ON THE JOB: TAMPA 2

The Bucs didn't change their D in two wins over Mike Vick and the Falcons. And they won't change when they take on Rich Gannon and the Raiders. Here's how their Cover 2 covers everyone:

	Ronde Barber can take over a game. Right, Donovan?

CB Ronde Barber: The key is funneling receivers inside, where our safeties and linebackers can help out. If I have the side with the primary receiver and a slot guy, I'm looking at the receiver's distance from the numbers or the sideline, little clues to help me reroute him inside. I'm also keeping an eye on the slot guy, because if he goes to the flat, I have to be ready to jump to him. But I can't get too close, because if the receiver I lined up against breaks outside, I have to be ready to backpedal -- fast.

FS Dexter Jackson: Before the snap I'll communicate with Ronde about the two receivers in front of us, and whether the tight end could be coming backside across the field. We have verbal signs, where I shout instructions or keys that I see, and silent signs, which I can't tell you. My landmarks for where I need to line up are the hash marks. I want to be two yards outside the hash, about 12 yards off the line of scrimmage. It's right where you want to be in Cover 2: deep enough to cover the pass but close enough so I can get upfield for run support. Whichever side I line up on, right or left, I use that foot to push off, since I'm normally running toward the middle of the field. We can't leave the middle of the field open. Our linebackers are fast and cover ground, but we need to make sure we keep everything in front of us.

SS John Lynch: My job is to sit back and read the quarterback and make sure the dead spots in our zone are small. It takes a lot of communication between Dexter and me, but as long as we recognize the same tendencies by the offense before the snap, we're okay, and we'll just rely on our instincts from there.

CB Brian Kelly: I'm responsible for the tight end running a deep corner route and the fullback running a shorter sideline route. I've got my right foot up forward because I can get my best leverage that way. I'll have help from Derrick Brooks on the fullback's route, so I always cheat a little bit by going back to hold my zone while I read the quarterback. For the most part, our Cover 2 is basic, but we've got the athletes to run it.

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ON THE JOB: THE BODYGUARD

The Bucs' best chance of beating the Raiders' veteran defense? Keeping Brad Johnson untouched. Here's how RT Kenyatta Walker will handle his part of the job.

First, I've got to get my hands on the guy. I always aim for the neck. It stops him. It stands him up. All I need is that second of stopping a guy and Brad's got the ball off. But I can't hit him if I don't know what he likes to do. Is he just a pass-rush specialist? Does he prefer to play the run? Does he like to beat you on the corner? Does he like to set you up for an outside move and then go inside?

	Lurking in the shadows, Walker makes sure nothing happens to Johnson.

Sometimes a guy will line up with his hand inside, sometimes with his hand outside. With most guys, a hand outside indicates a speed rush, inside is a power rush. I like speed rushers, because I've got fast feet and a speed guy is easiest for me to neutralize. The guys who give me the most trouble are the guys who are good with their hands -- the old vets. They'll slap my hands down and try to make me lose my balance. With those guys you try to get a little separation by staying on the balls of your feet and using a quick drop step. If I'm on my heels, I'm in trouble.

A lot of my pre-snap reads are in the secondary, especially with a blitzing team. I'm always looking at their feet to see if someone is creeping up or creeping outside. On corner blitzes, they'll tiptoe over there real quietly. When I'm blocking a blitz, I'm doing everything I can to keep everyone going outside. I can't give up the inside, or I've given someone the quickest route to the quarterback.

This article appears in the February 3 issue of ESPN The Magazine.