By MARTIN FENNELLY

mfennelly@tampatrib.com

TAMPA - The Bucs play the Raiders today in what could be the final game of the season. They played the Raiders in what was absolutely the final game of the 2002 season. As we recall, the Bucs won.

"Correct," Derrick Brooks said with a grin.

CBS is doing the television today. Among the announcers is Rich Gannon, the Raiders quarterback that Super Bowl night in San Diego.

"I had a nice talk with Rich Gannon," Brooks said. "It all came back sitting there talking to him, picking him off."

The Raiders had crept back into the game. Only the 2002 NFL Defensive Player of the Year stepped in, intercepted and ran it back for a touchdown. End of game. "I just read his eyes," Derrick Brooks said.

After the game, the linebacker sat at his locker for a few minutes and watched the older Bucs coaches celebrate, like receivers coach Richard Mann, offensive line coach Bill Muir, "guys with more than 20 years in," Brooks said.

"And I watched Monte."

He read his eyes.

An era might end today. It could very well be Monte Kiffin's last game as Bucs defensive coordinator.

Brooks sat at his locker at One Buc Place on Friday. He had just seen limited duty in practice. Ribs, hamstring. He is listed as questionable for today's game. Right. He'll start today, as he has in every game for 14 consecutive seasons.

Back to Monte. Brooks laughed.

"Everyone's favorite is Kiff and his 'I Feel Good' dance. His James Brown 'I Feel Good' dance before the first game of the season. Every year he does his dance. And for 13 years, he hasn't gotten better at it. I tell him, 'Kiff, you're not getting better at your dance, man. It's getting worse.'"

Brooks and Kiffin, Kiffin and Brooks, in the meeting rooms, on the practice field, on the sideline during games, trying to figure out a way to keep the Bucs defense the Bucs defense. They've always managed.

"They made their plays," they'll tell each other during the game. "Now let's make ours."

But the Bucs defense has slipped badly these last three weeks, and with it this Bucs season. It hangs by a thread. They have to beat the Raiders, then hope the Eagles beat the Cowboys, or the collapse will be in the books.

Collapse. Fold. Strong words.

"Because of where we're at, those are warranted," Brooks said. "People will say that because of where we are. But you ask the same person in August, they'd have taken 10 wins."

It's not August.

There is only one thing to do:

Answer.

Perhaps no man in Bucs history has done more of that than Brooks. He made his 11th Pro Bowl this season after missing it last season. He doesn't play every down anymore, and it doesn't matter. Brooks took it as a challenge, a way of setting another example. He answered as he always has, with hard work, with dedication, with leadership.

"The thing about Derrick Brooks is that he ain't never changin'," Bucs coach Jon Gruden said.

"He's a survivor," Ronde Barber said. "Derrick isn't the same guy he was five or six years ago, but he still does it. He finds a way to make the big plays. He's a survivor. You see this game. It's about survival."

The unknown is out there. Those aching ribs and hamstring, they're unknowns. Today against the Raiders is unknown. Life after Monte is an unknown. Or is it?

"The question after this season is where does this defense go from here?" Brooks said. "When will Monte leave this defense? The answer to me is 'Never.' He'll never leave it. Coach [Tony] Dungy will never leave it."

Brooks grinned again.

"The beautiful thing about it is that we have a chance to win our game this Sunday, and if we get in, it was just naysaying. It doesn't matter."

But what can the Bucs do even if they make the postseason? They've earned their doubters.

"I look forward to showing it to you," Derrick Brooks said.

It's in his eyes.

Photo credit: Tribune photo by CLIFF McBRIDE

Photo: Two of the cornerstones of the Tampa Bay defense: coordinator Monte Kiffin and linebacker Derrick Brooks.

Copyright ? 2008, The Tampa Tribune and may not be republished without permission. E-mail library@tampatrib.com