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Michelle Kaufman, The St.Petersburg Times, published 1988
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had practiced the play every Saturday for 14 weeks. Sunday afternoon, they finally got to use it.
For the first time this year, Bucs quarterback Vinny Testaverde had occasion to end a football game by falling on the ball. In fact, he fell on it four times to kill the final 40 seconds of one of the greatest Bucs victories in recent years.
The Bucs (4-10) shocked Tampa Stadium's 49,498 customers, members of the media, Las Vegas, and anyone else who follows professional football by outplaying the playoff-bound Buffalo Bills (11-3) and coming away with a 10-5 victory.
It was the first time since 1984 the Bucs beat a team with a winning record, the first time since 1984 they won a game in December, and the first time since 1985 they held an opponent
without a touchdown.
The Bills, who came into the game with the league's ninth-ranked offense, managed only a 30-yard field goal by Scott Norwood. (The defense scored a safety.) Their rushers, who average 137 yards per game, combined for only 39 on 19 carries.
Tampa Bay scored on a 29-yard field goal by John Carney and a 4-yard run by Testaverde.
Just about every face in the home locker room was beaming with pride following the victory. There were hugs, moist eyes, and cheers, and long sighs of relief.
“This was the most satisfying win of my career with the Bucs,” said center Randy Grimes, his voice cracking. “We didn't have anything to play for but pride. We could've folded our tents at any time, but we didn't. The pride I feel right now is overwhelming.”
Linebacker Ervin Randle, whose tackle on a fourth-down goal-line stance was instrumental in the win, said: “Who says the Super Bowl can't be played in December? For us, this was the Super Bowl. We can go home at Christmastime and say, `Hey, we beat those guys.” This is my proudest moment as a Buc.”
Even stone-faced coach Ray Perkins showed emotion. He jumped off a podium after the post-game press conference, threw his fist up in the air, and exulted, “I'm happy!” to anyone who cared to listen.
“We took a mighty big step today,” the coach said. “We proved that we are not, in fact, as far away (from being a winning team). We fought our guts out.”
Perkins said he was especially pleased with the play of the defense and Testaverde, who completed 12 of 29 passes (41 percent) for 156 yards with (get ready) no interceptions. It was the second game this year none of his passes were picked off.
“With all the crap Vinny's taken, I think he played one of the greatest games I've ever seen a quarterback play,” Perkins said, probably overstating his case a bit. “He can't play any better. They were coming after him with bullets all day long.”
Testaverde said a Tuesday visit to his alma mater helped him mentally. He spent his day off at the University of Miami athletic complex, watched the No. 2-ranked Hurricanes practice, and chatted at length with coach Jimmy Johnson and offensive coordinator Gary Stevens.
“When practice huddle broke, and all the guys did their cheer, Vinny turned to me and said, `Just like old times,' “ Johnson said Thursday. “I could tell Vinny was frustrated. I just told him to be patient.”
Testaverde apparently put the words of wisdom to use Sunday. Though his numbers weren't eye-catching by any means, his lack of mistakes were.
“I played a smart game,” Testaverde said. “I guess that's what Coach Perkins was talking about. I just wanted to play the way I did in college. That's why I went down there (to Miami) I
wanted to soak up some winning atmosphere. When I came out today, I made my mind up to play aggressive.”
His new approach was apparent after the sixth play of the game. Testaverde had just run nine yards for a first down, and been shoved out of bounds late by safety Leonard Smith.
Testaverde turned around and shoved Smith back. The Bucs' eight-minute opening drive proved unsuccessful - 13 plays, 26 yards - but the Bills offense would do no better.
Buffalo's first-half drives went like this: Two yards, punt. Nine yards, punt. Twenty yards, punt. Twenty-one yards, punt. Minus-six yards, punt. Twenty-nine yards, intermission.
The Bucs went ahead 3-0 on a 29-yard field goal by John Carney with 8:37 to go in the half. The kick ended a 14-play, 85-yard drive that moved along with the help of an unnecessary
roughness call on Bills linebacker Ray Bentley, a 15-yard catch by tight end Ron Hall, a 15-yard end-around by Don Smith, and a penalty on Leonard Smith on third-and-2.
The Bills got into Bucs territory with a Robb Riddick third-down dive to the Tampa Bay 49, but the play was called back by a holding penalty. A false start moved them back five more yards, and Ronnie Harmon's dropped pass forced the Bills to punt.
Buffalo penalties hurt them all day. By game's end, they had collected 12 worth 100 yards in losses.
“We did not play like the Buffalo Bills are capable of playing,” said Bills quarterback Jim Kelly, who was 23-of-40 for 249 yards with two interceptions. “We played like s--t today. They
(Bucs) came ready to play.”
Tampa Bay took over at its own 34-yard line. Testaverde found William Howard for 13 yards, newly-signed tight end Jeff Parks for 23 yards, Mark Carrier for 21 yards, and the end zone on a bootleg to make it 10-0. The Bucs faced second-and-goal when Testaverde decided to fake a handoff and run it in himself.
“That bootleg was all his,” Perkins said. “He's lucky he got in the end zone.”
By halftime, the Bucs had controlled the ball for 19:45 to the Bills' 10:13.
“I'm sure they were shocked going into the locker room,” said Bucs nose tackle Curt Jarvis. “I think they took us lightly.”
Bucs cornerback Ricky Reynolds intercepted a Jim Kelly pass at the Tampa Bay 2-yard line shortly after intermission. But the Bills scored two plays later when Bruce Smith sprinted through the Bucs line and sacked Testaverde for a safety.
The Bills had a chance to make it 10-9 with 6:36 remaining in the third quarter, but the Bucs defense stiffened when it had to most - on fourth-and-goal from the 1.
“They win the battle, and they get six points,” explained Randle. “They lose, and we get the ball. It's do or die. I told all the guys in the huddle to just stick together.”
They did, and Randle's shoulder stopped Riddick's dive about 18 inches from the goal line.
“That was the greatest feeling a defense can feel,” said linebacker Chris Washington, who started in place of injured Winston Moss. “We knew if they didn't get that, they weren't going to get anything.”
The Bills did get a field goal with 13:33 left in the game, but it wasn't enough.
Tampa Bay would've put it away with under four minutes to go were it not for a blocked 29-yard field goal. Carney's 35-yard attempt was blocked five plays earlier, but it didn't matter
because an offsides penalty on Leonard Smith gave the Bucs a first down.
But nobody in the Bucs locker room cared to discuss the mistakes. They were tired of that kind of talk after 10 losses. The Bills drove to the Bucs' 25 on their final possession, but Tampa Bay safety Mark Robinson ruined the Bills' hopes when he intercepted a Kelly pass and ran it back 28 yards to the Bucs'
41 with 42 seconds left. “I was in perfect position,” Robinson said. “I was just standing there reading him. When I saw the ball come my way, I just concentrated on catching it. Then I told myself, `Don't fumble.
Just get out of bounds.' “
He did, and then Testaverde fell to his knees. “It was so great to actually hear people cheering,” Testaverde said. “I went into the locker room, said my prayers, and then let it sink in that we actually won the game.”
“This is one of those games Bucs fans can talk about 10 years from now . . . Remember the day the Buffalo Bills came to town on the way to the playoffs and got beat, and so on,” said Grimes. “And I don't want to hear anything about how the Bills were flat. We earned this win, and I'm not going to let anyone take it away from us.”
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