Rick Gosselin

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Points have always been difficult to score against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Bucs fielded one of the best defenses of this era with Pro Bowlers abounding in Warren Sapp, Derrick Brooks, John Lynch, Ronde Barber, Simeon Rice and Shelton Quarles.

So stout were the Bucs that the Cowboys managed one only touchdown in four of their five games against Tampa this decade. The Bucs even shut out the Cowboys in 2003.

But that isn't the same intimidating Tampa defense the Cowboys will face Sunday in the season opener.

The man who brought the defensive mentality to Tampa – head coach Tony Dungy – was fired after the 2001 season. The man who stocked that defense through the draft – general manager Rich McKay – bolted for the Atlanta Falcons in 2008.

The man who coordinated the defense and outschemed so many offenses all decade long – Monte Kiffin – quit this off-season to join his son Lane's staff at the University of Tennessee. And the only Pro Bowler left on that side of the ball is Barber, who is a 34-year-old corner.

The Bucs finished second in the NFL in defense in 2007 and remained in the top 10 at ninth in 2008. But Tampa Bay opted not to re-sign Brooks this off-season. He was the most talented player and best leader on the Bucs defense this decade. So look for the defensive slide to continue.

The Bucs will send out 10 players Sunday who have never been to a Pro Bowl. Two of the defenders have never started an NFL game (linebackers Quincy Black and Geno Hayes). Another (end Jimmy Wilkerson) will be making his seventh career start.

There are four former first-round draft picks in the lineup: tackles Ryan Sims, Chris Hovan, end Gaines Adams and cornerback Aqib Talib. But without a Brooks and Sapp, defense no longer reigns supreme in Tampa.