Lovie Smith was emphatic with Joe today

The Bucs have a questionable situation at offensive coordinator. Quarterbacks coach Marcus Arroyo, an NFL newcomer, has been filling in since late in the preseason.

Considering Lovie Smith often will say he’s always focused on improving the Buccaneers, Joe thought it was reasonable to ask the head coach if he’s starting the preparation process to potentially hire a new OC when this season ends. [read more]

Josh McCown was getting dressed in the Bucs locker room today with nothing on his bad thumb. It didn’t even look swollen. [read more]

Oh, the drama of a post-bludgeoning practice before the bye-week break.

Yes, the Bucs were back on the soggy grass of One Buc Palace this afternoon. [read more]

A coaching change is suggested

Yes, the Tampa Bay offense averages a little more than four points in the first halves of games. It’s reprehensible.

Joe might recommend a witch doctor or a team of strippers massaging players in the pregame locker room. But de facto offensive coordinator, Marcus Arroyo, wants answers. [read more]

A thing that irks Joe is that the Bucs are  led by someone and built by the same fellow who is believed to be a defensive wizard. The man’s name is Lovie Smith.

Make no mistake: Lovie oversees all football transactions. A player is not signed; a player is not traded for without Lovie’s stamp of approval. [read more]

GMC explained he was a marked man Sunday.

In his postgame eulogy Sunday, Bucs coach Lovie Smith dropped a line that implied the Bucs simply don’t have the horses to do battle with the big boys of the NFL. That’s not a far-fetched notion, the way the Bucs have been alley-beaten.

When Bucs stud defensive tackle held court after the game, he said the Crows attacked him like they didn’t give a damn about any other player on the Bucs defensive line. [read more]

Joe’s still flummoxed by how flat and lifeless the Bucs came out on Sunday.

How does that happen, and why does it continue through an entire first half? [read more]

One Bucs coach wasn’t afraid to radically change his schemes. And it led to a significant stretch of winning.

Joe will give Raheem Morris credit. The man was unafraid of change.

Heck, in his first season, Raheem fired his offensive coordinator in August and changed his offense. Three months later, he fired his defensive coordinator and radically changed the Bucs defense. [read more]

It’s kind of hard for a quarterback to throw the ball when he’s prone on the ground.

Many Bucs fans were irrational the way they attacked the offensive line. Joe thought it was lazy to lay all the blame for Doug Martin being a shell of his former self on the O-line. [read more]

No, the Bucs offense didn’t remind anyone of the “Greatest Show on Turf” during the seal-clubbing by the Crows Sunday.

Frankly, even if it did, it wouldn’t have mattered anyway, the way the Bucs pass defense treated Crows wide receivers as if they had the shingles. [read more]

The fastest man in the NFL has made a quick exit from One Buc Palace. [read more]

The leader of Lovieball, Lovie Smith, had a firm message for fans today.

And the head coach also offered up a question at his afternoon news conference. [read more]

Akeem Spence explains the Meltdown on Dale Mabry Highway yesterday in great detail.

Bucs fans will want to listen to this audio of Joe interviewing Bucs defensive tackle Akeem Spence in the Tampa Bay locker room after the game yesterday. You can just feel the frustration oozing out of him.

Spence, in a very candid interview — which Joe greatly appreciates — explained how the Bucs were not prepared for Crows quarterback Joe Flacco’s three-step drop, that the defensive line was helpless as a result, and that the Bucs actually know Lovie Smith’s precious defense. [read more]

Mike Glennon remains the most interesting aspect to Tampa Bay’s season.

Despite all the Bucs’ question marks, the No. 1 question surrounding the team — and one that will drive the team’s future — is at quarterback. [read more]

Joe has a range of emotions about the Bucs after their second seal-clubbing in a month yesterday, this time at the hands of the Baltimore Crows. It was one of the more pitiful beatdowns Joe has ever seen.

Not one emotion spinning in Joe’s head is positive. The Bucs are in a complete and total collapse, whether it be coaching or player evaluation. [read more]

Michael Johnson was invisible yesterday against a rookie backup left tackle

A prominent former Buccaneer would be on board with nicknaming defensive end Michael Johnson “Kleenex.” [read more]

Joe never understands why some fans claim former Bucs tight end Anthony Becht, now an analyst on the Buccaneers Radio Network and Buccaneers.com, is too pro-Bucs and won’t criticize the team.

Those bitter fans just aren’t paying attention. [read more]

Last year, Mike Sullivan couldn’t figure out adjustments. This year, Marcus Arroyo and company aren’t sufficiently prepared.

Last year, the Bucs delivered fans and Team Glazer a deeply troubling impotence score of 83 in the second halves of games. Yes, that’s how many points the Bucs scored all season in the second half, an average of 5.2 points over the final 30 minutes of games.

So for those of you yearning for Greg Schiano this morning, please seek medical attention immediately. [read more]

The Buccaneers’ offensive line got thoroughly manhandled yesterday. The run blocking is shameful and pride-free, and has been for weeks. There is no attitude.

Perhaps the Bucs need to make the desperate move. [read more]

Yesterday afternoon, Joe really was taken back by Tampa Bay general manager Jason Licht’s analysis of Mike Glennon. [read more]