Buccaneers Shine Brightly Against the Cardinals, 23-7

TAMPA, Fla. —  The Tampa Bay Buccaneers sported a couple of new looks Sunday against the Phoenix Cardinals.

The Buccaneers, who have not had a winning season since 1982, wore bright orange pants and unveiled a no-huddle offense during a 23-7 victory under new Coach Sam Wyche.

Vinny Testaverde completed 14 of 25 passes for 167 yards and a touchdown, Reggie Cobb scored on a one-yard run and Ken Willis kicked three field goals as the Buccaneers put together a solid offensive and defensive effort.

“It isn’t like we won the Super Bowl or anything like that, but we know how important that first win is . . . knowing that the odds are stacked against you because of the history of losing,” Wyche said. “We had to break that history, and we did that.”

The Buccaneers limited the Cardinals to 181 yards, forced three turnovers and gave the Cardinals a scare when 270-pound lineman Santana Dotson knocked quarterback Timm Rosenbach out of the game with 5:29 left in the third quarter.

Rosenbach missed all of last season after undergoing major knee surgery. He returned this year with an outstanding exhibition season and completed 12 of 22 passes for 77 yards before being sacked by Dotson and leaving on a stretcher.

Results of X-rays taken in the locker room were not immediately released. Team officials said Rosenbach complained of lower back pain and later was taken to the hospital with a severe headache.

Chris Chandler, who was waived by the Buccaneers last season because he would not accept his role as a backup to Testaverde, replaced Rosenbach but didn’t have much success.

Testaverde, who had no passes intercepted, used completions of 11 yards to Alonzo Highsmith and 16 yards to Ron Hall to set up a 40-yard field goal by Willis. Testaverde passed 28 yards to Lawrence Dawsey and 21 yards to Willie Drewrey during an 80-yard drive that ended with Cobb’s touchdown.