Late Touchdown Gives Buccaneers a Victory : NFC: Erickson sneaks in for winning score with 32 seconds left in 26-21 victory over Redskins.

A two-game winning streak isn’t unusual unless you’re the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Craig Erickson’s quarterback sneak with 32 seconds remaining Sunday gave the Buccaneers a 26-21 victory over the Washington Redskins and consecutive victories for the first time since September, 1992.

The streak comes on the heels of a six-game slide that assured Tampa Bay of a 12th consecutive losing record and revived speculation about Jimmy Johnson replacing Sam Wyche as coach next season.

“Winning is the magic elixir. It heals all wounds. It’s the seven-day wonder,” said Wyche, 14-31 in three seasons with the Buccaneers.

Then he took a jab at some of his critics among the crowd of 45,121.

“We’ve got a group of fans right behind our bench who can’t wait for Jimmy Johnson to arrive,” said Wyche, whose record as well as the Buccaneers impending sale make it doubtful he’ll return in 1995.

“If we don’t make a yard, they get into the chant. They were the ones who were mocking and making life unfun for me, especially of late.

“But beyond that little cowardly crew, it’s been a tremendous crowd and they’ve stuck with us. We can’t be happier for them.”

Erickson’s winning touchdown capped an 11-play, 80-yard drive that featured the running of Errict Rhett, who gained a Tampa Bay rookie-record 192 yards in 40 carries, and pass plays of 19 yards to Courtney Hawkins and 13 yards to Lawrence Dawsey.

The Redskins, who used Andre Collins’ 92-yard interception return and long scoring passes from Heath Shuler to Desmond Howard and Olanda Truitt to take a 21-17 lead, squandered an opportunity to stop the march when a potential game-saving interception bounced off Darryl Morrison’s chest.

Tampa Bay, which defeated Minnesota, 20-17, in overtime last week, improved to 4-9. Washington (2-11) has lost five in a row.

Erickson was 18 of 35 for 251 yards and one touchdown. Rhett, who has gained 774 yards, broke Tampa Bay’s single-game rookie rushing record as well as the season rookie record of 690 by Jerry Eckwood in 1990.