We’ve all heard Raheem Morris’ core beliefs; the Bucs goal is to play “hard, fast, smart and consistent” at all times.

But the Bucs haven’t been consistent when it comes to playing hard and fast, though they never play “smart.” That’s not Joe talking. That’s Raheem speaking on the Buccaneers Radio Network on WDAE-AM 620 after today’s blowout at the hands of the Panthers.

“We didn’t play smart today,” Raheem said. “We haven’t played smart all year.”

Sorry, but Joe can only pin a small fraction of unintelligent play Joe on the Bucs’ youth. The coaches’ messages just aren’t getting through.

It’s 3rd-and-2 and the Bucs are driving in the red zone. They’re trailing 14-3, but it’s early in the second quarter and they’ve got momentum.

So what does Greg Olson call on this critical 3rd-and-2?

Olson looked deep into his playbook and pulled out the play that doesn’t work, the Arrelious Benn reverse.

This time that stunning play broke a new personal record with a 12-yard loss.

Joe’s first emotional thought after that play was that Olson deserves to fired on the spot for that call — with a mobile quarterback and a punishing running back available.

Of course, one play should never doom an offensive coordinator. But Joe’s got to seriously question the judgement of the call, especially with that critical down and distance.

Sadly, Joe suspects Bucs fans haven’t seen the last of that play.  

Brian Price marched to the locker room in the third quarter after a needless personal foul that negated a Geno Hayes sack.

So what happened?

Raheem Morris kicked him off the field, so a bitter-sounding Raheem explained on WDAE-AM 620 after the game.

“We can’t tolerate foolish, selfish penalties from our guys,” Raheem said. “He needed a day off. …We can’t have that kind of stuff on our football team.”

It’s unclear to Joe what Price did, but from Raheem’s tone of voice and response, it’s pretty obvious Raheem witnessed a reckless act.

Joe expects the whole thing will be a good learning experience for Price, but it’s still more evidence that the Bucs are an undisciplined bunch.

As one can imagine, the Bucs locker room was sullen after getting whipped at home by the last place stinking Panthers.

Even the Bucs players are at a loss for words as to how to stop the season from circling the drain.

But what the Bucs did know “midweek” is that Josh Freeman would not be able to make a go of it and that the Bucs would have to turn to trusted backup quarterback Josh Jobnson today.

“It was really like midweek, we learned Josh [Johnson] would most likely start,’ Bucs offensive guard Davin Joseph said. “But overall, I think he did a good job stepping in. For less than a week of prep, he did a great job.”

“An alarm goes off in your head,” wide receiver Arrelious Benn said upon learning the news of JJ being given a start. “But I don’t think we blinked. We’ve practiced with him, it was like any other game.”

Forget about the pending felony assault charge and his past transgressions, Aqib Talib just isn’t that valuable because he’s hurt every year.

Hamstring injuries, knee trouble, and a freak hip injury have limited Talib and kept him out of a lot of games over the past three seasons.

He was playing stellar football the past two games before leaving the field early in the first quarter today with more hamstring issues. Raheem Morris confirmed the injury after the game on the Buccaneers Radio Network. Joe saw Talib pop that hammy and couldn’t help but think of one of his favorite Buccaneers, linebacker safety Jermaine Phillips.

The heralded matchup of Steve Smith and Talib never materialized. It turned out E.J. Biggers did a very solid job on Smith.

Talib is signed for next season, and Joe would expect he’ll be back, assuming he’s not found guilty in Texas. Joe’s just not sure Talib’s persistent injury troubles make him part of the long term.

There are oodles of ways to analyze the performance of the Bucs and the worthiness of Raheem Morris’ coaching future in Tampa Bay.

But what can’t be denied or ignored is that the Bucs are simply playing ugly, unattractive football. Sure, there are bright spots from their rookie defensive ends, and highlights from LeGarrette Blount and the occasional deep pass, but the overall product is severely lacking.

It would be one thing to be 4-8 and be the Panthers, with a high-octane, balanced offense, but the Bucs don’t have that. And the defense has fallen so, so far.

Joe and legions of other fans remember the days of  swarming Bucs defenses consistently ranking in the top 10 and battling for every blade of grass. Raheem himself once led the No. 1 ranked passing defense, if Joe remembers correctly.

