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Defense outshines one of the best

The Bucs allow 90 rushing yards and force key interceptions.

[Times photo: John Pendygraft] Bucs linebacker Nate Webster shoves Ravens tight end Todd Heap out of the end zone as Heap misses Elvis Grbac's high pass in the fourth quarter.

By ROGER MILLS, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published December 30, 2001

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TAMPA -- About 11 months ago in Tampa, the Ravens won the Super Bowl with what many believe was one of the best defenses in history.

Meanwhile, the Bucs defense sat at home, watched and felt the pain. After all, defense was Tampa Bay's claim to fame.

So Saturday, against those same Ravens, the Bucs defense brought some attitude ... and a ton of pride.

For most of the game, it hammered Baltimore quarterback Elvis Grbac. It sacked him five times, twice by free safety Dexter Jackson.

It intercepted two passes and could have had two more. It shut down the run, holding Baltimore to 90 yards on 26 carries.

"It was a pretty good effort," defensive tackle Anthony McFarland said. "We wanted to go out and be the best on the field. It's something we wanted to do."

As usual, the defensive performance began up front, where ends Simeon Rice and Steve White and tackle Warren Sapp routinely harassed Grbac. "You can't take anything away from that defense," Rice said. "(Saturday), they were good. We were just better. It's an unspoken rule. The best has got to shine."

Baltimore took a 7-3 lead and had a chance to add to it early in the second quarter. But Rice sacked Grbac for a 12-yard loss, forcing the Ravens to punt from their 18.

That, coupled with a penalty for interfering with punt returner Karl Williams, gave the Bucs the ball on Baltimore's 36. Tampa Bay turned that into a 38-yard Doug Brien field goal.

The Bucs linebackers and secondary were equally impressive.

Cornerback Ronde Barber intercepted his 10th pass of the season on Grbac's fourth throw. Barber set a franchise record and now leads the NFL.

But linebacker Derrick Brooks' big play made the difference. With the Bucs leading 9-7 midway through the second quarter, Brooks intercepted Grbac on Tampa Bay's 46 and returned it 53 yards before being knocked out of bounds at the 1. Brad Johnson's 1-yard sneak two plays later gave the Bucs a 16-7 lead.

"Next time, I'll dive and get the ball in," Brooks said. "We had to make a statement. We had to come out and play our best defense."

"It was a big play," Bucs coach Tony Dungy said. "You know it is going to be a tight game, and you are going to need big plays. That changed the field position, and we got a score and went up nine points."

The Bucs added another defensive stand early in the fourth quarter. Baltimore put together an eight-play, 64-yard drive and had a first and goal at the Bucs 2.

But the Bucs twice stopped running back Terry Allen. And after a false start penalty, Grbac's pass for tight end Todd Heap sailed out of the end zone. Baltimore settled for a 24-yard Matt Stover field goal.

"In my opinion, those were the plays of the game," Brooks said. "They got some plays on us in the drive. But for three straight plays, we came out with our backs against the wall and made them kick a field goal."

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