Before the Lions roasted the Bears on Thanksgiving — yes, they’ve had 10 days to prepare for Tampa Bay — Detroit hadn’t scored a touchdown in 22 drives spanning eight quarters.

Holy drought! [read more]

Troublesome data emerges

Joe’s harped on the lack of life from Michael Johnson since August.

Heck, even Lovie Smith appeared to publicly put pressure on Johnson recently, saying before the Bengals game the his hand-picked defensive end had a superior week of practice and would be hungry to show his old teammates what he’s all about. [read more]

Something was very different for Gerald McCoy against the Bengals on Sunday.

Cincinnati didn’t play him like most teams. [read more]

Key Buccaneers seem extra impressed by how their team is working in December — amidst a toilet flush of a season.

Consider the following: [read more]

A few things, after watching 75 percent of the 2014 season, have become clear about Bucs quarterback Josh McCown.

McCown’s intangibles are through the roof and he is a charitable soul, often giving to the opposing defense. Granted, McCown is often reckless, but it doesn’t help that he often has little time in the pocket. [read more]

So how can Tampa Bay beat the NFL’s No. 1 defense on Sunday?

A couple of top NFL analysts think one Buccaneer is the key. [read more]

Joe understands why many Bucs fans just want to jump in the Gulf after watching the Bucs.

The offense is such a shambles, about the only way they can cleanse themselves properly is to submerge themselves in saltwater.

Even when the defense plays well and gives the Bucs a chance to win, the offense comes across as downright scared of scoring. [read more]

Josh McCown seems like one hell of a guy.

Miserable starting quarterback, yes, but an A+ person.

Consider what he did on Thanksgiving. [read more]

Mike Jenkins, who?

One of the most curious things Joe’s ever seen came this summer when Bucs overlord of football operations Lovie Smith signed slug cornerback Mike Jenkins.

Signing Jenkins wasn’t a bad move. Joe supposes he could have provided depth.

But as training camp came and the regular season neared, on the Bucs depth chart it was not Johnthan Banks listed as starter, but Jenkins. [read more]

Punter returner/buried running back Bobby Rainey is nursing an ankle injury.

That was revealed by Lovie Smith at One Buc Palace today. [read more]

The Xs and Os gurus are weighing in

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]

A former Buccaneer likens watching Tampa Bay quarterback play to how it feels when you stop “dating an ugly chick.” [read more]

The Bucs’ pass defense has significantly improved since former safety Mark Barron was shipped to St. Louis.

Earlier this season, the Bucs were playing so woefully, Raheem Morris was laughing.

It also got former Bucs commander Greg Schiano to scream in his backyard to no one in particular, “Toes on the line!” [read more]

Former Bucs rockstar general manager Mark Dominik talks about signing Danny Lansanah

*Updated: Bucs fans need to stay positive in the face of a toilet flush of a season.

And one name that soothes fans’ ears is Danny Lansanah, the linebacker being talked about as the NFL’s most improved player.

Lansanah joined the Bucs one year ago tomorrow. [read more]

The Bengals were sitting on the routes of Bucs receivers, jumping routes and taking chances in the secondary, said Josh McCown.

Tampa Bay’s re-starting quarterback said he could see a Cincinnati team that was so confident for a reason that might make Bucs fans ill. [read more]

(Photo courtesy of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

Yes, Joe’s a junkie for anything related to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

And that’s why chatter and the look of angst from Lions center Dominik Raiola had Joe paying attention. [read more]

In the past three weeks, the Tampa Bay defense has given up just under 14 points a game. In Joe’s eyes, any time you can limit an NFL team to 14 points or less, you should win those games.

The Bucs are not winning the games. [read more]