Yes, the Bucs have a damn exciting kicking game, if there is such a thing. 

Raheem repeatedly has called his players entertainers and himself “an entertainer.” Sorry, but Joe’s not enjoying himself watching Bucs games.

Getting clubbed at home in consecutive games when the Bucs are trying to renew season tickets and build a fanbase in the face of blackouts has to be an enormous weight on the franchise.

Joe’s just depressed by what the Bucs have become.

Welcome to the dark side — today’s “signature loss” at home to the Carolina Panthers.

This was a glorified scrimmage for Cam Newton and the Panthers offense. And the Bucs couldn’t run the ball or punch in a meaningful touchdown against the heinous Panthers defense.

Tony Dungy never had a six-game losing streak. Jon Gruden never had one. Raheem Morris now has two.

Some fans moaned and groaned last year because the Bucs were winning but not scoring a “signature win,” defined as one against a good team. They finally got one in New Orleans to close the season 10-6, and then got two more this season. But now the wheels have completely come off the Buccaneers with six straight losses.

Hope has left the building.

A team other than the Bucs even stopped LeGarrette Blount.

Consecutive blowouts at home is simply horrendous. A home blowout to the former bottom-dweller of your division is even worse. Barring a miraculous revival of this Bucs team, there will be major changes coming next season. What those changes are will be determined over the next four weeks.

On the heels of this loss, Joe can’t imagine even the most stout Bucs optimist quibbling with an overhaul of the coaching staff. Raheem Morris needs some fast results to prove he still belongs.  

No onsides kick with 6:30 left trailing by 19 points? Joe thought the Bucs wanted to be an aggressive team?

At least we got one hell of a field goal kicker.

OK boys and girls, have at it. Let your feelings be known about how the Bucs are playing against the stinking Panthers today. As always, any and all commenters who post addresses of pirated streams of the game, even spelling the addresses out, will be banned. You are welcome to post your e-mail address and share the pirated feeds amongst yourselves.

Now behave! 🙂

Q.: But Joe, why don’t you have live chats?

A.: They were more pain in the ass than worth it for Joe. The software for the live chats only allowed 15 unmoderated users. Any more than 15, each and every comment had to be approved. Joe’s trying to do work (read: watch the game) and too may people were b!tching about how their comments were not posted quick enough, so Joe decided to deep-six the live chats for Bucs games.

Here are the Bucs inactives today. As Joe’s written, Josh Freeman won’t play.  

On the defensive side of the ball, you won’t see Michael Bennett, Myron Lewis or Daniel Te’O-Hesheim.

Derek Hardman, James Lee, Micheal Spurlock and, of course, Freeman, lose the coveted helmet on offense.

No big surprises here, and you won’t have Lewis to pick on after the game.

Gulp!

The St. Pete Times is reporting Josh Freeman will not play today. Sure, Freeman hasn’t had the greatest season, but he’s still a critical cog to any Bucs victory.

For Joe, this is a bit of a silver lining. There’s got to be no doubt the Bucs will pound LeGarrette Blount to make life easier on Josh Johnson.

What an opportunity for Johnson, who gets to showcase himself against a garbage Carolina defense as he approaches unrestricted free agency. Johnson can make himself some good money this weekend — in Tampa or another city.

Now Joe has read from some conspiracy theorists that the reason why Freeman won’t play is that if the Bucs lose to the Panthers with Josh Johnson as the starter, no big deal. If the Bucs lost to the lowly Panthers with Freeman, the vultures would be circling embattled Bucs coach Raheem Morris.

Adjust your tin foil hats accordingly.

No excuses, Bucs. Go beat the lowly Panthers at home.

In a sure sign that Bucs starting quarterback Josh Freeman may not play tomorrow against the Panthers, or may be limited in playing time, the Bucs today activated third string quarterback Rudy Carpenter from the practice squad, per Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune, on the TBO Bucs Twitter feed.

The Bucs have promoted QB Rudy Carpenter from the practice squad just in case Josh Freeman can’t go tomorrow.

If Freeman was healthy or the Bucs thought he could go, there’s little doubt Carpenter would not be activated. What would be the point when you can have another player activated to add depth?

