Leave it to former Bucs defensive end Steve White to make a bold yet reasoned prediction about the final Bucs roster, which will be named today.

White puts his manhood on the table and says Sabby Piscitelli will be looking for work tonight.

Before sitting down to write this up I kind of assumed Sabby Piscitelli was safe.  But then when I went back through the games last year for most of the year we only carried 3 safeties on the active roster.  I list Cody Grimm as making the roster because he is the primary backup to Tanard Jackson and has played well in the preseason.  And even with Grimm it was a toss up between he and Corey Lynch because of what Lynch brings on special teams and because he also played well this preseason.  Taking it all in I felt like the Bucs will probably carry both and just keep one less cornerback.  So even with them keeping one more safety than last year I still have Sabby being the odd man out. 

Now it may not play out that way but I thought long and hard about this and I have a hard time seeing it going another way.  I can’t see us carrying 5 safeties especially with Aqib Talib being suspended the first game.

Check out White’s blog for his complete call on the roster.

Factor in White’s sound logic above, and how the Bucs’ defensive mastermind/head coach glowed intensely about Corey Lynch during his Friday news conference, and Joe’s on board with White’s call.

Plus, throw in Sabby lashing out against his head coach after being demoted last week, and Mark Dominik proudly reminding Bucs fans during the Texans-Bucs preseason game broadcast that he plucked Corey Lynch from the Bengals’ practice squad last year, and today surely could spell the end for Sabby.

Joe can only hope the Browns pick up Sabby and put him in the starting lineup.

It looks like Kardashian-chasing Derrick Ward has landed guaranteed money and a golden opportunity with the playoff-contending Houston Texans.

That didn’t take long.

And Joe’s not surprised,  Ward looked like a real NFL running back against the Jacksonville Jaguars before the Bucs cut him shortly after for reasons unclear.

Various outlets are reporting Ward signed with the Texans yesterday.

Now in a contract year after becoming a new free agent, Joe would hardly blink if Ward put up strong numbers this season.

By STEVE WHITE
JoeBucsFan.com analyst

Former Buccaneers defensive end Steve White (1996-2001) is a devoted student of the game. He’s even authored a coaching guide and coached defensive linemen at the University of South Florida. And his blog is fun stuff. After all those years breaking down film with former defensive line coach Rod Marinelli and the other architects and legends of the Bucs’ defense, White shares his knowledge with JoeBucsFan.com readers in his must-read Bull Rush column. 

Today, White goes deep into analyzing all things defensive line out of last night’s preseason finale in Houston. Joe advises you to grab a cold beverage, tell the old lady or the boss to leave you alone, and enjoy. This is great stuff, as usual.

Since the Texans-Bucs game largely was a matchup of backups versus backups, I’ll give a quick recap but not the full write-up you’re used to.

The defensive line played ok as a unit last night. We only came home with one sack but several guys pass rushed well. And, of course, we won the game so that’s always a plus. But I don’t think anyone would call this a dominant performance up front by any means.

A few negatives: We still aren’t looping around for containment when we run our line stunts. Sooner or later that will come back to bite us.

The Texans also ran a lot of bootlegs, and they fooled us on all but one play. The general rule of thumb I have on bootlegs is when you see buttholes and elbows its a boot. When it’s a running play, the offensive linemen try to stay square and get up the field to make their blocks. Because they can’t be downfield on passing plays, they turn and run toward the sideline on bootlegs. At the very least, a defensive end should slow down and check the quarterback once he sees a blocker’s backside.

I can almost guarantee you that after watching this film the Browns are going to run several bootlegs just to see if we have solved that problem.

Another thing I noticed is that some of our players still don’t understand how important it is for them to be in their gap on running plays. I saw several times where a guy would get cut and then the ball ran right through his gap. There were other times when guys would get cut off from their gap and instead of fighting to get back where they were supposed to be; they took the path of least resistance and guess where the ball went. Yep, you guessed it, right where they were supposed to be.

It was mostly the backups committing these infractions, but some of these guys are going to have to play for us on Sundays, so they need to get it together.

For the personal breakdowns, I’m only going to mention a handful of guys.

