FanHouse BarrettRuud

If you look hard enough, every team around the NFL has a player on its roster that should have received an invite to the Pro Bowl. The St. Louis Rams, for example, are livid that their punter isn't going. Some guys, like Atlanta's John Abraham, simply brush it off as no big deal, while others, like Tampa Bay's Barrett Ruud talk about how they got the shaft.

Ruud, a fourth-year middle linebacker out of Nebraska, is currently leading the Buccaneers with 117 tackles, while also registering three sacks, six pass defenses and two interceptions for playoff-hopeful Tampa Bay. He's obviously having a great season, though, not great enough to receive an invite to Hawaii. Predictably, he's not exactly thrilled with decision.

From Rick Stroud and Stephen F. Holder of the St. Petersburg Times:

"I got the shaft," Ruud said. "Somebody's got to get it, though." "The old saying is usually you go a couple years after you're supposed to and you stay a couple years longer. I'm not going to throw a tantrum or anything. I would've liked to have gone. Everybody wants to have that tag as a Pro Bowler, but unfortunately it didn't happen. All I can do is keep playing to get into the playoffs now."

Quick, name the team with the best run defense in the NFL right now. Baltimore? Pittsburgh? Minnesota? Perhaps. But how about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? Not only are the Buccaneers the only first place team in the league nobody seems to be talking about, they also may have the best run defense in the league through the first six weeks. If nothing else, they should be in the discussion.

Based on the traditional stats, the Buccaneers are currently the only team in the NFL to not allow a rushing touchdown, while also not surrendering a 100-yard rusher. Opponents are averaging 3.4 yards per carry (fourth best in the league), while they held Carolina's Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams to 39 yards on 17 combined carries during Sunday's 27-3 thrashing.

If the traditional numbers don't do it for you, the metrics from the good folks over at Football Outsiders have the Buccaneers run defense as the No. 2 unit in the league behind only Baltimore. Bottom line, whatever measuring stick you prefer, the end result is the same. Now that they have their quarterback situation figured out -- for now -- the Buccaneers could be a dangerous team in the NFC.

Just trying to give a little bit of love to Barrett Ruud, Derrick Brooks and the gang down in Tampa Bay.

OK, so I was wrong. I didn't think the Lions could beat the Bucs at their own game. But they did. Jon Kitna played conservatively, not completing a pass over 20 yards. They ran it 24 times for 147 yards, including 76 yards, 5.1 yards a carry, and a touchdown for Kevin Jones. And the defense stepped up with timely turnovers. It was anti-Martz football. And it won.

Jeff Garcia, returning to Detroit for the first time since taking no responsibility for anything bad, completed 82.2% of his 45 pass attempts for two touchdowns, showing some Brady-esque precision. But Tom Brady actually produces points and doesn't typically fumble twice, as Garcia did, both of which led to Lions touchdowns. Both teams also had fumbles overturned, one of which would have given the Bucs another touchdown on the return.

But the most exciting play of the game might have come early, as Shaun Rogers and Jeremy Trueblood got into what some might call a "tussle." The second: Calvin Johnson's 32-yard touchdown on an end-around, where he made Cato June, Tanard Jackson, and Barrett Ruud his prags. Get on it, Tubers.

This was undoubtedly the most convincing win of the Lions' season. They played outside of their comfort level and won convincingly. They showed the ability to do things playoff teams do. And they're -- gasp -- 4-2, close to taking over the NFC North.

With all of the talk about Adrian Peterson as the lock for Offensive Rookie of the Year, it's about time to recognize a first-year player dominating on the other side of the ball -- 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis.

Willis wowed scouts with his impressive play in college and outstanding attitude. Though he was the 11th overall selection, I think it's safe to say all 32 teams were in love with him. He's proven why as a pro.

"If you tell him something, he picks it up and he'll have it down the next day," Singletary said. "More important though, if he doesn't have it, he'll be very honest and say, 'Coach, I don't understand that,' and he's willing to sit there and work at it until he gets it."

