Saturday, 4 a.m.
They were born on defense, and most of their good games emerged from there.
Around here, offense was a silly concept, buried beneath too many bad quarterbacks and confused coaches. Ah, but the defense had some fiber. When they rose — rather quickly — to the level of a playoff team, it was because of that defense and Lee Roy Selmon. When they won the first championship, it was because of the defense and Derrick Brooks and Warren Sapp. Even later, when they won their second, the defense was very good in sweeping Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes.
And now, Tampa Bay turns its focus to its defense again.
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Oh, the offense is pretty good, what with Baker Mayfield and Bucky Irving and Mike Evans and the gang. There are games when the offense looks sleek and creative and dynamic.
But these are the playoffs, where the defense is important. When the Bucs play Sunday against the Washington Commanders — a dormant franchise for two decades — much of the lifting will be the responsibility of that defense. It has to slow down Jayden Daniels and the Commanders, a very good offense themselves. True, Washington played a weak schedule, but they can be a sizzling offense themselves.
Can the Bucs — who didn’t really stop much of anyone — slow them down?
That’s the key question, more important than the ones about the offensive line and Mayfield and Irving and Liam Coen. Can the soft -zone secondary make enough plays, can the anemic pass rush get home, can the outside linebackers contain Daniels?
Can a unit that couldn’t stop Cooper Rush, a unit that had trouble figuring out Spencer Rattler, deliver under the lights?
Or will the offense have to score 40 points to win?
Again, there are offensive questions, too. Can Evans have a good day against Marshon Lattimore? Can Bucky Irving star in the post-season, too. Can the offensive line have a good night.
But as the game gets closer, most of the thorny questions are about the defense.
Can it measure up?
Prediction: Washington 27, Tampa Bay 24.
In other playoff games:
Houston 23, L.A. Chargers 20.
Baltimore 27, Pittsburgh 14.
Buffalo 31, Denver 21.
Philadelphia 26, Green Bay 20.
L.A. Rams 28, Minnesota 24.