Bobby Rainey and the run game have all but vanished. (Photo courtesy of Buccaneers.com)

Talk to sober defensive minds and they will tell you the best way to shut down an offense is to make it one-dimensional. That makes a team predictable and often plays right into the hands of a defensive coordinator.

That is part of the problem with the Bucs offense; just one of many, many, many problems. Either Bucs coach Lovie Smith has all but abandoned the run game in the past six quarters, or the Bucs run game is just slightly better than Northeast High School’s. (more…)

The spreadsheeters say the Bucs’ D-line was victimized by Atlanta guard Gabe Carimi Sunday. Of all people!

It is pretty clear by now the Bucs have no pass rush. Three weeks in a row playing a beat up offensive line, the Bucs failed to take advantage. Even with Gerald McCoy, the Bucs have no pass rush. It is disgraceful.

It is not just the pass rush; apparently, the run defense is nearly as bad. At least, that’s what it looked like Sunday. (more…)

Josh McCown spoke tonight about his ailing back

Tonight, 35-year-old Josh McCown said his back injury is a new experience for him, a first in his long career.

Will McCown play Sunday?

He addressed that and his ailing back on the Buccaneers Radio Network on WDAE-AM 620. (more…)

The popular “JoeBucsFan Hour” was in full swing this evening on WDAE-AM 620, when Joe joined the dean of Tampa Bay sports radio, Steve Duemig.

All kinds of topics were discussed, and Joe slugged it out with Duemig on the subject of quarterback failure, in addition to a detailed discussion on overhauling the roster. (more…)

The cold reality is the Buccaneers better be damn ready to hire an offensive coordinator when “Black Monday” comes in 48 days. That’s not much time.

Jeff Tedford can’t be counted on, and de facto offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo simply is nowhere near the best coordinator money can buy. Lovie Smith needs to make a change. (more…)

Mike Glennon may be having a better year than Stinking Panthers QB Cam Newton.

Joe has always maintained that if you have the fourth-best quarterback in the division, you have no quarterback and an upgrade is required. That’s if a team has serious aspirations of playing meaningful football deep into January.

Well, not only do the Bucs have two QBs (when you have two, you have none), Josh McCown and quarterback of the future and quarterback of the past (twice) but not the quarterback of the present Mike Glennon. In a division with Drew Brees, Matty Ice and Cam Newton, you better be looking for an upgrade or you are just conning fans. (more…)

A former Buccaneer finds hope in the Bucs’ game film

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers make a lot of mistakes and play undisciplined football. Performance is not their strong suit.

Joe finds this to be a terrible sign. Joe would much prefer a smart, precise team in need of talent versus a team in need of talent, plus focus and will. (more…)

Lavonte David is one of the greats of the game.

No argument. Don’t dare deny it. (more…)

Joe has written how the Bucs, sans wins, are in dire need of drama. Fans claim they don’t like it, but, oh, they very much do.

What is the most popular date on the NFL calendar after the Super Bowl and the opening weekend of the regular season? The first day of the draft. The draft has nothing to do with an athletic competition but every thing to do with suspense and drama. (more…)

Re-starting quarterback Josh McCown’s postgame tears made the national rounds yesterday.

You sure don’t see that every day, especially after a seemingly meaningless game in a lost season. (more…)

A versatile and successful Bengals backup before Tampa Bay paid him big bucks in March, left tackle Anthony Collins took quite a slap from a top NFL talent evaluator yesterday. (more…)

There was a reason Joe did not go to One Buc Palace yesterday to talk to players. Joe spoke to many after the loss to the Dixie Chicks Sunday, the Bucs’ eighth loss in nine games.

The players are talked out. Even Gerald McCoy, who loves to talk, was tapped out from the all the losing. What more is there to say? (more…)

Joe just wants to take a moment to thanks both those who served in uniform for our country, and those currently serving.

Joe knows that there are guys (girls?) out there serving overseas that read this site daily, and Joe is both thinking of you today is appreciative of your service. Thanks to all, past and present.

Both Joes who run this here site had fathers that served in the Pacific Theater in World War II, so we understand what your service means. It is because of folks like you, Joe is able to guzzle beer and watch football all weekend long (when not covering the Bucs). If not for honorable people like our veterans, Joe might be subjected to drinking some sports drink and watching soccer, if you can imagine such a dire existence. (more…)

Joe laughed and snickered for hours yesterday when he read a comment on this here corner of the Interwebs from a fed up fan (understandable) wailing the Bucs are currently horrible because of former rock star general manager Mark Dominik.

That was better than any Sam Kinison line Joe could remember. (more…)

Another beating, another trip to the One Buc Palace podium. (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. (more…)

Yesterday, Bucs tight end Austin Serferian-Jenkins made a dumb move, really dumb. He put himself above the team and made a preening, conquering-warrior pose with the football after scoring a fourth quarterback touchdown.

Problem is, that is a known no-no in the NFL. You can’t use the football as a prop and, per Bucs coach Lovie Smith, the rookie was advised of this previously. The flag resulted in a 15-yard penalty, helping the Dixie Chicks on their way to the game-winning drive.

What made matters worse, ASJ, seemingly oblivious to his mistake, posted a photo of his poseand bragged about the penalty on his Instagram account. (more…)

Most of the Bucs are flat out talked out after yet another loss at the Den of Depression. What is there to say after so many?

Bucs defensive tackle Gerald McCoy is rarely at a loss for words. He was yesterday in the locker room, other than suggesting the Bucs are the most undisciplined outfit he has ever been a part of. Not very encouraging words, huh? (more…)

So many Bucs fans were out of their minds obsessed with rookie receiver Sammy Watkins leading up this year’s NFL Draft.

These fans were out of their minds crazy aching for the Bucs to trade up to draft the talented prospect out of Clemson. (more…)

Bucs icon Simeon Rice talks about the current Bucs and losing

You never know what’s going to happen during a Simeon Rice interview.

And that was the case this afternoon when Rice, the former superstar Bucs edge rusher turned movie mogul, checked in with the Ron and Ian show on WDAE-AM 620. (more…)

Bucs TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins didn’t seem to ashamed of his penalty that aided Atlanta’s game-winning drive. (Photo courtesy of Buccaneers.com)

If you want to know what is wrong with the Lovie Smith era, Joe has it all in one microscopic social media post.

It demonstrates that whatever Lovie is telling his players, it’s not sinking in.

Before Joe gets rolling, one of his favorites in the Bucs locker room is Austin Seferian-Jenkins. Joe loves the guy’s attitude (not to be confused with “tude.”). He is talented as hell and Joe is convinced he will be a stud player. (more…)

During Year 1 of the Lovie Smith regime in Chicago, somehow, someway, that quarterback-challenged club learned how to play the Tampa-2 defense quickly and jumped out to a 4-5 record. In seven of those nine games, that Bears team held opponents to 20 or fewer points.

Man, Bucs fans would kill for that kind of production.

(more…)