So far, Willis has been awarded the Rookie of the Week award twice. He's second in the league in tackles per game (10.0, right behind Barrett Ruud's 10.3), and he's the only rookie amongst the top 10 tacklers. Texan defensive tackle Amobi Okoye is having a great season as well; as of now the award seems to be between the two of them, but linebackers have won six of the last seven Defensive Rookie of the Year awards. It's still early, but Willis looks like a real player, the next great thing at linebacker.

On Friday, I pondered the possibility of Drew Bennett, 6'5'' against defensive backs no taller than 5'11'', being the target of a fade in the end zone. And he was, but the results defied logic: Philip Buchanon intercepted the pass.

A lot of things about the Bucs' 24-3 victory over St. Louis defy logic: the Rams finally getting Steven Jackson on track, to the tune of 115 yards, and only scoring three points; Marc Bulger, he of a 97-62 career touchdown-interception ratio, throwing three picks without a touchdown; the Bucs defense, considered tepid in the offseason, putting together a second-straight dominant effort.

But I guess at this point in the season, there is no logic to be defined. We've got three games, not nearly a large enough sample to judge, and prior seasons mean nothing. On that note, this is what we know, and it's always open to change: the Bucs are playing perfect playoff football while looking like the best team in the NFC South, and the Rams need Mike Martz back, in the baddest way.

He was erratic. He was egotistical. He had trouble managing the clock, timeouts, and challenges. He hardly knew of these things we call "defense" and "the run game." But the Rams made the playoffs four out of his six years as head coach, they had a 53-32 record during his tenure, and even at their most inconsistent and sloppy, they were never, ever, ever this bad.

To get you ready for week 3, FanHouse is previewing all 16 NFL games. Here is your St. Louis Rams at Tampa Bay Buccaneers preview.

2007 Record:

St. Louis Rams: 0-2 (4th in NFC West)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 1-1 (t-1st in NFC South)

Last Week:

49ers 17, Rams 16
Bucs 34, Saints 17

When the Rams have the ball: With the exception of Steven Jackson, this is an offense that got back on its prolific track last week, despite only scoring 16 points. The Rams were in a position to score more, but left 16 points on the field, 13 of which were due to turnovers. But no matter how affluent the passing game becomes, this team needs Jackson to run with success. He's just not getting it done and, judging by his outburst on the Rams' sideline last week, feeling frustrated over the team's inability to get the run game going. He apologized to teammates this week, but 100+ yards and a score are better ways of paving the roads of discontent.

But no one really knows what Bucs defense the Rams will be facing -- the swarming, retro-fitted version from last week that looked circa-'02 or the crew of deteriorating senior citizens we expected in the preseason? This is going to be a recurring theme throughout the season for the Rams, because of their M*A*S*H unit of an offensve line (who allowed six sacks last week), but if Tampa brings the blitz, the Rams won't be able to protect Marc Bulger or Jackson, and the Bucs looked plenty feisty last week.

The Saints offense is in atrophy. A lot of people will criticize the defense in the wake of the 31-14 loss to Tampa Bay that drops New Orleans to 0-2. But, sadly, this is essentially the same boom-or-bust defense that showed up last year; they'll hold you to third and 12 and then give you a 60-yard pass.

What's really worrisome is how terrible this offense looks. Admittedly, they got a superb effort from Tampa, who played the best game I've seen them play in two years. Barrett Ruud was all over the ball early on, and the Bucs blanketed the Saints receivers, totalling a mind-boggling seven passes defensed in the contest. So kudos to the Bucs. They played a great game.

But seeing as how the problems that plagued the Saints today -- dropped passes, turnovers, poor pass protection, utter lack of intensity -- have also haunted them against the Colts and Bears, there's something deeper wrong with the offense. This is a unit with no consistency, no rhythm, no confidence.