Gruden: Smith a bad dream

Gruden: Smith a bad dream
Coach refers to Panther as ‘Freddy Krueger' because receiver is a nightmare to defend.
By Charles Chandler
cchandler@charlotteobserver.com
Posted: Friday, Dec. 05, 2008

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/121/story/394821.html


Four days before coming to Charlotte for a Monday night mega-game, Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden used some choice words to describe a certain Carolina receiver.

“That guy Steve Smith, he's a nightmare, man,” Gruden said on a conference call with reporters Thursday. “He's like Freddy Krueger to me. He scares the (heck) out of me.”

Evoking Krueger, the horror film character from the “Nightmare on Elm Street” movie series, was Gruden's way of paying homage to one of the NFL's most spectacular playmakers.

Just last week at Green Bay, Smith bailed out the Panthers with dramatic catches for 36- and 54-yard gains in the fourth quarter, setting up two touchdowns to key Carolina's 35-31 come-from-behind win against the Packers.

“Every film I pick up, he's brilliant,” said Gruden. “He makes some of the darndest catches.

“I don't like to see Steve.”

Even before speaking with reporters who cover the Panthers, Gruden used the “Freddy” moniker to describe Smith when addressing his Tampa players during a Bucs' team meeting Thursday morning.

Considering the source, it's a particularly impressive comparison. For years, Gruden has been dubbed “Chucky” after another horror film character because of his intense facial expressions on the sidelines during games.

Smith was flattered.

“I think that's a good compliment,” Smith said when told about Gruden's comments. “A lot of coaches don't always compliment the opposing team in the media. I don't think he said it to throw me off or to get me to relax.

“I appreciate it. I'll just kind of go home and smile and check that off and say, ‘Hey, that's pretty cool.'”

Smith has given Gruden plenty of reason to fear Carolina's passing attack.

Of Smith's 30 100-yard receiving performances, five have come against the Buccaneers – more than any other team.

“He's really hurt us bad in some games,” said Gruden, who became Tampa Bay's coach in 2002, Smith's second year in the NFL.

Smith has had five 100-yard days this season and ranks sixth in the league with 958 receiving yards despite missing the first two games because of a suspension.

The Bucs typically like to double-team Smith, rolling a safety over to help a cornerback – oftentimes Ronde Barber – in pass coverage.

Tampa Bay's attempt to keep Smith in check will be one of the primary subplots in Monday night's battle for sole possession of first place in the NFC South.

The mutual respect between Barber and Smith is immense.

“Steve, to me, is the best,” said Barber. “He really knows how to out-work guys for the football and, once he catches the ball, he knows how to out-work guys for extra yards. I have as much respect for Steve as anybody in the league.”

Barber said Smith gives the Panthers “one of the best players in the world” at making the type of “explosion plays” defenses always try to limit.

“If you take him out of the football game, they're a different football team,” Barber said of Smith and the Panthers.

Because Carolina and Tampa Bay are division rivals and meet twice per season, Smith said he doesn't study as much film preparing to face Barber as he does before playing most other cornerbacks.

“We're very familiar with one another,” Smith said. “We have a lot of tendencies playing each other. Sometimes watching film doesn't really benefit me because I have so much experience playing him.”

Smith said he also hasn't seen tape of his leaping 54-yard behind-the-head catch in the final two minutes at Green Bay last Sunday that set up the Panthers' winning touchdown.

He shrugged when asked how he thought it ranked among the best catches in his career.

“I don't really pay attention to that,” said Smith. “At the end of my career, I'll look back at them and have a little highlight tape. But, right now, if somebody asked me for a highlight of tape of my best plays thus far, I don't even have one.”

But Chucky, er Gruden, does.

Defending Panthers' Smith A Frightening Prospect For Bucs
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http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/dec/05/defending-panthers-smith-frightening-prospect-bucs/sports-bucs/
By IRA KAUFMAN | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 5, 2008

TAMPA - Jon Gruden has been watching horror films this week.

Every time Tampa Bay's coach slides in a tape of a Carolina Panthers game, he sees No. 89, big-play receiver Steve Smith, making a highlight-reel catch.

Gruden loves great players, but he's seen quite enough of Smith at this point, three days before the Bucs face the Panthers in a Monday night showdown to determine first place in the NFC South.

"That guy, Steve Smith, he's a nightmare, man,'' Gruden told Panthers reporters on a conference call. "He's like Freddy Krueger to me. He scares the heck out of me.''

Gruden has ample reason to be concerned.

Of Smith's 30 career 100-yard games, five have come against the Bucs. Gruden has repeatedly had a front-row seat as Smith made key receptions to beat Tampa Bay in close games.

"Steve, to me, is the best,'' Bucs cornerback Ronde Barber said in a conference call with Panthers media. "He really knows how to outwork guys for the football. I have as much respect for Steve as anybody in the league.''

Despite Smith's 5-foot-9, 185-pound frame, quarterback Jake Delhomme has the confidence to throw to his go-to receiver in heavy traffic, arching high passes that Smith latches on to with his rare athleticism and toughness.

In Tampa Bay's 27-3 rout of Carolina on Oct. 12, Smith almost made it a game on a critical pass play late in the opening quarter after the Bucs had grabbed a 14-0 advantage. On the next snap from scrimmage, Smith broke 10 yards free of the closest Buc defender, but he had to adjust to Delhomme's errant throw and was tackled after a 48-yard gain.

The Panthers ended up settling for a deflating field goal and never threatened again.

Smith's average of 18.4 yards per catch ranks No. 1 in the league for players with at least 45 receptions. Fifteen of his 52 catches this season have gained at least 20 yards. He has five receptions of at least 40 yards, compared with only one for the Bucs as a team.