Lavonte David was not a happy guy in the Bucs’ locker room. [read more]

Lovie Smith said OLB Danny Lansanah violated a team rule and was benched.

A series or two into the game, in the area of the press box of the Den of Depression where Joe sits, a stir began among the pen and mic club.

Folks began looking around, murmuring. The whispers grew louder and pretty soon it was loud questioning. [read more]

Gerald McCoy loves to talk to the media. McCoy even does a “Dini’s Den” video feature on Buccaneers.com, and McCoy reminded Bucs fans the other day that “the camera loves me.”

But McCoy didn’t want to talk today. [read more]

Lovie Smith said the Bucs never threw the game to secure the Chase for Jameis.

Although it sure smelled like someone upstairs pulled an Al Davis and picked up the Batphone and ordered top-shelf starters to sit, Lovie Smith maintained he tried to win the game today.

In his postgame, not postseason news conference, Lovie was pressed about why certain stud players were standing on the sidelines watching Drew Brees engineer a 13-point, fourth-quarter comeback that secured the Bucs win in the Chase for Jameis. [read more]

Bucs WR Taverras King

It was the drop heard ’round Tampa Bay.

It was the juggle for the future — for the quarterback of the future. [read more]

Mason Foster again discussed his uncertain future after the Bucs’ loss today.

Joe will be upfront: He’s a fan of Mason Foster. The Bucs’ middle linebacker, two years ago, had a chance to eat pineapple and play in the Pro Bowl.

But in that season, Foster sort of slipped in the final games, just like the Bucs did. Sadly, Foster never recaptured that level of play. [read more]

Mike Evans said it was not his decision to sit the entire second half, despite being “gassed.”

Just like when the Bucs enjoyed addition by subtraction letting passive safety Mark Barron run off to the Lambs, the Bucs’ loss today is the biggest win of the season.

It means the Bucs have, if they so choose, won the Chase for Jameis. [read more]

Josh McCown was Bruce Gradkowski bad this season.

Go look at the numbers. Go watch the game film. [read more]

By securing the top pick in the draft, the Bucs will avoid the likes of Matt Leinart.

You want to know why Joe was all but on his knees that the Saints would rally from 13 down so the Bucs could have the first overall pick in the draft? Take a look at the names below.

With the No. 1 pick, it is the Bucs who get to choose their quarterback of the future. They do not have to settle for second banana. [read more]

Joe’s ecstatic about today’s loss. It was necessary but bittersweet.

In their last 100 games, the Bucs are 30-70. [read more]

It’s official.

The Bucs’ offense adopted the fetal position in the second half today and lost. Joe wonders if Team Glazer picked up the red phone at halftime. [read more]

While preparing for today’s game, Tampa Bay coaches preached to players that next season already started and their performance should reflect that.

And this was the result.

Maybe that’s great. Maybe that’s god awful. [read more]

Comment here with fellow fans all game long. Join the fun.

This is it, the moment we all have been waiting for. Just 60 more minutes of losing football and the Bucs have done it.

With one more loss, just one more at the Den of Depression, the Bucs will have won the Chase for Jameis, which will bring respectability, relevance and, of course, winning.

Let’s do it Bucs! Joe knows you have it in you.

Bang it here throughout the game. Joe encourages you to e-mail illegal video streams of the game among yourselves, but pasting a link here will get you run.

Joe is having a hard time spitting out the following words. But the bullet must be bitten to save the franchise. Go, Saints!

(Joe needs to shower now.)

Saints (6-9) at Bucs (2-13)

Kickoff: 1 p.m. [read more]

The moment Josh McCown walked off the Georgia Dome field with a thumb injury, after leading the Bucs to national television disgrace and an 0-3 record, it made no sense for him to return as the Bucs starting quarterback.

That was the time to go all-in with Mike Glennon, and Joe lobbied hard. [read more]

Who’s your defensive coordinator?

Surveillance photo of a Packers defensive line meeting analyzing their game tape against the Bucs’ offensive line

The Bucs’ offensive line, collectively, is no less than a garish display of big-bodied types flopping around helplessly like a boated tarpon. Lots of flailing around without production.

Joe used the analogy of right guard Josh Allen doing his best Curly Howard impression last week. Joe never saw an offensive lineman so lit up that he fell backwards swinging his arms in the air like someone falling over backwards in a chair desperately trying to maintain balance. [read more]

After a 3-13 season in 2009, one that at least delivered a strong finish and a talented quarterback prospect, Raheem Morris seemed to be on thin ice.

But Team Glazer went public shortly after the season finale to address the issue. [read more]

Mediocre Charles Sims is one reason the Bucs are on the verge of a franchise low

This Bucs offense, Joe is having problems accurately describing it.

Now many of Joe’s readers always point to the lack of blocking by the screendoor-on-a-submarine offensive line. Joe always thought that was a lazy way of excusing bad production from running backs. [read 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 daily nugget on the Jameis Watch, celebrating the best quarterback to wear No. 5 ever in the state of Florida. [read more]

Bucs TE Brandon Myers re-ups with the Bucs.

Yesterday, wide receiver Louis Murphy bragged how he had the best Christmas ever after signing a three-year pact to remain with Tampa Bay.

Murphy admitted he and his agent were prepared to shop around until the contract offer came from Bucs general manager Jason Licht. [read more]