ColinG
Just Football Please
Sapp puts his faith in Panthers defensive line
January 28, 2004
By John Pezzullo
SportsTicker Pro Football Editor
HOUSTON (Ticker) - Even when Warren Sapp doesn't play he creates a ruckus.
The outspoken defensive tackle of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers pumped some much-needed volume into Super Bowl week when he predicted the underdog Carolina Panthers to win Super Bowl XXXVIII because their front four would "dominate" the ever-changing offensive line of the New England Patriots.
"Hey, Warren why are you dogging my offensive linemen," Patriots quarterback Tom Brady playfully said to Sapp, who moonlights for the NFL Network.
Sapp turned Media Day into his personal playground last year as a player. He didn't take long to make an impact as a reporter.
"I didn't say what I said to be controversial just because most people are picking the Patriots to win," Sapp said. "I consider myself a pretty good judge of talent when it comes to defensive linemen and the Panthers' biggest strength is their defensive line. You win the battle of the trenches and that goes a long way to winning the game."
The defending champion Buccaneers were beaten twice by the Panthers this season - 12-9 in overtime at Tampa Bay on September 14 and 27-24 at Carolina on November 9. Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kris Jenkins blocked a field goal and a potential game-winning extra point on the last play of regulation in the first meeting.
"In no way, shape or form did I expect him (Sapp) to pick us to win the game," Jenkins said. "That surprised me."
Jenkins is considered to be the successor to Sapp's long-standing title as best defensive tackle in the NFL. Dallas Cowboys coach Bill Parcells believes Jenkins, a second-round pick in 2001, is the "best by far" at his position.
"That's not for me to say. My job is to play," said Jenkins, who had 59 tackles, five sacks and eight quarterback hurries this season. "I'd like to be the best. I want to be the best. I'm just going to do what I can to separate myself from everybody else."
Fellow defensive tackle Brentson Buckner is the most outspoken of the Panthers' linemen and held nothing back when talking about the 24-year-old Jenkins.
"He's better than Warren Sapp and he's the most integral part of our defensive line," Buckner said. "Usually you have guys who are categorized as run stoppers or pass rushers. He's big enough to be one of the most dominant run stoppers, but he's also athletic enough to rush the passer. So that makes him very unique."
The 6-4, 335-pound Jenkins really started to blossom in his second season when he recorded seven sacks and the Panthers went from last in the league in total defense to second.
"Actually, my goal in 2002 was to make the Pro Bowl," Jenkins said. "My goal this season was to be the best defensive lineman in the NFL."
On Sunday, Jenkins will be matched up against left guard Russ Hochstein, a former practice squad player with the Buccaneers who is an injury replacement for starter Damien Woody.
"I've seen Russ Hochstein block, and he can't, so this is a mismatch, plain and simple," Sapp said. "Damien Woody was the best lineman they had."
Hochstein stepped in to make just his second career start in the AFC championship game against Indianapolis and the offensive line didn't skip a beat - Brady was not sacked and Antowain Smith rushed for 100 yards on 22 carries.
But no one will confuse the Colts' defensive front with Carolina's quartet of Jenkins, Buckner and ends Julius Peppers and Mike Rucker.
"All of their guys up front are very good players, not just Jenkins," Hochstein said. "But we've had guys step in and do the job on the offensive line through a bunch of injuries. The coaches prepare us well and we'll be ready to go."
Three of New England's opening day offensive line starters - Mike Compton, Woody and Adrian Klemm - are on injured reserve. Rookie Dan Koppen moved in as the starter at center, former undrafted rookie free agent Tom Ashworth stepped up at right tackle and Hochstein filled in at left guard after Woody was injured in the divisional playoff win over Tennessee.
Their biggest test awaits. Double-teaming Jenkins will be difficult since Panthers coach John Fox has two pass-rushing ends - Mike Rucker and Julius Peppers - who combined for 19 sacks.
Since becoming a full-time starter at right end in 2001, Rucker has 31 sacks. He will be matched up against Patriots left tackle Matt Light, who shut down Dwight Freeney in the AFC championship game.
Peppers, the second overall pick in the 2002 draft, had 12 sacks in 12 games as a rookie before slipping to seven this season. He will be matched up against Ashworth.
That appears to be another matchup to exploit for Carolina's defensive line. But the Panthers are well aware that Brady's quick drops and short passes will be New England's best solution to combating the pass rush.
"Brady does a great job of getting the ball out of there in a hurry and that is frustrating," Peppers said. "But we have a lot of different things that we can do with blitzes. By Sunday, we will have something to throw them off."
Maybe if they back up Sapp's prediction and pull off the Super Bowl upset, the Panthers could earn themselves a nickname.
"Names are irrelevant," Buckner said. "All we want to be is the Carolina defensive line."
