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Todd McShay has his latest mock draft out and it includes some major changes from what he’s had in the past for the NFC South.

This draft goes seven rounds deep and McShay has help from Steve Meunch and Kevin Weidl. But we’ll just focus on the first round here and that means we’re talking about the Bucs and Panthers, the only two division teams with first-round picks.

It long has been thought that Tampa Bay’s choice at No. 5 would come down to LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne and Alabama running back Trent Richardson. But McShay is buying into growing speculation that Minnesota is going to throw off the direction many saw this draft going. McShay now has the Vikings taking Claiborne at No. 3. He follows that up by giving Richardson to Cleveland at No. 4.

Then he goes in a direction that many suddenly seem to be headed. He has Tampa Bay taking Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly at No. 5. I don’t have a big problem with that scenario, assuming new coach Greg Schiano’s defense is ready to put increased emphasis on the middle linebacker position. Back in the Cover 2 days, middle linebacker wasn’t all that important and the Bucs relied on outside linebacker Derrick Brooks to make the big plays.

If the Bucs want a strong presence and are willing to make a significant investment on middle linebacker, then go with Kuechly. He’s viewed as a can’t-miss prospect with no real questions on or off the field. (That in itself would be a departure from the approach Tampa Bay took with some picks in the past.)

But, I also see some other scenarios for the Bucs if Claiborne and Richardson are gone. They probably could trade down a few picks and still get Kuechly and they also would add a pick or two.

Even if the Bucs stay put, I’m not certain Kuechly really is the guy they would take. They at least would have to consider Southern California offensive tackle Matt Kalil or Oklahoma State receiver Justin Blackmon. Neither plays a position where the Bucs have a huge need, but they might be hard to pass up. Kalil is viewed as the kind of guy who can be an elite left tackle for a decade.

The Bucs are pretty well set on the offensive line. The interior is very strong and left tackle Donald Penn is above average. Right tackle Jeremy Trueblood is a bit of a question mark. The Bucs could take Kalil and start him off on the right side and eventually have him switch spots with Penn. Or the Bucs could take Kalil and switch Penn, who has a history of getting off to fast starts and then not playing as well down the stretch, to the right side. That could give them one of the league’s best offensive lines and it’s become clear one of Schiano’s priorities is to structure this team to help quarterback Josh Freeman.

Speaking of helping Freeman, Blackmon also could do that. I know the Bucs just signed Vincent Jackson and they have a bunch of young guys with potential. But Mike Williams and Arrelious Benn haven’t really shown they are big-time players. The Bucs already have given Freeman one big playmaker in Jackson. They could give him two if they take Blackmon.

McShay also departs from previous conventional wisdom by selecting South Carolina cornerback Stephon Gilmore for Carolina at No. 9. There are rumblings that Gilmore is a player on the rise. He’s also a local kid. He grew up just over the South Carolina border in what qualifies as a suburb of Charlotte. Cornerback is certainly a need and owner Jerry Richardson likes to bring in players from the Carolinas. I can see this one happening. But there’s another local guy who could be in the mix. That’s North Carolina defensive end Quinton Coples. General manager Marty Hurney and coach Ron Rivera drove up to Chapel Hill for a meeting with Coples on Monday and I don’t think they would have made that trip if they weren’t seriously considering him.

Let’s take a moment to weigh in on one NFC South item that doesn’t deserve to get lost in the shuffle of the New Orleans Saints punishment for their bounty program.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have announced that they’ve agreed to contract terms with veteran cornerback Ronde Barber on a one-year deal that means Barber will play his 16th season with the team.

This is significant on several levels. First off, even though he'll be 37 next month, Barber still can play. He weighed retirement, but the Bucs wanted him back, mainly because they need him. Although they did sign free-agent cornerback Eric Wright, there’s uncertainty elsewhere at the position. Starter Aqib Talib has an April trial in Texas on an assault charge. Talib could face prison time or a suspension by the NFL. With Barber and Wright, the Bucs are guaranteed of having two quality corners. They also have some young corners and could add more in the draft.

So there’s some stability at the position, but more importantly, Barber’s return assures some stability in the locker room. Although Barber isn’t known as a classic vocal leader, he’s a good guy to have in the locker room. He conducts himself very professionally and it’s likely some of that will rub off on some of the young players and help them develop into leaders.

Finally, I think this move is significant for coach Greg Schiano as he adjusts to the NFL. He's got a veteran guy that's been to Pro Bowls and that's nice to have around. This is a better start to the Schiano era than the start predecessor Raheem Morris got off to in 2009. Soon after being named the coach, Morris and the Bucs parted ways with iconic linebacker Derrick Brooks and that created a huge leadership void in the locker room.

At least as of Tuesday, there has been no decision on the future of veteran cornerback Ronde Barber with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Barber, who can become a free agent, previously said he hadn’t reached any decision. As defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan spoke to the media Tuesday, he said most personnel decisions won’t be made until after the coaches and front-office staff return next week from the scouting combine.

“I haven’t hardly reached out to any of the guys other than some of the guys I’ve bumped into at the facility here the last couple of days,’’ Sheridan said. “Right now, we’re concentrating on getting ready for the combine coming up. When we come back free agency will be a priority. At that time, I know [general manager] Mark [Dominik] and [coach] Greg [Schiano] and I will start talking about defensive needs and our current roster and where the needs are and how we’ll address free agency. But a lot of that stuff has not been talked about in the short time that I’ve been here. Our biggest sense of urgency now is to get ready to go down to Indianapolis and try to make the best use of the four or five days while we’re in town there to evaluate the draft prospects.’’

But it’s likely the Bucs will need to know Barber’s future soon after the combine. The decision on that isn’t entirely up to the Bucs. Barber, who will turn 37 in April, could elect to retire. If Barber wants to continue playing, the Bucs face a complicated decision.

Barber is an icon in Tampa Bay and the last real link to the Super Bowl team. The Bucs haven’t always handled endings well and didn’t score many points with their fans when they released linebacker Derrick Brooks in 2009. But, even though the Bucs are building with youth, it’s possible they could make an exception and re-sign Barber. Aqib Talib, the other starting cornerback from last season, is facing a March trial on an assault charge. Talib faces the possibility of prison time and discipline by the NFL. The Bucs might want to keep Barber around to help them through the transition.

One of the first things first-year law students are told is to look to their left, their right and at themselves. Then, they hear how at least one of the three of them won’t be there the following year. It’s the start of the weeding-out process.

The NFC South is about to go through one of its own. Give me your list of the 15 biggest names in the NFC South. Thanks, I’ve got them and I think we’ve got a pretty good consensus.

Now, I’ll tell you why a third of those names could be gone by the time the league year starts in mid-March. It happens every year in every division and it’s usually due to age, injury and salary-cap situations.

But 2012 could be the year of the facelift in the NFC South. More than usual, the faces and the names that are on the bubble are especially prominent. Let’s take a look at five big NFC South names that could be gone from their teams in the next month:

John Abraham, Falcons. He’ll turn 34 in May, which is ancient for a pass-rusher. There were signs in 2011 that Abraham was slowing down, after putting up an impressive 13 sacks in 2010. The numbers may not look terrible on the surface because Abraham did finish last season with 9.5 sacks.

But let’s put that in perspective and remember that 3.5 of those came in a game against a very bad Jacksonville team. That’s like counting home runs from batting practice. Without the Jacksonville game, Abraham had six sacks. I don’t want to hear the argument that every down year in Abraham’s career has been followed by an up one.

When a defensive end reaches 33 or 34, you generally see him trending in only one direction and that’s down. Abraham’s had a very nice run with the Falcons, but they invested a lot of money in Ray Edwards to play opposite him last year. Edwards didn’t light it up, so the Falcons may have to invest more money or draft picks in defensive ends this year.

