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Saints' veteran safety looks as sharp as ever

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By IRA KAUFMAN | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 22, 2009

TAMPA - Since joining forces two months apart in the Crescent City, Darren Sharper and Gregg Williams have hit it off like red beans and rice.

Williams, the new defensive coordinator of the Saints, likes his guys to play fast and physical. Sharper, a four-time Pro Bowl safety signed as a free agent in March, likes to force the action.

As a dynamic tandem, they represent the NFL's best offseason signings of 2009.

"Darren doesn't guess," said Williams, who will arrive in Tampa with an aggressive game plan for today's matchup against the Bucs. "He studies and understands route concepts and where the ball is designed to go. His instincts are something you can't teach."

Helped by a savvy blitz package and a revived pass rush, Sharper has returned three of his seven interceptions for touchdowns during a 9-0 start by New Orleans.

The Saints lead the NFL with 25 takeaways, three more than their total in 2008, when a hapless defense doomed New Orleans to an 8-8 finish and led to the dismissal of overmatched coordinator Gary Gibbs.

One year after the Saints failed to score a defensive touchdown, Williams' swarming unit has already reached the end zone seven times.

"Gregg does a good job in New Orleans," Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo said. "He gets guys to play fast and anytime you do that, it lends itself to creating turnovers. When you add a Darren Sharper, who has a knack for the ball, all of a sudden the takeaways go way up. They're flying all over the place and they don't slow down to hit."

Facing a defense built to force mistakes, ball security will be paramount for Bucs rookie quarterback Josh Freeman today.

The Saints give up points and yards in bunches, but that penchant for takeaways has been a key factor in their glorious start.

After a long string of disappointing pickups (Randall Gay, Aaron Glenn, Jason David, Kevin Kaesviharn), New Orleans finally found a catalyst for its maligned secondary by signing Sharper from Minnesota.

Some NFL executives believed Sharper was done after eight years in Green Bay and four seasons with the Vikings, but he wasted no time making an impact.

After debuting with two picks against Detroit, Sharper returned an interception 97 yards for a touchdown at Philadelphia in Week 2.

Two weeks later, Sharper raced 99 yards with one of his two interceptions against the Jets.

"I remember seeing Sharper back in his Green Bay days - he's always been a ballhawk," Bucs safety Tanard Jackson said. "He's made a lot of plays in this league and he's still making 'em. They put up a lot of points in New Orleans, but he's a big part of their success this year."

Sharper, 34, is nursing a sore knee but he is expected to start at Raymond James Stadium, where he plans to read Freeman's eyes and add to his career total of 61 interceptions, ninth on the all-time list.

"A guy like Darren Sharper is showing the rest of those guys the way," Bucs coach Raheem Morris said. "He's been greedy in this league for a long time, stealing balls."

If Freeman isn't careful today, Sharper might just steal this game.

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