NY sports history: Dec. 14, 1997

THIS DAY IN NY SPORTS HISTORY

Sunday, Dec. 14, 1997

Jets complete record turnaround

The Jets shut out the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 31-0, at Giants Stadium to improve to 9-6. The eight-game turnaround from the previous season's 1-15 tied the NFL record. The Jets limited the Bucs to 111 yards and six first downs. Quarterbacks Trent Dilfer and Steve Walsh were a combined 3-for-22 for 46 yards and were sacked three times for 25 yards. Dilfer was picked off twice, both by Otis Smith in the second quarter and both returned for touchdowns. And on the only Bucs kickoff, Leon Johnson started the second half by returning the kickoff 101 yards for a 24-0 lead. Adrian Murrell completed the scoring with a 7-yard run in the fourth quarter and had 73 yards on 26 carries. The Jets tied with the Miami Dolphins at 9-7 but missed making the playoffs after having lost twice to the Dolphins.