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Bucs Aim To Maintain Success Against Warner

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By IRA KAUFMAN, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 2, 2007

Updated: 11/02/2007 12:12 am

TAMPA - A Buccaneers defense starving for takeaways welcomes an old friend Sunday.

Kurt Warner, a two-time league MVP repeatedly victimized by the Tampa Bay defense when he was in a St. Louis uniform, leads the 3-4 Arizona Cardinals into Raymond James Stadium.

"Kurt Warner's a legend, in my eyes," Bucs secondary coach Raheem Morris said. "He's one of those guys that can stand in the pocket and absolutely whip it. He's getting protection now and he's throwing some nice balls. The guy can flat-out play, period."

At 36, Warner is enjoying a second life under rookie coach Ken Whisenhunt.

After the Cardinals split their first two games, Whisenhunt began splitting time between struggling starter Matt Leinart and Warner, who excelled in running Arizona's no-huddle attack.

When Leinart suffered a fractured collarbone in Week 5, Warner took command. He enters Sunday's matchup as the NFC's No. 3 passer, a few ratings points below Dallas' Tony Romo and Tampa Bay's Jeff Garcia.

"I'm happy for Kurt every weekend but this weekend he plays us," said Bucs defensive lineman Kevin Carter, who played with Warner on the 1999 champion Rams. "I have a lot of love for Kurt and I'm glad he's still going, but we have to get after him. He's the enemy."

A week after assuming the starter's role, Warner hurt his left elbow during a 25-10 loss to Carolina. Despite limited practice time, he threw for 282 yards and two touchdowns at Washington in a 21-19 loss before using the bye week to recuperate.

"I've always been impressed with Kurt as a football player," said Whisenhunt, who will use ex-Buc Tim Rattay as Warner's backup Sunday. "I always felt good that we had him on our team, but what I've been most impressed with is his toughness. Playing against the Redskins a week removed from torn ligaments in his elbow ... that's the ultimate warrior."

Warner has been exceptional in the fourth quarter this season and has benefited from a stout offensive line. Russ Grimm's revamped group has yielded only eight sacks, the third-lowest total in the league behind New Orleans and Indianapolis.

Considering the Bucs have registered 10 sacks and nine interceptions against Warner in the last three meetings, all won by Tampa Bay, the game plan calls for a high-pressure system to arrive in Hillsborough County at approximately 1 p.m.

"He's not the most mobile of quarterbacks and he's not an on-the-run passer," Pro Bowl cornerback Ronde Barber said. "Kurt Warner is very specific in the plays that he wants, so we've got to be on him."

Warner, the epitome of a rhythm passer, entered the 2007 season as the most accurate quarterback in NFL history with a 65.6 career completion percentage.

Instead of throwing to Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce, Warner has new dangerous targets in Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, who will test a Bucs secondary longing for more action.

"I feel as good as I've felt in a long time," Warner said. "The last couple of years, I haven't been surrounded by great pass protection and it was tough to be on top of your game. This year, the offensive line has played tremendous. Coach Grimm has done a great job and this is as good as the protection I had in St. Louis."

The Bucs boast the NFC's top-rated pass defense and, if they shut down running back Edgerrin James, Warner could find himself forced out of the pocket. Tampa Bay hasn't posted a takeaway during a two-game losing streak that has undermined a 4-2 getaway.

"The Bucs haven't changed a lot over the years," Warner said. "Monte Kiffin continues to do a great job and they continue to plug in fast, aggressive, good football players. I don't think they're going to necessarily surprise me much, but they're going to be good at what they do. And with guys like Derrick Brooks and Ronde Barber, if you put the ball in their area, they go get it. It's important to be aggressive but, at the same time, I have to know where those guys are."

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