Abraham’s also an unrestricted free agent. Could the Falcons bring him back at a reasonable rate for one more year and use him as a pass-rush specialist? Sure, it’s possible. But, with Mike Nolan taking over as Atlanta’s defensive coordinator, it might be a good time to find a new face of the Falcons’ pass rush.

Will Smith, Saints. For a long time, Abraham and Smith have been viewed as the NFC South’s top two pass-rushers. But it’s possible they’ll both be gone. Smith’s situation is slightly different than Abraham’s.

To start with, Smith remains under contract, which is precisely the reason he’s even in this discussion. Smith is scheduled to count $10.15 million against the 2012 salary cap. That’s an issue for a team that’s trying to figure out how to keep free-agent quarterback Drew Brees, guard Carl Nicks and receiver Marques Colston.

Let’s do the math real quick here. The Saints could save a $1 million roster bonus if they cut Smith before the 15^th day of the league year. If they did release Smith, the Saints would only be on the hook for $4 million against the salary cap. In other words, they could free up $6.15 million in salary-cap space.

Throw in the fact that Smith will turn 31 in July and produced only 6.5 sacks in 2011 and I think you can see the Saints have to at least consider this possibility. But there also are some things weighing in Smith’s favor. It’s not like the Saints have another dominant pass-rusher (safety Roman Harper led the team with 7.5 sacks last season) and new defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo likes his pass rush to come almost exclusively from the front four. That could weigh in Smith’s favor. But, if Smith really wants to shift the scales and make sure he stays in New Orleans this year, he might be willing to restructure his contract to make it more cap friendly.

Jonathan Vilma, Saints. I can hear the screams coming from fans already. Vilma’s not Brees, but he’s close to being an icon and he should be because he’s had a great run.

But let’s face the reality. Can anyone honestly say they saw greatness in Vilma this past season? He looked a step slow before and after the knee surgery that forced him to miss five games. Vilma will turn 30 in April. Anytime you’re talking about a linebacker whose game is based largely on speed, knee surgery and 30th birthdays are not good signs.

As I pointed out on Smith, economics are a big deal for the Saints. Vilma is scheduled to count $7.6 million against this year’s cap. If the Saints release him, they instantly free up $5.2 million in cap space.

Thomas Davis, Panthers. We’re purely making educated guesses on Vilma, Smith, Abraham and the final guy on the list. But Davis’ departure from Carolina is more than an educated guess. Sadly, it’s a foregone conclusion.

The Panthers took a shot on Davis last summer when they signed him to a big contract extension after he had come back from two torn ACLs. Then, he went out and suffered the same injury for the third time early last season. That’s why the Panthers basically included an “out clause’’ when they gave Davis the new contract.

His deal calls for an $8 million option bonus on the second day of the league year. That’s not going to happen. The Panthers will release Davis because it’s the only move that makes economic sense. But he is well-liked by ownership, the front office and coaches, so it’s not impossible to see Davis ending up back with the Panthers at a much lower salary if he can’t land a nice deal somewhere else.

Ronde Barber, Buccaneers. You’d like to say that Barber has earned the right to end his career as a Buccaneer whenever and however he wants to. But this isn’t a perfect world. Yes, it is possible Barber could simply decide to retire. It’s also possible he may want to continue playing and new coach Greg Schiano could want to keep him as an elder statesman. In that scenario the Bucs simply could hand Barber another $4 million contract like they did in 2011.

But it’s also possible Barber may want to continue playing and the Bucs don’t feel they need to keep a cornerback who will turn 37 in April. That’s where this one could get sticky.

The Bucs looked terribly cruel when they sent Derrick Brooks packing in 2009. This situation isn’t quite the same because Barber’s no longer under contract and maybe he makes it easy on the Bucs and simply retires.

But Aqib Talib, the other starting cornerback, is facing trial on an assault charge in Texas in March. There’s no guarantee Talib will be with the Bucs next season and it’s not like the team has a ton of other talented cornerbacks.

This might be one situation where the Bucs might be wise to ignore the youth movement they’re following everywhere else and bring back the one guy they know they can count on -- if he wants to keep playing.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Thirteen modern-era NFL players were finalists for enshrinement Saturday in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Only one was named offensive or defensive player of the year during his career.

That was the Seattle Seahawks' Cortez Kennedy. His eight Pro Bowls, all-1990s selection and overall dominance made my job as his presenter quite simple. State the facts and let Kennedy's career do the talking. Picking the final five out of 15 modern-era finalists is always tough, however, because it usually requires leaving off worthy candidates.

The 43 other selectors and I met for more than seven hours before identifying Kennedy, Chris Doleman, Dermontti Dawson, Curtis Martin and Willie Roaf as the class of 2012. Jack Butler made it as a seniors candidate.

A few thoughts on the process and the results:

• This class made it through at a good time. Larry Allen, Michael Strahan, Jonathan Ogden, Warren Sapp, Bryant Young, John Lynch and Steve McNair become eligible for the first time in 2013. Shaun Alexander, Derrick Brooks, Marvin Harrison, Rodney Harrison, Tony Dungy and Mike Holmgren join the list in 2014. Isaac Bruce, Edgerrin James, Walter Jones, Junior Seau, Chris Samuels, Kurt Warner, Ty Law and Orlando Pace are among those eligible beginning in 2015.
• Former St. Louis Rams
  and Arizona Cardinals
  cornerback Aeneas Williams should feel great about cracking the final 10 in his first year as a finalist. Williams had 55 career interceptions and scored nine touchdowns. He was a big-time playmaker for bad and good teams alike.
• The situation at receiver remains a mess and it's not going to get easier with Harrison becoming eligible in a couple years. Voters are having a tough time deciding between Cris Carter and Andre Reed. Both made the final 10 this year. Reed made the final 10 last year as well. Having both crack the final 10 this year made it harder for one of them to break through. Voters were more likely to choose one wideout when forced to pick only five players.
• Former San Francisco 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr. did not make the reduction from 15 to 10. I think it's tougher for voters to quantify how owners and even coaches -- think Bill Parcells, who missed the cut from 10 to five -- contributed to their teams' success. The discussions for Parcells (55-plus minutes) and DeBartolo (42-plus minutes) were more than twice as long as the discussions for other candidates. Hall bylaws prevented voters from considering the legal troubles and suspension that preceded DeBartolo's exit from the game.
• DeBartolo was a finalist in part because he hired Bill Walsh, promoted a winning culture, cared tremendously for his players and helped win five Super Bowls. He spent this weekend with former 49ers player Freddie Solomon, who is in the final days of a battle with cancer. The 49ers' renewed success this past season also reflected well on DeBartolo, who has become a tremendous resource for current team president Jed York, his nephew.
• Electing one pass-rusher (Doleman, who spent part of his career with the 49ers) to the Hall could give former 49ers and Dallas Cowboys pass-rusher Charles Haley an easier time in the future. But with Strahan joining the conversation in 2013, Haley faces stiff competition again. Former Rams pass-rusher Kevin Greene did not make the final 10 despite 160 career sacks.

It's been a whirlwind day. Hall bylaws prevent me from sharing specifics about what was said in the room during the proceedings. The Hall also asked voters not to reveal their votes outright. I voted for five of the six players enshrined on the final cut and supported others. As always, however, reducing to only five in the end required leaving off candidates I hope will make it in the future.

The 2011 season was memorable across the NFC South for many reasons, both good and bad. We saw the Saints go 13-3 while setting all sorts of records and we saw Tampa Bay fall apart about as completely as any team ever has.

We saw the Atlanta Falcons, at times, look like a great team and, at other times, look very ordinary. We saw the rebirth of the Carolina Panthers, who ended the season as a team very much on the rise.

So let’s take a look back at the season with a lists of awards and “bests’’ and “worsts’’.

Most Valuable Player: This one’s as easy as it gets. New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees carried the Saints and set a new single-season record for passing yardage.

Most Valuable Player (non-quarterback): This one’s not all that difficult either. New Orleans’ Darren Sproles set a new NFL record for all-purpose yards. He also made it impossible for opposing defenses to match up with the Saints.

