| | | | | | | | Friday, December 28, 2001
Classic MNF: Dolphins-Bucs '82
By Will Weiss
ABC Sports Online
"If you don't get the interceptions and the fumbles, you're just sort of killing the grass out there."
-- Tampa Bay head coach John McKay
The 1982 season was arguably the darkest in NFL history, as a 57-day players' strike shortened the schedule to just nine games. It was called on Sept. 20, after the Packers-Giants Monday Night affair completed Week 2.
|  | | James Wilder's TD against the Dolphins proved to be the game-winning score. |
Play resumed Nov. 21-22 after league owners ratified the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, which was set to run through the 1986 season (incidentally, a strike over the terms in that agreement occurred in 1987, shortening the season to 15 games, with three games played by replacement players). Terms of the 1982 agreement included a minimum salary based on years of experience; increases in training camp and postseason pay; increases in medical, insurance and retirement benefits; and a severance-pay system was introduced to aid in career transition.
The shortening of the season forced a change in the playoff format. Instead of 10 teams from each conference making the postseason (three division winners plus two wild cards), 16 teams, the top eight from each conference, made the playoffs, leaving the field wide open.
Teams returning to the field meant a return for Monday Night Football as well, and in the second week following the strike, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hosted the Miami Dolphins in the first matchup of the two Florida teams since 1976. After two straight NFC Central titles, the Bucs were 0-3 and close to reverting to being the "Yucks." Meanwhile, the Dolphins were 3-0 and rolling through the first portion of their schedule.
But this game, however, was an ugly one for the Dolphins. The Bucs intercepted five Dolphins passes, and James Wilder and Doug Williams both scored rushing touchdowns in Tampa's 23-17 victory, the team's first on MNF (the Bucs lost to the Chicago Bears 23-0 in their only previous appearance in 1980).
Kickers Uwe von Schamann and Bill Capece had provided all the scoring until late in the third quarter, when the Bucs finally cracked the end zone. The Dolphins were forced to punt after being pinned deep in their own territory, and a poor kick gave the Bucs excellent field position on the Miami 38.
Seven plays later, Williams rolled right on a misdirection play and sauntered into the end zone from three yards out. It was the Bucs' first touchdown since the strike ended. Tampa's running game remained strong in the fourth quarter, as the team used a combination of Wilder and James Owens, who led the Bucs with 82 yards on the night.
It was Wilder who did the damage on the scoreboard, though, as his 2-yard plunge gave Tampa a comfortable 23-3 cushion in the fourth.
The Dolphins mounted a comeback behind Don Strock, who replaced David Woodley in the second half. Strock hit tight end Joe Rose on TD passes of nine and 11 yards to close the gap to 23-17.
Miami got a break in the final minute, recovering a fumble off an onside kick with 30 seconds remaining. Starting from their own 47-yard line, the Dolphins methodically marched down inside the Bucs' 10 before Mike Washington intercepted Strock at the 2 to seal the victory. It was Washington's second pick of the evening, and the fourth thrown by Strock.
The win moved the Bucs to 1-3 and proved to be the spark to their season. They finished 5-4 and earned a playoff spot for the first time in two years, only to lose to the Dallas Cowboys in the first round, 38-0.
The Dolphins went on to win four of their last five games to close the season 7-2. They reached the Super Bowl, where they lost 27-17 to the Washington Redskins.
Will Weiss is the editor of ABC's Monday Night Football site.
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