Anyone who follows prickly Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com on Twitter knows that Prisco rarely if every throws out a compliment.

So color Joe a bit stunned when he learned that Prisco, a senior NFL writer for CBS, was waxing poetic about the Bucs defense, if one can imagine, in a recent piece for his employer.

10. The Tampa Bay linebackers played horrible football in 2011. That’s not the case anymore. With the addition of rookie Lavonte David on the outside, and the improvement of Mason Foster in the middle, the Bucs have the speed now to run down plays. They looked especially fast last week against the Chiefs and Jamaal Charles. David had a really nice play against Charles when he run-blitzed and dropped him for a 5-yard loss. It was that kind of play that really showed off David’s speed. David was one of my favorite guys coming out of the draft last year and he’s playing as well as I expected. Throw in rookie safety Mark Barron and third-year defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, who is having his best season, and the Bucs have some nice pieces. It’s too bad end Adrian Clayborn is out for the year with a torn ACL.

Yeah, it is too bad Clayborn is out. He could have been part of something very special.

The work the Bucs have done with their linebackers is just about staggering to Joe. Just how brutal were Bucs linebackers last year? They weren’t just bad; they were pathetic.

Now, the Bucs linebacker corps is easily among the top tier of the NFL and Joe really believes Mason Foster will be eating pineapple come February.

Just an amazing job by Bucs front seven coach Bryan Cox. Joe has a hunch others in the NFL are taking notice as well.

Terrible Bucs cornerback play must be improved by Sunday, says former Bucs QB Shaun King

One of three QBs to the lead the Bucs to the NFC Championship game, Shaun King, was mighty disturbed by the Bucs’ pass defense Sunday.

King even says the Bucs are “terrible” against the pass.

Speaking on the Ron and Ian Show today on WDAE-AM 620, King explained that his bird’s eye view of the Cheifs-Bucs game Sunday revealed that Brady Quinn choked away golden opportunities.

“He could have thrown for 450 yards, and five or six touchdowns,” King said of Quinn. “He had three or four guys, not a Buccaneer within 20 yards of him. Scott-free. They were primary receivers. He left a lot of production on the field.”

“For whatever reason, Brady Quinn didn’t like throwing the ball to open Kansas City Chiefs. … We were awful at cornerback.”

King went on to say fans might be begging for Aqib Talib after what the Saints could do to the Bucs on Sunday.

King said he expects the Bucs will play softer coverages against Brees, which have at least slowed down Brees during past Saints visits to Tampa.

Drew Brees is talking again. This time about what he sees from the Bucs defense. Brees must have seen all those Chiefs helmets flying around the Bucs’ home turf Sunday. Brees gets into the Bucs’ run defense and reveals the Bucs have “swagger and attitude.”

Yes, Joe is addicted to SiriusXM NFL Radio and strongly encourages likeminded football fans to get the satellite radio channel. Without it, you’re missing out dearly on solid football analysis.

One show Joe enjoys is Movin’ The Chains, co-hosted by Pat Kirwan and Tim Ryan, a hardcore, Xs and Ox-focused show that you will not hear on any radio station.

The show got its name from the simply moniker of football: move the chains. For the Bucs, that means wide receiver Vincent Jackson.

Per a nugget unearthed by eye-RAH! Kaufman of The Tampa Tribune, there may be no other receiver in the NFL who is a first-down machine quite like Jackson.

Eighteen of Vincent Jackson’s 20 catches this season have generated a first down for the Bucs.

That is just an amazing stat and something to keep an eye on as this season progresses. Joe cannot remember a wide receiver that had such success movin’ the chains.

With the rotten Saints defense next up for the Bucs, that number could grow sharply Sunday.

If you like to read body language, you can really see the love Drew Brees has for the human armoire, Bucs guard Carl Nicks, in this Times-Picayune video. Brees refers to “storytime with Carl” and much more.

Drew Brees weighed in today on No. 93, a man he knows very well.

