Barber still on the ball at his corner

Defensive back following his Pro Bowl season in 2001 with a solid start for 1-1 Bucs.

By ROGER MILLS, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published September 18, 2002

TAMPA -- It is that place where the basket seems 5 feet wide, where the curveball doesn't curve and the fastball looks like a grapefruit.

That place is called "The Zone," and Bucs cornerback Ronde Barber is in the middle of it.

Two games into his sixth season with the Bucs, Barber is close to perfecting his role as the team's shut-down corner.

It is not bad timing, considering the Rams and their dazzling corps of receivers visit Raymond James Stadium on Monday.

"No question, everyone knows the Rams reputation and the receivers they bring," defensive backs coach Mike Tomlin said. "That is good timing for Ronde. But the thing about it is that we have to worry about what we do. If we don't play our 'A' game we're not going to be in a good situation (no matter how well Ronde is playing)."

Barber, however, is playing extremely well.

"I'm seeing the ball, and I've been working on that all the time," said Barber, 27, who led the Bucs with six passes deflected against the Ravens and has eight this season. "You have to be in the position to make the plays, and that's more important than making the plays sometimes. I pride myself on being in position a lot and it showed up (Sunday)."

It's been showing up virtually every Sunday since the start of last season, one in which the former third-round pick from Virginia led the NFL with a team-record 10 interceptions.

To no surprise to his teammates and coaches, the momentum carried over to this season. In the opener against the Saints, when the Bucs defense was struggling to make plays, Barber still was functioning at the Pro Bowl level he enjoyed in 2001. He finished the opener with five tackles and two passes defensed. In week two, he was at it again, deflecting passes and making tackles.

"It would be tough, really tough, to (find someone playing better than him right now)," Tomlin said. "But you know what, he's not so much hot right now as much as that's just his game. Last year was an incredible year, but I believe that his game was on all along. It jumps right out, he's controlling his body, he's making his reads, he's concentrating and competing and has been doing that for a while."

Coach Jon Gruden, who has been around a few decent cornerbacks in his time, like Oakland's Charles Woodson and Eric Allen, said he sees something special in Barber's play.

"I usually don't compare players, but this guy is a really good player," Gruden said. "He's a collision player, not a drag-down corner. He's a knock-down corner and he can tackle firmly."

Linebacker Derrick Brooks said Barber's current form is a product of an overall defensive commitment to perfection.

"To be honest with you, no one has played that perfect game," Brooks said. "Once we think we can't get better we're setting ourselves up for failure. But he is playing extremely well. Ronde, right now, is making huge plays when the opportunity presents itself. It's not a lucky thing because the guy goes out there and works and works. It's that way for all of us."

Barber agrees there are things to work on. Sure, there are times when he may not have made the perfect read, times when he could have held onto the ball and times when he could have been a step quicker on the blitz.

But on a team loaded with marquee names and a strong supporting cast, no one is playing better. And no one seems to be contributing more.

It was a nasty block by Barber that sprung Karl Williams for his 56-yard punt return for a touchdown.

"The plays he makes in the kicking game are unbelievable," Gruden said. "A tremendous effort."

The intriguing question is what drives the 5-foot-10, 184-pounder? Tomlin's theory is that Barber is inspired because of his size. Barber is not only small, but smaller than his twin brother Tiki, a 200-pound running back for the Giants.

"There's no probable to it, he definitely has a Napoleonic complex," Tomlin said. "We rip him about it every time we get a chance, and he never backs down from it either. Ronde knows he's small, so he wants to be the most dominant player on the field, regardless of whether it's offense or defense."

Added Barber: "I'm a disciplined player, and I'm coached well. Every year is special for me. The opportunity to play this game, a game I love and to have a lot of fun doing it, that makes it special. If that's what's making me a good player, I'm going to keep doing it. You only get better or worse, and I'm not trying to get worse."