Michael Bennett: Bennett had another productive game with four tackles, one for a loss, and two pressures. He was the one guy who played the bootleg correctly by the way.

He continues to show good pass rush ability from both left end and inside at the tackle spots. On the negative side he didn’t set up the offensive tackle while running a TEX game. Again, for the umpteenth time, TWO STEPS UP THE FIELD IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH!!! He also needs to work on really ripping into his gap when he is running a line stunt, which will help him to escape the would be blocker and help to keep him from getting cut. The more I see of the guy, though, the more I’m convinced he is our best option right now at left end. We will see how that plays out as the season goes on.

Carlton Powell: Powell again showed the kind of effort you like to see from your young players. He also had a pretty productive night with two tackles, an assist and a knocked down pass. He looked particularly good on a couple of plays avoiding the cut block and making the play in his gap. Unfortunately, he got reached a couple of times and allowed the runner to run through his gap. I’m not sure whether Powell is talented enough to play on the NFL level, but I think if he keeps working like he has been he definitely will be in the years to come.

Dre Moore: Moore turned in his best performance of the preseason last night in my opinion. But it was also the most frustrating to watch. He had two tackles a pressure and a pass knocked down by my count. But in between the plays he made he just looked so disinterested at times.

Literally on some pass rushes it appeared that he just ran into the guy in front of him just to bide his time until the pass was thrown and he could run to the ball. I’m not saying that’s definitely what he was doing, but it was definitely what it LOOKED like he was doing. His effort has been so up and down in the preseason games that you have to wonder sometimes if it’s the same guy.

There is no question that he has a lot of talent and when he turns it on he is a very hard guy to block. But you can not play in the NFL if you are Tarzan one play and Jane the next. It just doesn’t work that way. I was really hoping for big things from Moore this preseason but I just didn’t see it. At least not on anything resembling a consistent basis.

Erik Lorig: Lorig had some decent rushes last night and that was good to see. He had a hit on the quarterback as well. But Lorig is one of the guys I was referring to about not being in his gap all the time. I can tell him that I got my spot on the active roster my rookie year from the practice squad because another guy on the active roster refused to stay in his C gap against the Lions and he ended up getting cut. That’s just how serious it is. And that’s how serious he has to take it if he wants to both make the team and make a serious contribution on Sundays.

George Johnson: Johnson had a decent night last night. He did have a penalty for roughing the passer, which we could have done without. But the very next play he made a good inside move and got himself a sack. He also had a tackle for loss and another tackle by my count. On the negative side, he has to learn that our defensive ends spill the fullback on split bellys and he also got sucked in really bad on a bootleg fake.

All in all though, he looked pretty good for a guy who we signed after camp had already started.

That’s all I have on the game last night. If you saw something I missed, post it in the comments section.

Joe loves football, obviously.

And Joe has huge appreciation and passion for many other sports, as well.

But Joe can’t ignore one of his biggest pro football pet peeves, which was front and center on TV last night when Corey Lynch twice went for the oxygen mask after his two interceptions, which went for 91- and 28-yard returns.

How the heck does a fit, 200-pound guy like Lynch need oxygen to recover from a run?

After the 91-yard pick, for good measure, Lynch vomited during his first oxygen session. The on-camera barfing turned out to just be a short break before sucking more oxygen.

After the second pick, it was right for the O mask.

Was it the altitude in Houston?

Last Joe checked, scoring from first base in baseball on, say, a double to the outfield, is a 90-yard sprint for the baserunner. Yet Joe never sees said baserunner doing anything other than laughing and high-fiving in the dugout.

There are so many sports analogies, where guys run hard and don’t need to hit the oxygen and would look ridiculous doing so.

It would be one thing if it was Roy Miller running back a long interception, but a 25-year-old safety should be able to take that in stride without the aid of enhanced air.

What does Lynch do after covering kicks?

Joe knows it’s possible that Lynch might have been playing sick last night. Or maybe he was just so jacked up he started hyperventilating. Actually, Joe’s just going to make himself believe that.

"Hey Mushnick, I have to play nice so I can con people into getting a job next year. After January, I can't sponge off the Glazers. Jiminy Christmas man!"