Defensive Player of the Year: This one’s difficult because the NFC South isn’t known for strong defense. It also didn’t help that Carolina linebacker Jon Beason, who might be the division’s best overall defensive player, missed almost the entire year with an injury, and New Orleans middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma was slowed by a knee injury most of the season. That’s why I’m going with Atlanta’s Sean Weatherspoon. Look around the division and tell me if there’s a guy who makes more big plays. I couldn’t find one.

Rookie of the Year: This is almost as easy as giving Brees the MVP. Carolina’s Cam Newton wins easily. He set a rookie record for passing yards and had more rushing touchdowns in a season than any quarterback in NFL history. His “Superman’’ celebration truly fits.

Defensive Rookie of the Year: This one’s not as obvious as Newton. But when you give it a little thought, Tampa Bay defensive end Adrian Clayborn easily was the best rookie defender in the division. Clayborn was one of only about two or three bright spots for the Bucs. He showed he’s a complete defensive end — one who can rush the passer and play the run.

Best Performance by a Second-Year Player: Weatherspoon was a candidate for this, but the nod goes to New Orleans tight end Jimmy Graham. He had one of the best seasons ever by a tight end. I know the Saints have a lot of pressing contract issues and Graham is under contract for three more seasons. But at some point this offseason, they should give Graham an extension and a huge pay raise. Graham’s only making minimum wage. If ever a player has outperformed his contract, it’s Graham.

Coach of the Year: I respect the job Ron Rivera did in Carolina, but I’ve got to go with New Orleans’ Sean Payton. He got his team to 13 wins, despite having his knee shattered in a sideline collision.

Assistant Coach of the Year: Prior to Payton’s injury, offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael had lived in the shadows of the head coach. But Carmichael started calling the plays when Payton went down. Payton let that continue the rest of the season and the Saints kept winning.

Executive of the Year: It has to be Carolina general manager Marty Hurney. In one offseason, he hit two home runs on two of the biggest challenges a general manager can face. He hired Rivera, who is well on his way to being a good head coach. More important, Hurney found a franchise quarterback in Newton. Many doubted Newton prior to the draft. Hurney did his homework and it paid off.

Best Turnaround: The Panthers might have won only six games, but that’s triple what they won last year.

Worst Collapse: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had one of the biggest collapses in NFL history. They started 4-2, then lost their final 10 games while appearing totally out of control on and off the field.

Best Offseason Move: There’s no doubt it was the signing of Sproles. He was the best free-agent signing in the entire NFL. And for those Tampa Bay fans who like to bash their ownership and front office for not bringing in Sproles, the fact is you never had a chance. The Bucs and other teams made inquiries about Sproles, but were told it wasn’t going to happen. All along, Sproles was headed nowhere else but New Orleans, for a reunion with former San Diego teammate Brees. They continued spending their offseasons together. Brees was recruiting Sproles throughout the lockout and, in New Orleans, Brees gets whatever he wants.

Worst Offseason Move: That would be Tampa Bay not finding a running back to pair with LeGarrette Blount. It didn’t have to be Sproles and the Bucs weren’t wrong in letting Cadillac Williams go. But they should have gotten a legitimate NFL running back who could catch passes out of the backfield and pass-block. Blount can’t do either — and the Bucs made a severe miscalculation by thinking he could be an every-down back.

Best Bounce-Back Season: The winner here is Carolina receiver Steve Smith. In the offseason, he wasn’t sure he wanted to stay in Carolina. Once he caught a few passes from Newton, everything changed. Smith was back to being the dominant receiver he was a few years back.

Worst Disappearing Act: Soon after signing with the Atlanta Falcons, defensive end Ray Edwards proclaimed himself the "missing link.'' Instead of leading the Falcons to a Super Bowl, Edwards simply was missing most of the season. He played the run all right, but Atlanta’s pass rush didn’t improve and that’s why he was signed.

Best Off-Field Decision: You can accuse Tampa Bay’s ownership management of being inept all you want. After a 4-12 season, it’s fair game. But someone very high hope with the Bucs made an excellent decision when the team turned down the opportunity to appear on HBO’s “Hard Knocks.’’ Whoever that wise person was realized that it might not be such a great idea to open the organization to cameras around the clock. Those cameras could have captured things wouldn’t have looked great – things like assistant coaches trying unsuccessfully to explain the uncomplicated art of pass-blocking to Blount or a gregarious former coach taking the camera crew on a late-night tour of Tampa.

Equipment Manager of the Year: That’s Carolina’s Jackie Miles, of course. I used to say Derrick Brooks was the best player in NFC South history. Now, I’ll admit Brees has at least caught up to Brooks and maybe surpassed him. But, if I had to pick a third guy who’s the best at what he does in the history of the division, it would be Miles. To those who know him, the man’s a legend in many ways and could end up being the first equipment manager in the Hall of Fame.

The blood streamed down Brian Cushing's face, red streams matching the red accents on his Houston Texans’ linebacker uniform.

Sunday at Reliant Stadium was the third time this season Cushing needed his face bandaged. The bridge of his nose and his forehead have turned him into gold for game photographers, leaving them jumping to capture a colorful, old-school image.

“I notice a lot of people definitely like it, it’s gotten a lot of attention,” Cushing said. “I’d rather it just heal up right now. I’ve seen the pictures a lot. It definitely makes me look in character as an NFL linebacker. It fits the role.”

“That takes you back,” Houston defensive coordinator Wade Phillips said. “He seems to fit that well. He doesn’t want to bleed, but that’s toughness. I mean the guy’s a football player.”

A bloody face that makes for a great picture is hardly all that’s making Cushing look the part of an intimidating defensive force this season. He’s drawn raves from coaches, teammates, opponents and analysts as a central piece in what currently ranks as the NFL’s top defense.

"Wade Phillips' influence and the 3-4 defense uses more of his athleticism and he can be more physical,” said Derrick Brooks, the former Buccaneers linebacker who’s now general manager of the Tampa Bay Arena Football League team. “I believed that the new defense would have a good impact on him from day one.

“He moves around very similar to the linebackers in Green Bay, Pittsburgh and with the Jets. He also has avoided being the story off the field. This speaks to maturity as a man. And when things are in order off the field, that makes playing much more enjoyable.”

I had long talks with Cushing and Phillips this week. They break down best if we look at the three areas that have made a big difference for Cushing nine games into the season.

1. Phillips

The influence of the coordinator, as Brooks noted, can’t be overstated.

Cushing played some at middle linebacker for the Texans in their 4-3 last season after DeMeco Ryans went down with a torn Achilles tendon. The shift didn’t last long, and Houston moved him back outside.

When Phillips joined the team and took control of the defense, however, he reviewed the film and didn’t see Cushing inside as a bad thing for his new 3-4.

“When he played inside, I thought he had a lot of instinct to find the football and get to it, so that’s why we thought he would help us inside,” Phillips said. “If you put him on one side, they can always run away from him. It looked like to me that he would be a good inside backer.”

Cushing admitted he had his doubts. He always thought of himself as an outside guy. He’d been first to the ball playing from the outside forever.

But he had faith Phillips knew what he was doing and the coordinator told him the spot would allow him to flourish.

“He saw something in me on film and he’s just given me the ability to really go sideline to sideline, be around the ball all the time, make the calls, really control the defense,” Cushing said. “He thought I was the guy for it and it’s just worked out well.”

Phillips and linebackers coach Reggie Herring worked with Cushing on refining and polishing techniques: How to stay square, how to meet blockers, how to get off blocks, where his eyes need to be, how to read formations and anticipate based on them.

It was stuff that came easily and fit with those inherent instincts.

“Defense is recognition,” Phillips said. “Some guys have good eyes, they find the football well, they know when it’s cutting back and when it’s going outside. And he, of course, has the ability to make the plays when he gets there.

