Defense Regains Some Swagger

When it was over, an exhausted Warren Sapp sat on the ground and soaked up the atmosphere.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Green Bay Packers, 14-10, and ended the NFL’s longest winning streak at seven games Sunday. The Buccaneer defense also answered its critics after allowing the Minnesota Vikings to drive 96 yards to a winning touchdown in the closing minutes last week.

“I think there was a different feeling the whole ballgame,” said Sapp, Tampa Bay’s All-Pro defensive tackle.

“We were mixing and matching, playing our defense. Bucs ball. There was never a sense that we were giving them anything. They were going to have to earn it. When you’ve got to earn it, it’s pretty tough.”

The Buccaneers (2-1) intercepted three of Brett Favre’s passes, and Shelton Quarles returned one 98 yards for a touchdown.

A struggling offense did its part too, putting together the longest scoring drive in team history--95 yards--to produce the winning touchdown with 6:45 to go.

Mike Alstott, filling in for injured running back Warrick Dunn, found an opening in the left side of Green Bay’s top-ranked defense and lumbered 39 yards for the touchdown with help from two blocks by wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson.

The Packers (3-1) led 10-7 after Favre threw a second-quarter, 67-yard touchdown pass to Bill Schroeder, and Tampa Bay’s only turnover set up Ryan Longwell’s 35-yard field goal in the third quarter.

Favre has led 20 game-winning comebacks from fourth-quarter ties or deficit during his career--including four against Tampa Bay--but couldn’t do it again in two chances in the final minutes.

“You just keep telling yourself to slam the door this week,” Buccaneer linebacker Derrick Brooks said. “We didn’t play a perfect game, but it was good enough to win.”

Favre was intercepted again on the Packers’ first play after Alstott’s touchdown.

Green Bay got the ball back one more time and moved from its 16 to a first down at the Tampa Bay 13 in the waning seconds.

Favre, however, threw an incomplete pass, was sacked for a five-yard loss, and then failed to connect with receivers in the end zone on the final two plays.

“I feel like if we were in that situation 10 times, we would score 10 times,” the three-time league MVP said of the last drive. “You just have to tip your hat to Tampa. They are a good team. We got in the red zone