The more Bucs fans watch the success of No. 7 overall pick Mike Evans, the more many salivate at the thought of what jackpot haul the Bucs could snatch on April 30, Day 1 of the 2015 draft. (more…)

On the trading block?

Buried under Sunday’s games and faux DEA raids (some folks are watching “Homeland” a little too much) was a column by a national NFL scribe that revealed information about the Bucs that is hardly a surprise or a state secret.

Jason La Canfora put fingertips to keyboard and wrote how Tampa Bay, anxious to load up on draft picks, will shop three players to see if anyone nibbles at the bait. (more…)

Defensive end Jacqueis Smith looks like the Bucs’ first dangerous threat off the edge since Michael Bennett. (Photo courtesy of Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

To hell with Anthony Barr and Aaron Donald. Step aside, CJ Mosley.

Joe’s lobbying for Bucs defensive end Jacquies Smith for defensive rookie of the year. (more…)

(Photo courtesy of Buccaneers.com)

A long look at the Bucs yesterday, today, and what to expect tomorrow and beyond.

So the Bucs may have a superstar on their hands. The man Bucs general manager Jason Licht referred to as “Godzilla” this spring, wide receiver Mike Evans, is now in the history books. He is the first rookie to catch seven balls, rack up 100 yards and catch a touchdown pass in three consecutive games.

Pretty impressive. Evans sort of credited watching a 30-for-30 documentary about Randy Moss on BSPN Saturday night for motivating him yesterday. (more…)

(Photo courtesy of Buccaneers.com)

Joe liked when Bucs general manager Jason Licht referred to Bucs rookie wide receiver Mike Evans as “a Godzilla.” It just happened to be mentioned the same weekend the movie by the same name debuted.

Whatever you want to call Evans, “damned good” would be just fine. He is approaching Antonio Bryant as a skilled wide receiver. It has been a while since the Bucs had that type of weapon. (more…)

Lovie Smith is excited

How about a rare video peek into the Bucs’ postgame locker room? (more…)

All offseason, Joe wrote about how the Tampa Bay offensive line was being built to pass block but it was hard to imagine them as punishing run blockers.

Anthony Collins? Pass blocking was his major strength in Cincinnati.

Center Evan Dietrich-Smith was busy keeping Aaron Rodgers upright in Green Bay. (more…)

Early in the game, Bucs punter returner Marcus Thigpen botched a Redskins punt. It could have been disastrous but the Tampa Bay defense held and a missed field goal by the Redskins allowed a deep sigh of relief.

The fumble was questionable enough that the Bucs screamed for a review. A review that never came. (more…)

A stunning shutdown

When was the last time — before today — that Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson combined for five catches for 41 yards?

Keep thinking. Take your time.

Yeah, Robert Griffin, III, missed touchdown throws, but the Bucs’ starting corners did a hell of a job on the dangerous Redskins receivers (more…)

Bucs DE Michael Johnson was no ghost today.

That shadowy figure you may have seen from time on the Bucs defense with a red No. 90 on his back was not a ghost (today), but a real live football player.

That would be defensive end Michael Johnson. The big-moneyed free agent defensive end, but for one game this year, was like a ghostly character in a Washington Irving novel. You heard he was on the roster and getting paid, but damned if you could find him. (more…)

Clinton McDonald and Lavonte David put Robert Griffin III on his back for one of the six Bucs sacks today. (Photo courtesy of Buccaneers.com)

Until today, with the possible exception of the win over Pittsburgh, the Bucs were rumored to have a pass rush. They didn’t.

Evan against teams with beat up offensive lines put together with baling wire, the Bucs were more often than not humbled up front. (more…)

Keep crying, Josh McCown. It’s paying off.

The Buccaneers’ re-starting quarterback was strong in Washington today. Despite a running game that’s just a rumor, and a variety of blitzes coming his way, McCown played a calm, efficient game and nailed his deep shots. (more…)

Johnthan Banks heads to the end zone with his first quarter pick-six. (Photo courtesy of Buccaneers.com)

One reason the Bucs are a miserable 2-8 is some really, really, really bad player evaluation by overlord of Bucs football operations Lovie Smith. In particular, it has been the free agent signings.

One of the most curious, and arguably the worst, was when Lovie not just signed slug cornerback Mike Jenkins, who was cut by the Raiders of all teams, but Lovie did his best to will Jenkins into the starting lineup over burgeoning stalwart Johnthan Banks. (more…)

Mike Evans was moved by a Randy Moss documentary he watched last night

The Twitter feed of the Buccaneers’ media relations department was blowing up Joe’s phone today with all the Twitters they were putting out.

They were busy, thanks to Mike Evans.

The Tampa Bay rookie wide receiver did something the NFL hasn’t seen since the great Randy Moss was a rookie. (more…)

Yes, it’s insane.

It’s crazy. It’s downright silly talk. But the madness must be addressed. (more…)

Today sure symbolized what Lovie Smith dreamed of back in January.

Early turnovers generated by an active defense, a thriving pass rush (six sacks!), and Josh McCown ripping off accurate deep balls to Mike Evans.

Hallelujah!

Joe can only imagine McCown’s tears of joy after this one. (more…)

Good afternoon. Welcome to Bucs Sunday, this time with Tampa Bay traveling to Washington to face the Redskins.

Joe just has a feeling this game could get out of hand, not in the Bucs’ favor, despite the Redskins having a 3-6 record. When the Bucs are 1-8 with the losing nowhere in sight, it leads to pessimism.

Bang it here for all your Bucs thoughts doing the game. You are encouraged to e-mail unlawful URLs of video streams of the game among yourselves but posting them here can and will get you banned.

As always, go Bucs!

Hey, it’s just a game right?

There is no real “Bucs Life,” where fans live and breathe Bucs football and agonize 24/7 about losses — and the holiday gifts they’re not buying with the money they spent on tickets to miserable games. (more…)

Bucs coach Lovie Smith laments how his team can’t make big plays when opportunities arise.

 On defense, this is known as takeaways. On offense, there have been opportunities for a big plays, but for reasons unknown, the Bucs have been unable to connect. (more…)

Thoughts on the Mark Barron trade vary

Joe wasn’t sure what to make of a Friday Playbook film breakdown on NFL Network.

No joke. Sterling Sharpe dove into Rams game tape from last Sunday to explain how Mark Barron should be a force for St. Louis stopping Peyton Manning today. (more…)

Lovie Smith and the Bucs made the entire Tampa Bay community proud with a generous offer to a local high school kid who lost a leg due to a football injury.

All of us are up to our chins in football this time of the year. Whether it is NFL, college or even high school football, it is like a religion and we are all evangelists. We come to worship at the altar of the 50-yard line.

Football consumes America. And Bucs fans are in a deep, dark depression over what has become of their beloved team.

Believe it or not, there are more important things than football. (more…)

Crab-legs-stealing, BB-gun-shooting, obscenity-hollering, Heisman-Trophy-winning, national champion James Winston, the pride of Florida State University, continues to look like a much better quarterback prospect than Mike Glennon and Josh McCown.

It’s Joe’s regular nugget on the Jameis Watch, celebrating the best quarterback to wear No. 5 ever in the state of Florida.

Tonight on the Jameis Watch, you get to bang it here with all your comments through Florida State (9-0) vs. Miami (6-3). Feel free to talk about players you’d like to see the Bucs draft, and whether you think Winston looks better than the Bucs’ quarterback of the future.

Kickoff is 8 p.m. on ABC.