Rookie QB chatter.

Steelers rookie quarterback and first round draft pick Kenny Pickett will make his second NFL start against the Bucs. And Bucs sack king Shaq Barrett said despite a lack of experience, rookie quarterbacks can fool defenses if a defense lets up. (more…)

Whittles wish list down?

With the Bucs signaling to fans the team isn’t overly concerned if Julio Jones plays in the regular season so long as he can step on the field in January, Joe is paying close attention to the Odell Beckham sweepstakes. (more…)

Immediate impact.

Cornerback Zyon McCollum was a total freak at Sam Houston State. One scouting service claimed he tested as one of the best athletes in the history of the NFL Draft. And it didn’t take McCollum’s wheels long to make an impact for the Bucs. (more…)

Julio Jones

So, is the “finish line” the Super Bowl, the first round of the playoffs or an imaginary line that separates Finland from Russia? (more…)

Head coach Todd Bowles

Joe asked fans to stop the style-points freakout a few hours after Sunday’s 21-15 win over Atlanta. And yesterday head coach Todd Bowles was hit with a question about whether regularly winning a little ugly is sustainable for a Super Bowl contender. (more…)

Unfairly ridiculed.

Bucs rookie left guard Luke Goedeke is getting the Donovan Smith treatment. And if Joe is accurate, it will hound Goedeke for damn near a decade. (more…)

Still looking.

At this point, you cannot tell Joe the Bucs are deep at receiver. (more…)

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin

Great point tonight from Todd Bowles, who sort of explained why it’s easier to face a good football team versus a team in turmoil/transition like the Steelers will be on Sunday. (more…)

Joe often has written and said that Tom Brady is the ultimate calculated communicator.

Nothing is random when Brady is in front of the media. (more…)

Damn, Joe is proud of the obvious improvement of Jaelon Darden on fourth downs. (more…)

“Ira, you’ve surely seen this in your 59-year career covering the NFL.”

Joe sure hopes a valuable lesson was learned Sunday against the Falcons, though Joe finds it troubling that a defense loaded with guys who have Super Bowl rings would have to learn such a lesson. (more…)

Still out there.

Joe understands many Bucs fans are hoping for a big-name player to return to the football field in 2022. The guy who has the best chance to do that may not be who many Bucs fans are expecting. (more…)

Every down back.

We all know the story by now. (more…)

Throw it, Tom!

From time to time, Joe hears NFL analysts say something along the lines of, “You can’t have Tom Brady throw 50 times a game.” (more…)

So yesterday, any semblance the Stinking Panthers had of making the playoffs, well, strongman owner David Tepper decided to throw the towel in on the season and look to the future. (more…)

Nearly took Bucs job in 2012.

When former Bucs commander Greg Schiano ran the team, probably his most famous quote was when he barked at players warming up before practice, “Toes on the line!” (more…)

Joe realizes this was said in jest by Tom Brady tonight, but considering Brady is such a calculated speaker, it’s easy to believe a kernel of truth might be part of the equation. (more…)

Bucs and NFL fans may remember the NFL Network report a few weeks ago that claimed Tom Brady would skip Wednesday practices for the rest of the season. (more…)