The past two seasons, when the Bucs packed their bags and went home for the offseason, Gerald McCoy instead flew over his home state of Oklahoma en route to the left coast to work out.

It so happens, it is the same offseason training facility of New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees.

Now in his third season, GMC has turned into the beast that Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik envisioned. It helps that, thus far, GMC has been healthy, unlike his first two years in the NFL.

Brees had a first-hand look at how GMC went about his business each day in California and has developed an appreciation for a guy who just might try to bury him into the turf of the stadium on Dale Mabry Highway Sunday.

So naturally, Brees shared thoughts on GMC while talking to the Tampa Bay pen and mic club today via a teleconference.

“He is a stud, he is a stud,” Brees said. “I have watched him work out the last couple of offseason, and his work ethic — he comes to work every day.

“He’s a big, strong, talented guy. He has confidence and a swagger to him. He is on his way to becoming one of the better defensive tackles, three-technique in this league and probably, just scratching the surface.

“I know he has been sidelined by injuries first couple of years, and I know he is chomping at the bit, as I would see him in the offseason, to get back out there and prove himself.”

Whether it is coaching or health or both, GMC is playing like he is hungry for pineapple. Of course, he might have a shot to taste that pineapple if he finishes the season unscathed.

First things first, however: make Brees eat grass Sunday afternoon.

Filling in for the NFL-slapped hide of Aqib Talib Sunday, E.J. Biggers showed pretty well against the Chiefs stout receivers and lousy quarterback, even though Biggers is hardly in perfect shape.

The leader of the New Schiano Order made it clear today that Biggers isn’t “100 percent” healthy from what kept him out all of preseason and three games: a serious foot injury after colliding with Arrelious Benn in July.

Joe’s encouraged since Biggers made fans forget some of his poor outings in 2011. Lakeland Ledger beat writer Rick Brown took note and talked to Biggers about proving himself off last season.

Biggers started six games in 2011 and had mixed results. A year later, he’s been itching to show he has what it takes to be a strong corner.

“I think I play the same way at all times,” the former seventh-round pick said. “As a defensive back, you can’t lack confidence. You have to play hard, do your job and try to make plays when they come your way and deny your man the ball. Like coach (Greg Schiano) says, if you do your job, great things will happen.”

Biggers’ play will be intriguing to watch. If he plays well over the next three games, how could Greg Schiano possibly yank him in favor of Aqib Talib?

When Joe got a chance to chat with Bucs right guard Jamon Meredith today, the South Carolina product was unmoved by his performance Sunday if not tight-lipped.

Meredith is the latest in the revolving door of starters on the right side of the offensive line. Unimpressed with the play of Ted Larsen, Meredith started at right guard Sunday against the Chiefs, largely receiving high praise for helping keep quarterback Josh Freeman’s jersey clean.

Meredith told Joe he needs a lot of work before he reaches a level of play good enough to lock up the starting position.

“Of course I have to improve, everybody has to improve,” Meredith said. “It was not pretty [Sunday], but not bad. I have to build on it.

“I am happy I was playing and I am happy the good Lord kept me safe and I am happy my coaches and teammates believed in me,” Meredith said. “Myself, I want to do better and try to get better every week.”

Joe pried, but was stiff-armed, when he asked Meredith what he needed to work on, specifically, to improve his game.

“I really don’t want to say that because I don’t want to tip everybody to my weaknesses,” Meredith said.

If Meredith can improve his play to his standards, it will go a long way to the Bucs having depth on the offensive line, with former starters Jeremy Trueblood and Larsen riding the pine.

For the first time this season, Bucs defensive end Da’Quan Bowers was in the Bucs locker room after being able to practice with his teammates (oh, and the Bucs had their throwback helmets hanging in their lockers).

Bowers blew his Achilles in May during routine workouts at One Buc Palace and had been on the PUP list since. Now, under the rules of the CBA, the Bucs have a 21-day window in which to activate Bowers (the Bucs could, theoretically, could activate him tomorrow, or activate Bowers Nov. 7, or not activate him at all).

