Ira Kaufman is the most beloved, revered and esteemed Buccaneers columnist in town. He has hung his hat at JoeBucsFan.com world headquarters since July 2016. Tampa Bay’s only Pro Football Hall of Fame voter, Ira busts out columns here every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and his award winning podcasts fire Tuesdays and Thursdays. You can also see Ira every football Sunday at 10:30 a.m. on FOX-13, Scott Smith’s Tailgate Sunday.

BY IRA KAUFMAN

There’s plenty of time remaining this week to break down Thursday night’s matchup with the Patriots, so let’s return to the biggest takeaway from the Giants game.

Dirk Koetter has brass balls.

How many men in this league with only 18 previous games of experience as a head coach have the cojones to put the game in the hands and feet of a kicker enduring a miserable day? (more…)

Locker room nuggets and sage wisdom. It’s Ira’s famous postgame nuggets and happenings.

BY IRA KAUFMAN

As Dirk Koetter trotted toward a jubilant Buc locker room following Sunday’s thriller, he flashed a big smile and uttered a memorable punch line.

“Never in doubt,” he said before joining his players and owners in celebration.

The game began in a rainstorm and ended in a swirling wind of emotions as the Giants trudged off the field at 0-4, their season effectively over before the autumn leaves fall.

For the victors, it was a successful gut-check after a dismal performance at Minnesota raised questions about Tampa Bay’s resolve. There’s little time to revel in a job well done because the suddenly defenseless Patriots are coming to town on a short turnaround.

With Malcolm Glazer set to become the 10th member of the Ring of Honor Thursday night, here are 10 takeaways from a game with zero takeaways: (more…)

Welcome to a new feature on JoeBucsFan.com. Joe has challenged Ira Kaufman, Tampa Bay’s only Hall of Fame voter, to pick against the spread this season for a $500 prize. Every Friday, Ira will type out his picks for each Friday-through-Monday game. If he hits at 53 percent or better for the regular season, then Ira gets $500 in gift cards to Abe’s Place in Clearwater, home of historically amazing food and 44 craft beers on tap. Feel free to send Ira your stone cold locks on Twitter, @ikaufman76. The sage of Tampa Bay sports could always use some help.

BY IRA KAUFMAN

One step up, two steps back.

That’s the chorus of an emotional Bruce Springsteen song and it’s also the story of yours truly through three weeks of the NFL season.

Just when I sensed a momentum shift in Week 2, the most recent slate of games generated a 6-9 record, leaving me at 17-27 against the spread.

That 53 percent mark I’m shooting for is fading out of reach unless I can quickly snap out of this funk. You have to admit it’s been a particularly wacky season when the Bears can beat Pittsburgh, the Raiders don’t show up in the nation’s capital and the Jets humble the Dolphins.

But like Dirk Koetter says, no excuses. Next man up. As we head to the quarter-pole, here’s how this week’s games shape up: (more…)

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Patrolling the locker room and talking Bucs-Giants are among the topics on the docket today for Tampa Bay’s only Pro Football Hall of Fame voter. As always, Ira Kaufman goes deep with Joe on the popular Ira Kaufman Podcast. Listen right here, or at iTunes, Google Play or Podbean.com. The Ira Kaufman Podcast keeps you informed and entertained every Tuesday & Thursday — all year long. Dial in now by clicking or downloading above. It’s free and easy. Enjoy!

Ira Kaufman is the most beloved, revered and esteemed Buccaneers columnist in town. He has hung his hat at JoeBucsFan.com world headquarters since July 2016. Tampa Bay’s only Pro Football Hall of Fame voter, Ira busts out columns here every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and his award winning podcasts fire Tuesdays and Thursdays. You can also see Ira every football Sunday at 10:30 a.m. on FOX-13, Scott Smith’s Tailgate Sunday.

BY IRA KAUFMAN

The majority of Sunday’s post-game criticism was directed at Tampa Bay’s passive defense — and deservedly so.

