In the past few days, regular readers and followers of Joe on Twitter, the site currently known as “X,” have likely noticed Joe had been pounding his keyboard to “#FreeYaYa.” [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]
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]
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]
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]
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]