Once the 21-day window expires Nov. 7, Bowers either has to be activated or placed on the IR for the remainder of the season.

Bucs coach Greg Schiano said in his daily post-practice press conference Bowers possibly could play Sunday, though all but ruled it out as way too soon for Bowers.

“He has to get in football shape,” Schiano said. “It’s one thing to hit sleds.”

Schiano did, however laud Bowers for being in as good of physical shape as anyone could expect recovering from an Achilles injury.

“Just biking, running in the treadmill underwater, a lot of different things,” Bowers said of his daily conditioning at One Buc Palace since the injury. [Assistant strength and conditioning coach] Bob Gilmartin and I worked hand-in-hand each day doing a lot of things to keep my heart rate up.”

Bowers agreed with Schiano that he has to get in football shape before he can think about playing, but has to be careful not to do too much too soon and find himself on injured reserve.

“It’s all about being smart,” Bowers said. “You don’t want to jump in the fire too early. Just take it day by day and progress.”

“These comeback victories are great but all it means is you screwed up in the first half.” –Peyton Manning after Monday Night’s win against San Diego.

Joe really enjoyed the candid quote above from Peyton Manning. It simplified Joe’s attitude toward Josh Freeman’s 2012 performances, and represented where many fans stand with Freeman.

Sure, quarterbacks have to be judged on 60 minutes and by wins and losses. Yes, Freeman is still getting on the same page with his receivers and learning a new offense, but there are no excuses for the dead periods in games fans have seen from Freeman this season.

If the goal is for him to be a franchise QB for a Super Bowl contender, then Freeman has to find a way to be more consistent. “He’s improved but still not on,” is how former Bucs tight end Dave Moore and current Bucs radio analyst described Freeman’s play this week on WDAE-AM 620.

Moore noted that Freeman, as he’s done much of his career, looks most comfortable when the Bucs spread out the offense and open up the field.

That, however, is not how the Bucs’ offense is designed to operate most of the time. It’ll be interesting to watch the ongoing development of Mike Sullivan’s plan. Will it quickly evolve to Freeman’s strengths, or will they stick to the plan and wait for him to be consistent?

OK, this is one of the last posts about Sunday’s win over the Chiefs. Joe’s at One Buc Palace today so there will be fresh Saints-related content today.

This is a little nugget again, about Mike Williams.

When the Bucs wide receiver hauled in his 62-yard touchdown pass in the first half, an aerobatic, ballet-like move, Joe was immediately reminded of Lynn Swann in Super Bowl X. In that game, Swann may have made the most spectacular catch ever seen, and no, it was not the juggling, diving catch at midfield (also against Mark Washington).

With Swann being covered like a wet rag by Washington up the right sideline, Swann seemed to sprout wings on his shoes, jumping out of bounds, yet somehow sailing in front of Washington, grabbing the ball in front of Washington and top-tapping his feet inbounds.

For the life of Joe he cannot find the video of that catch anywhere online.

Joe mentioned this to Williams, that Lynn Swann wanted his play back and Williams, smiling broadly where his Grady Wilson beard once was, didn’t argue with Joe.

“It was a routine touchdown,” Williams insisted. “To me it was routine. But you are right. I think it is mine now. I will talk to Lynn Swann.”

Granted, all the offensive pyrotechnics in the second half came at the hands of the Chiefs. The Chiefs. But if somehow the Bucs can continue to get crazy catches like that from Williams, and strong play from Vincent Jackson, there aren’t too many receiving duos in the NFL better than Williams and Jackson.

The fantasy geeks are all giddy about Mike Williams and his 100-yard games and touchdowns. Apparently, he’s a hot man on the fantasy waiver wire. (The only fantasy wire Joe is aware of involves Rachel Watson and trapeze maneuvers).