If the game had been close, there’s a good chance the Vikings would have rolled up 600 yards. Guess what?

It wasn’t close. (more…)

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A blistering defeat is under the skin of Tampa Bay’s only Pro Football Hall of Fame voter. As always, Ira Kaufman goes deep with Joe on the popular Ira Kaufman Podcast. Listen right here, or at iTunes, Google Play or Podbean.com. The Ira Kaufman Podcast keeps you informed and entertained every Tuesday & Thursday — all year long. Dial in now by clicking or downloading above. It’s free and easy. Enjoy!

Ira Kaufman is the most beloved, revered and esteemed Buccaneers columnist in town. He has hung his hat at JoeBucsFan.com world headquarters since July 2016. Tampa Bay’s only Pro Football Hall of Fame voter, Ira busts out columns here every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and his award winning podcasts fire Tuesdays and Thursdays. You can also see Ira every football Sunday at 10:30 a.m. on FOX-13, Scott Smith’s Tailgate Sunday.

BY IRA KAUFMAN

In a game that lopsided, there’s plenty of blame to go around.

That includes the coaches, starting with Dirk Koetter and Mike Smith. Neither side of the ball was nearly good enough Sunday and the offensive and defensive game plans aren’t exactly bound for a trophy case in Canton.

It starts on the practice field — and if you’ve been listening closely to the head coach, there’s much work to be done. Since players reported to training camp nearly two months ago, Koetter has rarely been pleased with the crispness of Buc workouts.

And Koetter now has company. (more…)

Sage wisdom flowing from Tampa Bay’s only Hall of Fame voter.

BY IRA KAUFMAN

There’s no way to put a pretty bow around Sunday’s debacle, but it surely can’t be considered a death blow.

The Bucs are 1-1 with the next two games at Raymond James Stadium — where Tampa Bay has won five in a row. The Giants showed signs of life while remaining winless and the Patriots continue to be plagued by a leaky defense that is keeping Bill Belichick up at night.

Unlike last season, I don’t think this was a case of the Bucs coming in overconfident. They were short-handed and manhandled, and it’s difficult to gauge the connection between the two. (more…)

Welcome to a new feature on JoeBucsFan.com. Joe has challenged Ira Kaufman, Tampa Bay’s only Hall of Fame voter, to pick against the spread this season for a $500 prize. Every Friday, Ira will type out his picks for each Friday-through-Monday game. If he hits at 53 percent or better for the regular season, then Ira gets $500 in gift cards to Abe’s Place in Clearwater, home of historically amazing food and 44 craft beers on tap. Feel free to send Ira your stone cold locks on Twitter, @ikaufman76. The sage of Tampa Bay sports could always use some help.

BY IRA KAUFMAN

After a disastrous 4-10 opening week, your fearless prognosticator rebounded slightly.

A 7-8 slate is nothing to shout about, but the arrow is going up and Week 3 offers a heavy slate of road favorites. That’s because slappies like the Bears, Colts and Jets are trying to defend their home turf.

Just getting back to .500 seems like a herculean task at this point, but one good week could establish some needed momentum, so here goes. (more…)

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The Bucs’ locker room is patrolled by Tampa Bay’s only Pro Football Hall of Fame voter, as always, and Ira Kaufman talks about that today with Joe on the popular Ira Kaufman Podcast. Listen right here, or at iTunes, Google Play or Podbean.com. The Ira Kaufman Podcast keeps you informed and entertained every Tuesday & Thursday — all year long. Dial in now by clicking or downloading above. It’s free and easy. Enjoy!

Ira Kaufman is the most beloved, revered and esteemed Buccaneers columnist in town. He has hung his hat at JoeBucsFan.com world headquarters since July 2016. Tampa Bay’s only Pro Football Hall of Fame voter, Ira busts out columns here every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and his award winning podcasts fire Tuesdays and Thursdays. You can also see Ira every football Sunday at 10:30 a.m. on FOX-13, Scott Smith’s Tailgate Sunday.

