With Tim Brown and Jerry Rice around, not a lot of attention gets paid to Jerry Porter. Big mistake, and one that will cost the Tampa Bay Buccaneers if they make it.
The Oakland Raiders are 6-3 when wide receiver Porter catches a touchdown pass, including the playoff victory over Tennessee, in which Porter contributed the first score and added a diving catch for a 31-yard gain that set up the second.
Porter is the designated No. 3 receiver in the No. 1 passing offense in the NFL. He caught 71 passes to Rice’s 92 and Brown’s 81 but has 10 scores, one more than Brown and Rice combined. In a sport often defined by matchups, Porter is a difficult one for the Bucs, who will mix and hope to match as a way of dealing with Oakland’s receiving threats.
“I know [Porter] is a heck of an athlete and I also know he is their third guy,” said Bucs cornerback Ronde Barber, whose interception return of a Donovan McNabb pass for a touchdown clinched Tampa Bay’s victory over Philadelphia. “It is an interesting situation I’m going to be in. I’ll be matched up to see all of them.”
Oakland went almost exclusively with spread formations in the first half against Tennessee to force the Titans to live in man-to-man coverage against their receivers and tailback Charlie Garner. Tennessee did not have the coverage talent to match up with Oakland, and Porter will be the test to see if Tampa Bay does.
“That is what we’re based on, that is what the the foundation of the defense was built on,” cornerback Brian Kelly said. “We still run our `Tampa Two,’ but we throw in other things as well.”
The Bucs rely primarily on straightforward coverage, with safety help deep for cornerbacks Barber and Kelly. The third corner is Dwight Smith, who had four interceptions. But more than Porter may hold the key to a Raiders victory.
%% PORTER BY THE NUMBERS
YEARS REC YDS AVG LONG TDS
2002 51 688 13.5 36 9
Career 71 914 12.9 36 9
%%
THE OTHER X’s
CHARLIE GARNER
The Raiders are 3-0 when Garner accounts for at least 100 rushing yards. Garner also ranked second on the team to Rice in receptions with 91. He caught at least four passes in all but two games and had seven catches in the AFC championship, one for a touchdown. He had 962 rushing yards and 941 receiving, a mix reminiscent of Roger Craig and Ricky Watters in the 49ers’ championship offenses.
RAIDERS’ LINEBACKERS
Fumbles by Mike Alstott have undone the Bucs in years past, and for all of Alstott’s toughness, he will put the ball on the ground as he fights for more yards. But of the three Oakland linebackers, only outside backer Eric Barton has forced a fumble this season; he has three.
Rookie middle linebacker Napoleon Harris and veteran Bill Romanowski are the Raiders’ best run defenders behind the front four. Tampa Bay needs to run and hold on to the ball. Barton, Harris and Romanowski can take away the Bucs’ run game by controlling Alstott and stripping the ball.
