Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20 Detroit Lions 17Sunday 20 December 1981 at The SilverdomeCBS COMMENTARY CREWDick Stockton and Johnny Morris
This was for the NFC Central title. The winner went to the playoffs, the loser went home. And it was the Bucs who won their second title in three seasons as the combination of Williams-House for 84 yards, and Selmon forcing a fumble recovered and returned for a score by David Logan gave the Bucs what they needed to win. Eric Hipple threw a late score for the Lions, but Theo Bell recovered the ensuing onside kick.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICSRUSHINGBUCS: Owens 17-61, Wilder 8-28, Williams 6-8, Eckwood 2-7.LIONS: Sims 19-76, V.Thompson 4-29, Bussey 4-24, Hipple 4-19, Kane 2-7, L.Thompson 2-4.PASSINGBUCS: Williams 19-8-172-0-1.LIONS: Hipple 28-18-205-2-1.RECEIVINGBUCS: Owens 2-49, Giles 2-19, House 1-84, T.Bell 1-9,Wilder 1-8, Eckwood 1-3.LIONS: Bussey 4-32, Scott 3-56, Sims 3-39, L.Thompson 3-34, Hill 3-33, Kane 1-6, V.Thompson 1-5.INTERCEPTIONSBUCS: Brown 2-9.LIONS: none.KICK RETURNSBUCS: Holt 2-45.LIONS: Martin 4-105, Hill 1-21.PUNT RETURNSBUCS: T.Bell 3-24, Colzie 1-12.LIONS: Martin 5-56.SACKSBUCS: Selmon 2-16, Hawkins 1-7, Wood 1-1.LIONS: none.
VIDEO CLIPSKevin House’s touchdown bomb set the Bucs on their way Lee Roy Selmon and David Logan teamed up for the crucial touchdownAndy Hawkins got into the defensive act with a key sack