Joe applauds Tampa Bay Times Bucs beat writer Rick Stroud for what perhaps is the most outlandish Bucs analysis of the decade.

In a story on Gerald McCoy, Stroud wants us to believe that McCoy’s change in social media habits is evidence he’s a more driven football player.

If anything, McCoy’s sunny disposition has been confused for something else. You can’t live soft and play hard. That has been the popular refrain regarding McCoy.

This season, he seems even more focused. He has 30,000 followers on Twitter but has posted only one tweet since June 25.

Where does Joe begin with such nonsense?

Maybe if Michael Clayton had cut back on texting he would have caught more passes. Perhaps Facebook is what kept Stylez White from a 10-sack season. Surely, it was video games that led to Geno Hayes’ inconsistency.

Stroud knows sending a Twitter message takes less than one minute. If McCoy wants to sit on the toilet and rip off a handful Tweets while delivering a movement, Joe’s quite confident that has nothing to do with football focus and performance.

Former Bucs DE Steve White (1996-2001) has studied film of the Bucs-Dolphins game and weighed in on the defensive line play.

White, who doesn’t sugarcoat, came away encouraged, so he told Ronnie Lane on WDAE-AM 620. And White says fans shouldn’t worry about Gerald McCoy’s performance, if he can stay healthy.

“[I saw] what I’ve seen for the last couple of years, especially last year before he got hurt, he’s got that phenomenal get-off and he’s getting penetration in the backfield and he’s cleaned up some things with his pass rush,” White said. “Once again, it comes down to this, if he plays 16 games, he’s going to be a great player for this year. If he gets hurts, then it’s all for naught. But he’s got everything you want for a 3-technique right now when you watch him on the field.”

White also was encouraged by Michael Bennett mixing in more speed rush, and “I think Wallace Gilberry’s going to stick and I think he’s actually going to get some good playing time,” White said.

Gilberry, a defensive end, had 2 1/2 sacks and forced two fumbles for Kansas City last season. He didn’t miss a game for the Chiefs over the past three seasons in a reserve role.

Joe’s pleased to hear good things from White, but Joe’s sort of numb to all talk when it comes to the defensive line as a unit. It’s been so long since the Bucs have stopped the run or generated a pass rush that isn’t at the bottom of the NFL. Joe has to see it happen in a few real games to become a believer.

Joe’s drooling at the thought of watching the Rays tomorrow night while enjoying this amazing deal at Hooters on 4th St. in St. Pete, and at the Tyrone Square Hooters in St. Pete.

What a great way to feast and watch baseball! Don’t miss it! Click here to get the exact locations.

Yesterday, the Bucs, in another attempt to lessen the number of home TV blackouts this season if not to outright eliminate them, announced a new weapon:

Fans can purchase half-season tickets. The Bucs have two five-game season ticket packages to offer.

But whether yesterday’s announcement will have an affect on tonight’s deadline remains to be seen. For the first home preseason game to be broadcast live locally, 85 percent of the non-premium seats at the stadium on Dale Mabry Highway must be sold by 7:30 p.m.

Given Bryan Glazer’s recent statement claimed 2012 ticket sales are good, though he confessed he didn’t want to provide false hope of no blackouts. That suggests to Joe that Friday’s game against Tennessee will be blacked out.

Again, this is Joe reading the tea leaves; nothing official.

For fans who cannot afford full season tickets, the two five-game packages are “The Red Plan” which includes games against Tennessee, the home opener against Carolina, the throwback game against New Orleans as well as Washington and San Diego.

“The Pewter Plan” includes the Ring of Honor game against Kansas City, Philadelphia, New England, Atlanta and St. Louis.

Once it is determined tonight whether the game Friday will be blacked out or not, WTSP-TV Channel 10, the preseason broadcast partner of the Bucs, will announce broadcast times for the game.

Joe does know the game is scheduled to be rebroadcast in its entirety on the NFL Network Sunday, Aug. 19 at 10 a.m. and Wednesday, Aug. 22 at 1 p.m.

The leader of the New Schiano Order shrugged off the first depth chart of the season last week as some sort of “league-mandated” detail that nobody should read much into.

Then Greg Schiano proceeded to say what’s worth noting is how subsequent depth charts change.

Well, the new official “unofficial” Bucs depth chart was released this evening and nothing has changed that isn’t related to transactions, per an in depth JoeBucsFan.com staff analysis. For example, injured Da’Quan Bowers moved up a notch with the release of Jayme Mitchell.