“Ten percent of players, maybe, have that. There are different degrees of it… Part of it is that his will to get to the football is superior. He’s a holy terror or a Tasmanian devil or whatever you want to call it. The guy’s going to get to the football. He’s rare in that category, he’s special. He can really get to the football as good as anybody I’ve been around.”

Cushing said he’s honored by that praise, especially considering the source.

“You hear so many things about an inside linebacker in a 3-4 defense just taking on guards all day,” Cushing said. “His defense is way more dynamic than that. I’m really his primary blitzer. There are different jobs for me on every play.”

As many as 15 times a game, Cushing blitzes. That’s a huge number for any linebacker.

2. He’s practicing

Getting those blitzes and other jobs down requires a good practice week.

A lingering knee issue severely limited Cushing’s practice participation in his first two seasons. Coach Gary Kubiak spoke frequently about how Cushing was able to show up on Sundays. But clearly the linebacker could have been even better if he could have done more on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

He had surgery to repair a patella tendon issue after the 2010 season, an operation that was more serious than most people knew until the lockout ended and he still needed extra time to finish rehabilitation.

“Between last year and my rookie year, I really didn’t practice much at all,” Cushing said. “Last year I think I practiced maybe 40 percent of the time. My rookie year it was even less. I had an ongoing knee problem, I was finally able to get it fixed and it’s made a world of difference.

“It’s huge, it’s a major confidence boost when I go out there. I’ve been through the routine before, I know what to anticipate and expect. Practicing, being out there with my teammates every day and showing them that I’m ready, that’s what means the most to me.”

Phillips rates Cushing as a dedicated practice player who benefits, as they all do, from learning his responsibilities from the center of the field instead of the sideline with script in hand.

3. Anger

Players go wherever they need to for fuel, and Cushing often goes back at his four-game suspension at the start of his second season.

The league shelved him for four games for a 2009 violation of the NFL’s policy against performance enhancers. He staunchly denied taking anything, citing “Overtrained Athlete Syndrome.”

The Associated Press held an unprecedented re-vote on its 2009 defensive rookie of the year award, and he won it again.

He was roundly ripped for his defense of the positive test, including by me. Although he apparently didn’t make a list of specific people to hold grudges against, he did store up some strong feelings about how people reacted to what unfolded.

It a strange sort of way, he may be playing better now because of what happened to him then.

“There is a lot of extra motivation for me,” he said. “No matter how long I play, I’ll never forget about the things that people said about me. I know how completely untrue they are and I’m just going to prove it every single game for the rest of my career.

“I’ve always been a guy who’s played better by motivation and I think I’ve used a lot of anger to my advantage through my career. Being a little kid I could remember little things a kid said to me and I had a switch and was able to turn it on.”

It’s on now and the Texans are happy about that.

Sunday in Tampa, a big hit is likely to jostle his helmet and reopen his forehead cut or his nose or both.

There will be blood. Photographers and fans will love it.

“The bye week next week will be my best chance to get it scarred down as much as possible, but that’ll be ongoing for a long time, I believe,” Cushing said. “A hard enough hit, the helmet comes down and I’m back on the sideline, they’ve got to piece my nose back together.”

TAMPA, Fla. -- If you scoured the stands of Raymond James Stadium on any game day over the past few seasons, you would have seen more replica jerseys for guys like Derrick Brooks, Mike Alstott, John Lynch and Warren Sapp than any of the current Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

If you looked in those same stands, you also would have seen a lot of empty seats. The past 10 regular-season home games (all eight last year and the first two this season) have not been sellouts.

Is this a fan base living in the past?

It’s not quite that simple. In fact, things are on the cusp of changing. When the Buccaneers host the Indianapolis Colts on "Monday Night Football," the game will be sold out. So an entire nation will have a chance to view the Buccaneers, who have been in the NFL’s version of the witness-protection program even in their own backyard.

The past 10 home games haven’t been shown on local television, and even fans who go to the games haven’t really had a chance to get to know the NFL’s youngest team (25.17 years was the average age of the opening-day roster) like they knew Brooks, Alstott, Lynch and Sapp.

“It’s a team I want our town to fall back in love with,’’ Tampa Bay general manager Mark Dominik said.

The Bucs went 10-6 last season and are off to a 2-1 start this year, but the speed-dating process really could kick in with the national stage. Once fans really get a look at the Bucs, they could fall in love. Some fans don’t know it yet, but there’s a lot to like about the Bucs.

Let’s take a look:

The understated franchise quarterback. Other than cornerback Ronde Barber, the lone holdover from the Jon Gruden/Tony Dungy era, Josh Freeman is the most-well-known Buccaneer. That’s simply because he’s the quarterback, but fans haven’t totally embraced him. They should, because he’s the first true franchise quarterback this team has had at least since Doug Williams, and you could debate whether Williams was around long enough to be considered a franchise quarterback.

Freeman’s physically gifted and already has shown a knack for leading fourth-quarter comebacks. He comes across as a bit shy and soft-spoken in group interviews. But when Freeman, 23, was leading players-only workouts during the lockout, you could easily spot rare leadership skills and more personality than he displays in public.

In the Atlanta game, Freeman stepped outside himself a bit, flapping his wings in what could be interpreted as an imitation of the Falcons’ “Dirty Bird’’ celebration.

“It was good to see him come out of his shell a little bit,’’ running back/fullback Earnest Graham said.

The gregarious head coach. Public displays of emotion aren’t lacking when it comes to Raheem Morris. The guy can talk, sometimes a little more than he should. With the possible exception of Rex Ryan, Morris might have the most entertaining news conferences of any NFL coach. But following Gruden -- who will be in the “Monday Night Football’’ broadcast booth -- and Dungy is not an easy task.

Gruden won a Super Bowl, and Dungy changed the direction of the franchise. Fans still aren’t quite sure what to make of Morris, who remains the league’s youngest head coach at 35. Morris has more public charm than Dungy and Gruden did as coaches. He just needs to keep winning.

The completely unknown portion of "the triplets." When the Bucs started winning last season, that’s the nickname (borrowed from when the Dallas Cowboys had Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin and Emmitt Smith) that was given to Freeman, receiver Mike Williams and running back LeGarrette Blount. Williams and Blount were rookies last year, and both made good first impressions on the field. Williams instantly became Tampa Bay’s No. 1 receiver, and by midseason, Blount had replaced Cadillac Williams as the feature back. Still, there’s been a little apprehension from fans about both of them, and that goes back to their college days.

Blount is most famous for punching an opponent at the end of a game, and Williams was labeled as a "quitter" for leaving the Syracuse football team in his last year of college. But if you get to know them, you’ll see that labels can be deceiving. Williams is the anti-diva wide receiver. He comes across as quiet and humble.

Blount’s a punishing runner on the field, but is gentle off it. When he made his pre-draft visit to One Buccaneer Place, Blount ate his lunch and then went into the kitchen to thank every member of the staff. After last week’s victory in Atlanta, Blount sat in the locker room an hour after the game and told a staff member, "I don’t want to go home."

The big investments on the defensive line. In the past two years, the Bucs have used four draft picks in the first two rounds on defensive linemen. They brought in defensive tackles Gerald McCoy and Brian Price last year and defensive ends Adrian Clayborn and Da'Quan Bowers this year. We’re only starting to see what they can do. Price and McCoy both got hurt as rookies. They’re starting this year, along with Clayborn, and there’s a lot to like.

Price is quiet on the surface, but there’s a depth to him. He’s coming off a rare surgery in which doctors inserted screws into his pelvis, and he's showing signs he can really play. McCoy’s had a gregarious personality from the start, but we’re still waiting to see big results. Clayborn’s outgoing like McCoy and already has made some plays. If this unit can continue growing, the Bucs could have a very good defensive line for a long time.

