The free safety, who as a CB got his first INT last year at Georgia Dome, has two more INTs and three passes defensed.
By ROGER MILLS
Published September 22, 2003
ATLANTA - Is it that cool, smooth, crystal-clear Georgia water? Or those succulent peaches? Or maybe it's just the struggling Falcons offense.
Whatever it is, Bucs safety Dwight Smith could feast on it all day.
Last season, in his first pro game at the Georgia Dome, Smith had his first interception, finishing with two. In Sunday's win over the Falcons, Smith was at it again, with two more interceptions, his first of the season, and three passes defensed.
"I told (my teammates) that we need to play all our road games in the Georgia Dome," Smith said.
That's not going to happen, but what appears to be happening for the Bucs is a steady maturing of Smith, the third-year defensive back who moved from corner to free safety this offseason.
"When you switch position, it's a transition process and you can only get better with snaps," defensive backs coach Mike Tomlin said. "He's doing that and he has a ways to go. But, he's making splash plays that we envisioned him making."
Smith, drafted out of Akron as a cornerback in the third round, emerged last year as a ball magnet. He made plays. And then returned two interceptions for touchdowns in the Super Bowl. So, after free safety Dexter Jackson left for the Cardinals, the Bucs opted to keep Smith's playmaking skills on the field by moving him inside.
"At first, it was gosh, you hate to move him from corner because it's so valuable to have three corners," veteran safety John Lynch said. "But, the emergence of (nickel back) Tim Wansley has eased that.
"But it was a circumstance where we had to get him on the field because he makes too many plays not to have him on the field all the time. That was the spot that was open."
At first, Smith admitted that the move to safety was challenging. In his first game, against the Eagles, Smith said he made mistakes and had to quicken his reaction time.
In last week's 12-9 loss to the Panthers, Smith was much improved, making a critical tip on a sure touchdown pass in the first quarter.
Sunday, he was all around the ball, on the ground and in the air.
"It's exactly what I said," Smith said. "I'm trying to get better every week, and that's all I can do. It just so happens that today, I made a few plays. ... It's a comfort level. You know that you know. And you know that you know that you know. I'm supposed to be here, and that's right.
"It's about me knowing that I'm supposed to be in a position and getting there."
What the Bucs have asked is no easy task.
"This week, we talked a lot about the fact that at corner, you know who you've got, you know where you're going to line up," Lynch said. "But at safety, you have to watch close calls, you can line up on any side.
"The amount of information that's going through your head is amazing."
Tomlin said the Bucs were intrigued by Smith's ability to grab the ball out of the air but cautioned him not to think too much about the big play.
"To his credit, he's staying focused on the fundamentals," Tomlin said. "Splash plays are going to happen. Don't go out there and try to create them, you play sound technique football and good things happen. To his credit, he's been patient. Corner was his comfort zone. Where he could be aggressive and make big plays.
"At times at safety though, you have to be patient and be that last line of defense. He has been that and (Sunday) it turned out well for him and us. Hopefully, it'll keep him there believing.
