TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Bucs Beat: Defense Gives Back Big Effort

ADVERTISEMENT

Roy Cummings/The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 11, 2007

Updated: 11/10/2007 11:23 pm

TAMPA - Its starting lineup last week consisted of two rookies, two other first-year starters and a comeback player of the year candidate.

No, it's not the Bucs offense; it's the Bucs defense. And when you consider its makeup, you may be surprised to learn that it went into the bye week ranked sixth in the league in yards allowed and fourth in the league in points allowed.

Over the years, fans have come to expect those kinds of numbers from the Bucs defense. But these Bucs are achieving those numbers in different ways.

It all starts in the back. That's what's different about this group. Usually any discussion of Tampa Bay's defensive success starts up front, with the pass rush generated by the four down linemen. Not this year.

These Bucs still don't have a pass rush that worries anyone, except maybe coordinator Monte Kiffin and Coach Jon Gruden. And you can bet they're worried. But that's a topic for another day. Today we're looking back. Way back.

The play of the safeties was easily the defense's greatest weakness last year. This year it is arguably the unit's greatest strength. A change in the lineup and a change in approach are two reasons why.

Rookie Tanard Jackson has replaced Will Allen at free safety, and his sound coverage skills, strong tackling and penchant for delivering a big hit have helped give the defense back its swagger.

Meanwhile, comeback player of the year candidate Jermaine Phillips has stopped playing tentatively. He's back to playing with the reckless abandon that earned him the right to replace John Lynch in the first place.

The results have been fun to watch. Jackson and Phillips are laying out at least one receiver a week with their perfectly timed and truly devastating hits, and they're gaining confidence with every tackle and pass breakup.

Kiffin is clearly developing greater confidence, too. He has recently started putting his safeties into positions he might not have dared put them in a year ago.

Last week, for example, he abandoned his usual Cover 2 scheme and had his safeties play more of a Cover 4 scheme against the Cardinals. You can't do that without strong safety play because the safeties' responsibilities are greater in the Cover 4. They essentially become one-on-one with a deep receiver in such a scheme, but neither Jackson nor Phillips ever looked out of place against the deep-throwing Cardinals.

Jackson finished the day with a team-leading five pass breakups and Phillips picked off Kurt Warner's final pass to seal the Bucs' 17-10 victory. It was just the latest in a long line of good days for the Bucs safeties.

"The big strength of the this team is how the guys are playing in the secondary," cornerback Ronde Barber said in reference to Jackson and Phillips. "Across the league, they're feeling those guys.

"The teams that have played against them are feeling them for sure. But even the teams that haven't played us, they know about them now and they're feeling them, too."

NO CHANGE: Oft-injured wide receiver Michael Clayton says he has no plans to abandon the physical approach he takes to playing the game when he returns to action, most likely against Atlanta next week.

Though it has cost him effectiveness at times, Clayton said his penchant for taking on linebackers and defensive backs in support of ball carriers and pass catchers is an important part of the game.

"It plays a big part, believe it or not," Clayton said of playing physical. "Every game, whether it's a safety or a linebacker, they walk up to me and say, 'I respect the way you play' or 'Clayton, come on, man. We don't need to have that.'

"A guy whose motor is just straight ahead football, if you can just take that away for a couple of plays, the opportunity and window for a big play grows enormously. I think it's a very big part to have physical guys out there on the perimeter who can get blocks. It opens up a lot for the offense."

PASSING FANCY: Gruden has acknowledged to being a bit surprised by the pass production the Bucs are getting from running back Earnest Graham.

Graham tied a team record for receptions with 13 against the Lions three weeks ago and currently ranks third on the team in total pass receptions with 26.

"I can only say that's another mistake I probably made - not using him more as a pass catcher in the past," Gruden said. "But Michael Pittman is a guy who has averaged 58 catches out of the backfield as a starter."

Next Sunday, the Bucs likely will have both Pittman and Graham in the same backfield. Gruden says the options open to him with both players are virtually endless.

"Every player has to explode onto the scene and I think people now recognize that Earnest Graham is a good quality football player," Gruden said. "Believe me, we'll find a way to make use of him and Pittman."

TRUEBLOOD FINED: Right tackle Jeremy Trueblood was fined $15,000 by the NFL for bumping an official during last week's win against the Cardinals, ESPN.com reported.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT