The Bucs suffered an embarrassing loss this afternoon in Indianapolis, but it was a big day for the Free YaYa movement. [read more]

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BY IRA KAUFMAN

Take a good, hard look at your Tampa Bay Buccaneers. You won’t recognize ’em next season.

In tumbling to 4-7, the fumbling Bucs now must win at least five of their final six games to avoid another losing year. Does this team look capable of a run like that?

Hardly.

It’s time to face the music at One Buc Place, a funeral march toward major changes. Even another division title seems unlikely in the wretched NFC South as the Falcons and Saints are now each a game up with six weeks remaining.

Sunday’s 27-20 setback at Indianapolis followed a typical pattern: Tampa Bay fell behind early, made a fourth-quarter push and ultimately came up short.

The culprits this time around — poor run defense, a couple of key penalties and subpar pass protection. It’s hard to believe this club was once 3-1 and seemingly on its way to a third consecutive division crown.

Todd Bowles, now 12-17 since replacing Bruce Arians, contends the mistakes are correctable. What else can he say? [read more]

Baker Mayfield opens up after today’s loss.

When Jameis Winston was Bucs quarterback, perhaps the most inconsistent QB in franchise history, Joe often referred to “Good Jameis” or “Bad Jameis” during a game.

Joe usually could tell early on which Jameis had shown up. [read more]

Rachaad White took a pretty good rushing day into the fourth quarter, and then he busted loose a 38-yard run on 3rd-and-2. [read more]

The legendary graybeard of the Buccaneers, iconic linebacker Lavonte David, missed today’s game with a bad groin. Joe suspects that was a big reason for Tampa Bay’s porous defense and 27-20 defeat to the Colts.

Joe caught up with David 1-on-1 after the crushing loss. [read more]

Playoffs or quarterback?

Good news and bad news Bucs fans. [read more]

In every game but opening day, the Bucs have allowed points in the first quarter, and they’ve been more and more porous in the opening act as the season has worn on. [read more]

It’s over.

Look, Joe will always have a soft spot for Bucs inside linebacker Devin White for what he did for the Bucs. But that’s old history. [read more]

This is a power runner.

One fundamental flaw of the 2023 Bucs hatched in the early weeks of the 2023 calendar year. [read more]

Not mistake-free either.

Bucs coach Todd Bowles talks about cutting down mistakes. It’s a common theme as the Bucs have lost six of their last seven games. [read more]

Bucs coach Todd Bowles.

When someone collecting a paycheck from the Bucs to broadcast games is critical about the continued sloppy play of Tampa Bay, you know things are bad and you also know word of this will certainly rise to the offices in the highest reaches of One Buc Palace. [read more]

“Hey Dave, I don’t see anyone open.”

The Bucs had 127 yards of offense today in the first half against what was the NFL’s 26th-ranked Colts defense. [read more]

Historic stud in defeat.

Joe loves watching greatness — and history. And that’s Mike Evans.

What a season he’s having, far better per game than he was last year with Tom Brady. [read more]

The Buccaneers struggled in most phases of today’s 27-20 loss to Indianapolis. At least Kyle Trask threw a nice incomplete pass. [read more]

Comment all game long below! Have fun. Play nice. It’s a true must-win game for the Buccaneers. No more room for nonsense. 

Stick with Joe all afternoon and evening for plenty out of this huge game.

Go Bucs!

Patrolling the streets, bars and casino tables of the Indianapolis metropolis, Joe found a recurring theme.

Colts fans think the team will lose to the Bucs today. [read more]

Flash poll posted at 3:57 a.m. Poll closed at 8:21 a.m.

Few NFL head coaches would feel secure in their job with seven losses when the calendar moves from November to December.

Certainly not Todd Bowles. [read more]

It’s incredibly rare to hear Buccaneers legend Derrick Brooks criticize current players. [read more]

Chance for redemption.

The Colts rushing defense stinks out loud. The Colts like to play Cover-3 and Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield eats up that defense. [read more]

Baker Mayfield vs. Cover-3.

Baker Mayfield isn’t a very good quarterback against man-to-man coverage. At least that is what the stats say. [read more]