So either Greg Schiano still sees LeGarrette Blount as the No. 1 running back and fumble-prone Preston Parker as the top punt and kickoff returner, per the depth charts, or Schiano isn’t ready to invest more of his precious daily 1440 minutes into meaningless paperwork.

Bucs wide receiver Vincent Jackson was surrounded by a gaggle of members of the Tampa Bay pen and mic club today. Joe transcribed all that Jackson had to say.

Tell us about how the team has progressed since OTAs.

Stuff that we were working on from our OTAs we really built a foundation so we can come to camp to tune things up, sharpen them up so when we hit Sept. 9 we can run full speed.

Was there more pressure on you in San Diego?

Oh, no. In San Diego, We were so balanced. We had so many good players coming in and out of there. We had defensive players that were great and we had multiple players on offense, guys like Darren Sproles, so yeah, we were a little more flashy as far as names go, but I think we are just as talented here all the way across the board. We have tight ends and running backs and of course, Josh Freeman. He’s a quarterback that should be mentioned among the top five of the league. For me, not looking for me to shine any brighter than anyone else. I am here to do my job and show my role on this team, whatever that may be.

What about leadership? Think you are more of a leader now?

The way I go about it is leadership really speaks volumes. You just lead by example. Coming out here these young guys just want to see a veteran guy who has been around different teams and different players. I have seen some success in the playoffs and things like that. I come out here and work hard each and every day. I listen to my coaches. I take the coaching very well. I want to get better. When they see somebody in my shoes, has a contract or whatever, seeing [me] do the fundamental drills work on the small details just to get better, I think that shows other guys they have to step up their game and work hard.

You think you have learned some things?

Yeah, it’s all about coming out here and being a professional. You just come out here and work on football and listen to the coaches and do what you are supposed to do each and every day. It’s all about being accountable. Coach Schiano talks about that all the time: trust, belief and accountability. You have believe what this organization is all about and what this organization stands for. You have to go out there each and every day and put on your hard hat and bring your lunch pail to fulfill your job.

Are you a big believer in accountability?

Absolutely. Absolutely. It’s about guys not trying to do too much. Sometimes guys want to make plays and do more than they need to do. All work together, all 11 guys on offense, on defense and on special teams. If each and every guy just focuses on his job and his detail of their own job, then things work perfectly, but when guys get out of their zone and do more than they need to do, that’s when you have mistakes.

The Bucs have never had receiver that looks and runs like you. Are you going to go over the middle?

Oh, absolutely. I think that is one of the strengths of this offense. I was able to do a little bit of that in San Diego but here, Coach Sullivan is giving me that freedom to work in the slot, work in the tight end position as far as running three wide receiver, four wide receiver sets. So I am not going to always be that guy standing on the outside always stretching the field and working the sticks. Down and distance things, intermediate routes, those are the type of things, different looks that makes it hard for the defense to match up.

Do you think you can stretch the field?

Of course, but as a wide receiver, you have to have that confidence, that belief that your fundamentals and body position, so yeah, when we have the opportunity, we will take our shots. I love doing that, but it is all about being fundamentally sound running the ball well and short down and distance intermediate routes, to keep drives going. Everybody loves the big play and taking the top off the defense but again, it is all about being consistent and putting points on the board.

Do you see the big play being used here and trying to stretch the defense?

I think we will take our shots but we will be very balanced offense. I will be moved all over the field but I think there will be an opportunity for that.

Challenging week going into third week of training camp. Seems like the team was not as sharp collectively this morning.

You know what? I don’t know if you can put your finger on one thing but there is always room for improvement. We came out her today with a mindset of getting better. We played a game now. We have things to build off of that now, a lot of game film, some teaching technique. Things we can learn from. Was today as crisp as we would want it? Not as crisp but I think each and every day we set the goal high enough that we won’t accomplish it. You have to strive and believe there is room for improvement.

What stood out for your Friday night?

The ability to finish drives. The ability for us to sustain long drives and get first downs. The defense did a good job of getting some three-and-outs and doing such a good job on third down, that’s a huge job in this game getting out on third downs. As many things as we did well in that game that stood out to me.

Impression of Mike Williams?

He’s done a great job. He’s been a sponge, you know what I mean? He is open to the coaching and has taken to the criticism as far as things he was taught wrong in the past, not his fault. He has become such a better receiver in the last few months just watching him and his ability to put in the work and believe in the system and buy in and it will be fun. We are very deep at receiver, deep at running backs. So it is fun to be part of an offense like that.

