Tuesday, September 24, 2002
Bucs warm up for Bengals, crush Rams 26-14
Sapp leads strong Bucs defense
The Associated Press
TAMPA, Fla. — Warren Sapp didn't need to worry. Whenever Tampa Bay plays the St. Louis Rams, the Buccaneers defense is at its best.
“A lot of people go into playing them, or have in the past, and they've lost before they played,” Bucs safety John Lynch said after Monday night's 26-14 victory over the defending NFC champions. “We know we have a shot because we've done it.”
In the days leading up to the latest showdown in a rivalry that began with the Rams' 11-6 win in the 1999 NFC Championship, Sapp questioned which Tampa Bay defense would show up.
The All-Pro tackle wondered if it would be the crew that played poorly in a season-opening loss to the New Orleans Saints or the one that shut out Baltimore the following week.
Sapp & Company answered by knocking running back Marshall Faulk out of the game and intercepting Kurt Warner four times to key the Bucs' third straight victory over the Rams.
“It shows what kind of football team we have,” Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden said. “We came back strong after a tough loss to open the season. Our defense was dominant, and I think America saw that.”
What a national television audience also witnessed was a St. Louis team that hardly resembles the one that went to the Super Bowl two of the past three seasons.
The Rams are 0-3 for the first time since 1987 and face an uphill battle to make the playoffs — let alone contend for another NFC title.
“We don't have time to feel sorry for ourselves,” coach Mike Martz said. “We have to dig ourselves out of this hole and fight back. We created this situation and we have to be good enough to get out.”
Linebacker Derrick Brooks returned one of Tampa Bay's four interceptions 39 yards for a touchdown that assured the outcome with just under a minute remaining.
Brad Johnson threw for 199 yards and one touchdown, and Brian Kelly ran 31 yards with an interception to the St. Louis 1, setting up Mike Alstott's fourth-quarter TD plunge.
Faulk, who rushed for 9 yards on six carries, left the game early in the second quarter with a neck strain. He did not return, and he was absence was evident.
Faulk's 5-yard TD run gave St. Louis a 7-3 first-quarter lead, but the Rams were unable to take advantage of good field position and move the ball with any consistency with the seven-time 1,000-yard rusher on the bench.
“Giving the ball to Faulk, the greatest running back in the game, less than 25 times,” Sapp said, “they're not going to win.”
Warner completed 30 of 45 passes for 301 yards and was sacked five times. The Rams outgained the Bucs 358-252, but only managed 42 on three possessions that began at the 50 or in Bucs' territory.
Since their memorable meeting in the 1999 title game, the Rams and Bucs have faced each other three consecutive years on a Monday night.
Tampa Bay won 38-35 at home in 2000 and 24-17 at St. Louis last season.
The Bucs like to think no defense matches up better with the high-powered Rams, and the results support their contention.
Since the start of the 1999 season, St. Louis has been held to 20 points or fewer eight times. Tampa Bay, with three, is the only opponent to do it more than once.
“We have all the ingredients it takes to play these guys well,” Lynch said.
“We have a front four that can rush the heck out of people. We've got linebackers that can tackle in space. We've got safeties and corners that will tackle and intimidate receivers. I think all of that plays into a good matchup for us.”
Notes: Faulk's touchdown moved him ahead of Hall of Famer Lenny Moore into eighth place on the NFL career list with 114. ... The Rams scored in the opening quarter for the first time this season. But they still haven't scored more than seven points in any quarter. ... Bucs guard Kerry Jenkins left the game in the second quarter with a cracked bone in his left leg. ... Brooks strained his left hamstring in the fourth quarter, but wasn't hampered during his game-clinching interception return.
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Bucs warm up for Bengals, crush Rams 26-14 
