time on a record-clanging night for footballs in the darkened sky. A risk, just to get a hair closer for Danmeier's placement. A deadly decision.
Colzie stepped in front of Viking receiver Terry LeCount and the Steve Dils miracle that seemed so apparented a whisper before was suddenly gone. Colzie, the secondary guy kicked out by the Dolphins last year, intercepted and chugged 82 yards for the touch- down that made it a 21-13 Buc victory.
Rookie linebacker Hugh Green became Colzie's convoy down the right sideline. The stadium was shimmering with delight, or perhaps from relief. Dils made his last stab of the night. He attempted to tackle Colzie. There was nobody else. But, Green blocked the quarterback halfway back to Minnesota. Colzie was gone.
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