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| | | | | | | | Thursday, December 14, 2000
Buccaneers outlook: Bucs ball running smoothly
By Alex Laracy
MondayNightFootball.com
The world watched the Tampa Bay Buccaneers drop a yawner to the pre-Bobby Ross defected Detroit Lions back on October 19, leaving the preseason Super Bowl favorites a deplorable 3-4. It left people wondering if Tony Dungy's ultra-conservative offensive system was better suited for one of Tampa's juggernaut high school teams for the Bucs.
|  | | Warrick Dunn has breathed new life into a previously listless Bucs offense. |
High-priced free agent wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson was seeing very little of the damn ball, stud defensive tackle Warren Sapp tried to take over as offensive coordinator, and second-year quarterback Shaun King was playing more like a prince.
Since that Lions defeat, the pewter and gold has shined brighter than ever, winning six of their last seven despite the fact that King's play continues to scream mediocrity, Johnson's averaged only 45 yards receiving per game, and the only thing Sapp has coordinated is his corn rows.
With 15 touchdown passes, 11 interceptions and a 77.0 quarterback rating, King has done just enough to keep the Bucs in each of their contests. His arm strength is suspect, yet his poise in the pocket and refusal to make handfuls of mental mistakes naturally appeals to Dungy, who had the horrid misfortune of watching Trent Dilfer sink the Bucs' ship the last few years. While Dilfer has suddenly become the Second Coming of Johnny Unitas in Baltimore, King has been consistently unspectacular.
Which is why Dungy has turned to "Wee" Warrick Dunn, who has averaged 96 yards a game over the last seven games, after averaging only 40 in the first seven. With Mike Alstott out with a knee injury, the 180-pound scat-back has proven that he is durable enough to carry the ball 20-plus times a game and then leave the field without the use of a stretcher. Dunn hits a hole faster than any back in football, and once he sees daylight, his open field skills remind many of a certain retiree formerly out of Detroit.
Dunn should be even more effective with Alstott's likely return to the lineup for Monday night's matchup with the defending champion St. Louis Rams (ABC, 9 p.m. ET).
While it's clear the Bucs' system isn't exactly tailored for the brash Johnson, the former Jet has not been the same receiver that earned him consecutive trips to Honolulu in 1998-99. His 11.9 yards-per-catch average is the lowest of his five year career, and even his usually dependable hands have been slippery at times (his two fumbles is two more than he had in four seasons with the Jets).
When King does go deep, he generally looks to Jacquez Green instead of Johnson, making one wonder how long No. 19 can tolerate being big play guy number two. Look for King to try and expose an average Rams secondary by going to these two early and often. The camera-happy Johnson is likely eager to make up for his unspectacular performance on MNF in Week 6 (one fumble, several drops).
King, Dunn, Alstott, and Johnson ? All fine players, but you don't have to be Chris Berman to know that the Bucs win with defense. Big, fast, and ball-hawking (34 forced turnovers), Warren's warriors not only kick you in the mouth, they steal your lunch money.
Simply speaking, Sapp is the best defensive player in the game. The 6-foot-2, 300-pounder uses his size and strength to clog up running lanes better than anyone in the business, yet his quickness and tenacity have resulted in a club-record 13.5 sacks (remarkable for an interior lineman), good for fourth in the league.
While many big men are prone to take an occasional play off, Sapp's motor runs for 60 minutes, as does his mouth.
Second-year tackle Anthony McFarland and defensive end Marcus Jones have undoubtedly benefited from the constant double-teaming Sapp demands, yet have performed at a Pro Bowl level themselves nonetheless. Jones' 13 sacks place him right behind Sapp on the list of league leaders, and McFarland's seems to have adopted Sapp's ability to terrorize the quarterback (6.5 sacks) on top of stopping the run.
If not for Sapp, the "best defensive player in the NFL" tag might stick to linebacker Derrick Brooks, whose 130 tackles ranks third in the league. Brooks combines a defensive back's athleticism with outstanding football instincts, resulting in his rarely leaving your TV screen when opposing offenses have the ball.
There isn't a harder hitter in the league than safety John Lynch, who plays as if he has absolutely no regard for his own well-being. Opposite Lynch is free safety Damien Robinson (60 tackles, 5 interceptions), who might join the handful of Tampa defenders in Hawaii come February.
With the Rams' track team of receivers and Kurt Warner back to his old mind-boggling form, no Buccaneer will be tested this Monday night more than cornerbacks Donnie Abraham, Ronde Barber, Brian Kelly and Dexter Jackson. This is an aggressive unit that thirsts for the big play, yet have been prone to getting burnt at times this season. The Rams are simply not the team to gamble with.
The prognosis:
You can call it winning ugly, but the Bucs' grind-it-out-and-rely-on-your-defense style has Dungy and Co. in good shape to make the playoffs. Beating the defending champs on Monday night in front of a national audience would do wonders for Tampa's confidence going into the postseason. Easier said than done, yes. But either way, the collision course of the Bucs' demolition squad defense up against the catch-me-if-you-can Rams might be the best matchup of the century. So far, anyway.
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Coach Tony Dungy was proud the Bucs prevailed against a worthy Miami team.