BY IRA KAUFMAN

You ever get the feeling you’re on a roll?

Whether you are nailing blackjacks in Las Vegas or striking it rich in singles bars, sometimes things just seem to go your way. And when that happens, you enjoy the moment, knowing adversity won’t be far behind. (more…)

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What’s a Bucs game without the sage analysis of Ira Kaufman? Tampa Bay’s only Pro Football Hall of Fame voter, as always, talks all things Bucs with Joe on the popular Ira Kaufman Podcast. Listen right here, or at iTunes, Google Play or Podbean.com. The Ira Kaufman Podcast keeps you informed and entertained every Tuesday & Thursday — all year long. Dial in now by clicking or downloading above. It’s free and easy. Enjoy!

Ira Kaufman is the most beloved, revered and esteemed Buccaneers columnist in town. He has hung his hat at JoeBucsFan.com world headquarters since July 2016. Tampa Bay’s only Pro Football Hall of Fame voter, Ira busts out columns here every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and his award winning podcasts fire Tuesdays and Thursdays.

BY IRA KAUFMAN

If we just saw the Bucs looking rusty, the rest of the NFL is in a lot of trouble.

I’ll be the first to admit Tampa Bay’s long layoff loomed as a major concern heading into Sunday’s matchup against the Bears. While Chicago played a competitive game last week, Buc players received six days off.

But instead of feeling their way early on, the Bucs were feeling it from the start, especially Mike Smith’s cantankerous crew. (more…)

Ira’s also got some locker room nuggets mixed in to today’s takeaways. Nice!

BY IRA KAUFMAN

Someone in the national media is sure to diminish Sunday’s dominant opener by reminding us that the woeful Bears were in town.

Yes, the Bears were awful, but there are no mitigating circumstances in the NFL. Chicago almost beat Atlanta last week and besides, the Bucs have lost a lot of games they should have won over the past decade.

A win’s a win, so here’s how this one breaks down: (more…)

Welcome to a new feature on JoeBucsFan.com. Joe has challenged Ira Kaufman, Tampa Bay’s only Hall of Fame voter, to pick against the spread this season for a $500 prize. Every Friday, Ira will type out his picks for each Friday-through-Monday game. If he hits at 53 percent or better for the regular season, then Ira gets $500 in gift cards to Abe’s Place in Clearwater, home of historically amazing food and 44 craft beers on tap. Feel free to send Ira your stone cold locks on Twitter, @ikaufman76. The sage of Tampa Bay sports could always use some help.

BY IRA KAUFMAN

Not exactly an auspicious opening week for your supposed NFL guru.

I picked 14 games against the spread last week and managed to get only four of ’em correct. A 4-10 record makes me the 49ers of prognosticators, but hey, it’s only Week 1.

There were a few squeakers like Denver and Buffalo winning but not covering, but close doesn’t count on this rapidly growing web site.

It’s a long season and I remain confident things will balance out in the long run. Of course, I also thought Hurricane Irma was going straight up I-95, so there’s that.

Nevertheless, here we go in Week 2 as the Bucs and Dolphins make their 2017 debuts: (more…)

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Week 1 is here and Ira Kaufman is in midseason form. Tampa Bay’s only Pro Football Hall of Fame voter, as always, talks all things Bucs with Joe on the popular Ira Kaufman Podcast. Listen right here, or at iTunes, Google Play or Podbean.com. The Ira Kaufman Podcast keeps you informed and entertained every Tuesday & Thursday — all year long. Dial in now by clicking or downloading above. It’s free and easy. Enjoy!

Ira Kaufman is the most beloved, revered and esteemed Buccaneers columnist in town. He has hung his hat at JoeBucsFan.com world headquarters since July 2016. Tampa Bay’s only Pro Football Hall of Fame voter, Ira busts out columns here every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and his award winning podcasts fire Tuesdays and Thursdays.

BY IRA KAUFMAN

The Bears have a scary game plan for upsetting the Bucs on Sunday, and it involves a two-headed monster. (more…)