Can the Bucs prove they’re on the rise and beat a struggling Dallas club at home?

Playoff hopes will be just about killed if they can’t. And the fire Lovie chatter will escalate yet again.

Dive into the comments section and react all through today’s 1 o’clock game.

You can also chatter in the new JoeBucsFan Message Boards. It’s easy. If you haven’t already, just register, confirm the automatic email, and then sign in and play.

Have fun. Bad words and naughty posters will be filtered.

Go Bucs!

Game Nine

Cowboys (2-6) at Bucs (3-5)

Kickoff: 1 p.m. [read more]

What could Lovie Smith possibly say to Team Glazer and legions of Bucs fans, if the Bucs can’t win two of their final four home games? [read more]

Hands full today.

If you want a key to today’s game, it is pretty simple: Keep Greg Hardy off America’s Quarterback, Bucs signal-caller Jameis Winston. And that responsibility lies with rookie left tackle Donovan Smith. [read more]

America’s Quarterback matched a signature Doug Williams moment

In these unsettled times of devastating Bucs losses, constant change and growing pains, Joe thought it would be wise to bring back THE OPTIMIST.

THE OPTIMIST is Nick Houllis, a Bucs fan and an accomplished writer whose steadfast allegiance to the Buccaneers goes back to the 1970s. Houllis is the founder, creator and guru of BucStop.com, a place Joe goes to get lost in time via Houllis’ stunning video collection.

THE OPTIMIST will shine that positive light in your eyes. Some will love it. Some won’t. … Of course, THE OPTIMIST’s opinions are his alone and are not influenced by Joe. [read more]

Proud to be an American.

Joe rarely writes about sappy stories, but this is different, mainly because Joe wants to troll the haters. [read more]

Hopefully, Brandon Myers has had time to shake it off.

While tight end Brandon Myers never made a dent in the box score last week against his former team, the Giants, two weeks prior he had one of his best games this season despite playing under mental duress. [read more]

Interesting video has emerged from New Jersey on Akeem Spence. [read more]

Because of recent events in Paris, thanks to a bunch of animals, the NFL, the Bucs and local authorities will be on heightened security for Sunday’s Cowboys-Bucs game, which will include parking areas.

Why? Friday at a soccer game in Paris, security officials stopped a suicide bomber who attempted to enter the stadium, reports the Wall Street Journal. [read more]

You asked for it, you got it. It’s the TV map for tomorrow’s game between the Cowpukes and the Bucs, a 1 p.m. kickoff at the Den of Depression. [read more]

Vincent Jackson shared his philosophy on returning to the playing field. [read more]

It was time again for Joe’s Friday visit to Ron and Ian on WDAE-AM 620. That’s where Joe gets belted in rapid-fire fashion with all kinds of questions on the big Bucs topics of the day. [read more]

Rod Marinelli’s defense bends and breaks

Lovie Smith’s Rod Marinelli’s defense has been scary in the fourth quarter this season.

A couple of stunning numbers were kicked around on SiriusXM NFL Radio this week. [read more]

The Cowboys will be without their best defender tomorrow

It stinks out loud when good players can’t play due to injuries. Joe never wants to see a guy hurt.

Tampa Bay has been bitten by the injury bug on offense. Out probably until December is Vincent Jackson. Louis Murphy is done. Ali Marpet will miss Sunday and who knows about Austin Seferian-Jenkins. [read more]

Lovie opens up

Joe has been hypersensitive to the Buccaneers’ effort ever since Lovie Smith blasted it back in September.

“Last year the crowd showed up. We didn’t,” Lovie said. [read more]

Yes, it is the most popular subject for Bucs fandom this side of Gerald McCoy and America’s Quarterback, Bucs signal-caller Jameis Winston.

And that is the question of when the hell will Austin Seferian-Jenkins return to the field? [read more]

Doug Martin is on a two-game streak of sour play, leaving the Bucs’ bell cow running back at a crossroads.

In 50 short days, the NFL regular season is over. [read more]

Gets mad props from Lovie.

Yes, if one wanted to argue Lovie Smith should not return next year, one could easily sit down and make out a long list and the arguments would be valid. [read more]

Stat nerds don’t like him.

Oh, Joe can hear the keyboard tapping from here. The numberscrunchers are at it again, and this time, rather than saying America’s Quarterback, Bucs signal-caller Jameis Winston, was the worst quarterback last weekend, their target is another Bucs player. [read more]

Evan Smith will bask in the guard spotlight

Manbeast guard Ali Marpet will not play Sunday, Lovie Smith announced today. [read more]

This is not one of those Sundays when Bucs fans should be scared of America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston, reverting back to the sloppy ball security he experienced early this season. [read more]