Will Bucs fans who attend the throwback game be witness to Josh Johnson’s first start of the season?

In what seems like a statement of the obvious, veteran Tampa Tribune scribe eye-RAH! Kaufman added more media heat under Raheem Morris today via the TBO.com Bucs Twitter account.

Kaufman says Team Glazer will be scrutinizing all things Bucs and Raheem Morris during the final 29 days of the season.

@TBO_Buccaneers:  Ira: Bucs ownership will be looking for signs of improvement in the final 5 games. Otherwise, Raheem Morris could be out after 3 seasons.

On Monday, it was St. Pete Times scribe Rick Stroud talking about Raheem needing to win games to guarantee his survival. A couple of days ago it was a TV talking head asking Raheem about his job security during a news conference. Two weeks ago, it was former NFL executive turned NFL Network guru Mike Lombard skewering Raheem, to which Raheem responded with a clown reference.

For Joe, these theatrics are completely expected for a head coach mired in a five-game losing streak, a guy who also is a defensive coordinator of an atrocious defense.

Again, Joe’s not thinking Kaufman is sending any coded messages from Team Glazer. Raheem simply needs to win and get his guys improving in a hurry. Otherwise, Joe’s not seeing how fans or ownership could have any confidence in Raheem’s ability to turn things around next season.

The spend-some-damn-money crowd got an update this morning from the statistical gremlins at ESPN, so reports NFC South blogger Pat Yasinskas.

Privy to “committed” cash data for the 2012 season, Yasinskas reports that the Bucs have the 26th most dough on the docket at $91.5 million, about $14 million under the league average.

I’m seeing six teams with more 2012 cap room than the Bucs, who are at $91.533 million. Tampa Bay’s number also is going to climb after this season because the Bucs are playing a lot of young players who have escalator clauses in their contracts that kick in if certain requirements on playing time are met.

One of the teams well below the average is the Atlanta Falcons. They’re sitting at $89.3 million. The Cincinnati Bengals ($71.2 million) have the least committed toward the 2012 cap.

If this were late February, Joe might be paying more attention. But with five games to go and unknown variables in this data, Joe doesn’t care too much.

Remember, these numbers from ESPN are essentially contracts on the books for 2012. So, for example, Ronde Barber, who reportedly has a one-year deal for 2011 at $5 million, is not part of the 2012 cash numbers. The data may or may not include Albert Haynesworth’s rougly $7 million he’s scheduled to make next season. Quincky Black’s fat deal is in there.

The only thing clear is that the Bucs will again have a pile of money available to spend in the offseason.

Bucs legend, tight end Jimmy Giles, becomes the third Buccaneer to be inducted into the Bucs Ring of Honor on Sunday, and the team will honor Giles by wearing the throwback creamcicles. Joe was fortunate to have a chance this week to ask Giles a few questions about his days with the Bucs and how the game has changed for tight ends.

JoeBucsFan: Are you sort of jealous about the way the game has changed? When you played, aside from Kellen Winslow — who was a tight end in name but in reality was a slot receiver — tight ends were blockers first and receivers second. Now, some tight ends are top receivers. Could you have been more of a passing target in today’s football?

Jimmie Giles: That’s one of the things we talked about. Blocking, that’s something I prided myself on that. Passing? Back in the day when Kellen played, tight end was more of a passing weapon in the AFC, but with John McKay, it was all about pitching that ball out and blocking to spring the running back. You had to be a blocker and when you had to catch it, you had better catch it or you would never have the ball thrown to you. I had to put myself in position where I could catch the ball anywhere from 6-12 times. But if I played now, I’m sure I could get 16 catches a game. Kellen was a great tight end but he didn’t want to block that much and he didn’t have to.

Joe: You were a crushing blocker, almost like a pulling guard. As a kid, I remember and can still picture you blowing up linebackers time after time. Was your blocking ability something you had to develop with the Bucs or what that a skill you always possessed?

Giles: First of all, I invite you to join the committee to elect me to the Hall of Fame. One of the things is, you have to have a team concept of being able to run the football. A tight end had to be a very integral part of the blocking and you have to want to be able to work and learn the techniques of blocking and have a mindset of blocking. If you know you have to make a key block, to make the running game go, that is as important as catching a 15-yard pass. Blocking is more of an attitude. But they don’t pay you for blocking, they pay you for catching passes.

