Tampa, Florida					Thursday, September 09, 2010

Bucs Return To Defensive Form, and Winning
Monday, October 27, 2003
TAMPA—When San Francisco embarrassed the "world champion" Tampa Bay Buccaneers a week ago at Frisco, Buc Coach Jon Gruden said pointedly that “this is not the same team’’ what won the Super Bowl last January. He meant that was so because of defections to free agency—such as Pro Bowler linebacker Al Singleton defensive back Dexter Jackson—and a rash of injuries, such as All-Pro safety John Lynch, star wideout Joe Jurvicious and tight end Ken Dilger. He also surely meant but did not say a lack of the customary resolve so much a part of the Buccaneer defense. The Buc defense, so vital to the team’s success, was shredded at San Francisco. He also did not mention his reliable quarterback, bit and not prone to errors, had an awful trip to the West Coast as well. Coach Gruden attributed the poor Buc play versus the fine play of the Forty-Niners as primary, then came home to Tampa to more off-the- field distractions by outspoken defensive tackle Warren Sapp and more than matching off commentary from wideout Keyshawn Johnson grabbing headlines, too. Johnson’s agent said his man wasn’t getting enough balls thrown his way and Johnson, asked, said that well, if he had to answer the question, he’d say his favorite coach in the pros was Bill Parcells. Well, now, Parcells was coming to Tampa this Sunday past, and did, as the head coach of the 5-1 Dallas Cowboys. Neat, eh? So the stage surely was set for the Parcells Cowboys to come to Tampa and do-in the NFL champs, extend their record to 6-1, and drop the Super Bowlers to a crippling 3-4 record. The Bucs had only one starter ready in the secondary, corner Ronde Barber, and one of his hamstrings was sore, setting the scene well for Parcells’ prize quarterback, Quincy Carter, to have himself a nice day in the town where Parcells won the Super Bowl for the New York Giants during the Gulf War. Well, those who care know by now the Bucs returned to championship defensive form, Parcells got outcoached by a man who surely wanted to do that more than about anyone on any sidelines, that Keyshawn Johnson caught a short pass for the only touchdown in the 16-0 shutout Buccaneer win, and Warren Sapp had himself his best game of the year, personally, and in the leadership role he ought to have every weekend. Don’t forget, now, that Parcells was the first choice of the Buccaneer owning Malcolm Glazer family, but spurned the Bucs who then hired Gruden. who so wanted the job of his family of his youth, and teen-aged job of shucking oysters at a Hooters’ Restaurant, that he came from Al Davis and Oakland with the pledge not to bring any of his coaches and without high draft picks the Bucs gave up as part of the deal to get him. Sure Gruden wanted the Buc job badly, and Parcells wanted the Cowboys more for whatever reasons and so	sure Gruden wanted to bat the Cowboys of the Parcells makeover, wouldn’t you? And he got it with good and careful coaching, no gambles, with defense and the takeaways the defense create and that little bit of offense he can get out of this Buc team Johnson quarterbacks, one crippled, one with little speed, except on defense, and a very fine place-kicker in Martin Gramatica. “Marteen’’ got three field goals Sunday against Dallas, one of 50 yards. Again, the lone score was on a Johnson lumber-out, the Johnson version of a sprintout, then a short, last-second past just inbounds only the 6-4 Keyshawn Johnson could have reached back and up to catch. All of the rest was defense, Buc defense. Some thought Parcells should have done deep, or, at least of mid-range, against the patched-up Buc secondary, but the onetime he did, patchwork defensive back Jermiane Phillips intercepted and ran like a Gold Medalist to set up the first field goal by Gramatia. Barber got two himself on this three-interception day, and Barber also recovered a fumble as well. He had eight tackles, two for losses on outside blitzes. It was Phillips’ first start. Sapp and his defensive sidekicks were back in form. They sacked Carter three times, hurried him often despite the Cowboy protection scheme that kept seven blockers surrounding him most of the time. These resilient Bucs also checked Dallas with only 178 total yards and shut out Parcells, the coach, for the first time in 10 years. On the other side of the ball, the Bucs got just enough running, just over 100 yards from Michael Pittman, to advance the team within the range of Gramatica and the short TD pass of Johnson. Biggest play of the game, aside from the point-makers, was a flea flicker pass from Johnson to tight end Dilger, for 40 yards. Dilger was questionable for the game. Two weeks ago, Gruden said he rubbed the turf toe of Dilger "all the way home on the plane," from Washington. No, All-Pro safety John Lynch did not play. He has a jammed neck. But, he had two distinguished guests at the game in his box—Monsignor Lawrence Higgins and General Tommy E. Franks, just retired from the military after serving as CO of the Central Command based at Tampa’s MacDill AFB, which directs the war in Iraq. General Franks is making his new home in Tampa where he will write his memoirs and manage other affairs, including an extensive speaking tour, which, filled up for a year in a matter of days. The Bucs still trail the hot Carolina Panthers, who beat New Orleans, in the NFC-South, but have three of their next four games at home, Raymond James Stadium, The Saints come to Tampa next Sunday. These 4-3 Bucs, with those early losses, can afford no more right now. Some of their wounded, such as Jurvicious, should be back by next weekend. ##
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