Names like Ray Lewis, Zach Thomas, LaVar Arrington and Takeo Spikes are often the ones that come to mind when thinking of the NFL's best linebackers. But what about Keith Bulluck? The 29-year-old is one of the league's finest outside linebackers, but he's rarely thought of among the elite defenders in 4 Brett Favre White jersey
football. The reasoning for that is likely due to the fact that he quietly goes about his business, while playing on a Tennessee Titans team that hasn't received much positive press over the last couple of seasons.Bulluck, a six-year veteran, is clearly the anchor of the Titans' defense. Over the last few offseasons, the salary cap-strapped organization has been forced to wave goodbye to some of its best defenders, such as right end Jevon Kearse and cornerback Samari Rolle. Because of the lack of veteran talent on the defense, Bulluck has been forced to step up, and he's done so in a big way.It all clicked in 2002 for the former Syracuse star that picked up his first 100-tackle season, as he piled up 125 takedowns. The two seasons prior to that were Bulluck's first in the league, and the former first-round pick totaled 84 tackles in a mostly reserve role.Following his tackling breakout in '02, Bulluck became one of the league's best playmakers at the linebacker position. In the last three seasons he hasn't picked up less than 135 tackles. The '04 campaign saw Bulluck pick up a career-best 152 total tackles, while accumulating five sacks and two interceptions. Bulluck has, in fact, grabbed two picks in each of the last three years and tallied five sacks in both of his last two seasons. Even though Bulluck has been stupendous in the last pair of seasons for Tennessee, he hasn't made a Pro Bowl either time. He did manage to make it in the aforesaid '03 season, though. Still, that year wasn't as good as his last two, which have seen him develop into a threat for opposing offensive linemen and quarterbacks.The Titans' defensive coordinator, Jim Schwartz, has finally decided to utilize Bulluck in a pass-rushing role, and that's paid off for the team's defense. Although their units haven't finished better than 11th in points allowed in a regular season since Bulluck's big third season, it certainly hasn't been the linebacker's fault. Much to the 235-pounder's chagrin, the Titans' defense finished 29th in points surrendered last year.In recent years, GM Floyd Reese hasn't necessarily done a great job of building the defense. Bulluck has been virtually all the team could want in a defender, but the cupboard's been somewhat bare otherwise. Cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones was Reese's top pick in the '05 draft, but his debut season didn't go well at all.Schwartz and Bulluck are certainly terrific at what they do; however, they (and left end Kyle Vanden Bosch) can't expect to pull the Titans' defense up from mediocrity all by themselves. There just hasn't been enough talent on that side of the ball recently.Until Tennessee's defense turns into a great unit, Bulluck likely won't get the respect he deserves. Without question, that's quite a Jets 6 Sanchez Jersey
shame, since he's one of the best and classiest defenders that pro football has to offer in this day and age. Maybe, just maybe, his performance will be so good this season that it can't be ignored. That's all Bulluck and the Tennessee Titans can hope for.--Connor J. Byrne can be reached at Get more on Keith Bulluck
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