Joe: You played in two of the most extreme weather games in Bucs history, the 1979 regular season finale in a monsoon at Tampa Stadium against the Chiefs to clinch the NFC Central title, and the Snow Bowl in Green Bay where you literally played in a blizzard with a foot of snow and wind chills at zero degrees. Which was the most difficult?

Giles: Without a doubt the game against Kansas City because that was the game that ended the losing days for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That game put us in the playoffs and you couldn’t call us losers any more. That win gave us a 10-6 record and nobody could say we were losers and we were excited about that.

Joe: The early glory days of the Bucs you played with Doug Williams. When he left the team’s success collapsed and it took over a decade for the team to recover. With his success with the Bucs and later the Redskins, should Williams be in the Hall of Fame?

Giles: I would have to say without a doubt because of the adversity he faced throughout his career and the things that he accomplished despite not having the tools other quarterbacks had to work with and to get to the Super Bowl and did what he did in the Super Bowl, I think he was one of the greatest of all times, convincingly. For his journey, absolutely he should be in the Hall of Fame.

Joe: It seems that you and your Bucs teammates were close. Few if any of you were from Florida yet so many of you stayed in the area and set down roots and started businesses, which you don’t see that often with other teams. Whenever there is an appearance or reunion of the old Bucs, there is a big turnout. So it seems you guys were tight and close. Was there a special bond that you developed with your teammates? Is that why so many of you stayed in the area?

Giles: That is what prepared us for winning. We became a football family after the 1978 season, we became very close and we developed a rapport to lock out for each other and take care of each other. We won despite everyone else. We had a great core of fans week in and week out and that made a huge difference when you came to the games on Sunday and see the stadium packed. You wanted to win for the fans and the organization.

The lovely Tiffany Simons (she’s actually getting hotter, if you can imagine) and Gregg Rosenthal discuss the state of the Bucs and Rosenthal doesn’t believe Raheem Morris is in any danger of losing his job in this NBCSports.com video.

Breaking sports news video. MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL highlights and more.

Joe has posted this before: He does not understand the vile hate many Bucs fans have toward cornerback E.J. Biggers.

Joe is of the mind that Biggers is a decent cornerback. No, he may not be Tramon Williams, but he is serviceable.

The only way Joe can figure out the loathing about Biggers is last year he had trouble with — GASP! — Calvin Johnson in a Bucs loss that doomed the Bucs’ playoff hopes.

Joe believes this is a straw man argument. What cost the Bucs the playoffs was a touchdown by Kellen Winslow that was robbed, as he was called for offensive interference despite being mugged in the end zone.

That took a touchdown off the board and the Bucs had to settle for a field goal and eventually lost in overtime.

Besides, Johnson burns receivers mostly every game, he is that good. Joe once saw Jerry Rice fry Deion Sanders. By the Biggers logic some Bucs fans have, that would mean Sanders was garbage.

Yes, Biggers is struggling a little bit this year, but it always seems like he is a step or a half-step away from a play. It’s not like Biggers is getting roasted like a hog on a spit.

Last year Joe brought word about how the football numbers crunchers at FootballOutsiders.com graded Biggers as one of the better cornerbacks in the NFL.

It seems like the Bucs braintrust is like-minded. Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune took a look at where the Bucs need to upgrade and the Bucs have no intention of benching Biggers.

The Bucs seem pretty happy with E.J. Biggers as a third corner, but Myron Lewis is struggling to earn playing time. So, the Bucs need at least one, if not two, starting-caliber upgrades here.

Joe agrees with this assessment. Myron Lewis is officially in Kyle Moore territory. Lewis is a good guy, make no mistake. But like Moore, Lewis struggles to stay healthy. When he does make it on the field (not often), his play offers much to be desired.

If Lewis is to remain on the Bucs roster for 2012, he must stay healthy. Otherwise, what’s the point in keeping a roster spot for the guy?

The Bucs are in a tailspin and much of the problem has been their defense. In particular, the Bucs’ rushing defense has been dismal.