The new “quarterback’’ of the defense. A lot of fans were upset in the offseason when the Bucs let middle linebacker Barrett Ruud, another holdover from the Gruden days, walk via free agency. They should start getting over that, because third-round draft pick Mason Foster is showing signs he can make more big plays than Ruud ever did. The Bucs were a little hesitant to put too much on Foster right away and started the season by letting outside linebacker Quincy Black wear the radio helmet and call the defensive plays.

By his third career start, Foster had taken on those roles. It might not have been a coincidence that the Bucs went out and had their best defensive performance since the days when Monte Kiffin was running the defense for Gruden.

The Bucs once were beloved by their fans. There’s no reason they can’t be that way again. The parts are in place. The world just needs a chance to get to see and know them.

“It’s an opportunity to show everybody what they’ve been missing,’’ Morris said.

That chance comes Monday night.

TAMPA, Fla. -- Before he even took off his uniform and headed for the shower, Gerald McCoy went through the locker room, searching for a stat sheet.

When the Tampa Bay defensive tackle finally found one, his reaction came in one word.

“Wow,’’ McCoy said.

He then tapped fellow defensive tackle Frank Okam on the shoulder and pointed to one line. Sitting in his chair and taking off his shoes Okam looked at where McCoy’s finger was and elaborated.

“Thirty rushing yards?’’ Okam said. “We held them to 30 rushing yards? Wow.’’

What Tampa Bay’s defense did in Sunday’s 16-13 victory against the Atlanta Falcons at Raymond James Stadium was worth plenty of wows.

A defense that is incredibly young on the front seven shut down what many thought would be one of the league’s best offenses. The Bucs shut down a team that many considered a Super Bowl contender, but is now 1-2.

With rookie middle linebacker Mason Foster wearing the radio helmet and calling the defensive signals for the full game for the first time, a rookie (Adrian Clayborn) starting at defensive end and two second-year defensive tackles (McCoy and Brian Price) in the starting lineup, the Bucs turned in their best defensive performance since legendary defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin left after the 2008 season.

Heck, you can go back a month further than that. The Tampa Bay defense started falling apart that November when word leaked out that Kiffin was leaving to join his son, Lane, at the University of Tennessee. The Bucs lost their final four games that season and the defense hasn’t been very good since.

The Bucs couldn’t stop much of anything in a 3-13 season in 2009 and they rode the coattails of quarterback Josh Freeman and his last-minute miracles to 10 wins last season. But things changed in a big way Sunday.

The Bucs (2-1) played defense the way they did in the early 2000s or late 1990s, when Kiffin was running the show and guys like Derrick Brooks, Warren Sapp, Simeon Rice and John Lynch were making the big plays.

In this brand-new age, it was guys like Foster (a sack, a quarterback hurry and a tackle for a loss), Clayborn (his first sack in the NFL), Price (a sack and two tackles for a loss) and veteran cornerback Ronde Barber (an interception) making the big plays.

More importantly, the Bucs didn’t give up a lot of big plays.

“They still threw for 300 yards [actually 330], but it didn’t matter,’’ Okam said. “We didn’t give up big plays and we kept them out of the end zone for the most part.’’

Atlanta’s lone touchdown didn’t come until the fourth quarter. That’s the same offense that scored 35 points last week against “The Dream Team’’ (the Philadelphia Eagles) and the same team that had beaten the Bucs five straight times, dating to 2008.

But that streak ended and Atlanta’s offense fizzled because the Bucs realized the real backbone of Atlanta’s offense.

“Michael Turner is a great running back,’’ Foster said. “We knew we had to gang tackle him and we played at a high level all night. We swarmed to the ball and got him on the ground.’’

Turner, who had rushed for 100 yards in each of Atlanta’s first two games, carried 11 times for 20 yards (a 1.8-yard average). His longest run of the game was 9 yards and Atlanta’s longest run was a 12-yard scramble by quarterback Matt Ryan.

That’s pretty much the way coach Raheem Morris and his staff drew up the defensive game plan, although it certainly helped that a Tampa Bay offense that had started slowly in the first two weeks produced 13 first-half points.

“We knew it was really important to stop the running game,’’ Okam said. “If we could make them one-dimensional and knock out their run game, our rushers could get there and get pressure and help Matt Ryan make mistakes for us.’’

Ryan threw one interception, was sacked four times and was the victim of some dropped passes, particularly one by Roddy White in the fourth quarter that could have put the Falcons ahead. But the Bucs came in willing to let Ryan throw the ball a fair amount. The caveat that came with that part of the plan was to limit the big plays. The Bucs did a good job of keeping plays in front of the secondary and there weren’t many deep throws.

“They’ve got great receivers and a great quarterback and a Hall of Fame tight end [Tony Gonzalez],’’ Foster said. “We kept them in check and did what we had to do to win the game.’’

But, most of all, the Bucs stopped Turner. That’s more than a little surprising because this defense has struggled to stop the run since the final month of Kiffin’s time in Tampa Bay.

The Bucs have taken criticism from the media and their own fans for not adding a few experienced pieces to the front seven of their defense in the offseason. They didn’t seem to need any of that against the Falcons. They shut them down with youth, fresh legs and a well-executed scheme.

“Everyone was playing sound technique,’’ Okam said. “Everyone was holding their gaps and being physical at the point of attack, getting off blockers and making plays when they came to you. You make something happen just by doing your job. When you’ve got 11 guys focused on doing their job, the game plan comes to fruition and it just works out.’’

Maybe this was a game where Tampa Bay’s defense simply got lucky. The Bucs could have been in trouble if the Falcons got the ball back at the end of the game. Instead, Atlanta defensive tackle Corey Peters jumped offsides and the Bucs were able to run out the clock.

Or maybe this was a sign that Tampa Bay’s young defense has arrived and it just might keep getting better. If that’s the case, the Bucs could be a very real player in the NFC South race.

“I told the team we didn’t come into the season to beat the Atlanta Falcons,’’ Morris said. “We came into this season to win the division."

That just might be possible, if the Bucs can keep playing defense like they did Sunday.

TAMPA, Fla. -- Of all the hundreds -- maybe thousands -- of moments Jimmie Giles could have picked as his favorite with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, this one’s definitely not the cleanest. It also may surprise you a bit at first.

“Wrestling in the mud with (teammate) David Lewis,’’ Giles said Wednesday as the Bucs announced he will be inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor at a Dec. 4 home game with Carolina.

The wrestling session happened at the end of the 1979 season, a crucial one for the Buccaneers. Needing a win to make the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, the Bucs beat the Kansas City Chiefs, 3-0, in a torrential downpour.

The team that began as an expansion franchise in 1976 and started 0-26 would go on to stun everyone and reach the NFC Championship Game. It was a high-water mark for a franchise that soon would fall back to its losing ways. Giles was with the Bucs from 1978 until 1986 and, by that point, the Bucs were mired in something well below mediocrity.

They spent the latter half of the 1980s and the early and middle parts of the 1990s as a national joke. Actually, there were all sorts of jokes in those days.

“The sign on the ticket window was “Sorry, we’re open,’’ cracked long-time Tampa Bay radio personality Jack Harris, who was one of the guest speakers before Giles took the microphone.

But one of the best things the Bucs have done since starting the Ring of Honor two years ago is that they’ve embraced their past. It would be easy to try to forget it all and skip the whole era before coach Tony Dungy came along and changed the climate and the uniforms switched from orange and white to pewter and red.

That also would be a mistake because there were some good times and good players from those early years. Co-chairman Bryan Glazer made it a point to say the team’s present and future wouldn’t be possible without its past. He’s right.

Lee Roy Selmon and John McKay, the first two inductees, created some magical moments for a young franchise. So did Giles, who played tight end and went to four Pro Bowls while with the Bucs.

“It was Jimmie Giles and some others who helped turn this team around,’’ Harris said. “It was a great era.’’

But a short era. Sooner or later, the Bucs will open the floodgates for their Ring of Honor. That will start when Derrick Brooks goes in, which will clear the way for guys like Warren Sapp, John Lynch, Mike Alstott, Ronde Barber, Dungy and Jon Gruden.

