Buccaneers-Panthers Open Thread

October 4th, 2015

bucs cheerleader 1117Can the Bucs even their record against long odds?

Joe would celebrate mightily if that occurs this afternoon.

Dive into the comments section and chat all through the 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!

Bucs-Panthers Watch Party Today At Peggy O’Neill’s In Tampa/Oldsmar

October 4th, 2015

Superior venue to watch the Bucs and all NFL action.

Joe’s got cool halftime giveaways. Make a day of it! See you Sunday!

PeggyOneills_300x600_Oct2015

Gameday Tampa Bay

October 4th, 2015

panthers cheerleader 1005

Game Four

Stinking Panthers at Bucs

Kickoff: 1 p.m. [read more]

Catch, Don’t Complain

October 4th, 2015
The ability to haul in passes by WR Mike Evans would sure help out the Bucs today.

Mike Evans hauling in passes sure would help out the Bucs today.

On face value, just looking at the box score, Mike Evans had a nice game against Houston last week.

He tied a career high with seven catches, for 101 yards and an average of 14.4 yards a catch.

But those who watched know a bigger truth: Evans had a game he would like to forget. [read more]

Stopping Greg Olsen

October 4th, 2015
greg olsen 1004

How Stinking Panthers TE Greg Olsen fares will speak volumes about Lovie Smith’s defense.

When you know a specific player is coming at you and a defense still cannot stop said player, it says something about the players used to defense said weapon, or the defense employed to stop said weapon.

Either way, it all falls back on one man today. That would be Bucs coach Lovie Smith. [read more]

First-Tackle Rust

October 4th, 2015
Mike Evans makes a stunning admission: He forgot what real football was like.

Mike Evans makes a stunning admission: He forgot what real football was like.

So how rusty was Mike Evans last Sunday?

Consider this, he hadn’t been tackled since 2014. The old school NFL players in Joe’s reading audience just crapped their pants. [read more]

THE OPTIMIST: Success Is Imminent

October 4th, 2015
Offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter

Offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter

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]

Lovie Is Not Father Dungy

October 4th, 2015
Much better start than Lovie.

Much better start than Lovie.

Yesterday, Joe brought word that yet another former Bucs great is preaching patience with the continued losing of the Bucs under coach Lovie Smith.

That would be 3-16 Lovie (and counting). [read more]

Donovan Smith: NFL’s 67th Best Tackle?

October 3rd, 2015

DonovanSmithmugThe stat geeks seem to be laughing at the Buccaneers when they break from their spreadsheets and stop pretending they know what they’re grading. [read more]

Alstott Preaches “Process”

October 3rd, 2015
Mike Alstott has words for Bucs fans. They don't sit well with Joe.

Mike Alstott has words for Bucs fans. They don’t sit well with Joe.

Who is ready to sit in the Den of Depression tomorrow and hear the A-train whistle blow again? Joe sure is. Chills.

That whistle, of course, is for Ring of Honor entrant Mike Alstott, who lives in Pinellas County and often counsels Buccaneers fans. [read more]

TV Map For Stinking Panthers-Bucs

October 3rd, 2015

tvYou asked for it, you got it. It’s the TV map for tomorrow’s game between the Stinking Panthers and the Bucs, live from the Den of Depression. [read more]

“I Gotta Stop Being So Passionate”

October 3rd, 2015

mike evans 0517bJoe already shared that Mike Evans thinks Jameis Winston is so on target he might be fooling referees.

But Evans also has other theories when it comes to pass interference calls against him. [read more]

Alterraun Verner: Trust Lovie

October 3rd, 2015
lovie smith 1002

Despite being benched, CB Alterraun Verner is in Lovie’s corner.

Joe can understand any player, much less a proud guy like Bucs cornerback Alterraun Verner, being totally peeved about being benched and having to bite his tongue in frustration. [read more]

“Hump Game” Double Talk

October 3rd, 2015

lovie 1110bJoe’s unsure what tomorrow’s game means for the underdog Bucs against the Panthers, winners of seven consecutive regular season games, plus a playoff game in between their 2014 finish and their undefeated 2015 start.

For Lovie Smith, a victory, or at least a strong showing, might mean a chance to stop contradicting himself and speaking in clichés. [read more]

Jameis = “Flash”

October 3rd, 2015

flashAround these parts, Bucs signal-caller Jameis Winston is known as “America’s Quarterback.”

In his hometown of Bessemer, Ala. and college, he is known as “Jaboo.” [read more]

Avoiding The Fetal Position

October 2nd, 2015

fetal position

With the Bucs back in Tampa for a two-game home stand against the Panthers (Sunday) and Jaguars, Joe demands one simple goal be accomplished: win a home game.

Frankly, it’s the only thing that will keep Joe from lying prone in the fetal position, weeping and nursing a bottle of Jack Daniels. [read more]

Kwon “Rookie Of The Week”

October 2nd, 2015
NFL "Rookie of the Week."

NFL “Rookie of the Week.”

For the second time in as many weeks, the Bucs have the NFL’s “Rookie of the Week.”

Last week, it was America’s Quarterback, Bucs signal-caller Jameis Winston. [read more]

Josh Norman Is In Mike Evans’ Head

October 2nd, 2015
Mike Evans hopes to avenge his two-catch, 13-yard effort against Carolina in December.

Mike Evans hopes to avenge his two-catch, 13-yard effort against Carolina in December.

The newly crowned NFC Defensive Player of the Month, Panthers cornerback Josh Norman, is a huge trash talker.

And not only did he and Mike Evans get into it last year, but they engaged in an offseason Twitter spat, too. [read more]

“Buccaneers 23, Panthers 21”

October 2nd, 2015
brady quinn

Brady Quinn

Smile, Bucs fans.

Joe’s got national love for what Jameis Winston, America’s Quarterback, has accomplished, and a victory prediction for Tampa Bay! [read more]

“Want To See His Numbers Come Down Quite A Bit”

October 2nd, 2015
Lovie Smith can't let Greg Olsen beat him for the third time in 20 games

Lovie Smith can’t let Greg Olsen beat him for the third time in 20 games

Aside from the obvious blowouts, perhaps the most telling sign the Bucs’ defense had serious issues last year came on December 14 against the Panthers. [read more]

Signature Silliness

October 2nd, 2015

LovieJoe remembers all the Raheem Morris haters blubbering on and on back in 2010, because the Bucs didn’t have a “signature win” under their belt.

These lunatics claimed the Bucs had five, six, seven, eventually 10 wins without beating a good or a full-strength team. [read more]