High profile: Shelton Quarles

Smooth transition

In his sixth season out of Vanderbilt, Quarles moved to middle linebacker in the offseason (after Jamie Duncan left via free agency) and has been one of the defense's key performers. There was even talk in the summer of a fight for his job with Nate Webster, but that quickly dissipated after the games began.

A big smash

The numbers don't lie. Quarles finished second on the team in tackles with 159 (behind only NFL Defensive Player of the Year Derrick Brooks with 170) and had surpassed his career high (77) by the eighth weekend of the season. He had a career-high 18 tackles against Carolina in November and a career high with two interceptions.

Here, there, everywhere

Playing next to Brooks, it's easy to overlook Quarles. But in Sunday's NFC Championship Game, he was hard to miss. Quarles finished with six tackles, one behind the team leaders (after leading the Bucs with eight tackles the week before against the 49ers), and added a pass defensed. He was often responsible for covering the Eagles tight end on pass plays and several times was 30-40 yards downfield on coverage.

Quarterback of defense

As middle linebacker, Quarles is in essence the quarterback of the defense, a role he enjoys. "I might not be a household name," he said at Tuesday's Super Bowl media day, "but my thing is allowing other guys to play well. If I get (John) Lynch to play well, get (Warren) Sapp and (Derrick) Brooks and the other guys to play well, as long as I've got them going in the right direction when I'm out there, that's all that counts."