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?

NFC South tidbits
PANTHERS

Preparing for a rushing Faulk
TAMPA -- Stopping the run is key to winning in the NFL. Stopping Marshall Faulk from running is something only Rams coach Mike Martz has been capable of.

Fry's take: Rams at Bucs
OF NOTE: Forget the Rams' 0-2 record. Just when you think they are vulnerable is when they will turn back into the Greatest Show on Turf. Not that the Bucs would take them lightly anyway. There's too much bad blood here for that. The trash-talking for this one started days ago. The Bucs offense has not had a breakout game, which it will need to beat the Rams. Expect the Rams to ride all-purpose star Marshall Faulk. If the Rams don't have more than one turnover, they get one in the win column.

Why not have a friend for dinner?
Greg Spires, the fifth-year defensive end acquired as a free agent in the offseason, assumed the starting job when Marcus Jones was put on injured reserve for the year. The former Florida State standout shares his thoughts on Saddam Hussein, Mike Tyson, the crucifixion and the Backstreet Boys.

High Profile: Marshall Faulk
THE TOUCHDOWN MACHINE

Chucky's Chalk Talk
ON THE ST. LOUIS RAMS OFFENSE: "It's amazing. I am a fan of the St. Louis Rams and what they have done. They are very creative and very explosive. They have great players at every skilled position. Arguably, (Tory) Holt, Isaac Bruce, Marshall Faulk, quarterback Kurt Warner, solid at tight end and an outstanding left tackle in Orlando Pace. They have continuity. They've had an opportunity to play with one another and that's when you really start to take off. The accumulation of four or five years in the same system is a real dangerous thing and that's what makes them exceptional in my opinion.

And your INT leader? Take a look at linebacker
All the time spent catching balls in practice actually pays off for linebackers. Just look at Pro Bowl player Derrick Brooks. Brooks has an interception in each of the two games, including a 97-yard touchdown return against the Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 15. By comparison, the Bucs secondary had 23 interceptions last season, but has none this season.

Letters
Kenyatta, follow Johnny U's example
Now that he has responded to his benching for non-performance, Kenyatta Walker should take a lesson from Johnny Unitas. Unitas was cut by Pittsburgh and returned to the dust lots of Pennsylvania before he was "discovered" in Baltimore. All he did was play 18 years at the top of his game and work his way into the Hall of Fame. Some consider him the greatest quarterback in history.

Rays
Don't study these Rays too closely
JAYS 12, RAYS 6: 102nd loss a lot like rest in final Trop home game for several.

Soreness may end rookie's season
ST. PETERSBURG -- Dewon Brazelton's late-season stint in the Rays rotation might already be over.

Up next: Rays at Yankees
SCOUTING REPORT: Saturday, the Yankees clinched their fifth consecutive AL East title. But they still have something to play for: New York, Oakland and Anaheim are battling for the AL's best record, which would secure homefield advantage in the League Championship Series.

Lightning
Pratt hopes for good health
BRANDON -- Defenseman Nolan Pratt was making strides last season, impressing coaches and moving up the depth chart, when his progress was stymied by two bad breaks.

Prospect watch
PLAYER: Aaron Lobb.

College football
Zook, UF players say they saw win coming
Gators cite steady, continued improvement as the primary reason for their head-turning victory.

College football: Alabama loses senior RB for season
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Alabama's leading rusher, Ahmaad Galloway, will miss the rest of the season after tearing ligaments in his left knee against Southern Mississippi on Saturday.

Bowden still frets his defense
TALLAHASSEE -- Saturday's 48-17 win against Duke did little to assuage Florida State coach Bobby Bowden's concerns about his defense.

'Canes are engaging, yet are hard to gauge
CORAL GABLES -- Once again, top-ranked Miami won by a big margin. But the Hurricanes' 38-6 victory against Boston College on Saturday at the Orange Bowl felt closer.

Motorsports
Johnson holds off Martin for sweep
Ties Tony Stewart for most rookie wins (3), two coming at Dover.

Dixon tops Schumacher for 8th Top Fuel victory
MILLINGTON, Tenn. -- Larry Dixon raced to his eighth Top Fuel victory of the season Sunday, taking the O'Reilly Mid-South Nationals at Memphis Motorsports Park.

Troubles plague Newman
DOVER, Del. -- Though Jimmie Johnson got to celebrate a record-tying victory Sunday at Dover International Speedway, fellow rookie Ryan Newman probably had a more eventful afternoon.

Golf
Conquering Choi
The South Korean leads every round at tough Copperhead course for 7-shot win.

Americans bring Cup back home
The U.S. team rallies from two matches down to beat Europe in the Solheim Cup.

Classic may face fewer challenges
PALM HARBOR -- This Tampa Bay Classic was one for diehards.

Tryon makes status 'official'
PALM HARBOR -- Ty Tryon earned a spot on the PGA Tour by successfully advancing out of qualifying school, then was deemed an "official" member in June after turning 18.

NHL
Detroit player okay after heart exam
DETROIT -- Red Wings defenseman Jiri Fischer returned to practice after missing two days of training camp to have his heart examined.

Shorts
Sports briefs
France eliminates U.S. in Davis Cup semifinals

Baseball
AL: Dye blasts help A's pad lead in West
OAKLAND, Calif. -- After Jermaine Dye's two home runs, David Justice told his teammate to make sure he keeps swinging that way for another month.

No happy ending for Reds park
CINCINNATI -- Rose and Morgan, Bench and Perez, Seaver and Browning, the Nasty Boys and the Big Red Machine.

NL: Rockies keep D'backs stalled
DENVER -- Three straight losses have the Diamondbacks looking over their shoulders.

Detroit gives fond sendoff to Hall of Fame voice
DETROIT -- Ernie Harwell said he only wanted to do his job, but he has meant far more to several generations of Tigers fans.

NFL
Brooks, Saints continue fireworks on offense
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The Saints wouldn't go away Sunday, even when it appeared they would be blown out.

Panthers keep up turnaround
MINNEAPOLIS -- It's hard to tell how good Carolina is this early, but the Panthers are not surprised with their successful start.

Falcons cruise to victory, leave visiting Bengals winless
ATLANTA -- The Falcons didn't have to worry about losing another one at the end. The Bengals were out of it by halftime.

NFL notes: Emmitt Smith rushes into another mark
PHILADELPHIA -- Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith broke Walter Payton's league record for career rushing attempts in the second quarter Sunday in a 44-13 loss to the Eagles.

Niners get well vs. Redskins
SAN FRANCISCO -- In the 48 hours before Sunday's game, a stomach virus infected nearly a third of the 49ers. Sparsely attended team meetings were cut short and some players wore surgical masks to avoid the bug.

Patriots pull out another one on Vinatieri FG in OT
FOXBORO, Mass. -- The Patriots won't dominate every opponent. That's when they turn to Adam Vinatieri.

NFL roundup
Giants 9, Seahawks 6

Williams, Dolphins end 8-game skid vs. Jets
MIAMI -- Now that the Jets jinx has been vanquished, the Dolphins can focus on a different streak: three consecutive wins to open the season.

Outdoors
Daily fishing report
Inshore grouper fishing is starting to heat up. Areas that held small gags are producing some big fish.