|
|
 |
Rick Stroud, The St.Petersburg Times, published 26 November 2007
It's always hard to watch them break up the band. That's how it must have felt for Derrick Brooks, Ronde Barber and Brian Kelly, the last members of the Bucs' Super Bowl defense on the field Sunday against the Washington Redskins. But the aging Tampa Bay trio proved it still remembers the hits.
There was Brooks drumming into running back Clinton Portis on fourth and inches at the Bucs 4-yard line late in the third quarter to preserve a two-score lead.
There was Barber's interception in the fourth quarter to put his name atop the record book, picking off his first pass in 18 games to give him a franchise-best 32 for his career.
Finally, Kelly closed the show with 17 seconds to play on an interception in the end zone of a Jason Campbell pass intended for Santana Moss.
The result was a heart-stopping 19-13 victory over the Redskins that made you realize that the oldies are still goodies.
"There's not a whole lot of us left," Barber said. "It's not a coincidence. It's very good for all of us, really, because those were three huge plays in this football game. Mine was not as big as Derrick's stop on fourth down and B.K.'s pick to end the game. But still, huge plays from guys who are getting long in the tooth and have done this for a long, long time - but who still understand what it takes to make plays to win football games."
The Bucs needed to force all six turnovers - including four fumbles that set up a touchdown and three field goals in the first half - to improve to 7-4 overall and maintain a two-game lead in the NFC South over New Orleans heading into Sunday's critical showdown with the Saints at the Superdome. Make no mistake, the Bucs don't win the game without Brooks, Barber and Kelly.
Jeff Garcia suffered a deep contusion in his lower back on the first play of the game when he was hit by Redskins tackle Cornelius Griffin while scrambling for a 1-yard gain. Garcia was forced to leave the game two plays later. X-rays showed no fractures, and he was able to return for seven plays in the fourth quarter. He said he will be able to play Sunday at New Orleans. "It was a painful day but one we can fortunately smile about with the outcome of the game," Garcia said.
Backup Bruce Gradkowski, who started 11 games as a rookie last season, replaced Garcia but struggled to find any rhythm. He finished 9-of-19 for 106 yards. He didn't commit a turnover, but he had trouble cashing in on turnovers - the Bucs had to settle for three field goals after fumbles by Portis (twice) and one by Campbell deep in Redskins territory.
The Bucs were just 1-of-12 on third-down conversions and out-gained 316 yards to 15 in the second half while only holding the ball for 5:14, failing to pick up a first down.
"We were tired, man," said Kelly, 31. "We looked into each others' eyes, and it was like, 'What are you going to do?' You've got to close them out."
Talk about a walk down memory lane. Start with Brooks, 34, who led the Bucs with 12 tackles. None was bigger than his fourth-and-1 stop of Portis at the Tampa Bay 4-yard line - with the Redskins trailing 19-10 - when he shed a block by guard Pete Kendall.
Redskins coach Joe Gibbs defended his decision to forgo the field goal, and Campbell decided against a quarterback sneak because of the defensive alignment the Bucs jumped into. "I'm going to be honest with you," Brooks said. "It feels good for the old guys to feel appreciated to make a play every now and again."
Barber, 32, hadn't had an interception since Nov. 13, 2006, at Carolina. His interception with 3:40 left with the Redskins needing a touchdown to win ended one threat at the Tampa Bay 31. And it broke his tie with Donnie Abraham for the most career interceptions in club history.
"Obviously, people ride me on it," Barber said of the drought. "'Get the monkey off your back.' I think guys were rooting for me to get it done. I was waiting for my opportunity, and I got it today and cashed in."
Kelly had been relegated to playing nickel corner because of a groin injury that forced him to miss several games.
But after the Redskins marched from their 7-yard line to the Tampa Bay 16, he broke in front of Moss for the game-sealing interception, his first.
"Ronde said, 'It's just like old times.' And it is," Kelly said. "We've got some young guys who are playing lights-out ball right now, but we've got some good defensive leadership, and we're still here playing."
After the game, linebacker Barrett Ruud, 24, felt nostalgic. "I remember my first training camp, Rod Marinelli showed me a clip of Brooks hitting Natrone Means on a play just like that, where he came through and stoned him," Ruud said. "He was wearing the old orange-and-white uniforms. And I had flashbacks out there today. I'm 24 years old having flashbacks already, but that's what I told him."
|
|
|
| |
| |
|