Predicting the future, much like his head coach, Aqib Talib talked about a vision he had early in the Bucs’ 38-35 takedown of Arizona on Sunday, so recorded Tom Balog of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

The interception also fulfilled Talib’s prediction to Barber in the first quarter, before his first interception off rookie free agent quarterback Max Hall. That interception prompted Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt to make a change at quarterback.

“I told him, when we saw Max Hall on the first drive, I just said, ‘We’re going to get him three times and I’m going to get two of them, Ronde.’ Really, just joking,” Talib said. “But it happened, though.”

Talib’s two interceptions yesterday put him second in the league in that category with five. And Talib was suspended for Game 1.

It’s amazing how a big game will loosen up a player. Talib even got chatty with Rick Stroud of the St. Pete Times.

Anderson drove the Cardinals to the Tampa Bay 20 before Talib stepped in front of a pass intended for Larry Fitzgerald at the 3.

“The last one was Cover 2,” Talib said. “They ran double slants. We squeeze on double slants, and Anderson tried to fit it in there.”

Talib’s five picks equal his total after eight games last season, when Talib had none in the second half of the campaign. That’s going to have to be the difference for Talib this year; he has to finish the season strong and healthy — two things he couldn’t pull off in 2009. 

Ronde Barber’s single-season record of 10 interceptions is in reach. Talib’s got all the talent in the world to make a run at it, and the Bucs could make it easy for him if they can generate more of a pass rush and not fall behind early in games.