This is probably the most basic fundamental of the Bucs defense. It is a concept that coordinator Monte Kiffin preaches every hour of every day, and it has long since been ingrained into the mind-set of his players. We mention it here again because it cannot be overemphasized, especially when you're facing a running back like Clinton Portis. He's not a football player; he's a locomotive who can change direction faster than Harry Potter on his broomstick playing Quidditch. The only way to shut him down is to throw a lot of bodies at him and plug all the gaps he will consider slicing through. Portis usually starts running to his left, but he'll cut back to his right away from the pursuit, so the Bucs have to seal off the cutback lanes and tackle low to keep Portis from beating them. ...more

November 25, 2007

Earnest Graham's run as the Bucs' starting tailback is now five games long. It could be another five before he finally finishes shaking off all the rust he built up during three years of virtual inactivity. ...more

November 24, 2007

The loss of QB Michael Vick has forced the Falcons to do something many thought they should have done long ago, which is make more use of a conventional running attack. The Falcons always have had good running backs and this year is no different. With Warrick Dunn (100 yards two weeks ago) and Jerious Norwood, they have two backs who allow them to control the clock, and that has proved to be a winning formula. The Falcons are 3-0 when they win the time-of-possession battle, so the Bucs will want to get them off the field quickly and get the ball back for their offense. Stopping Dunn is the key. The Bucs will have to get a lot of bodies after him and be sound with their tackling. If the Bucs can do that and control the ball themselves on offense, they'll have a leg up. ...more

November 18, 2007

For Tampa Bay, this weekend is all about fighting. The Bucs are playing the Falcons in Atlanta, home of the world's most famous dog fighter. Tampa Bay is also fighting to stay atop the NFC South standings, while Coach Jon Gruden is battling to keep his job. ...more

November 18, 2007

Bucs players discuss Sunday's game against Atlanta and other topics: ...more

November 14, 2007

Karolainy Oliveira had a best friend who got weird when she had to move. Vanessa Rodriguez remembered what it was like to see her friends be able to do things she couldn't. Jakob Klukow had a hard time adjusting to a move. ...more

November 14, 2007

What with finding most of its high schools on the national "Dropout Factory" list and having a hard time accounting for money at some of its schools, you'd think the Pasco County School District would have enough on its hands. You would be wrong, judging from an idea the School Board is kicking around at the moment. ...more

November 14, 2007

BROOKSVILLE - A Powell Middle School teacher protested just before his arrest on a DUI charge that "everybody drinks and drives" and asked the deputy why he was giving him "such a hard time," according to a report. ...more

November 13, 2007

Karolainy Oliveira had a best friend who got weird when she had to move. Vanessa Rodriguez remembered what it was like to see her friends be able to do things she couldn't. Jakob Klukow had a hard time adjusting to a move. ...more

November 12, 2007

A federal jury decided Friday that a woman convicted of killing an expectant mother and cutting the baby from her womb should receive the death penalty. ...more

October 27, 2007