DEFENSE LEADS THE WAY BY THE BAY. BUCS SEEK THIRD 5-1 START IN HISTORY

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are once again proving the old football axiom true -- defense wins games.

Through the first five weeks of the season, the Buccaneers’ defense has surrendered an NFL-best 53 points, leading the club to a 4-1 record and a share of first place in the NFC South. When Tampa Bay returns home on Sunday to face the Cleveland Browns, the team will seek to join the 1979 and 1997 Bucs with 5-1 starts.

"Our defense is a very talented group," says Tampa Bay head coach JON GRUDEN. "They are very disciplined, very, very athletic and I think all 11 men are good tacklers. They have a lot of energy and a lot of confidence in themselves, and when you combine those qualities you should be pretty good."

The Buccaneers’ defense has allowed only two touchdowns since a Week 1 26-20 overtime loss to New Orleans, and just four touchdowns in total this season. The unit has actually scored as many touchdowns as they have allowed. The most recent came this past Sunday when linebacker DERRICK BROOKS took a lateral from defensive tackle WARREN SAPP 15 yards for a touchdown after Sapp’s second career interception in a 20-6 win over Atlanta.

Scoring is becoming commonplace for the Buccaneers’ defense. They are the first team to have interception-return touchdowns in four consecutive games since the 1973 Washington Redskins accomplished the feat during a 10-4 season under head coach GEORGE ALLEN.

Brooks, who is the first linebacker in NFL history with three interception-return touchdowns in a single season, needs one to become only the fourth player in league annals with four in a season. The five-time NFL All-Star has been a vital cog in the team’s fast start. He is second on the club with 48 tackles and has added a sack and eight passes defensed, along with his team-leading four interceptions.

"All of us on defense need to continue to do our jobs and be consistent," says Brooks. "We are at our best when we go out and execute and make offenses adjust to us, not us adjust to them."

The Tampa Bay defense has executed in all phases. The unit is ranked second overall in the NFL, allowing 262 yards per game. It ranks first in the NFC in rushing yards allowed (81.2), and third in passing yards (180.8).

The Buccaneers’ defense, led by seventh-year defensive coordinator MONTE KIFFIN, has been especially potent in two crucial areas -- inside the redzone and on third downs. Tampa Bay has allowed only eight trips inside the redzone, holding opponents to one touchdown for a league-leading 12.5 touchdown percentage. On third downs, Tampa Bay ranks third in the NFL, allowing teams to convert only 30.4 percent (24 of 79) of their third down opportunities.

"We expected to play this way this year," says perennial All-Star safety JOHN LYNCH. "We've always said around here that if we stop the run, we are a pretty darn good team.   The thing I see from this unit more than any in the past is that we have so many different players stepping up to make big plays."  Adds defensive tackle ANTHONY MC FARLAND, "the key is stopping the run and succeeding on third downs. If we can keep doing that, good things will keep happening to our defense and to our team."

Gruden attributes much of the credit for the defense’s play to the 62-year-old Kiffin, a 20-year NFL veteran.

"I've known Monte a long time and the one thing you have to respect more than anything is his enthusiasm for the game," says Gruden. "It's his passion. He's my idol and the guy I want to grow up and be like. He's going strong, getting better every year, and he's a guy we are very proud of here in Tampa."

Adds the always-quotable Sapp:  "Coach Gruden says there should be an investigation because it looks like there are 12 of us out there right now."  Tampa Bay’s opponents might agree.

 

 

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