By Darin “I’m just glad we got to the final four, although you get this far, you hate to stop. I’m nit happy about losing…I Think when we come back, we’ll be a better team. And let’s give credit to Los Angeles. They are a fine team,” _Tampa Bay Head Coach John McKay
It was only their fourth season as a franchise, and the world saw them go from NFL laughingstocks with a record 26-game losing streak (0-14, 2-12) in their first two, to NFC Championship contenders.
The NFC Championship game played on January 6, 1980, between the Los Angeles Rams and the upstart Tampa Bay Buccaneers was an absolute defensive slugfest at Tampa Stadium.
In a game dominated by brutal cold and stifling defense, neither team managed to find the end zone. The Buccaneers, a young franchise in only their fourth season, relied heavily on running back Ricky Bell and their fierce defensive front. However, their offense, led by quarterback Doug Williams, struggled against the Rams’ pressure.
The only points of the entire contest came from the foot of Rams kicker Frank Corral, who successfully converted three field goals. The final score of 9-0 marked the lowest-scoring NFC Championship game in NFL history. The victory sent the Los Angeles Rams to Super Bowl XIV, while the Buccaneers’ remarkable Cinderella season ended on a cold, low-scoring note.
