Tough Defense Pointed Bucs Toward Victory Ira Kaufman, The Tampa Tribune, published 26 November 2007 Monte Kiffin looked like he had just competed in a marathon. In a sense, he had. Tampa Bay's wily and exhausted defensive coordinator walked slowly off the field late Sunday afternoon, checking the scoreboard one last time to see if the Bucs had really hung on for a 19-13 victory against a desperate Washington club. The Redskins had just run off 54 snaps after intermission while outgaining Tampa Bay 316-15. But a huge comeback effort couldn't overcome six turnovers as the surging Bucs improved to 7-4 heading to New Orleans with an opportunity to virtually wrap up the NFC South title. "So what if we didn't get a first down in the second half?" linebacker Cato June said. "The way we look at it, that's just more opportunities for this defense. Everybody's hungry, everybody on this defense wants to make the big play." Old guard, new guard, it didn't matter Sunday as the Bucs defense buried Washington in a 19-3 halftime hole by recovering four fumbles. Ronde Barber and Brian Kelly added fourth-quarter interceptions against Jason Campbell, the emerging second-year pro who completed 30 of 49 passes for 301 yards. "We're all in this together," said Kelly, who drifted back to the right corner of the end zone with 17 seconds remaining to snare Campbell's ill-advised pass for Santana Moss. "There will be a game down the line when we need our offense to bail us out, but we carried it today." Since failing to register a takeaway during back-to-back losses to Detroit and Jacksonville, the Bucs defense has embarked on a staggering turnover fest. Six fumble recoveries and six picks have fueled a three-game winning streak. "The young quarterback who plays against our defense eventually gets impatient and says to himself, 'I've got to go downfield,'" Bucs quarterbacks coach Paul Hackett said. "And when that happens - boom." The Redskins, who fell to 5-6 following a third consecutive setback, fumbled on their initial two possessions, with rookie safety Tanard Jackson recovering both miscues deep in Washington territory. Derrick Brooks added a critical fourth-down stop in the third quarter and defensive end Greg White followed up his huge game at Atlanta with a sack, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. "Monte always says turnovers come in bunches, but six is getting up there," middle linebacker Barrett Ruud said. "Six is pretty good. We were obviously tired in the second half and they moved the ball, but we pretty much kept it out of the end zone." The Redskins ran off at least nine plays in each of their five second-half possessions, rolling up 19 first downs, but Barber and Kelly used their instincts and experience to thwart Campbell in crunch time. "In the history of football, I can't believe there's ever been a better slot corner than Ronde Barber," Kiffin said after Tampa Bay's new career interception king jumped Campbell's short pass intended for Moss near the right sideline. Campbell said the Redskins had enjoyed considerable success running that pattern Sunday. "They gave us the same exact coverage," Campbell said. "That one I wish I could have back." Neither Barber nor Kelly, who has been nursing a sore groin for much of the season, had posted a 2007 interception entering the game. Barber tuned up for Sunday's drama by returning a fumble 41 yards at Atlanta for his 11th career touchdown. "They both play this game so well above the neck," secondary coach Raheem Morris said of his veteran corners. "It all comes down to leadership and it's good to have Brian Kelly making big plays for this team once again. As for Ronde, he's always been there when it counts - that's a staple of his." Morris was asked to explain Barber's uncanny knack for the big play. "He loves football more than anyone else," Morris said.