It’s not quite time for that yet. Although there was a long dry spell between the 1979 team and the teams of the late 1990s, there are some other guys from those eras who deserve the honor. Guys like Ricky Bell, James Wilder, Paul Gruber and Hardy Nickerson should go in before the Bucs get to their more-recent past.

Then, there’s Doug Williams. He was the quarterback of the 1979 team and, by all rights, he should be going into the Ring of Honor before or with Giles. He’s not. That’s mostly Williams’ fault. He did some great things as a player and left Tampa Bay in a bitter salary dispute with former owner Hugh Culverhouse. Williams carried a grudge before finally returning to work in the team’s personnel department.

Things were good for a few years, but Williams left after the 2010 draft. Williams and general manager Mark Dominik weren’t getting along. Since his departure, Williams has taken some public shots at the Bucs. He’s not going to get into the Ring of Honor as long as that’s going on.

As Giles talked, I think there might have been a subtle message to Williams. Giles was talking about how the Bucs of long ago went through some tough times and weren’t beloved. Giles said that things change with time and that no one should succumb to bitterness.

That’s an excellent point. The Bucs are going out of their way to reach out to their former players. Let the water flow under the bridge.

The Bucs and their former players need to stay above the bridge -- above the pettiness.

Examining the most crucial event in the history of every team in the division.

The most important moment in the history of the New Orleans Saints, maybe even in the history of the entire NFC South, might have come when a coach and a quarterback went for a ride and got totally lost.

It came on a spring day in 2006 when Sean Payton, recently hired as the coach, took free-agent Drew Brees and his wife, Brittany, for a ride that seemed misdirected at the time, but turned out to be a drive to destiny. While touring the area, Payton got off Interstate 10 at the wrong exit and started driving on streets he’d never seen before.

“I finally admitted to Drew, 'I have no idea where we are right now,'’’ Payton wrote in his book, “Home Team.’’

It’s worth a laugh now. But at the time, Payton, Brees, the Saints and the entire New Orleans region really had no idea where anything was. This was a few months after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina and the Saints didn’t even know if they’d be able to stay in New Orleans for the long term.

Brees’ future was just as cloudy. He wasn’t being brought back by San Diego because he was coming off a major shoulder injury and the Chargers were handing things over to Philip Rivers. There was interest from Miami, but the Dolphins weren’t sure about Brees’ shoulder. Neither were the Saints.

But Payton and general manager Mickey Loomis decided to take a gamble. They offered Brees a big contract and a couple of days after being hopelessly lost, he accepted. The Brees signing was the big winner for the Saints in our Flash Points polls about the make-or-break moment in the history of each NFC South franchise.

Forty-six percent of more than 50,000 voters (the highest of all the NFC South precincts) chose the signing of Brees as the biggest moment in team history. Winning Super Bowl XLIV finished second at 36 percent and the hiring of Payton was third at 17 percent.

No argument here. Hiring Payton was significant, but signing Brees is the biggest reason why the Saints went on to win a Super Bowl and make themselves more a part of the New Orleans fabric than ever before.

Let’s turn to a couple of loyal readers for affirmation.

Richard in Ann Arbor, Mich., wrote: “Signing Drew Brees has to trump all. When you take into account everything that Drew has done off the field since his arrival, winning the Super Bowl may be the least important thing that he has done for the city of New Orleans.’’

Fred in New Orleans wrote: “As much as I would like to say our turning point was hiring Jim Finks or Jim Mora or maybe even Sean Payton, I think the Saints' turning point was actually made by another team -- when the Dolphins refused to make an offer to Drew Brees. If they make a hard push for him who knows what happens next?’’

PANTHERS: Jake Delhomme's arrival game

Appearing in Super Bowl XXXVIII was the winner of the popular vote as the Flash Point for the Carolina Panthers. That loss to New England drew 42 percent of the vote, and advancing all the way to the NFC Championship Game in only the second season of an expansion franchise finished second at 28 percent.

But I’m going with a moment that wasn’t even on the ballot as my Flash Point for the Panthers -- the insertion of Jake Delhomme at quarterback at the start of the second half of the 2003 season opener against Jacksonville. An unknown career backup with the Saints, Delhomme replaced Rodney Peete and the Panthers just kept winning all the way to the Super Bowl. I was covering the Panthers on a daily basis as a beat writer at that time and as I think back, Delhomme’s emergence in that game was one of the most magical moments I’ve seen in sports.

Let me add that a vocal group of readers made a strong case that Delhomme’s debut should have been on the ballot because that was actually the moment that sparked the whole Super Bowl run. I thought about that for a couple of minutes and decided they were right. So let’s hear from a few convincing readers.

Brian in Charlotte wrote: “Jake Delhomme’s halftime entrance into the game versus Jacksonville seems to represent the best of Panthers history. The team marched to an appearance in the Super Bowl that year and, while we may not have had back-to-back winning seasons, provided the Panthers with both stability and leadership at the quarterback position for the next few years.’’

Evan in Charlotte wrote: “Carolina rode on that momentum to eventually go to the Super Bowl. That whole season was Carolina's defining moment, but it all began at that game. Everything about the Carolina Panthers changed at that moment.’’

Brian and Evan, you’re absolutely right.

BUCCANEERS: Dungy turned the tide

In the closest contest of all our polls, readers voted Tampa Bay’s victory against Oakland in Super Bowl XXXVII as the defining moment in Buccaneers’ history. That got 39 percent of more than 31,000 votes. The hiring of coach Tony Dungy in 1996 finished a close second at 37 percent and the trade for Jon Gruden, the coach who actually won Tampa Bay’s lone Super Bowl, was third at 21 percent.

But I’m not going with the simple majority here. I’m going with the hiring of Dungy because I think this is a chicken-and-egg kind of thing. Much like the signing of Brees and the insertion of Delhomme led the Saints and Panthers to Super Bowls, I view the hiring of Dungy as the move that started Tampa Bay on a path to the Super Bowl.

Tampa Bay is a land of transplants and history sometimes gets lost. But I happened to be a beat writer covering the Buccaneers when Dungy was hired (heck, I was part of a media stakeout outside Bern’s Steakhouse as Dungy and ownership were inside sealing the deal).

You have to understand what the Bucs were like before Dungy arrived. They were the joke of the NFL for more than a decade. Former owner Hugh Culverhouse was despised by fans, players and the people who worked for him. The Bucs had gone for more than a decade without a winning season and good coaches such as Ray Perkins and Sam Wyche came to Tampa Bay and became horrible coaches.

Dungy (supported by new owner Malcolm Glazer) quietly changed the entire culture of the Bucs. They began winning and changed uniform colors and logos. Everything changed. Raymond James Stadium was built and filled up every week. The Bucs became consistent winners.

It’s true Dungy couldn't get Tampa Bay over the final hump. He was stubborn and conservative on offense and that got him fired. But he had the Bucs built into such a great defensive team that Gruden was able to come in, tweak the offense and win the Super Bowl in his first season. None of that would have been possible without Dungy’s contributions. He made the Bucs consistently relevant for the first time in their history.

Let’s turn to a couple comments from readers.

Darryl in Springfield, N.J., wrote: “The hiring of Dungy was huge as he helped to instill a culture of winning. However, I think another important step was drafting Warren Sapp and Derrick Brooks in 1995 (the moves were made by Wyche and former general manager Rich McKay). Beyond their contributions on the field, Brooks was the heart of the Bucs, and Sapp brought a public swagger to a downtrodden franchise. The history of Sapp and Brooks in Tampa might be different without Dungy, but I think you could also argue that the history of Dungy might be very different without Sapp and Brooks."

Tim in Clearwater, Fla., wrote: “Sam Wyche drafted two first-ballot Hall of Fame players in Warren Sapp and Derrick Brooks. Without these players, Dungy’s tenure in Tampa Bay would likely not have been as long or as successful.’’

