SAN DIEGO -- Despite his relative absence from the national spotlight, Tampa Bay safety Dexter Jackson knew just what to do Sunday night when he was catapulted into such glare by winning the Super Bowl MVP.

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	Dexter Jackson had two of the Buccaneers' five interceptions and was named MVP because of those efforts.

So after Sunday's two-interception performance, when he began an analogy about luxury vehicles and how they relate to the marquee names on the Tampa Bay defense, he quickly stopped himself when he first referred to a Mercedes-Benz.

Cadillac, after all, sponsors the MVP Trophy and will award Jackson with a 2004 Cadillac XLR for winning the award.

"Or if you have a Cadillac, say it's a Cadillac," Jackson said.

For all the big names on the Tampa Bay defense -- Warren Sapp, Simeon Rice, John Lynch -- it was a pair of relative unknowns -- Jackson and nickelback Dwight Smith -- who stole the spotlight. Smith, too, intercepted two Rich Gannon passes, both of which he returned for a touchdown.

Which is why Jackson's analogy made so much sense.

"This defense is so tough to play against," Jackson said. "…say you have a Cadillac, the outside is a shiny luxury ride so that everyone can see. Nobody sees the spark plugs and the engine and the stuff that makes the car run. And I'm one of the guys that does that. And tonight it paid off in a big way."

Did it ever. Gannon, the league MVP, threw 10 interceptions all season. Sunday he threw five. During the regular season, he set NFL records for most completions in a season (418), most consecutive completions in a game (21) and most 300-yard passing games (10).

Sunday, it took a big fourth quarter to salvage his numbers to a still below-average 24-of-44 for 272 yards and two touchdowns. His quarterback rating? A Rick Mirer-like 48.9.

Part of the credit goes to Greg Spires, Sapp, Charlie Darby and Rice, who chased Gannon around all night, giving him "happy feet" and making his life miserable.

But part of it, too, goes to the defensive backs, especially the previously overlooked Jackson and Smith.

"That's our secret -- we have an illegal team," Bucs defensive end Rice said Sunday. "Forget the NFC -- they should just send this group to the Pro Bowl. We have the best players at the league at every position. Before tonight, I don't think people realized that. But I bet they do now."

Before this season, Jackson was considered somewhat of a liability. Scouts said he was a bit of a guesser, who takes chances and often gets burned. Smith, on the other hand, isn't even a starter, only coming into the game in nickel coverage. The team was criticized in the off-season for leaving Smith to fill the shoes of the departed Donnie Abraham.

"There were all sorts of write-ups in the off-season," Smith said. "So today, I just wanted to come out and play football. This is the thing I've being doing for 17 years of my life. Playing football and making plays."

Strong safety Lynch said the secondary's performance was the best he'd seen in 10 years as a Buc. Over that decade, he's teamed up with six different free safeties. And Jackson, interestingly enough, is a free agent after this year.

"It's been a revolving door at free safety with the Bucs," Lynch said. "We get them ready to play and they move on. So it's extra sweet to have Dexter and see him progress as a player to the point where he takes advantage of an opportunity like that."

Jackson's first interception came late in the first quarter, with both teams struggling to move the football. He stepped in front of tight end Doug Jolley in the middle of the field for the theft.

The Tampa Bay offense converted the turnover into a field goal. And three plays later, Jackson did it again, breaking in front of a pass intended for Jerry Porter. The Bucs didn't score after the play, but the play was critical in re-establishing field position. The next possession, Mike Alstott bowled into the end zone for a 2-yard run, giving Tampa Bay a 13-3 lead.

"I stopped by Dex before the game and I saw that look in his eye," Rice said. "And I told him, 'Oooo, boy, you about to have a big one today. You look damn good today.' Then he delivered."

Both of Smith's interceptions were returned for touchdowns. One early in the second half which made the score 34-9 and another at the tail end of the game, making the score 48-21. On both returns, head coach Jon Gruden could barely contain himself on the sideline, running alongside the Tampa Bay defense as Smith ran for the end zone.

"You are in the Super Bowl, Dwight Smith gets the tip, he's going in front of me for another touchdown," Gruden said of the second return. "It is kind of hard to stand there and be tranquil if you know what I mean. It's a hard deal."

Cornerback Ronde Barber said the secondary expected such things, considering Oakland's offense was essentially playing right into its hands.

"When you spread us out, we dominate," he said. "You put three wideouts out there and we bring five defensive backs, that opens a whole can of worms for you."

Gruden, who coached the Raiders before this season, agreed.

"Against the forward pass, our guys are like, 'Bring it on,'" Gruden said. "That's what they like to defend. And tonight they did one heck of a job."

Wayne Drehs is a senior writer for ESPN.com.