Columnist Sal DeFilippo: New uniforms work wonders for perennially bad Bucs

Sal DeFilippo

Friday, Sept. 12, 1997 | 4:36 a.m.

SAL DEFILIPPO, news editor of the Las Vegas SUN, gives a percentage of his weekly earnings to charitable football betting windows. His column appears Saturdays throughout football season. He can be reached on the Internet at sal@lasvegassun.com

Something is amiss in the NFL this season. Something fans have come to expect and rely on for more than 20 years.

Where are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers?

I'm not talking about the unbeaten imposters that sit tied with Minnesota atop the NFC Central. I'm referring to the real Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the team that lost its first 26 games as a franchise. The team that could win every regular game it plays through the year 2007 and not have equaled the number of losses amassed since its 1976 entry into the league.

They fumbled, they stumbled. They drew flags, fans wore bags. They got sacked, they got schelacked. They drafted players with last names like Sapp. But most of all, they lost -- consistently, and dependably.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers simply aren't supposed to be a winning team. In their heyday, who could forget watching Donald Igwebuike make an occasional field goal to help cement a decisive 38-3 loss?

But therein lies the answer. These are not the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of old. Something has changed their image -- and it's not Tony Dungy, Warrick Dunn or Mike Alstott.

It's the uniforms. After 21 seasons, some Agent Orange in the Bucs hierarchy finally realized that you when you walk onto the field wearing pumpkin pie-colored uniforms, hungry teams will have you for dessert.

After peeling away the orange unis, Tampa Bay squeezed out a victory against San Francisco then beat Detroit to a pulp. All because their efforts were concentrated -- on improving the team's look.

Don't be surprised if more and more bettors start laying the juice and taking the Buccaneers.

FOR THE SEASON

An 8-6-1 week against the number still hasn't balanced the season slate, but it's a start. Best bet Pittsburgh failed to cover against Washington, no thanks to Brian Mitchell's 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Straight up, I was 10-5, and I finished 8-7 on totals.

Best of the bunch: 1-1 Against the spread: 12-16-2 Over/unders: 13-17 Straight up: 18-12

BEST OF THE BUNCH

OTHER GAMES

GREEN BAY PACKERS -12 1/2 vs. Miami, over 42 -- The Pack is back -- to reality. Green Bay gives up on the kicking game altogether, going for every fourth down in enemy territory and attempting two-point conversions after every score. It works. Prediction: Green Bay 32, Miami 14.

KANSAS CITY -4 vs. Buffalo, under 39 1/2 -- Monday Night Football winners are usually a tough bet the following week, but the Chiefs' dramatic win will help push back this stack of old Bills. Prediction: Kansas City 24, Buffalo 10.

DETROIT +2 at Chicago, under 42 -- Not only is Barry Sanders' name suspiciously missing from the top 10 NFC rushing leaders, he's 88 yards away from making the list, with just 53 rushing yards. That can't continue. Prediction: Detroit 21, Chicago 14.

OAKLAND -3 1/2 at Atlanta, over 40 -- There should be a separate line on what quarter Chris Chandler leaves the game with an injury. Prediction: Oakland 24, Atlanta 20.

TAMPA BAY +4 1/2 at Minnesota, over 37 -- I'm out of orange jokes, but I don't think the Bucs will back down when they see the color purple, either. Only two of Tampa Bay's last 13 opponents have scored as many as 20 points. Prediction: Tampa Bay 25, Minnesota 19.

NEW YORK GIANTS -3 vs. Baltimore, under 44 -- Trivia test: How many road games have the Baltimore Ravens won? Answer: Zero. They were 0-8 away from Baltimore last year. Prediction: New York Giants 21, Baltimore 16.

ARIZONA +7 1/2 at Washington, over 41 -- The Redskins' first game at Jack Kent Cooke Stadium may not provide much of a home-field advantage -- due to late construction, the Skins won't even get to walk on the field until Saturday. Washington cuts the ribbon in grand fashion, but for most of the game, the Cardinals have them tied in knots. Prediction: Washington 27, Arizona 25.

CAROLINA +1 at San Diego, under 37 -- Here's the shortened summary of this game: Carney, Kasay, Kasay, Carney, Kasay, Carney, Kasay. Prediction: Carolina 12, San Diego 9.

SAN FRANCISCO -11 vs. New Orleans, under 38 -- It's an odd-numbered game for the 49ers, so Steve Young must be back at the helm. His concurrent concussions not withstanding, this one should be painless. Prediction: San Francisco 24, New Orleans 10.

ST. LOUIS +13 1/2 at Denver, over 43 -- With three handoffs to the turf last week, Tony Banks has now surrendered the pigskin 24 times in 18 NFL games. Good thing he doesn't handle nuclear weapons. Prediction: Denver 30, St. Louis 20.

SEATTLE +2 1/2 at Indianapolis, over 39 -- Two similar 0-2 teams looking to right themselves. The Colts spending too much time staring helplessly at the Moon while Warren passes them by. Prediction: Seattle 24, Indianapolis 20.

NEW YORK JETS +9 1/2 at New England, over 45 -- The Parcells Bowl boils down to this: Does the former Patriots coach know how to beat his team? Sure, but Pete Carroll, the new Patriots coach, also knows quite a bit about his former club, the Jets. The teams trade touchdowns the way they traded coaches, but the Patriots stave off the Jets in a close one. Prediction: New England 31, New York Jets 28.

DALLAS -9 vs. Philadelphia, over 41 1/2 -- You have a team who just beat the defending Super Bowl champs listed as a nine-point underdog to the team that just blew a 15-point, fourth-quarter lead and lost to the Arizona Cardinals. And I like the favorite. Go figure. Prediction: Dallas 37, Philadelphia 14.

* On a personal note, when you reached the crazed level of football fanaticism that I have, you form a bond with people who have similar traits and obsessions -- such is the case in my six-plus years of watching football every Sunday at the Las Vegas Hilton Superbook.

Our viewing "family" lost a dear friend with the passing of Daniel Ralph Meyer, 68, on July 28. Dan and his widow, Dorothy, have been long-time members of the strong Buffalo-supporting contingent at the sports book. Whether ribbing me on weeks when I picked against his beloved Bills, or just enthusiastically cheering on one of his parlays, Dan embodied the spirit of a true football fan.

He will be dearly missed and our hearts go out to Dot.