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TAMPA -- Jon Gruden's mouth, which usually fires out enough four-letter words to make a longshoreman blush, instead spewed out a verbal barrage of campaign-speak Sunday afternoon.
Putting on his best Barack Obama hat, Gruden stood in front of the media after his team's 23-20 victory against the New Orleans Saints and took up the cause for his defense. He implored fans that don't know anything about that unit to get TVs with better reception or even one of those tubes -- Gruden-speak for satellite dish -- so they get to know them better.
Gruden, who won his 100th career game Sunday, also seemed emotional about his defense, in a father-loves-a-son sort of way, which is odd since the offense is his baby.
"Our defense played really well and I hope they get the credit," Gruden said. "The players, they're playing their hearts out, and I'm really proud of them."
He should be. They're damn good.
So good in fact they just might carry this team to a Super Bowl.
Yes, I did just write that.
Despite the ugly way the Bucs sometimes play -- and for an offensive-minded guy like me it is tough to watch at times -- Tampa Bay's defense has that Super feel to it, even if they don't get the attention they want or Gruden thinks they deserve.
The Saints came into this game having scored 51 points last Monday night against the Green Bay Packers, ranked first in the league in total offense and fourth in scoring at 28.8 points per game.
Tampa Bay limited the Saints to 20 points and had three interceptions of Drew Brees and another one called back on a questionable penalty in the fourth quarter.
Some will say the rainy, windy conditions affected the Saints offense. Not true. It was the cover schemes implemented by defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin and a defense that features aging veterans who can still play and a nice group of young stars on their way up.
So who are they?
How about a rising star in middle linebacker Barrett Ruud? How about a second-year safety in Tanard Jackson who could easily be on his way to a Pro Bowl? How about veterans Derrick Brooks and Ronde Barber, the holdovers from the Bucs' Super Bowl winning team in 2002?
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| Linebacker Barrett Ruud is a rising star for Tampa Bay. (AP) |
"They've bought into what we do," Barber said. "It just keeps going on."
It helps that they have a defensive coordinator in Monte Kiffin that some consider to be the best in the NFL. Kiffin is the architect of the Tampa Bay Cover 2 scheme. He's also rumored to be leaving.
Kiffin's son, Lane, will be named the new coach of the University of Tennessee Volunteers this week and there are reports that the elder Kiffin is going with him. Following Sunday's game, Monte Kiffin said those reports were speculation.
"I want to focus on being 9-3," Kiffin said.
Even if he goes, he'll finish out the season, which is good news for Bucs fans. Kiffin's unit came in ranked fourth in the league and is getting better as the season moves along, which is what you expect from young players.
For much of the first half, it appeared the first team to 10 would win. The Bucs led 6-3 before Drew Brees hit Lance Moore with a 13-yard touchdown pass with 33 seconds left to make it 10-6 at the half.
That would be the last time the Saints would lead.
After throwing for 155 yards in the first half with no interceptions, Brees was limited to 141 yards in the second half with the three interceptions. He finished with a passer rating of 60.2, his lowest of the season.
Brees did rally the Saints from down 20-10 to tie it in the fourth quarter, but it was an interception by safety Jermaine Phillips that set up the game-winning field goal by Matt Bryant with 1:55 left and it was a pick by Phillip Buchanon two plays later that sealed it.
The Bucs have now won four consecutive games heading into next Monday night's big one with the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte for first place in the division. Both teams are 9-3, but you seem to hear a lot more about that Carolina defense than the one in Tampa.
They do have flaws. They're limited on offense. They don't throw the ball down the field enough. They're playing with a 37-year-old quarterback who Gruden benched earlier this season in Jeff Garcia.
Are they any good? They don't care. All they do is win. They're a lot like Alabama in college football, a team that the experts keep questioning but one that keeps on winning, maybe all the way to a championship.
Winning is the easy part. Earning respect for the defense is the tough job.
"We're not worried about that," Jackson said. "We'll get the respect. People don't know about us now, but they will. You can't just take respect. You have to earn it."
Ruud echoed those thoughts.
"If we do what we know we can do next Monday, people will know about us," he said. "You're missing something if you're not paying attention to this defense."
I'm still not sure how good this team is or can be. But if they win out they will likely have the No. 2 seed in the NFC. After that, who knows?
"We have Carolina this week on Monday, we have Atlanta in two weeks in Atlanta," Barber said. "That's the best scenario we can ask for, because we don't have to sit around and wait for anybody. We can take the NFC South the way we want to."
Which means with one of the best defenses in football leading the way.
That statement needs no politicking.
