Smith's History Bodes Well for Bucs' Defense

Mike Smith will target some specific improvements in the Bucs' defensive output, and his track record from Jacksonville suggests he can make them happen.

Historically, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been known for defense.

It was the defense, led by future Hall of Famer Lee Roy Selmon, that fueled the franchise's rapid rise from hapless expansion team in 1976 to the NFC title game in 1979. That Buccaneer crew made it to the playoffs three times in four years before a decade-and-a-half of losing seasons set in.

When the team, under new ownership, pulled out of that tailspin in the mid-'90s, it was once again the defense that led the charge. That group, led by Hall of Famers Warren Sapp and…