NFL Network brought Williams on one of its fantasy segments this week to talk all things Bucs.  The video can be found here and has some great NFL films looks of Williams’ play.  Williams also gives Vincent Jackson “all the credit” for his success the past couple of weeks for “taking all the coverage.”

“I think I can handle one man,” Williams said.

As for his elite body control and acrobatic catches this season, Williams told Joe this week that they’re really nothing special to him.

“I think it was just a routine catch. Throw the ball up and I went and got it.  That’s just what I’ve been doing my whole career, really since high school. So it’s like a routine catch to me. It’s really not that exciting to me. I love that it makes the fans happy, but it’s really not exciting to me.”

Jimmy Graham’s health is a question mark for Sunday, but there’s little doubt Mark Barron was drafted, in part, with Graham in mind.

For months, Joe’s been looking forward to Sunday’s Saints-Bucs game to see Mark Barron cover Jimmy Graham.

In part, Barron was drafted so high because he can match up (we hope) physically with the freak-of-nature basketball tight ends like Graham, a new hot trend in the NFL. FOX Sports analyst and former NFL personnel man Chris Landry did a fantastic job explaining this in June with Steve Duemig.

Last night, Ronde Barber talked about the almost hopeless challenge the 6-7 Graham poses, during an interview on the Buccaneers Radio Network.

“Jimmy Graham is, I mean he’s almost impossible, you know, to manage in a 1-on-1 situation,” Barber said. “He’s just bigger than you. He’s a basketball player. He’s a power forward posting up on a point guard almost every time anybody is trying to cover him.”

Barber went on to describe the Saints as “a little down and out in a lot of ways” but still at team scoring a lot of points led by a “top-3 quarterback.”

While Joe hopes Graham takes Sunday off with his bum ankle, which the Saints have been very quiet about, there’s part of Joe that really wants to see Barron take on the challenge of Graham. A win with Graham on the field would be extra sweet.

Veteran Saints cornerback Jabari Greer thinks he knows all about the Bucs. Hear what he has to say in this Times-Picayune video. Joe sincerely hopes the 5-10 Greer finds himself in man coverage against Mike Williams or Vincent Jackson.

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Note: Joe briefly posted an incorrect version of this story. Joe didn’t realize he had posted it live and was actually researching and writing it when it was viewed with errors. Joe often builds a story a couple of ways at night and goes with a version in the a.m. after further review. This was a case where Joe hit the go button too soon.

Ronde Barber does care about individual records, and he’s unhappy about missing out on one Sunday.

Remember the near interception Barber had deep in Chiefs territory late in the game Sunday, a clear pick-six if he could have wrapped his mitts around the ball? Barber said a score there would have tied him for the all-time defensive scoring mark, so he said on WDAE-AM 620 last night. 

“I was closing in with that touchdown earlier [in the Chiefs game] on the all-time scoring record on defense. And if would have got that second one, because I could have moonwalked into the endzone there was nobody there, I would have tied Rod Woodson and Darren Sharper for the most all-time. So, yeah, I was kicking myself a little bit. Thankfully the game was out of hand. It wasn’t, you know, a crucial play, a crucial missed opportunity. But for personal goals, yeah, I’m banging my head on my desk still.”

Joe surely wouldn’t bet against Barber tying and breaking the mark this season. But in some ways Joe hopes Barber doesn’t get there. Perhaps that would keep him extra hungry for a return in 2013.

As Joe wrote Monday, in the first half when Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman was struggling, throwing a ghastly pick in field goal range early and later one-hopping a pass to an open Tiquan Underwood, fans at the stadium on Dale Mabry Highway booed as if Derrick Ward had returned to suit up for the Pewter Pirates.

Later that night, after the Bucs had manhandled the Chiefs, Bucs receiver Vincent Jackson took to the SiriusXM NFL Radio airwaves to discuss the game with Steve Torre and Bill Lekas. And while Jackson wasn’t asked about the fans’ impatience with Freeman, it was as if Jackson was speaking to the fans about that very subject, all but telling Bucs fans to get a grip.

