1987 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season

Infobox NFL_season
team = Tampa Bay Buccaneers
year = 1987
record = 4-11
division_place = 4th NFC Central
coach = Ray Perkins
stadium = Tampa Stadium
playoffs = "Did not quailify"The 1987 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season began with the team trying to improve on an 2-14 season. It was Ray Perkins' first season as the team's head coach.

Overview

There were high hopes in Tampa that Ray Perkins who built the New York Giants football team into a playoff caliber squad. In fact, game one was the biggest Bucs victory ever, and still is tied with most amound of points scored in a 48-10 win over theAtlanta Falcons. The strike team left Tampa with a 3-2 record, and in came to town the Chicago Bears. The Bucs went up on the Bears 20-0, but lost a heartbreaker 26-27. It was not the only heartbreaker of the year. Two weeks later with a 4-3 record, Tampa Bay had a 28-3 fourth quarter lead over the St. Louis Cardinals. In what is now one of three major late game collapses, the Cardinals roared back with 4 touchdowns in the final period, only in time for Bucs kicker Donald Igwebuike to miss his attempt. Then the losses piled on, and Perkins turned to his rookie QB Vinny Testaverde for a spark. Testaverde threw for a record 369-yards in his first game, but Tampa would not win a game the rest of the year.Prior to the 1987 season, Tampa Bay drafted Testaverde, Ron Hall and Mark Carrier. The season featured many replacement teams due to a player's strike. Ron Heller had a fight with Perkins in the locker room at half-time of the week 12 game which led to him being traded.

Offseason

NFL Draft

References

* [http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/tam/1987.htm Buccaneers on Pro Football Reference]