SAN DIEGO – The Rich Gannon- led Raiders juggernaut offense can be stopped . . . or at least slowed down effectively enough for the Buccaneers to bring the Lombardi Trophy home to Tampa.
Herman Edwards knows it. His Jets’ defense wasn’t able to do it two weeks ago in their divisional playoff loss in Oakland, and Edwards isn’t saying it’s easy.
But he knows it can be done.
Edwards told The Post in an exclusive analysis of Super Bowl XXXVII that he believes the Buccaneers’ best weapons will be their red zone defense and their propensity to create turnovers.
“To me, where the Bucs will have the advantage is in the red zone,” Edwards said. “The Raiders might move the ball, but the Bucs will play very, very good red zone defense. If they can make the Raiders kick field goals, they’ll have a good chance. That’s where they can frustrate the Oakland offense.
“The Bucs will also end up getting a turnover or two against the Raiders.”
Why?
“Because that’s generally what they do almost every game,” Edwards said.
Although he believes he brought a good enough plan with him to Oakland for his Jets to take the Raiders out of the playoffs two weeks ago, Edwards is quick to give the Raiders’ offense, ranked No. 1 in the NFL this season, its due props.
“Its No. 1 rating is true in the fact that they use all of their weapons very, very well,” Edwards said.
Asked what the keys to slowing the Raiders’ offense are, Edwards said, “The first thing you have to do is try to get the quarterback [Rich Gannon] out of rhythm. If he gets into a rhythm, then they’ll continually move the ball and make first downs and eventually one of their players is going to make a play.
“The way you try to get Gannon out of rhythm is by putting some pressure up front with the guys in the middle so he can’t step up in the pocket. Once he steps up in the pocket, everything else breaks down, because he’s bought extra time to throw. You want to make him go to his left rather than to his right.
“In the secondary, you’ve got to have guys who can match up in those zones and take all the outlets away,” Edwards added. “There’s always a check-off guy when [Gannon] goes through his progression of reads.
“If you’re going to play zone against the Raiders – and that’s what the Bucs will do – players have to react to the football and tackle really, really well. You’ve got to tackle.”
Edwards said the Bucs will blitz “every once in a while, but they don’t make a living playing man-to-man.”
“They’ll play zone and use their speed and say, ‘We’re going to tackle you and when you catch it and we’re going to hit you.’ They can do it because they’ve got good enough linebackers and fast guys that can match up.”
Finally, despite how good the Oakland passing attack is, Edwards said the Bucs will go into the game trying to stop the run first.
“[Raiders’ running back Charlie] Garner, to me, is the ace card for those guys,” Edwards said. “He can run the ball, and what’ll happen is if the Bucs get into a game where [the Tampa defense is] rushing upfield and playing the pass, now the draw and screen come into play and Garner will gash you when he gets the ball in his hands.
“That’s going to be a big concern of theirs.”