The first time the Buccaneers donned the creamsicle jersey, it started them off on a 26-game losing streak, the longest in the history of the NFL.
This time, the ugliest uniforms ever worn by professional athletes got a shocking come-from-behind 38-28 victory.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers got their first win of the season, as well as the first win under Head Coach Raheem Morris. It was also the first start in the young career of quarterback Josh Freeman, who is the third individual to start at the position for Tampa Bay this season. They defeated the Green Bay Packers, who are now sitting at 4-4 following a 2-game losing streak.
The Bucs overcame an 11-point forth quarter deficit to secure the victory. They did so despite having their offense on the field for less than five minutes in the games final quarter.
With 12:54 remaining, an 8th Tampa Bay defeat seemed inevitable when Packers Quarterback Aaron Rodgers scrambled 12 yards for a touchdown, giving the Packers a two possession lead, 28-17.
But following a huge 83-yard return by Clifton Smith, Freeman found Kellen Winslow for a 7-yard score that cut the deficit to five. Green Bay, who brought back long-time Packer Ahman Green in hopes of shoring up their running attack, was unable to take off a significant amount of clock and gave the Bucs the ball back with just over seven minutes to play.
Freeman led the Bucs on an 8-play, 71-yard touchdown drive that also included a successful 2-point conversion, giving Tampa Bay their first lead of the game.
On the next drive, Rodgers was sacked twice in three plays, something that has been a huge problem for the Packers so far this season. Green Bay would get the ball back again with under two minutes to play, but a late pick-six by safety Tanard Jackson ended any hopes of a comeback.
The win guaranteed that no team will match the 2008 Detroit Lions 0-16 record, as Tampa Bay was the last remaining winless team. (No word yet on whether Matt Millen and Rod Marinelli are getting together for a toast now that their record is secured another season.) It also snapped an 11-game losing streak by the Bucs, the longest active streak in the NFL.
The Bucs returned to the creamsicle colored uniforms featuring “Bucco Bruce” on the helmet for the first time in over a decade. The infamous “Bucco Bruce” is a winking, orange-skinned Pirate with a ridiculously gargantuan feather on his cap. He resembles what Captain Jack Sparrow might look like if he were to use a spray-on tan. The team wore these jerseys from their inception in 1976 up until 1996, when they changed to their current uniforms. Bucco Bruce was once described by Sportswriter Nick Bakay as “a pirate that struck fear in no one.” Despite the upset victory in his first appearance since the mid-90s, it seems unlikely anyone’s opinion on Bruce has changed.
Tampa Bay will return to their standard jerseys next week at Miami (3-5). Green Bay tries to get back on track while hosting the NFC East leading Dallas Cowboys (6-2).
Eric Marmon wrote this for SportEvents.com, which helps real NFL fans find NFL game tickets and tickets to the Super Bowl.