It has now been three days since Bucs scatback Michael Smith gave fans a glimpse of what he can do on the football field.

The seventh round draft pick out of Utah State had two sparkling returns Friday in the preseason debut with a 34-yard kick return and a 74-yard return.

Not shabby for the first time in an NFL uniform.

Smith could hardly contain his excitement speaking after practice Monday.

“I was excited,” Smith said. “I was blessed to be able to put the pads on. I was excited, nervous at first. I had butterflies. I expected goosebumps. I’m still excited. I just have to keep working hard every day to show them I want to be here.”

Some believe Smith could be the Bucs version of New Orleans’ Darren Sproles, who comes off the bench to provide a spark in the rushing attack while also returning kicks.

Smith isn’t sure where the Bucs will use him specifically. There’s this little obstacle of making the team first, he pointed out. With a repeat performance of Friday, Smith could virtually lock up a roster spot.

“I will do running back; I will do special teams,” Smith said. “I am just working hard to show my speed, strength and effort that I want to be here.”

The 74-yard return on a punt was electric. Smith broke three tackles though was caught from behind as he was about to take it to the house.

That may not happen again, Smith remarked.

“I thought I was gone but you have to keep running hard. Next time I will run harder.”

A threat of lightning from an approaching storm forced the Bucs to cut practice short roughly 20 minutes. It was Alumni Day for former Bucs players, dozens of which were on hand. As the team scrambled off the field, most of the alumni then left, which Greg Schiano later confessed disappointed him. He had looked forward to slapping flesh and shooting the breeze with the former Bucs in attendance.

* Greg Schiano loves his bullhorn. Even without piped in crowd noise he used the bullhorn early in practice.

* Outside of the snap of blocking sleds early, the sound that punctures the muggy morning is the encouraging, loud voice of P.J. Fleck. “Good job Sammie!”

* Josh Freeman sure looked crisp throwing balls over the middle.

* There’s a lotta hollering going on at lineman drills.

* LeGarrette Blount runs for a nice gain up the one-hole. Next play, he runs up two-hole, finds traffic and spins right for a good gain. Blount was running too well in fact as Schiano barked at the defense to “attack the ball.”

* Muscle Hamster runs through a massive hole on the left side. But a similar hole later was not to be found when linebacker Daniel Te’o-Nesheim shot the gap and dropped Martin for a loss.

* Not sure why but after a group meeting Schiano bellows “Get off the snap” and then throws a towel as he walks off the practice field. With a sloppy start to practice, Schiano is not having a good morning.

* Linebacker Jacob Cutrera levels running back Robert Hughes for a loss. But Hughes turned the tables on the defense on the next play as he dodged a few tackles for a big gain.

* Schiano wasn’t all fire and brimstone. After one play, though Joe doesn’t know who Schiano was speaking towards, he yelled for all to hear, “Great job, great job!”

* Schiano is big on dealing with the heat and not succumbing to fatique. He encouraged the offense, “Hands off your hips men!”

* Blount tries to bounce outside to the right when holes don’t open up and is corralled by Quincy Black.

* Watching Frank Okam try to chase down Michael Smith springs to mind Dick Vitale. “It’s an M&Mer, baby!”

* Smith later shows good patience in waiting for a hole to develop, and runs for a good gain.

* Halfway through practice, there is an Arrelious Benn sighting. He had pants on, but not shoulder pads, and was wearing a practice jersey.

* Freeman rifles a pass over the middle perfectly to Vincent Jackson who beat Ahmad Black.

* Tiquan Underwood spins around Anthony Gaitor for a catch along the right sideline.

* More strip drills.

* Freeman hits Dallas Clark right between the numbers on the left sideline. Clark hauled in the pass just ahead of a charging Ronde Barber. Joe is not sure if he has ever seen Freeman throw with such precision for a full practice. He has been razor sharp all morning.

* Donald Penn is jogging around the practice field.

* Mason Foster swallows up LeGarrette Blount for a loss.

* Mossis Madu gathers in a Freeman pass in the left flat and scores.

The Bucs ran an 11-on-11 drill early in practice on this muggy morning at One Buc Palace. In a word, the start was sloppy.

There was a fumble. Then a penalty. Then another fumble. Bucs coach Greg Schiano had seen enough. He blew his whistle and then he blew off some steam. Loudly.