If Joe were to list the evils of BSPN, this post would be marathon-long, worse than that ADD-addled schmuck Joe would love to punch from New England that prattles incessantly about the hideous non-basketball association and the Red Sux with inane, forced pop culture references.

It’s a network that assualts the senses and insults the intelligence of thinking, reasoned sports fans like Joe.

One of the (too numerous to list) things Joe can’t deal with on BSPN is Chucky’s saccharin-sweet ca-ca on Monday Night Football. Every friggin’ player is All-Pro. Every friggin’ coach is the next Vince Lombardi. It’s just too, too much.

Joe believes it was the third week of the season last year when Chucky called Bill Callahan the best player’s coach he ever had as an assistant.

That would be like Joe bragging about the best notch on his belt Joe ever had was the dozens of long, sweaty, passionate evenings Joe consumated with Rachel Watson. The only difference is Joe doesn’t have an audience of millions to spread such fresh, stench-filled manure.

If Joe is inclined to watch Monday Night Football — often, the matchups aren’t exactly compelling — Joe heads to his nearest watering hole and sits where he cannot hear the audio, thus escaping Chucky’s rubbish.

Joe is not alone in his feelings of Chucky as an analyst. Joe’s good friend, “The Big Dog,” Steve Duemig, of WDAE-AM 620, is like-minded, as is the creator, curator and overall guru of ProFootballTalk.com Mike Florio.

Add the sports voice of reason, Phil Mushnick to the list. The world-renowned New York Post columnist could no longer stand Chucky’s schtick and put fingers to keyboard to take him to task.

Step it up, Gruden!

Time for ESPN’s Jon Gruden to lose the Monday Night Football player platitudes, and start speaking a few homework-done specifics. If we didn’t know better, we would think he’s just mailing it in. Again.

To Chucky’s defense, how in the world is he supposed to do any NFL homework when he’s breaking down Tim Tebow’s spread-option attack at his bunker at the Ice Palace, all the while coaching up Class A high school offensive linemen? What, does Mushnick actually believe Chucky is supposed to earn his money with BSPN? Can you imagine!

Somewhere, Joe Morgan is snickering.

Speaking of BSPN, with tomorrow bringing the first full day of college football, Joe can now remove BSPN from his list of blocked channels for the next four months. Among Joe’s list of blocked channels are NBA-TV, Tennis Network, every shopping channel and Logo.

Pretty good performance by the former Florida State/North Alabama product Preston Parker last night.

Now he just hopes he can dodge The Turk.

Good guy Stephen Holder, of the St. Petersburg Times, documented how the next couple of days will not be comfortable for the bubbling wide receiver/returner.

“Whatever opportunity they give you, you have to take advantage of it and practice how you play,” Parker said. “I’ve played special teams all my life. So, if they tell me to get out there, I do it. I just got out there and showed them I can help the team win.”

The next couple days won’t be fun, Parker admits.

“Praying and waiting,” he said. “That’s all you can do. If you get released, you just keep pushing.”

The chances Parker has of remaining with the Bucs hinges on Michael Clayton, Joe believes. If the Bucs cut Clayton — and Bucs general manager Mark Dominik, speaking to John Lynch on the WFLA-TV broadcast last night, did not exactly give Clayton’s chances of returning a ringing endorsement — Joe’s fairly sure Parker will make the squad.

Bucs fans can pretty much lock up Clifton “Peanut” Smith for a roster spot, especially after Derrick Ward was left to fend for himself with a Kardashian, and especially after the way Smith played Thursday night.

Galloping with gout, Smith seemed fresh and 100 percent. A weapon.

More importantly, he never put the ball on the ground, which is a reason why Chucky never trusted him as a running back, and why he got few carries last year.

The Bucs are beginning to have a scary stable of return men. First, of course, is Smith. Then you have (run) Michael (run) Spurlock and Sammie Stroughter, and perhaps Preston Parker.

It’s starting to appear as if the Bucs’ strength will be its return teams.

Corey Lynch's play may give Sabby some anxious moments this weekend.

A bold statement was made tonight by the youngster from Fort Myers who played small school football both on the high school level and the collegiate level, though he played big time football at both spots.