“Man, it is great,” Jackson answered in response to a question about how he likes working with Freeman. “I love to see this kid’s resiliency. He is learning, he is betting better each and every week. Obviously, it is a new offense for all of us but we have been working on it since March. We have gotten to a point where we trust it, we believe in it and we know we can make plays no matter how the game is going.

“His maturity level is very impressive the way he is able to come out there and take control of the game as he has been doing, putting together two-minute drives and when we are ahead to control the game and move the ball down the field when we need first downs. It’s fun to play with him. He’s a hungry guy, he is competitive. I love playing with him.”

If one is to read between the lines, it’s as if Jackson is saying the Bucs offense is continuing to grow week by week because the players are becoming more and more comfortable with it.

If that is the case, and the Chiefs game is an example, the Bucs may be able to hang with the Saints if Sunday becomes a shootout. Drew Brees certainly will have his chances against the struggling Bucs pass defense.

The leader of the New Schiano Orders says conditions are ripe for “frustrated” Dallas Clark’s emergence

Mike Williams and Vincent Jackson are ripping the top off NFL defenses.

Their yards-per-catch numbers are stunning. Among receivers with 10 or more receptions, Williams ranks second (22.1 ypc) in the NFL and Jackson ranks fifth (18.5).

This kind of deep threat is going to quickly draw significant attention, says Greg Schiano. And the head coach expects life to change for “frustrated” (Schiano’s word) Dallas Clark.

“I want to get Dallas [Clark] more involved, myself. But you know what, when things are there you take them,” Schiano said on WDAE-AM Monday. “And I think what’s going to happen here soon, there’s going to be a lot more over-the-top coverage, which is what’s natural to happen when guys are making plays down the field. That opens up the middle of the defense. And hopefully Dallas and Luke and all the guys can have a bigger impact in the pass game.”

Schiano went on to say he knows Clark is down on his lack of action.

“I know he’s frustrated,’ Schiano said of Clark. “Heck, he’s been such a productive player for so long. But you wouldn’t be able to tell it by the way he’s acting on the sideline, and in the practice and in the meeting rooms. Certainly, I’m hoping we can get him the ball and he can feel personal satisfaction as well as team satisfaction. But he knows how much he means to this team and how he’s playing a big, big part. It’ll happen. It always does. It goes in cycles.”

Joe also would expect teams to try and take away the deep ball and make Josh Freeman beat them in the short game and over the middle. But that doesn’t necessarily mean a ton of work for Clark.

More over-the-top coverage also plays to strengths of Jackson and Williams. Neither is a one-trick pony, and both are good on slants and short routes.

Not that long ago former Bucs quarterback Shaun King, one of only three quarterbacks to lead the Bucs to an NFC title game, suggested Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman needed a shrink.

In retrospect, there is a pattern developing with Freeman that lends credence to King’s words.

In short, Freeman needs to be hypnotized.

In the first half of games this season, Freeman is Trent Dilfer-like, only to channel his inner Joe Montana in the second half of games, so documents Dan Parr of ProFootballWeekly.com.

What the heck? QB Josh Freeman’s Jekyll-and-Hyde routine in the past couple games cannot be amusing for the Bucs. He has completed only 51 percent of his passes in the first half in the past two games before turning it on in the second half, where he has completed 70 percent of his passes in the same span. Freeman has thrown a TD and two picks in the first half in his last two outings. He has thrown three TDs and no interceptions in the second half over that span. Freeman has to end the emerging pattern of putting forth less than complete games. It works against the Chiefs, but it will not work against good teams.

Pretty striking, huh? But this likely has more to do with gameplans than anything else, and to the point, that Bucs coaches can adjust on the fly that helps Freeman and the Bucs offense.

So, yeah, if Freeman truly needs a shrink, as King advised, then Freeman (and maybe some offensive coaches) need to be hypnotized that the first half is actually the second half, and the second half is still the second half.