True, but Sapp and Brooks didn’t do much in their one season with Wyche. When Dungy and defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin arrived, they put Sapp and Brooks into a defense that became dominant. In my eyes, it all started with Dungy.

FALCONS: Matt Ryan brought consistent winning

When it came time for Atlanta fans to weigh in on the Falcons' Flash Point, they went with the drafting of quarterback Michael Vick. That move won the vote at 39 percent, while the drafting of Ryan in 2008 came in second at 31 percent.

I’m going to dispute that one. Yes, Vick had a big impact and led the Falcons to some success. But they could never string good seasons together and Vick’s time in Atlanta came to a terrible end when he went to prison. That coupled with the disastrous tenure of coach Bobby Petrino put the Falcons as low as any NFC South team has ever been.

That was at the end of the 2007. A few months later, the Falcons drafted Ryan. Guess what? Since that moment, the Falcons have had three straight winning seasons. Before Ryan’s arrival, the franchise never even had back-to-back winning seasons. Atlanta went 13-3 last season before a disappointing playoff loss to Green Bay.

But the Falcons are built around Ryan and he’s not going anywhere for a long time. In fact, I think the Falcons are right on the cusp of huge success. Let’s turn to a reader for perspective.

Reid in Atlanta wrote: “The true 'defining moment' for the Falcons is not on your list of choices. It was when Arthur Blank purchased the team from the Smith family, who oversaw a comedy of errors and bad personnel choices for decades. Blank may be responsible for the Petrino fiasco, but otherwise his moves have been solid, and a welcome contrast to what preceded him.’’

No argument that Blank has done some great things and made the Falcons more competitive than they ever have been. But I think the best move Blank made was drafting Ryan. That’s when things really turned for the Falcons.

Selecting Ohio State middle linebacker James Laurinaitis in the second round of the 2009 NFL draft raised questions, initially, as to why the St. Louis Rams passed on a potentially more talented middle linebacker in Rey Maualuga.

Two years later, Laurinaitis has put to rest that question while raising another: Might the third-year Rams linebacker outperform the Seattle Seahawks' Aaron Curry, the undisputed top-ranked linebacker in the 2009 draft? Initial reviews suggest he might.

Fifty-three percent of the first 3,629 poll respondents singled out Laurinaitis as the highly drafted young NFC West linebacker with the brightest NFL future. Curry was second with 38 percent, followed by 2010 Arizona Cardinals second-round choice Daryl Washington with 8 percent. The San Francisco 49ers' Patrick Willis, already established as arguably the NFL's best linebacker, wasn't part of the survey.

"I think Laurinaitis is a star in the making," Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. said. "He is clearly the second-best linebacker in the division. He is going to be headed to Pro Bowls as soon as this upcoming year."

That will be easier said than done given Willis' perennial Pro Bowl status and the limited number of slots available for inside linebackers. But the broader point stands. The Rams found their quarterback on defense before anyone knew they would select an actual quarterback, Sam Bradford, first overall in 2010.

"Laurinaitis brings an attitude to the team," Williamson said. "He is really smart, he is an extension of coach Steve Spagnuolo on the field. He isn't really a banger -- he doesn't take on blocks as well -- but Fred Robbins does a great job keeping him clean and they will likely add another defensive tackle. Laurinaitis is a foundation for that football team."

Rams general manager Billy Devaney used the words smart, passionate and productive in describing Laurinaitis on draft day two years ago. At the time, Devaney said the team considered sacrificing one or more of those qualities in the quest for greater talent. Laurinaitis has proved to be sufficiently talented even if he'll never become a dominant sideline-to-sideline force along the lines of Willis or Ray Lewis.

Curry certainly has more raw physical talent, but Laurinaitis' superior feel for the game has become obvious to this point in their careers. That was expected, to a degree, because teams ask 4-3 middle linebackers to call out defensive adjustments based on what they see from offenses. Curry, as a strong-side linebacker, was never going to play that role, particularly on a defense already featuring Lofa Tatupu.

The Seahawks have toyed with ways to feature Curry in their defense. Curry has fared OK as a pass-rusher at times, but not well enough to supplant Chris Clemons or Raheem Brock as a primary outside rusher. Curry's physical strength has shown up against tight ends at the line of scrimmage, but only to those looking for it.

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, who inherited Curry from the team's previous leadership, said unrealistic expectations are making it tougher for fans to appreciate Curry.

"He is a really talented, big, good-looking athlete and everybody on the outside expects him to be something different than what he is right now," Carroll said from the NFL owners meeting last month. "He hasn't dominated yet, but he is a player on the come and he is improving and working hard and figuring it out. He is a factor. He is a real positive factor for us. But it's all expectations. That screws everyone up."

High expectations are warranted when a team drafts a player fourth overall, even though Carroll wasn't part of that evaluation. It's not like the Seahawks were wrong when they saw a prospect with obvious physical attributes.

Williamson gave Curry a slight edge over even Willis in overall physical tools. So far, however, too much has been lost in translation.

A change in coaching staffs could explain some of the difficulties. Injuries to Tatupu, Red Bryant and others in the Seahawks' front seven have not helped. At a certain point, however, the fourth pick in the draft should transcend these sorts of factors.

"If we are having this conversation next year, then I think he doesn't live up to it," Williamson said. "He is the type of guy you should be accounting for every play. My sister should be in the stands going, 'Who is that guy? He is different from everybody else.' "

Laurinaitis has served as an every-down linebacker while starting each of his first 32 games. He has five sacks and three interceptions. Rams coaches credited Laurinaitis with seven passes defensed last season. Only cornerbacks Ron Bartell and Bradley Fletcher had more for the Rams, according to coaches' evaluations.

Curry has 28 starts, 5.5 sacks and no interceptions while coming off the field regularly, sometimes for stretches.

"If you take a look at how he plays and what he does and how he produces, he's getting a lot done," Carroll said of Curry, "but it doesn’t meet up to the expectations. You can almost misevaluate him because he is supposed to be whatever he is supposed to be. To me, he is a guy on the team who busts his ass and is working hard and we're trying to fit into situations and a role for him that is best."

The Cardinals' Washington hasn't played long enough to evaluate in the same manner, but he did make a positive impression while starting 11 games as a rookie. Washington finished the season with one sack, one interception and six tackles for loss. He was the first Cardinals rookie since Antrel Rolle in 2005 to start a season opener.

"I didn't think he was a wonderful fit in the 3-4," Williamson said. "He was more the Derrick Brooks run-and-hit type, but he acclimated himself well. They have a good defensive line. If they can keep him clean, he can be a playmaker. He has a lot of potential, a lot of range."

While Curry is still finding his way and Washington is only getting started, Laurinaitis is exactly what the Rams thought they were getting -- a sure bet.

"I think he is going to be one of the better linebackers in the NFL for the next 10 years," Williamson said.

NEW ORLEANS -- The Glazer family, which owns the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, often gets labeled as reclusive by fans and the media.

That’s kind of strange, because the guy I just spent 20 minutes talking to might have been the most gregarious person I ran into all day. That would be Bucs co-chairman Joel Glazer.

At an NFL owners meeting, where a lot of people are walking around looking worried or sad about the labor situation, Glazer was a notable exception. He spent time individually with reporters from the two main newspapers in the Tampa Bay area and with the NFC South Blog. In my portion, which was roughly 20 minutes, Glazer was almost effervescent.

He did most of the talking and was animated and happy almost the entire time. There’s a reason for that. Glazer, along with brothers Bryan and Ed, is presiding over a team that’s clearly in a good spot. Glazer didn’t want to talk much about the lockout but said he’s confident the labor situation will be resolved at some point and his team will be ready to jump out of the gate.

“I couldn’t be more excited about where this team is at,’’ Glazer said. “When we set out on this path two years ago, there was a plan in place. We said we’re going to be disciplined in that plan. We’re not going to deviate from that plan. The one thing we recognized was when you’re doing something like this, you have to have thick skin and endure the early part of the plan. There are a lot of people with opinions. Their opinions are immediate and reactionary. To see the plan to start unfolding and for last year to play out like it did was one of the most exciting, fun seasons I’ve ever experienced in football.