There are lots of reasons, but the Bucs inability to stop the run can be pointed to one element: no Gerald McCoy.

GMC in just his second year not only became a team leader and mentor of sorts, but the numbers the Bucs have given up after he left the lineup with a torn bicep are alarming.

Evan Silva, who among other employers works for NBC Sports, documents just how bad the Bucs miss GMC.

@evansilva: Opposing RBs vs Buccaneers D in Gerald McCoy’s 5 missed games so far: 8 rushing TDs, 677 rushing yards on 122 carries (5.55 YPC).

Coincidence? Joe thinks not. GMC got some decent penetration up front. When a defensive lineman gets penetration, he also disrupts a play. Sometimes this is as important as a tackle or a sack.

So if Bucs fans are frustrated with how the Bucs season has turned out, this is a good place to start, the void left by GMC.

Joe imagines he’s one of the few that listens to The Jeff Faine Show, which broadcasts out of an Orlando radio station on Monday nights.

Don’t worry. You’re not missing much. It’s essentially an infomercial for Faine’s fancy Orlando sports bar, and they broadcast live from the joint while Faine drinks a couple of cold ones and talks all things sports with an annoying host.

That said, occasionally Faine says something of note for Bucs fans.

Multiple times this season Faine has said that the Bucs’ biggest rival is the Panthers and the team has a bitter taste for all things Carolina.

Faine has said that the illegal Clifton Smith decapitation still hits home with many players that witnessed that heinous personal foul from former Panthers cornerback Dante Wesley in 2009. Faine said players recognize that the incident all but ended Smith’s career. Joe’s blood still boils that Roger Goodell saw fit to only suspend Wesley one game. Thanks, hatchetman.

The point here is Joe sincerely hopes the Bucs treat this as a rivalry game, in the sense that they bring big-time energy and hatred for 60 minutes.

 If the good guys can’t get a first-quarter touchdown against this heinous Carolina defense, then it might not happen until next year.

Jason Horowitz and Pat Kirwan look inside the Panthers-Bucs game in this CBSSports.com video. Kirwan calls this the Panthers’ “Super Bowl” and expects a big day from the bad guys.

ESPN NFC South blogger Pat Yasinskas cranked out a column yesterday firmly explaining his take on the worst team in the division; this came as part of a preview of Sunday’s division-dungeon bowl, also known as the Panthers-Bucs game.

Joe started reading this piece but barely finished. Yasinskas was bashing and misrepresenting LeGarrette Blount, and for Joe that means Yasinskas either isn’t watching Bucs games, is sniffing common household cleaners, or has it out for the Bucs.

Here’s a small sample (not of the cleaners, but of Yasinskas’ head-shaking content.)

Freeman, who threw 25 touchdowns and just six interceptions last season, hasn’t been able to hit targets. Mike Williams, who looked like a No. 1 receiver as a rookie, has turned into the second coming of Michael Clayton. LeGarrette Blount, who ran for 1,000 yards in half a season in 2010, might need a season and a half to hit that mark again, which might coincide with the moment he finally learns to pass block.

People talked about Freeman, Williams and Blount as “The Triplets” last year. I still think Freeman has a world of potential, but it’s looking like he might end up being an only child. On defense, the Bucs have a lot of draft picks and money invested in their defensive line.

Joe truly apologizes for putting you through that passage.

First, if Yasinskas had bothered to use a calculator, he’d have seen that Blount already is on pace for a 1,000 yard season in 2011, assuming the Bucs hand him the ball an average of 15 times a game. Hitting that amount of carries wouldn’t satisfy Joe, but it’s a safe bet Blount will get that many carries. 

With so many available ways to hammer the Bucs for their performance, why would Yasinskas recklessly come after their most explosive weapon, Blount, who is having a good year? Frankly, Joe’s embarrassed for his profession.

As for calling Mike Williams the second coming of Michael Clayton, that’s quite a reach. Nobody’s nearly as bad as Clayton. In Clayton’s sophomore season he caught 32 balls and zero touchdowns. Williams has been playing better lately and already has 53 catches and three touchdowns in his second year.

The Bucs have serious issues, but Blount and Williams surely aren’t part of the problem.