It wasn’t just Rex

By John McMullen

Tony Dungy is the father of this generation’s “Tampa-2” scheme that is en vogue in the NFL. So, you might think it's crazy to criticize a defense the day after the classy Dungy rode it to a Super Bowl victory.

And maybe you're right -- but it’s also justified.

You see, Dungy wasn’t the only coach in the game using the overrated, ridiculously rigid system. The Chicago Bears and Dungy’s student -- Lovie Smith -- also use the Cover-2, despite possessing superior talent on that side of the ball.

Now, a history lesson.

Dungy actually created the “Tampa-2” in Minneapolis as a way to mask deficiencies under Dennis Green in the early ‘90s. The coach had inherited a great pass-rushing defensive line that included Chris Doleman, John Randle and Henry Thomas but had little to work with in the secondary.

So, much like a basketball coach with an excellent shot-blocker behind slow-footed perimeter players -- Dungy hid his weakness with a zone. An excellent move at the time but he never evolved. His Minneapolis Cover-2 is the exact same scheme that finally got him the ring in 2007.

Despite that stunning lack of growth, the coach began sprouting disciples. After all, he always seemed to make a defense better than the sum of its parts.

Or did he?

When the parts were truly great, Dungy came up small. In Tampa, Tony had Warren Sapp, Derrick Brooks, John Lynch and Company but simply couldn't get over the top because he used those future Hall of Famers like they were Raheem Brock, Rob Morris and Antoine Bethea.

Which brings us full circle to Dungy’s disciple -- Smith -- who had Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs, Alex Brown and Adewale Ogunleye on his side during Super Bowl XLI.

When Devin Hester returned the opening kickoff 92 yards for a score and Peyton Manning compounded that early miscue by forcing a weak deep ball to Marvin Harrison -- it looked like Da Bears were well on their way to becoming the most improbable Super Bowl champs of all-time.

But -- after the interception -- Manning was secretly elated on the sidelines. Chicago was playing right into his hands, lining up its safeties 17 yards off the line of scrimmage and telegraphing to the smartest quarterback in the game exactly where every player would be -- pre-snap.

From that point forward, it was like shooting fish in a barrel for Manning as Indianapolis ran 81 plays to just 48 for Chicago and held the ball for over 38 minutes.

During the midst of the Colts’ opening dive in the second half -- a 13-play marathon in which Manning siphoned nearly 7 1/2 minutes of the clock by dumping the ball off underneath time and time again -- Urlacher glared at his own sideline, imploring Smith and defensive coordinator Ron Rivera to be more aggressive.

But, Urlacher was whistling in the wind -- it doesn’t matter if your Dick Butkus or Dick Jablonski -- the Cover-2 changes for no man.

**Photo courtesy of The Associated Press **

-You can debate the virtues of the Cover-2 with John McMullen at jmcmullen@phanaticmag.com.

The Phanatic Magazine will have continuing Super Bowl XLI coverage through Tuesday.