“What’s most exciting is the fact that we’re the youngest team in the National Football League and the exciting players we have and where we can go from here.’’

You know the story, so we’ll keep the recap very short. After a 9-7 season in 2008, the Buccaneers fired coach Jon Gruden and general manager Bruce Allen and replaced them with Raheem Morris and Mark Dominik. Veteran players like Derrick Brooks were shown the door and, at times, Morris and Dominik looked like they didn’t know what they were doing.

The Bucs went 3-13 in 2009, but things turned in a big way last season, and the Bucs went 10-6.

The Glazers get labeled as detached owners because they’re not as visible as some others in the league. But I think that’s a huge misconception. Although you don’t see the Glazers on the sidelines like some others, they’re far from absentee owners. It’s not unusual to run into them at One Buccaneer Place or see them roaming Raymond James Stadium. Back when Malcolm Glazer, the father of Joel, Bryan and Ed, first bought the team, one of the reasons he cited for making the move was his sons’ love of the game.

“I love football,’’ Joel Glazer said. “I haven’t missed a Tampa Bay Buccaneers game since we’ve owned the team and gone all the way to Japan. I live for Sundays. I live for the wins and can’t stand the losses. Anybody who knows myself or knows my family knows this is a true love. To have a young team that you know is going to get better and to compete for the ultimate prize, that’s what you’re in this for and that’s why it’s so exciting.’’

Glazer even is excited about the one thing that wasn’t a positive last season -- attendance. The Bucs didn’t sell out a game at Raymond James Stadium, and none of their home games was shown on local television. Before last season, the Bucs had sold out every home game since their stadium opened in 1998.

“Our new sales in January, February and March have been stronger than I ever remember them being,’’ Glazer said. “Renewals are extremely high. The sense you get is that the community is reacting to what they saw last year. That excitement is starting to percolate throughout the community, and it is translating into ticket sales.’’

Glazer’s not ready to guarantee sellouts, but he’s optimistic things are headed in the right direction.

“There’s still a lot of work to do,’’ Glazer said. “Even before the season ended, we sat down and we started to change our pricing to reflect the economy and what’s going on and trying to find ways to make something available for everybody. The one thing that hasn’t been lost on us is Florida has been hit very hard. Unemployment is very high in Florida. You can’t just ignore that. You have to adapt to the situation.’’

By the way, you're going to hear a good bit more from Glazer in the coming days. He filled up my tape recorder, which is something reclusive people generally don't do. But, hey, maybe, as Glazer said, he and the Bucs are adapting to the situation.

I once heard Tom Donahoe, the former Buffalo Bills president and general manager, call quarterback Drew Bledsoe a future Pro Football Hall of Famer.

Then again, Donahoe used to say a lot of things.

I was reminded of this when taking a glance at players who will make their first appearance on the Hall of Fame ballot for 2012.

Buffalo News reporter Mark Gaughan, who's on the Hall of Fame selection committee and last weekend was elected president of the Pro Football Writers Association, blogged the top newcomers to consider the next few years.

The lists are helpful in speculating when fan favorites such as Andre Reed and Curtis Martin will get their Canton calls. They both were finalists this year -- Reed for the fifth time, Martin for the first -- but weren't added to the 2011 induction class Saturday.

Perhaps that development was fitting for Martin because his coach with the New England Patriots and New York Jets will be on the ballot again. They could get in together in 2012.

Bill Parcells has been a finalist twice, but not since 2002 because rules for coaches changed. They now must wait five years from their last game to be eligible for induction, and Parcells returned to the sidelines with the Dallas Cowboys in 2003.

Is Parcells a Hall of Famer? I know Miami Dolphins fans aren't too thrilled with him these days, but he did add to an already remarkable legacy -- two championships, different teams to the Super Bowl, a few organizational turnarounds -- by guiding the Dolphins from 1-15 to the AFC East title as their football operations boss.

Also on the ballot next year will be Bledsoe, running backs Corey Dillon and Tiki Barber, fullback Mike Alstott, guard Will Shields and coaches Bill Cowher and Marty Schottenheimer.

Bledsoe had a fine career with the Patriots, Bills and Cowboys and ranks eighth all-time in passing yards. But he was a Pro Bowler only four times and never was first-team All-Pro. Bledsoe was helpful in getting the Patriots their first championship, so he does have a ring. But that was Tom Brady's team.

Dillon also was a four-time Pro Bowler and won a Super Bowl with the Patriots. He ranks 17th in rushing yards and never led the league in a major rushing category.

Schottenheimer played for the Bills and Patriots before winning 61 percent of his regular-season games as head coach of the Cleveland Browns, Washington Redskins and San Diego Chargers. His 200 victories rank sixth all-time, but his 5-23 playoff record will hurt.

That group of first-time candidates -- plus the newcomers for 2013 -- bodes well for Reed. There won't be any new receivers for him to box out. He already has jockeyed ahead of contemporaries Cris Carter and Tim Brown by making the cut from 15 to 10 in the selection process the past two years. Carter and Brown haven't.

Gaughan highlighted first-year players for next few classes.

2013: Quarterback Vinny Testaverde, offensive linemen Larry Allen and Jonathan Ogden, defensive tackle Warren Sapp, defensive end Michael Strahan.

2014: Running back Shaun Alexander, receiver Marvin Harrison, linebacker Derrick Brooks, safety Rodney Harrison and coaches Tony Dungy, Jon Gruden and Mike Holmgren -- if they don't return to sideline work.

2015: Quarterback Kurt Warner, receivers Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt, tackles Orlando Pace and Walter Jones and linebacker Junior Seau.

It’s a loaded field that gets sorted out for Pro Football Hall of Fame slots Saturday in North Texans.

I expect Marshall Faulk to make it, and doing so out of this group will make the accomplishment all the more impressive.

While he’ll be remembered more for his work as a member of the St. Louis Rams, the running back from the Greatest Show on Turf who has a Super Bowl ring started out in Indianapolis -- he was the second overall pick in 1994 and went to three Pro Bowls in five seasons while wearing the horseshoe.

Note the chart for a look at how his stats broke down between the Colts and Rams.

After a contract dispute, he was traded for second, and fifth-round picks, and replaced by another first-round pick, Edgerrin James.

Keith Hawkins of ESPN Stats and Information gave me these Faulk nuggets:

• Faulk’s the only player in NFL history with 12,000 rushing yards and 6,000 receiving yards.
• The only players with more yards from scrimmage in NFL history than Faulk’s 19,154 are Jerry Rice (23,540), Emmitt Smith (21,579) and Walter Payton (21,264).
• The only running back with more receptions than Faulk (767) in NFL history is Larry Centers (827)

Marshall Faulk's Stats: Colts vs. Rams

	Colts	Pct with Colts	Rams
Games	77	.4375	99
Rush yds	5,320	.433	6,959
Total TD	51	.375	85
Rec yds	2,804	.4078	4,071
Source: ESPN Stats & Information

• He is one eight players in NFL history with 100 rushing touchdowns, and his 136 career TDs rank 7th all time.
• Faulk and Earl Campbell are the only players to win the AP offensive player of the year award three times.

When I spoke this week to Derrick Brooks, who was a linebacker on the NFL’s most recent All-Decade Team, he spoke glowingly of Faulk.

“He’s a hall of fame player,” Brooks said. “He was one of my toughest matchups I ever had to face, with the ability to make plays in space, the ability to block -- that third-element of a tailback. His football IQ, his ability to dissect defenses from the running back position was second to none.

“I knew every time I lined up against him I had to bring my A game, and we had some classic battles. Hopefully he’ll get in. I know it’s a crowded field, but as someone who played against him, I do believe he’s a hall of fame talent and someone who’s deserving of it.”