A question for the Bucs defense

Which one is going to show up: the weak one humbled by the Saints or the mighty one that shut out the Ravens?

By RICK STROUD, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published September 23, 2002

TAMPA -- Warren Sapp is the answer man in the Bucs locker room. He'll pontificate on anything, from the path of Isidore to the destination of the other Hurricane season.

But when the subject turned to tonight's Rams-Bucs game, it was Sapp who supplied the questions.

"It's not going to be asked what Rams team is going to show up. It's which Buc defense is going to show up?" he said.

"The one that gave up 20 points to the Saints? Or the one that gave up no points to the Ravens? Which one is going to show up? The one that gave up 11 points (to the Rams) in the championship game? Or the one that gave up 35 points? Which one is going to show up? That's the question that's going to be asked. You've just got to read between the lines."

When it comes to playing the Rams, the Bucs defense takes fans on an elevator ride.

But credit Tampa Bay for starting one of the NFL's most entertaining rivalries when the Bucs held the Greatest Show on Turf to 11 points Jan. 23, 2000, in the NFC Championship Game.

The Rams defeated Tennessee in Super Bowl XXXIV, but born out of that '99 postseason was an anticipated matchup that will appear tonight on ABC's Monday Night Football for the third straight year.

"It's a game that everybody's pointing to because the first time we met them, we didn't have a shot," Sapp said. "We were 14-point dogs that was supposed to be run out of the building. Then they got into a 6-5 rope-a-dope and make a play. It's just been one of those classic best offense versus the best defense. Here we go again."

Defense has not always dominated the recent series. The Bucs have won the past two, 38-35 in Tampa and 24-17 last season in St. Louis. Both games were sealed on the final drive by John Lynch interceptions.

"It's all the amazing plays that make it great," Bucs cornerback Ronde Barber said. "The toss to Warrick (Dunn), the toss to (Shaun) King, the first down on the drive that wins the football game (in 2000) for us. The play in the corner of the end zone that wins the NFC Championship Game. You've got to be able to go out there and make big plays."

For the Bucs to beat the Rams, those plays have to come from the defense. And Sapp has reason to question which defense will show up. In the 26-20 overtime loss to New Orleans in the season opener, Tampa Bay failed to pressure quarterback Aaron Brooks and allowed the Saints to convert 10 third downs.

But Sept. 15 at Baltimore, the defense pitched only the fifth shutout in club history.

"I would like to think our real defense is the one that showed up in Baltimore," Lynch said. "Now, are we going to shut out the Rams? We'd like to, but that's highly unlikely. Having a good day against the Rams is different than your standard good day. You just want to keep them out of the end zone and things of that nature. This week is a little different, I think. If we get a win, we're going to be happy."

While the Rams are 0-2 and Tampa Bay is coming off a shutout, the Bucs are not thumping their chests. The defense has just two turnovers this season: interceptions by linebacker Derrick Brooks. A botched handoff by Ravens quarterback Chris Redman resulted in a safety.

"It's a fair question. Week 1 we were definitely not on it, especially in that first half," Barber said. "They started by making like 90 percent of their third downs. The good thing was we came back, and I think from that second half on we played pretty much our type of defense."

Coach Jon Gruden, who is new to the series, has his own problems on offense. The Bucs did not score an offensive touchdown Sept. 15 and the running game is averaging 2.9 yards. So he's relying on defense to keep the Rams close.

"I have no doubt about what defense is going to show up," Gruden said. "If you look at those games carefully, the last three, turnovers have had a lot to do with the points that have been scored. It might've been a high-scoring game, but you look at how those points were scored and it's turnovers, the kicking game had a lot to do with it. It wasn't sustained 80-yard drives and 600 yards of offense. They're very misleading numbers."

Riding a two-game win streak over St. Louis, the Bucs believe they have the Rams' number. The defense doesn't just mean to show up, it plans to show off.

"No doubt about it. We know this is our game, it's about us," Barber said. "And we're going to prove it."