An all too common sight Sunday: Antonio Gates getting open behind the Bucs secondary.

Face it: You are frustrated. Joe is frustrated. Just about every Bucs fan is likely frustrated.

So is Joe Henderson of the Tampa Tribune. So upset is Henderson, he’s ready to give up on the season. To be honest, Henderson — as always — makes a lot of sense. Does anyone think the Bucs can win a playoff game?

Granted, Joe thinks a game against the Desert Rats is winnable. They are a paper lion if there ever was one. But still, the Bucs’ defense downright stinks right now and the offense isn’t a whole lot better, something Henderson is not bashful about pointing that out.

In fact, Garcia IS the running game right now. Considering that he’s playing on a bad wheel, that’s a little frightening. Give the man high marks for effort; his bloodied face looked like he had gone 12 rounds with Freddy Krueger at the end of this one.

Bloodied and unbowed.

No, actually bowed too.

That’s basically where the Bucs are right now. Three weeks ago they were 9-3 and on track for a division title, first-round bye, and a chance to make the Super Bowl a home game. Now they’re 9-6 and holding on by their fingertips.

But then, what do you expect with an offense that consists of Garcia trying to find Bryant – they hooked up six times for 127 yards before Garcia left to get his bloody face tended to once the game was out of hand. They have no running game, no other receivers, and the defensive collapse of late makes it even more important that they find balance on offense.

Henderson’s copy is just dripping with bitterness and anger. Joe — as in Joe of JoeBucsFan.com — doesn’t blame him and echoes most of his feelings.

But as JoeBucsFan.com analyst Steve Campbell rightly pointed out Saturday, running against the Chargers is almost folly. The Chargers were fighting for their playoff lives and the Bucs defense caved. Your resident Joe of JoeBucsFan.com is frustrated and unnerved too. But he can’t blame the running game.

Instead, where was the defense, specifically the pass defense? Rivers could have ordered a pizza he had so much time to throw on too many occasions.