January 28, 2004
By John Pezzullo
SportsTicker Pro Football Editor
HOUSTON (Ticker) - Even when Warren Sapp doesn't play he creates a ruckus.
The outspoken defensive tackle of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers pumped some much-needed volume into Super Bowl week when he predicted the underdog Carolina Panthers to win Super Bowl XXXVIII because their front four would "dominate" the ever-changing offensive line of the New England Patriots.
"Hey, Warren why are you dogging my offensive linemen," Patriots quarterback Tom Brady playfully said to Sapp, who moonlights for the NFL Network.
Sapp turned Media Day into his personal playground last year as a player. He didn't take long to make an impact as a reporter.
"I didn't say what I said to be controversial just because most people are picking the Patriots to win," Sapp said. "I consider myself a pretty good judge of talent when it comes to defensive linemen and the Panthers' biggest strength is their defensive line. You win the battle of the trenches and that goes a long way to winning the game."
The defending champion Buccaneers were beaten twice by the Panthers this season - 12-9 in overtime at Tampa Bay on September 14 and 27-24 at Carolina on November 9. Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kris Jenkins blocked a field goal and a potential game-winning extra point on the last play of regulation in the first meeting.
"In no way, shape or form did I expect him (Sapp) to pick us to win the game," Jenkins said. "That surprised me."
Jenkins is considered to be the successor to Sapp's long-standing title as best defensive tackle in the NFL. Dallas Cowboys coach Bill Parcells believes Jenkins, a second-round pick in 2001, is the "best by far" at his position.
"That's not for me to say. My job is to play," said Jenkins, who had 59 tackles, five sacks and eight quarterback hurries this season. "I'd like to be the best. I want to be the best. I'm just going to do what I can to separate myself from everybody else."
Fellow defensive tackle Brentson Buckner is the most outspoken of the Panthers' linemen and held nothing back when talking about the 24-year-old Jenkins.
"He's better than Warren Sapp and he's the most integral part of our defensive line," Buckner said. "Usually you have guys who are categorized as run stoppers or pass rushers. He's big enough to be one of the most dominant run stoppers, but he's also athletic enough to rush the passer. So that makes him very unique."
The 6-4, 335-pound Jenkins really started to blossom in his second season when he recorded seven sacks and the Panthers went from last in the league in total defense to second.
"Actually, my goal in 2002 was to make the Pro Bowl," Jenkins said. "My goal this season was to be the best defensive lineman in the NFL."
On Sunday, Jenkins will be matched up against left guard Russ Hochstein, a former practice squad player with the Buccaneers who is an injury replacement for starter Damien Woody.
"I've seen Russ Hochstein block, and he can't, so this is a mismatch, plain and simple," Sapp said. "Damien Woody was the best lineman they had."
Hochstein stepped in to make just his second career start in the AFC championship game against Indianapolis and the offensive line didn't skip a beat - Brady was not sacked and Antowain Smith rushed for 100 yards on 22 carries.
But no one will confuse the Colts' defensive front with Carolina's quartet of Jenkins, Buckner and ends Julius Peppers and Mike Rucker.
"All of their guys up front are very good players, not just Jenkins," Hochstein said. "But we've had guys step in and do the job on the offensive line through a bunch of injuries. The coaches prepare us well and we'll be ready to go."
Three of New England's opening day offensive line starters - Mike Compton, Woody and Adrian Klemm - are on injured reserve. Rookie Dan Koppen moved in as the starter at center, former undrafted rookie free agent Tom Ashworth stepped up at right tackle and Hochstein filled in at left guard after Woody was injured in the divisional playoff win over Tennessee.
Their biggest test awaits. Double-teaming Jenkins will be difficult since Panthers coach John Fox has two pass-rushing ends - Mike Rucker and Julius Peppers - who combined for 19 sacks.
Since becoming a full-time starter at right end in 2001, Rucker has 31 sacks. He will be matched up against Patriots left tackle Matt Light, who shut down Dwight Freeney in the AFC championship game.
Peppers, the second overall pick in the 2002 draft, had 12 sacks in 12 games as a rookie before slipping to seven this season. He will be matched up against Ashworth.
That appears to be another matchup to exploit for Carolina's defensive line. But the Panthers are well aware that Brady's quick drops and short passes will be New England's best solution to combating the pass rush.
"Brady does a great job of getting the ball out of there in a hurry and that is frustrating," Peppers said. "But we have a lot of different things that we can do with blitzes. By Sunday, we will have something to throw them off."
Maybe if they back up Sapp's prediction and pull off the Super Bowl upset, the Panthers could earn themselves a nickname.
"Names are irrelevant," Buckner said. "All we want to be is the Carolina defensive line."
