Bucs MLB Kwon Alexander (58) and DE Larry English (57) react to Alexander flattening Browns QB Josh McClown last night. Photo courtesy of Buccaneers.com.

The offensive line got worked over last night. Broken record.

The defensive line got owned. Broken record.

What wasn’t a broken record was the sideline-to-sideline rib-rattling play of rookie middle linebacker Kwon Alexander. (more…)

America’s Quarterback reacts to a question about the Cleveland pass rush.

While he professed otherwise after the game, America’s Quarterback, Bucs signal-caller Jameis Winston, sure seemed rattled by the pressure of the Browns’ pass rush last night.

Defensive lineman Desmond Bryant (1.5 sacks) and linebacker Chris Kirksey especially got to Jameis, and either he was unable to unload the ball or was pressured into bad throws and outright sacks. (more…)

Bucs rookie LT Donovan Smith blocks for fellow rookie QB Jameis Winston in tonight’s loss to Browns. Photo courtesy of Buccaneers.com.

Yes, the Bucs’ offensive line looked not much different than last year’s offensive line tonight. In a word, porous.

The only thing different was three starters up front were not on the roster last year; two of them — left tackle Donovan Smith and right guard Ali Marpet — are rookies. (more…)

It’s been hard to get Doug Martin to talk about himself and his transformation this year. (more…)

Get rid of the ball!

America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston, took the postgame podium as a confident rookie tonight.

There’s no panic or head-hanging with Jameis, but he did talk about “panic sacks” against the Browns. (more…)

America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston, sure looked like the 21-year-old rookie he is tonight.

Man, that was sobering. (more…)

Where was the energy?

Where was the anger and passion to seize the home turf and send Josh McCown home crying?

(more…)

A sigh of relief about snaps.

If one is to pump the pompons in the air and play cheerleader, America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston, had an up-and-down night tonight. Sort of like the stock market the past week.

Enough bad plays to make you want to run into traffic and enough good plays to calm your nerves. (more…)

Right guard Ali Marpet was abused tonight. Logan Mankins was beaten badly a couple of times and looks nothing like the guy who played for the Patriots.

And Evan Smith isn’t playing average ball yet. (more…)

Doesn’t matter who is calling the defense when it ignores tight ends.

Why do the Bucs think the tight end position is a friggin’ guard?

How many times last season did we witness this vaunted Bucs defense get gouged by tight ends worse than George Patton slicing through France? (more…)

Big game tonight. The Bucs might extend their winning streak! Joe’s kidding, of course, but there are all kinds of things to discuss in the Bucs-Browns matchup.

Tonight’s open thread is in the all new JoeBucsFan Message Boards. The direct link is HERE.

The message board is easy. If you haven’t already, just register, confirm the automatic email, and then sign in and play. Easy!

Have fun. Bad words and naughty posters will be filtered.

Go Bucs!

So how bad is Jacquies Smith’s injury? (more…)

Preseason Game Three

Browns at Bucs

Kickoff: 7 p.m. (more…)

New Bucs right tackle Gosder Cherilus

There all kinds of things to watch in tonight’s Bucs-Browns game (Joe will have a preview soon), but a huge and early spotlight will shine on new right tackle Gosder Cherilus.

The man known as “Goz” has 100 NFL starts and will be counted on heavily. (more…)

Encouraging words from Jay Glazer.

As Joe noted earlier today, MMA-head Jay Glazer of FOX Sports did a drive-by hit at One Buc Palace this week where he got to hang out with his old pal, Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht.

Glazer, a name-dropper, told Buccaneers.com multimedia maven Scott Smith that he co-owns a gym in Hollywood with Brian Urlacher and that is how he got to be acquainted with Bucs coach Lovie Smith. (more…)

Mike Evans won’t play tonight, but one of his mentors will. (more…)

“It’s not about that.”

One thing Joe sort of snickers about is how big-named, big-time national NFL writers do their one-day drive-by visit to One Buc Palace and then pretend they are authorities on the team.

It looks good, but they are not there every day. Oh well, the effort is appreciated. (more…)

You want a preseason test to see if your Buccaneers are a new team in 2015? Here you go.

In comes journeyman Josh McCown and the Browns tonight. McCown is even a little banged up. (more…)

Yet to miss an NFL extra point.

So the Bucs are unsure of their kicker position. That’s apparent since they brought back Connor Barth.

At least we’re not talking about punters, who are not people. Some suggest punting is a waste of time. (more…)

A teammate of cornerback Johnthan Banks paints him as the ultimate Lovie Smith defender

It feels like Lovie Smith isn’t a big fan of cornerback Johnthan Banks. But listening to one of Banks’ teammates, it seems Banks is the ultimate Lovie kind of player.

It’s an odd contradiction. (more…)

From camp meat to starter?

In the NFL, it is all about making the most of your opportunities. In training camp and preseason, Bucs coach Lovie Smith always talks about “getting noticed.”

(When fans Twitter Joe about “Why haven’t you written/mentioned/talked about [Player-x]?” See previous paragraph.) (more…)