1995 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season

Infobox NFL_season
team = Tampa Bay Buccaneers
year = 1995
record = 7-9
division_place = 5th NFC Central
coach = Sam Wyche
stadium = Tampa Stadium
playoffs = "Did not quailify"The 1995 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season began with the team trying to improve on an 6-10 season in which the team won 4 straight games at the end of 1994 and 4 of the last 5. It was Wyche' final season as the team's head coach. Prior to the season Malcolm Glazer took over ownership of the team, then the Bucs drafted Warren Sapp and Derrick Brooks, both of whom are recognized as two of the teams greatest ever players, and Lee Roy Selmon was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Overview

There were rumours towards the end of the 1994 season about the team deserting Tampa completely but a referendum saved the team. This season is famous for Sam Wyche, Head Coach of the Bucs, "Five dash Two" saying to reporters during a press conference after game 7 in which he basically tells reports "HA I told you so" even though Tampa won their 5 games by the slimmest of margins, often with improbable causes. Yet there was no denying that Tampa Bay under Wyche had won 9 of their last 12 games, better than anyone else in football at that point going back to the 1994 end of year win streak. But the House built of straw would crumble before long. Following the week seven Overtime win over Minnesota, Tampa Lost 3 in a row before beating expansion Jacksonville only after Jaguars Coach decided to go for a 2 point conversion when scoring a last minute touchdown. It failed and the Bucs won 17-16, a sweep if you will over both expansion teams as Tampa Played Carolina and beat them 17-10 in week 5. Two more losses followed, and the 6-7 Buccaneers had a prime time ESPN Sunday Night Football game against the Green Bay Packers who were playing without standout Reggie White due to injury. Tampa took the Packers into overtime and Beat them on national TV to go 7-7 and still be in playoff contention in game 14 for the first time in a long time. The Bucs responded by losing to the Chicago Bears by 21 points at home, then the last game of the year, with an 8-8 record within reach, Coach Wyche pulled QB Trent Dilfer in an emotional sideline explosion. Dilfer was told by backup Casey Weldon that Weldon was told by Coach Wyche to be ready, he would pull Dilfer in the second quarter no matter how good he plays. Rumour also has it Wyche knowing he would be let go by new owners without a winning record after a 5-2 start, would make the Buccaneer players wear Orange pants and Orange shirts, looking like a Creamsickle. The New Owner Malcom Glazer had enough of this, and started the search for the next coach of the Buccaneers, a search that would bring in Coach Tony Dungy. The players were in place, it was now time to add the coaches.

Offseason

NFL Draft

References

* [http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/tam/1995.htm Buccaneers on Pro Football Reference]