Corey Lynch, despite his special teams play and his knack for blocking field goals, was still a bubble player this morning. It’s doubtful he’s a bubble guy any longer.

Lynch picked off two passes tonight, taking one to the house in the Bucs’ win over Houston to close the preseason. He also put some serious heat on Houston quarterbacks with solid blitzes.

So, let’s say the Bucs only choose to keep four safeties. There’s Sean Jones and Tanard Jackson, both starters. Then, arguments can be made for Cody Grimm and Lynch. Who does that leave out?

Sabby.

Now there’s not a sober person in the Tampa Bay area that would argue Sabby played solid football last year. He did not. But what may have dug a hole too deep for Sabby to climb out of was how he lashed out at Bucs coach Raheem Morris for not getting the starting job, claiming Morris rigged the competition.

Notice players who have kvetched like that have been shown their walking papers? (Ahem Kardashiah-Derrickward.)

Bucs general manager Mark Dominik has already shown he’s willing to eat the Glazers’ cash a contract by unloading dead weight.

With Lynch playing so well tonight in addition to his superb special teams play, might Sabby start looking for a decent real estate agent?

After Arrelious Benn’s big game tonight in Houston, most of the Bucs’ draft picks have now shined at one time or another.

The exception might be cornerback Myron Lewis. In Joe’s eyes, it seems Lewis hasn’t adjusted well to the speed of the game. Lewis was beaten badly for a touchdown tonight by Bobby Williams, a 25-year-old rookie who played at North Alabama.

That surely doesn’t mean Lewis is a bust. It is what it is. Ronde Barber rode the bench in his first season.

The Bucs’ defensive mastermind/head coach said after the game that he’s optimistic about Lewis.

“Lewis is starting to come on now. He made a couple of plays today. Gave a big play today, as well. But he’s starting to come on,” Raheem Morris said.

Looks to Joe like a very active Elbert Mack tonight will be the nickel corner on opening day, with E.J. Biggers filling in for the suspended Aqib Talib.

Some members of the Bucs fourth estate could be heard with loud whispers saying rookie wide receiver Arrelious Benn wasn’t flashing while fellow rookie wide receiver Mike Williams was.

Some Bucs fans had already given up on the stud from Illinois. It wasn’t fair. He is not Williams. Bucs general manager Mark Dominik said that from the day he was drafted.

Tonight, Benn showed why the Bucs have so much faith in him. His two touchdowns were exactly what the Bucs lack: a receiver willing to mix it up and fight with defenders.

His first touchdown, Benn wrestled away from a Houston defender to make a nice catch in the corner of the end zone. His second touchdown was pretty sweet, though not as physical.

Even Bucs coach Raheem Morris, cornered after the game, reacted with a “I told you so,” type of voice, as if to suggest to those doubted Benn, “What’s the matter with you?”

Benn will be fine. While he may not start for the Bucs this season, he will contribute.

Oh, the agony facing Mark Dominik.

Does he flush Team Glazer’s $3.5 million in guaranteed cash to Michael Clayton for 2010? Or does he keep the blocking icon around for one more dance?

Joe’s not envious of Dominik. Cutting Clayton would have to make it awfully hard to face the boss the next morning. 

But Clayton had no catches today against Houston for no yards, on the heels of sitting out last game for seemingly no good reason. How could he possibly have earned a spot?

Veteran Reggie Brown caught three balls for strong yardage but had a drop in the red zone.

Frankly, Joe wouldn’t mind seeing them both cut, keeping Micheal Spurlock and perhaps bringing in another veteran like Laverneous Coles.

Regardless, Clayton could be ending his six-year run with the Bucs in a matter of hours. Oh, the drama.

Those watching Josh Freeman’s pregame, street-clothes tosses in Houston tonight came away impressed.

John Lynch talked about it during the Bucs-Texans game broadcast, and Woody Cummings, of The Tampa Tribune, penned a story for TBO.com.

His work Thursday was an indication he’s right on target. In addition to making nearly 50 throws, most of which seemed crisp and on target, Freeman took several simulated shotgun snaps.

Joe’s happy to hear the great news, but Joe also knows Freeman has to be able to take forceful snaps under center in order to be successful against the Browns on opening day.

