Head games
Jon Gruden is constantly thinking of ways to motivate his team. But when it's Walker vs. Peppers, Bucs vs. Panthers and the NFC South lead on the line it's the one thing he doesn't need
By RICK STROUD
Published December 11, 2005
Jon Gruden watches the film in disbelief as Kenyatta Walker comes out of his stance before the snap, sending penalty flags skyward. Across from the Bucs right tackle is his biggest antagonist, Carolina Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers.
The two have a long history of bad blood, and Peppers wins most of the battles. Walker always has been a bit of a head case, and as the tape rolls from the Nov. 6 game he begins to snap. It happens again. Five yards for illegal procedure. Then again. Three times in five snaps Walker flinches before firing his helmet across the bench when the Bucs are forced to punt.
The Panthers (9-3) have won the past five meetings, and Gruden knows he has to use all his powers of persuasion before today's showdown in Charlotte.
It starts with Walker, who is not going to keep Peppers off his quarterback with a mental block.
Gruden ponders his approach. Rip into Walker with a profanity-laced tirade? Leave something in his locker that would question his manhood? Call Dr. Phil? He decides not to ignite Walker's emotions.
"How about just swimming around in 2 feet of water?" Gruden said. "The deeper the water you get into, the more trouble you get in. Stay very shallow. Those other outings are over. We've got one game coming up here. It's one snap at a time. Exercise discipline and exercise your fundamentals and do it with a relaxed poise about you. And use your athleticism and your technique and your training against his. We realize he's great, and we need you to play great.
"So how about staying in the shallow water, not get real deep and philosophical. Don't try to replay the short-yardage play when he penetrated and got an impact play. What's that going to do for you?"
Before Gruden can map out a game plan each week, he has to win the mind game.
He does this in a variety of ways, in a group or individual setting.
It can be a poke in the ribs and a subtle reminder in the lunch line or an Oscar-caliber film presentation, images of pit bulls and piranhas or a slain civil rights leader Gruden has spliced together. Before the Sept. 25 victory against the Packers at Lambeau Field, in a state where the Bucs hadn't won in 16 years, he posted "1989" signs around the locker room. Classic NFL films are frequently used.
In Gruden's mind, maybe Johnny Unitas can unite us. Every week is a trip to the psychiatrist's couch or a hunt through a video archive.
"I think the excellence is in the unexpected approach that he uses," offensive line coach Bill Muir said. "It's never the same. Just like last week. Now where he got it, I have no idea. But he pulled out an NFL picture of Joey Galloway when he played for the Seattle Seahawks. That's nine years ago. Leaning against a wall. Obviously, he's just caught a touchdown or made a big play. And Jon makes the statement, "Well, you haven't done much in the last seven years.' And here he is. Where did he find the damn thing?
"And he's really big on visual presentation. I know a lot of coaches who are motivators in a Dale Carnegie fashion. Speeches and that fire and brimstone stuff, that's okay. But it don't work every day. I mean, this is a long season. And I think one of the challenges for a head coach is to speak to his team several times a day from July until the season is over. A lot of times you lose that essence of communication. And I think he maintains it because of his varied approaches. It's different."
Sometimes the idea doesn't hit Gruden until Friday night. In fact, needing an upset today to tie for the NFC South lead, Gruden seems to be all business.
"I try not to publicly go about that," Gruden said. "We realize this is a big game for more reasons than they beat us five times in a row. We just kind of privately motivate our guys the best way we can. Sometimes, maybe, we're a little more creative than others. The bottom line is if you're a football player and you can't get up for this one, God help you."
Six of the 10 Bucs-Panthers games have been decided by a touchdown or less, including four by a field goal. But the past two have been lopsided losses for the Bucs: 34-14 and 37-20. "I don't remember that. I really don't. We're coming off a big win. I don't give a damn about the five games (we lost to Carolina)," Gruden said. "It was 12 games in a row we lost to Green Bay. And I don't know if we ever won in the Metrodome. I mean, we've had so many negative losing streaks around here, if I had a dime for all of them, I wouldn't be here today, I promise you that.
"We're going to play this game like it's the first time we've ever met, and we'll see what happens."
When punter Josh Bidwell was a Packer, quarterback Brett Favre had a history of playing poorly indoors, particularly in the Metrodome, where Green Bay rarely won.
"That's really what was being said the entire week," Bidwell said. "But what you tell people is, "Listen, start a new trend. Let's put five on them these next three years.' And it can happen. I think when you constantly assure, look, we've lost to some awful teams and we've beaten some really good teams, anything can happen. You go in there, you get a spark early and that's it. You ride that through the whole game. I think when coaches instill that in players, it really sticks."
Before last weekend's game at New Orleans, Gruden poked Ronde Barber in the ribs and asked if the Bucs cornerback could make an interception. Barber responded with three.
"He talked two weeks ago about your commitment and your sacrifice to the game. It's a simple message, but when you think about it, you've got four weeks to sell out," linebacker Ryan Nece said of the final month. "You've got four weeks to commit yourself to get to a point in the season that we all aspired to a long time ago. And the way he conveyed that message, he just got my juices going. It was powerful, and I thought, "I've got four weeks. I've got four weeks to give you.' "
If the Bucs (8-4) lose today, they can pretty much kiss the division title goodbye. Chances are, they'd have to beat Atlanta (7-5) on Christmas Eve and the Saints (3-9) Jan. 1 to earn a wild card.
That's why so much effort was spent last week on Walker's head and the team's heart.
Even Muir has taken an inventive approach.
"I think at this point in time, you just state the obvious," Muir said. "Again, this is the last year of your contract and what you want to put on film is a good game against arguably the best defensive end in the National Football League.
"Okay, if you play well against him, who are you? Chopped liver? Now all of a sudden, that's your resume. Let your agent take that around the league. If that doesn't motivate you, I don't know what will."