NFL game summary for 09/17/1978:
Doug Williams connected with Morris Owens on a five-yard touchdown pass with 4:26 left in the third quarter to put the Buccaneers ahead 16-7, and the Tampa Bay defense made the lead stand the rest of the way. It was Tampa Bay's first win in three starts, while the Vikings dropped to 1-2.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 152.5 (9) | 27.5 (28) | 180.0 (26) | 10 |
| DEFENSE | 112.5 (9) | 104.5 (6) | 217.0 (4) | 3 | |
 | OFFENSE | 128.0 (15) | 187.0 (9) | 315.0 (13) | 9 |
| DEFENSE | 120.0 (10) | 156.0 (14) | 276.0 (14) | 7 |
Line: Vikings by 10
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-2-0) | 3 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 16 |
| Minnesota Vikings (1-2-0) | 7 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 10 |
( 3- 0) TB Neil O'Donoghue 42 yard field goal
( 3- 7) MIN Ahmad Rashad 4 yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Rick Danmeier kick)
( 9- 7) TB Ricky Bell 2 yard rush (kick failed)
(16- 7) TB Morris Owens 5 yard pass from Doug Williams (Neil O'Donoghue kick)
(16-10) MIN Rick Danmeier 47 yard field goal
TB MIN
First Downs: 10 15
Rushes-yards: 40-92 28-73
Yards/rush: 2.3 2.6
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 5-19-63-0 25-37-189-3
Sacked-yards: 0-0 4-43
Net pass yards: 63 146
Net yards/pass: 3.3 3.6
Total net yards: 155 219
Total plays: 59 (67% run) 69 (40% run)
Yards/play: 2.6 3.2
Fumbles-lost: 2-1 3-2
Turnovers: 1 5
Penalties-yards: 11-96 8-61
Attendance: 46,152
Passing:
TB: Doug Williams, 5 of 19 for 63 yards and 1 TD MIN: Fran Tarkenton, 23 of 31 for 180 yards and 1 TD (2 int); Tommy Kramer, 2 of 6 for 9 yards (1 int)
Rushing:
TB: Ricky Bell, 21 for 59 yards and 1 TD; Jimmy DuBose, 15 for 37 yards; Doug Williams, 3 for -4 yards; Dave Green, 1 for 0 yards MIN: Chuck Foreman, 12 for 25 yards; Rickey Young, 7 for 20 yards; Fran Tarkenton, 5 for 18 yards; Robert Miller, 3 for 5 yards; Sammy White, 1 for 5 yards
Receiving:
TB: Morris Owens, 4 for 42 yards and 1 TD; Jimmie Giles, 1 for 21 yards MIN: Chuck Foreman, 7 for 33 yards; Rickey Young, 6 for 16 yards; Sammy White, 4 for 62 yards; Ahmad Rashad, 4 for 38 yards and 1 TD; Bob Tucker, 3 for 37 yards; Robert Miller, 1 for 3 yards
Kick returns:
TB: George Ragsdale, 2 for 43 yards MIN: Kevin Miller, 4 for 93 yards
Punt returns:
TB: Larry Mucker, 2 for 16 yards; Isaac Hagins, 1 for 0 yards MIN: Kevin Miller, 6 for 12 yards
Interceptions:
TB: Jeris White, 1 for 31 yards; Curtis Jordan, 1 for 22 yards; Cecil Johnson, 1 for 1 yard
Punting:
TB: Dave Green, 10 for 395 yards MIN: Mike Wood, 4 for 130 yards
Field Goals:
TB: Neil O'Donoghue, 1/1 MIN: Rick Danmeier, 1/3
TB: Doug Williams, 5 of 19 for 63 yards and 1 TD MIN: Fran Tarkenton, 23 of 31 for 180 yards and 1 TD (2 int); Tommy Kramer, 2 of 6 for 9 yards (1 int)
Rushing:
TB: Ricky Bell, 21 for 59 yards and 1 TD; Jimmy DuBose, 15 for 37 yards; Doug Williams, 3 for -4 yards; Dave Green, 1 for 0 yards MIN: Chuck Foreman, 12 for 25 yards; Rickey Young, 7 for 20 yards; Fran Tarkenton, 5 for 18 yards; Robert Miller, 3 for 5 yards; Sammy White, 1 for 5 yards
Receiving:
TB: Morris Owens, 4 for 42 yards and 1 TD; Jimmie Giles, 1 for 21 yards MIN: Chuck Foreman, 7 for 33 yards; Rickey Young, 6 for 16 yards; Sammy White, 4 for 62 yards; Ahmad Rashad, 4 for 38 yards and 1 TD; Bob Tucker, 3 for 37 yards; Robert Miller, 1 for 3 yards
Kick returns:
TB: George Ragsdale, 2 for 43 yards MIN: Kevin Miller, 4 for 93 yards
Punt returns:
TB: Larry Mucker, 2 for 16 yards; Isaac Hagins, 1 for 0 yards MIN: Kevin Miller, 6 for 12 yards
Interceptions:
TB: Jeris White, 1 for 31 yards; Curtis Jordan, 1 for 22 yards; Cecil Johnson, 1 for 1 yard
Punting:
TB: Dave Green, 10 for 395 yards MIN: Mike Wood, 4 for 130 yards
Field Goals:
TB: Neil O'Donoghue, 1/1 MIN: Rick Danmeier, 1/3