The 1976 Buccaneers were perhaps the most inept team that the game has ever seen.
Once asked in an interview what coach John McKay thought about the execution of his team, he replied, "I'd be all for it."
Even switching conferences after the '76 season (going from the AFC West to the NFC Central) didn't help the hapless Bucs. Well, at least not until the 13th week of the season when the Bucs finally won the franchise's very first game, ending a 26-game losing streak.
The Bucs were blessed to play the 'Aints of New Orleans to chalk up their first win against the once great coach of the Kansas City Chiefs, Hank Stram.
The next week against the Arizona Cardinals and head coach Don Coryell, the Bucs notched their second victory to close out the season 2-12, with two consecutive wins to cap the season.
Both coaches, Hank Stram and Don Coryell, were fired after their respective losses to the infamous '76-77 Buccaneers.
After another awful season in '78, the Bucs would go from worst to first in the NFC Central in '79 before losing in the NFC Championship game to the Los Angeles Rams.
Could that be something to look forward to for the newest winless team to put a black eye on the NFL?
2008 Detroit Lions, the worst team since...
Well, since the '76 Bucs.
The first team to ever go through an entire 16-game season without winning a single game, the 2008 Lions are widely considered to be even worse than the Buccaneers of over 30 years prior.
Their memory is fresh in everyone's minds. Their ineptitude certainly rivaled that of the '76 Bucs, and may have in fact surpassed them.
Dan Orlovsky may forever be the image of these Lions when he ran out of the back of the endzone.
That's ineptitude at its highest level.
But who really is the worst team in NFL history? Considering these are the only two teams to ever go winless, it's clearly a two-horse race for the title of "Worst Team Ever."
With the help of WhatIfSports.com, we can finally see who would win.
Yes, win. Something neither of these teams could do on their own.
Who will remain winless? Which team will be able to pull of their very first and very last win? Who gets to put a notch in the "W" column?
Game of the Century: 2008 Detroit Lions at 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1st Quarter
After a 5:38 drive, the Bucs have marched down the field and scored the first touchdown of the game. Steve Spurrier hits Essex Johnson in the endzone from one yard out to go up 7-0.
The Bucs score on their very first drive, can the Lions respond?
After two incomplete passes from quarterback Dan Orlovsky, the Lions are forced to punt the ball away to the Bucs. A holding penalty earlier in the drive set the Lions back as they were unable to overcome a 3rd-and-17.
The Lions missed their opportunity to respond, can the Bucs capitalize?
A long punt return by the Bucs sets them up at Detroit's 27-yard line primed to go up by 14. Louis Carter takes a pitch up the sideline 21 yards to the Lions' six-yard line. From the six, Ed Williams takes the ball up the middle for a five-yard gain to the Lions' one-yard line.
Spurrier hits Louis Carter, again from one yard out, to put the Bucs up 14-0 after a drive lasting only 1:27.
Detroit is falling behind quickly, they'll need to score to gain some momentum.
After a seven yard pass from Orlovsky to Kevin Smith, a stuffed run on second and an incomplete pass on third down set the Lions up for their second punt in as many series.
The Bucs will get the ball at their own 37 and are primed to go up three scores.
An incomplete pass, a short four-yard gain on the ground, and a Cliff Avril sack of Spurrier allows the Lions to get the ball back.
The Lions need to do something here, or they may never get a chance to come back.
Detroit finally gets their ground game moving a little bit. Kevin Smith takes a pitch up the right side for 10 yards and a first down. Sticking with the running game, Smith gets the ball off-tackle to the left and scoots down the field for a 40-yard gain.
After an incomplete pass, Smith takes a sweep to the left for another 10 yards and another first down. Now at the five-yard line of the Bucs and ready to go in and cut the lead down to 7, the Lions are called for false start and are moved back to the 10-yard line.
Sticking with what works, the Lions hand off to Kevin Smith off the left tackle for a touchdown, bringing the game to 14-7 in favor of Tampa Bay.
A five play, 70 yard drive in only 2:24 may give the Lions some much-needed momentum.
A stuffed run by Morris Owens and a six-yard gain by Louis Carter on a draw play brings the first quarter to end with the Bucs leading 14-7 and retaining position into the second quarter of play.
2nd Quarter
As the teams switch sides of the field, the Bucs starting from their own 32 with a seven point lead. A run up the middle to Williams is stopped two yards behind the line-of-scrimmage, setting up a 4th-and-6. Tampa Bay punts to Detroit.
Detroit can tie the game up on this possession, but will they?
After a few dink-and-dunk passes from Orlovsky, the offense finally gets a break as Rudi Johnson pounds ahead for 28 yards. A six yard run by the fullback sets up a 2nd-and-goal from the four-yard line. Orlovsky finds John Standeford in the endzone to tie the game up at 14 halfway through the second quarter.
The Lions have brought the game even, but there's still plenty of time to mess it up.
Taking the ball from their own 22, the Bucs march methodically down the field.
A 14 yard run, a six yard pass, a 17 yard pass, a seven yard run, an 11 yard gain, and a couple short plays bring the Bucs to the Lions' 16-yard line. Spurrier drops back and hits Bob Moore for the touchdown to gain a seven point lead over the Lions.
A 10-play, 78 yard drive that took up 5:36 has the Bucs in the lead with only four minutes remaining until halftime.
The Bucs have taken the lead and with some good defense, should hold it for now.
The Lions take the ball at their own 29 and enter into the four-minute offense. A six yard pass to Furrey, an eight yard draw to Johnson, and a short gain by Jerome Felton bring us to the two minute warning.
Two-Minute Warning
Orlovsky hits Shaun McDonald who gains eight yards before ducking out of bounds. A handoff up the middle to Johnson gains one yard, and a first down. On 1st-and-10, from the Bucs' 47, Smith takes the ball up the middle, breaks free, and scampers for 47 yards to the endzone, tying the game before halftime.
Six plays go 71 yards in only 2:22.
Lions are showing some explosion, the Bucs need to key on Smith to win this game.
The Bucs get the ball at their own 31, and wouldn't hold on to it long. After a three-yard run and a timeout, two consecutive incompletions would force the Bucs to punt the ball to the Lions, giving them one last opportunity before halftime.
Detroit has a chance to put Tampa in a bad spot, can Tampa stop them?
After the punt, the Lions take the ball at their own 40. With good field position and over a minute on the clock, they're in prime position to make a real move before halftime. Unfortunately after a carry for no gain by Smith, followed by a timeout, Orlovsky's pass is intercepted by Curtis Jordan and returned to the Detroit 48.
The first turnover of the game could wind up being costly for Orlovsky & Co.
A bad series of incompletions and punt by Tampa, followed by a similar series by the Lions brings us to halftime with the score of the game 21-21. The Lions will receive the kickoff to start the second half.
Halftime
We'd like to send you the most entertaining Tampa Bay Buccaneers articles, videos, and podcasts from around the web.
9 Comments
Loading more comments...
This comment and all replies have been deleted This comment has been deleted Undo delete