Still, Joe wouldn’t bet Freeman is out there. If he was really a sure thing to return, Joe suspects Josh Johnson would have gotten more playing time tonight.

Speaking on 1010 AM this morning, former Bucs quarterback Shaun King talked about how important this game would be to a backup like Johnson unless, King said, the Bucs were uncertain of Freeman’s status and would keep Johnson off the field for much of the game.

It turns out Johnson didn’t play at all.

Speaking during the Bucs-Texans preseason telecasttonight, Mark Dominik let it slip that running back Kareem Huggins will be on the opening day roster.

Dominik praised Huggins’ hard work and said dedication and effort is how guys like him can make an NFL roster “and Kareem Huggins has done that.”

Nice job for Huggins, who had more strong runs tonight behind the Bucs’ second-team line (Jerramy Zuttah), which started the game.  

It’s still uncleaer whether Huggins will be the true No. 2 running back and be active for games, but Joe’s still real happy for the young man.

Preseason Week 4
Bucs at Texans
Kickoff: 8 p.m.
TV: WFLA Ch. 8
Radio: Buccaneers Radio Network (in Tampa WFUS-FM, 103.5 and WDAE-AM, 620); Sirius Channel 161.
Weather:Because it will be played in a soulless dome, temperature will be 72 degrees throughout the game.
Odds: Per Bodog.com, Texans -3.
Outlook: Hey, we get to see a live game! Free of the shackles of a blackout, most Bucs fans will get to see the game free but Joe suspects only the hardcore, diehard will. With college football beginning tonight with real games, many football fans will be torn. Joe won’t be. In short, this is the game for the bubble players. One last shot to impress. This may be the last time Bucs fans see Michael Clayton in a Tampa Bay uniform. There are others. What of Ryan Sims, of Corey Lynch, of Elbert Mack, of Reggie Brown? Those players may also need to make a play or two. And, puh-leeze Kareem Huggins, do not get injured and you will make the Bucs.

As the Bucs are in Houston to take on the Texans tonight, Joe was sniffing around the Houston Chronicle and found an interesting nugget.

Joe wanted to publish this because he’s read so many comments from readers here stating how every NFL team is struggling in this economy.

It seems the Texans, in a TV market nearly identical in size to Tampa Bay, are having great success and setting all kinds of new records.

As of Tuesday, the Texans had sold 64,355 season tickets, an increase from 2008 when they set a season high with 64,047. … The Texans increased ticket prices after last season, but they’ve still sold a record number. Now their preseason ratings for the first three games have increased significantly, too, by about 35 percent.

Joe’s not going to play amateur economist here and start comparing unemployment figures and spending habits in Tampa and Houston. But Joe is quite certain that an unquestionably promising football team in Tampa would cure all the Bucs attendance woes.

Hammering away on his keyboard, TampaBay.com Bucs specialist Rick Stroud says the Bucs have left home starting offensive linemen Keydrick Vincent and Davin Joseph for tonight’s preseason finale in Houston.

They’re among the ranks of injured Buccaneers.

Guard Davin Joseph (hip flexor), tight end Kellen Winslow (knee, precautionary), guard Keydrick Vincent (ankle), safety Sabby Piscitelli (concussion), and receiver Maurice Stovall (ankle).

Joe’s a bit troubled about new starting left guard Vincent getting his ankle tweeked, assuming it’s not something worse.

All the O-line experts Joe has listened to always talk about the importance of continuity and familiarty on the line. Vincent is the new guy in the unit, and he has spent limited preseason time with the first team.

Plus,the Bucs were stuffed running the ball with him in there at left guard for the first half on Saturday.

Of course, Joe could ramble on about how he thinks Jeremy Zuttah should be in there anyway, but that’s irrelevant now. Joe just hopes Vincent can recover quickly, not always easy for a 10-year veteran.

Yeah, the Bucs handing Kardashian-chasing running back Derrick Ward his walking papers this week seemed to surprise Woody Cummings and Anwar Richardson of the Tampa Tribune.

In this TBO.com Bucs vlog, Cummings and Richardson explain why they were surprised Ward was released, surprised when he was released, surprised that Bucs general manager had the “cajones” to issue the release and surprised Ward was involved with a Kardashian.

