Once upon a time, the Tampa 2 defense was the calling card of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It can be again under head coach Lovie Smith, but one thing stands between the Bucs and a potential defensive renaissance: the defensive end position.
The Tampa 2 defense didn't get its name by accident. This variation of the Cover 2 zone defense rose to prominence under head coach Tony Dungy and defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin when they coached the Bucs in the late '90s and early '00s.
A vital element of the Bucs' success with the Tampa 2 was the personnel.