Defense Just Doing A Job, But They're Doing It So Well Martin Fennelly, The Tampa Tribune, published 14 October 2002 On most defenses, the play would have drawn hugs, high-fives and a conga line. This is not most defenses. Cleveland Browns running back Jamel White caught a short pass in the second quarter Sunday. Bucs cornerback Ronde Barber made it shorter, flattening White for a four-yard loss with a hit that jarred Raymond James Stadium. So? That's what Barber thought. He walked back to the huddle, where the other 10 hounds sniffed another doomed Cleveland play. Barber was not even congratulated. Why should he be? ``We're doing a job,'' Barber said. This is how it works right now for the Bucs defense. They are why the Bucs won 17-3 Sunday. They are the reason this franchise is 5-1 for only the third time in its history. They were perfunctory predators Sunday. They went about their business. Their idea of going through the motions is leaving the other team motionless. They made the NFL's fifth-best passing team look like the 50th-best passing team. They put a helmet on everyone but Dwayne Rudd. They made this a boring afternoon. Derrick Brooks didn't return a single interception for a touchdown. And the same crew that compacted Michael Vick couldn't make Browns quarterback Tim Couch cry, something even Cleveland fans made him do. Maybe Warren Sapp should have booed Couch as he sacked him. The tears of a Brown. Anything to stay awake. Excitement lay elsewhere on Sunday. There was Mike Alstott and the resurgent Bucs running game (sure it is). There was the Keystone kick by Martin Gramatica after that blocked field-goal attempt. Why write about the defense? They're just doing a job. During this five-game winning streak, the defense has allowed 23 points. During this streak, the defense has allowed two touchdowns - and scored four. It's impossible to get our minds completely around how good that is. We the smaller-brained creatures can only throw up roadblocks made of reality. Like the five teams the Bucs have tormented during this streak have a combined record of 7-21. Even the defense wonders what they've done. ``We ain't playing Air Coryell every single week,'' Sapp said. ``Let's be honest here.'' Now comes a litmus test in Philadelphia, against quarterback Donovan McLitmus. Maybe we'll get an idea next Sunday. Let's be honest here. Maybe we can't start to compare this defense to the 1999 edition, which without a shred of help from the offense nearly made a Super Bowl. But as long as we're being honest, we have to admit that this defense is playing so well right now they bore everyone but Couch to tears. Honestly, Sapp is back and ferocious. Shelton Quarles is a major upgrade from Jamie Duncan at middle linebacker. His speed kills. Brian Kelly has stepped up at cornerback. Dexter Jackson has done the same at safety. Barber's hit? What about the one Dwight Smith, yet another cornerback, laid on Cleveland's Kevin Johnson? That's the point here. These guys are all standing in the lunch line, waiting to make plays. There are only five starters left from the 1999 defense, but this one has been doing an excellent imitation. One reason might be Ol' Wild Eyes, Monte Kiffin, the man in charge. Monte found a fellow nut when Jon Gruden signed on. They first bonded a couple of years ago, when they both had condos on Reddington Beach. Waves crashed. Eyes met. Playbooks were exchanged. The boys worked at the greaseboard out at Monte's place (happened to have one lying around). ``We got the coffee on, and went at it with X's and O's,'' Kiffin said. The wives and children built a bamboo raft and floated to Texas and back. ``We've got a nice little thing going,'' Kiffin carefully admitted Sunday. ``But we'll get checked out pretty good next week.'' Sapp agreed. ``Donovan McNabb ... five-finger Chi-town 'baller.'' That means he's good, we think. ``Have some work to do,'' Sapp said. ``Have some good work to do. It's going to be fun, because he is the catch. He is the man.'' Here is the defense. Finally, some excitement.