Finally, a Victory for Dungy

Tony Dungy’s long wait for his first victory as an NFL head coach ended at the expense of one his mentors.

The long-time assistant who worked 15 years for his opportunity, only to begin with five consecutive losses, beat former boss Dennis Green as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Minnesota Vikings, 24-13, Sunday.

“We were starting to wonder if we would ever know what this would feel like,” said Dungy, Green’s defensive coordinator for four seasons before leaving Minnesota to replace Sam Wyche with Tampa Bay last season.

All week, the soft-spoken Buccaneer coach played down the significance of facing his former team, saying Tampa Bay’s poor record was the biggest reason the matchup was crucial for him and his players.

The close friends embraced and chatted briefly after the game.

“Now that it’s over, it is a little special,” Dungy said. “This was a testimony to our guys staying in there and getting the job done. . . . We’ve worked so hard to get off that zero. Our community, fans and players really needed it.”

Trent Dilfer, the league’s lowest-rated starting quarterback, played probably the best game of his career, throwing for three touchdowns without an interception. He threw for more than 200 yards for only the second time this season.

Robb Thomas, a seldom-used receiver playing more this week because Alvin Harper cut his right hand in practice, caught two of Dilfer’s touchdown passes.

Mike Alstott also scored on a 12-yard reception that put Tampa Bay ahead, 14-10, about a minute into the last quarter. Michael Husted’s 35-yard field goal, set up by Warren Moon’s fumble, assured the outcome with 43 seconds to go.

The loss was the second in three weeks for Minnesota (5-2), which moved the ball well early, yet could only build the 7-0 lead it took on Robert Smith’s 26-yard touchdown run.

“They all hurt. Tony’s done a good job with that team,” Green said, shrugging off a question about how it felt to lose to a close friend.

“We came in here 5-1 and wanted to leave 6-1.”

Dilfer, who had only one touchdown pass and 10 interceptions in his first five games, completed 22 of 35 for 218 yards. Thomas, who scored on receptions of 31 and 11 yards, had five catches for 73 yards.

Moon was 22 for 34 for 277 yards. He was intercepted once and lost a costly fumble in the closing minutes.