In no uncertain words, Schiano scolded the offense and tongue-lashed them for practicing with their heads somewhere other than the practice field.

“Start over,” Schiano hollered just before the snap of the next play. “That’s two fumbles and a holding penalty. Wake up! The urgency is out the window. There is only one way! We are not going to compromise!”

So angered was Schiano that he walked off the practice field and threw a towel. But it wasn’t just the offense’s lack of attention to detail that got under Schiano’s skin. So too did the defense. Not long after lecturing the offense, Schiano yelled at would-be tacklers, “Wrap up!”

The New Schiano Order was on full display. And Joe loved it.

For you folks that can’t get enough Bucs football, the Man Channel (aka NFL Network) is replaying the Bucs-Dolphins game at 1 p.m today.

In past broadcasts, each team’s broadcast feed is used for a half. Joe isn’t sure which half will be the WTSP broadcast.

Much like how the New Schiano Order gave players a clean slate when the regime began this winter, it seems former Bucs quarterback and current NBC Sports Network analyst Shaun King has a new attitude toward LeGarrette Blount.

In December, King predicted Blount would not be on the 2012 Bucs roster because of his deficiencies on third down, work ethic and he was “one offseason from getting fat.” Now King seems to be a cheerleader in Blount’s corner.

“I think I’m on the other side of the coin when it comes to LeGarrette Blount. I think he’s a lot more talented than people give him credit for,” King said. “And I think this year Buc Nation’s going to get an opportunity to see his abilities. You look at last year, when given the opportunity he was outstanding.”

King, one of only three quarterbacks to lead the Bucs to the NFC Championship game, went on to do defend Blount’s deficiencies in short yardage, despite his size and strength. “I think that’s something that you develop as a runner. You think he came from a spread-type system in Oregon where they never really were in a heavy three-tight end, fullback, tailback” set, King said, adding that the entire team’s short-yardage mindset will change under Greg Schiano’s commitment to being physical.

Catch the entire WDAE-AM 620 interview with King below. King delivers many takes on all things Bucs.

Former Bucs DE Steve White talks about the Bucs’ offensive identity

One reason Joe has some hope for the 2012 season is the departure of Greg Olson. The guy couldn’t figure out how to play to the Bucs’ strengths or was just too damn stubborn to do it, especially after he led the Bucs offense to an impressive second half of the 2010 season.

Think about it. The Bucs opened last season eliminating slant passes to Mike Williams and barely handed off to LeGarrette Blount, hallmarks of the 2010 success.

Former Bucs DE Steve White, one of the most through Bucs analysts on the planet was a fierce Olson critic, as well. That led to White having moments of pure joy watching the Bucs offense play smashmouth football Friday.

“We start off the game with a Power-O and Iso-Weak. I can’t even tell you how happy I am. I was giddy. I was like, “Wow.” This is what we need,” White said on WDAE-AM 620 yesterday.

“And not only that, now we’re double-teaming guys instead of trying to do that crazy zone blocking that we weren’t built for. So now that’s why you’re seeing all that push up front. We’re getting guys off the ball on the front line, and then ‘hey linebacker, you go ahead and try to tackle this huge manchild we got in the backfield in LeGarrette Blount, or you try to tackle this little mighty might we got back there in Doug Martin.” But you know who’s not going to make a play, defensive linemen who are getting double-teamed.”

Now White cautions everyone about getting too exciting or down about anything in a first preseason game, but an identity can at least be legitimately identified. This is not Greg Olson’s offense. That’s worth a raising an ice cold beer.

Hardly a celebrated offseason signing, Bucs tackle Jamon Meredith is now with his sixth team in four years (Packers, Lions, Giants, Bills, Steelers, Bucs.) That’s not a great sign, but it’s also not easy to accomplish.

People keep seeing something in this guy.

Joe is taking note of Meredith, 26, because he came in to play left guard for Carl Nicks on Friday and was on the field in between Demar Dotson and Jeremy Zuttah. The tape shows Meredith made a key, powerful block on Doug Martin’s second-quarter touchdown run. Joe also saw him turn in other solid play.

Meredith was listed as a tackle when he came to the Bucs and was widely projected as a third-round tackle out of South Carolina in 2009, but he was picked in the fifth round by Green Bay and cut before that season.