Monitor the video and tell Joe if you are surprised at their findings?

When it comes to the NFL, Joe pretty much keeps these pages related to all things Buccaneers.

But since the Bucs play the Lions this year and there was so much pre-draft hype about who was better for the Bucs, manbeasts Ndamukong Suh or Gerald McCoy, Joe’s going to link to this NFL Network video of Warren Sapp (another Bucs connection) breaking down Suh’s preseason performances and teaching some D-line fundamentals.

Interesting stuff.

Seems like Mr. Sapp has fallen in love with Mr. Suh.

In a story that is clearly not agent-driven speculation, Rick Stroud, of the St. Pete Times, writes today about how Michael Clayton has worked extraordinarily hard since last season and can’t bear to think about getting ousted from the Buccaneers.

Joe recommends you read the whole piece.

Stroud says Clayton’s $3.5 million salary for 2010 is guaranteed. And he offered an interesting quote from the Bucs’ head coach that might give Clayton real hope of making the roster.

 “The (defensive backs) used to own the extra slots. But I’ve got some receivers on this team that are tough, that can tackle. I’ve got some receivers on this team that don’t mind blocking, that don’t mind mixing it up. They’re starting to show their skill level and development.”[Morris said.]

Well, now. If the head coach is getting excited about keep more roster spots for receivers who can deliver punishing, iconic blocks and don’t mind mixing it up, then perhaps he’s referencing Clayton.

Now Joe knows “money will never be in issue” in building the Bucs, so said Joel Glazer.

But, per Stroud’s calculations, it is less costly to keep Clayton and his guaranteed salary than to cut him and pay someone else. Perhaps money will factor in just this once, or twice if you count TJ Rives’ recent comments.

Straight from the stage where he performed with his former Bucs teammates Derrick Brooks and Warrick Dunn on that rotten Pros vs. Joes, former Bucs quarterback Jeff Garcia freely admits he’s still trying to get picked up by an NFL squad.

Now toiling for Omaha Nighthawks of the UFL, Garcia tells Elizabeth Merrill of BSPN that he hopes a stint in the UFL will propel him back into the NFL.

His wife, Carmella, is eight months pregnant and needs him; football, for much of his life, has given Garcia every indication that it doesn’t want him, at least as a long-term solution. Eight teams, three leagues and 40,000 passing yards, and everywhere Garcia goes, he isn’t expected to last.

If he makes it through November in Omaha, and has a chance to move on, the good people in the corn belt will no doubt applaud him. That will mean that Garcia has made it back to the place he believes he’s always belonged.

First, he’s got to get through summer. The buses roll into the Kroc Center, the workout digs for the newest team in the United Football League. Last weekend, the Nighthawks’ facility was used to hold a cat show. Today, it holds Garcia’s “locker,” which consists of a chair covered in workout clothes that sits in a 3×3 space in a gymnasium.

Does Joe believe Garcia will ever suit up for the Bucs again? Joe very much doubts it. But hey, if Josh Freeman is slow to heal, who would you rather have as your No. 3 quarterback, Rudy Carpenter or Garcia?

Just the chance that Carmella will grace the sidelines might be worth 500 tickets sold in this tough economy. Imagine the marketing possibilities?

Just a couple of days after praising “Coach Gru” for his extraordinary innovations on both sides of the ball, Raheem Morris now explains that the heinous Jim Bates experiment was very much about him not repeating the leadership failures of Chucky.

Now that’s a great way to get kicked off the coaching tree.

As told to Roy Cummings of The Tampa Tribune, Morris says Chucky was too disconnected from the defense and Morris initially preferred a more unifying role as a head coach not bogged down by coordinator duties.

“Jon had an offensive coordinator but he pretty much did everything himself, and what I noticed was that Jon sort of lost a part of the team on the defensive side of the ball that way and I didn’t want that. I wanted to make sure I had the whole team’s attention right from the start here. I wanted my team to hear one voice that they knew controlled everything we do as a football team.”

Joe thinks it’s great that the Bucs’ defensive mastermind/head coach has it all straightened out now. He’s figured out that he can lead a team to success as a coordinator and a head coach. Just like the guy he threw under the bus.