The Bucs defense was romping around Sunday like it was 1999, Derrick Brooks particularly. Awfully impressive.

Yet, if you look at the numbers, the Bucs don’t rank that highly - not yet, anyway. They are a good/not great ninth overall in total yards allowed and tied for 10th in points allowed.

I think this is one time the numbers lie.

They got a lot of pressure Sunday on Packers’ quarterback Aaron Rodgers and they played with a ferocity that seemed reminisient of the good ol’ days. Monte Kiffin has mixed up coverages this season - he’s not playing pure Tampa 2 as much - and there is bound to be some transition there. Ronde Barber did get burned for a long touchdown Sunday and they were knocked around a bit in the opening loss at New Orleans. But they forced the issue Sunday and they’re scored defensive touchdowns in three of the four games.

And then there was Brooks.

He had an interception Sunday, forced a fumble, and defensed two passes. It seemed like he was in the middle of everything.

“I thought he was great. I really do,” Bucs Coach Jon Gruden said. “I thought he played a great game for us. He created some splash plays that really turned the game around for us. Inspiring play, leader, he was great for us. I was really pleased to see him moving around better. I think he felt much better than he has in previous weeks. That’s a good sign for us.”

It gets really interesting now.

At 3-1 with a road win at Chicago, the Bucs have done about all you can ask in the first quarter of the season. The NFL is a bottom-line league and most any team will take that kind of production each quarter. The next four weeks, though, could well determine whether this season is headed to the playoffs or the dumper.

They’re at Denver this week, then home for Carolina and Seattle, then at Dallas.

That’s three big NFC games and one against a team, Denver, that scores a ton of points.

“Well if you cut out Jay Cutler’s top 20 throws this year they would really impress you. This guy is an amazing talent,” Gruden said. “His mobility, the explosive arm that he has is unbelievable; I have never seen a guy throw the ball like this. He is a great talent. Brandon Marshall and their young receiver they drafted out of Virginia Tech, Eddie Royal, are big time play-makers. And the creativity of Mike Shanahan, that is a real good concept for Denver.”

The top story line this week will be Brian Griese returning to Denver. But the outcome may hinge, as it always seems to do, on how well the defense plays.