With the transformation of the Buccaneers' defense to the top-ranked unit in the NFL complete, and with Doug Williams and Ricky Bell having their breakout seasons, Tampa Bay stunned the NFL by winning its first five games on the way to a 10-6 record, and NFC Central division title and the franchise's first playoff berth. Lee Roy Selmon had his third straight double-digit sack season and was named the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year, leading a unit that allowed a league-low 246.8 yards per game. Bell ran for 1,263 yards and tight end Jimmie Giles emerged as a rare deep threat at his position. The Buccaneers won their first-ever postseason game, 24-17, over the visiting Eagles, behind a workhorse performance from Bell, then fell at home to the Los Angeles Rams, 9-0, in the NFC Championship Game.