If he’s now taking quality reps at guard, then he’s probably a lock to make the Bucs roster since he can play tackle as well and has been running through most of training camp as Jeremy Trueblood’s backup.

When Monte Kiffin ran the Bucs defense, what was termed a “Cover-2” by the way the safeties played, the Bucs defense was so suffocating for so long the type of defense became known as the “Tampa-2” because no team excelled at it for as long and as well as the Bucs.

However, writing an excerpt for Cheerios-loving Peter King in his must-read “Monday Morning Quarterback” on SI.com, NFL scribe Alex Marvez notes that information he has culled from former NFL general manager Bill Polian and from longtime Bucs safety Ronde Barber, the Tampa-2 is going the way of the Dodo bird thanks to NFL rules changes geared toward player safety.

The cover-two defense as we know it could be on the road to becoming obsolete. Polian got into a fascinating exchange with Tampa Bay free safety Ronde Barber about this topic. Barber is entering his 15th NFL season playing in the acclaimed “Tampa-2,” a scheme predicated upon the strong safety disrupting receivers who are funneled toward the middle of the field by cornerbacks playing zone coverage on the outside. Many of the bone-jarring safety hits once allowed are now banned as the NFL has instituted rules to better protect pass catchers. That has Polian, whose Colts used that system from 2002 through 2011 after Tony Dungy was hired as head coach, questioning whether it can be used effectively in today’s NFL. Said Barber: “Our theory was all these guys got to the ball and intimidation was a physical act. It was, ‘Get guys to run through zones. We’ll shoot our guns and separate them from the ball.’ The rules will definitely affect it … I know we don’t play cover-two now the way we used to.”

This is sort of sad to Joe as it is an end of an era, but this is not surprising. Barber has hinted that under former defensive coordinator/head coach Raheem Morris that the Bucs were not playing a Tampa-2, but instead what Barber referred to as a “Tampa-2.2.”

Clearly the Bucs were not playing a Tampa-2 during the heinous Jim Bates Experiment.

The NFL evolves. Quickly in fact. About the only defense that has lasted through the years — decades to be accurate — has been the 44 defense which was developed by Tom Landry when he was the defensive coordinator of the New York Giants in the 1950s.

The New Schiano Order may be a cold slap in the face to some Bucs players (it sure was to Kellen Winslow), but the amount of detail new Bucs coach Greg Schiano puts into drills is so detailed, it is as if the Bucs are being taught the game of football from scratch.

This news of the New Schiano Order led Chris Brown, proprietor of the outstanding SmartFootball.com, to browse through his files and he came up with a gem of a transcription of Schiano.

Apparently, as a Rutgers coach, Schiano spoke at a coaching clinic about recovering fumbles, and his minute attention to detail was on full display when he explained what he tells his players who are in a scrum for a loose ball to expect when opponents get a little too handsy in a desperate attempt to get the loose pigskin.

“We also have our players perform the recover drill. In this drill, we stress three aspects: covering the points by surrounding the football; covering the ball in a fetal position so none of the brown part of the football shows; and, when they recover a fumble, we also ask our players to close their eyes, close their mouths, and squeeze their buttock cheeks.

“What happens at the bottom of the pile on a fumble? One thing that may occur is that the opponents may stick a finger in the eye of the man with the ball. What do you do when someone sticks a finger in your eye? In all likelihood, you may take one hand off the ball. The second thing the opponents do is fishhook you with a finger in your mouth, and then rip your mouth with that finger. Again, this action may lead you to take one hand off the ball.

“Another thing the opponents might do is to grab you in the testicular area. At this point, you may have no hands on the football, which is why we tell our players who recover a fumble to close their eyes and mouths, and to squeeze their butt cheeks.”

Now Joe has noticed the Bucs running drills on recovering the football but Joe has not noticed — nor was Joe looking — to see what certain players are doing with their free hands in a pileup.

Joe can just imagine what goes on in a pileup for a loose ball in the NFL, but it’s not something one really wants to see or dwell on.

But if curiosity has the best of you, in the link Joe provided above, Brown has graphic video of a game between Nebraska and Texas A&M of the acts of a desperate defender, trying to gain possession of a fumble.

Joe is not trying to read too much into a first half of a first preseason game, but damn, how cool was it to see the Bucs actually run the damned football? Run it in the red zone? Scoring a touchdown?

That was just what the Bucs hope to do each week, Mike Williams told Joe after the win over the Dolphins to open the preseason schedule.

“That first drive, 13 plays, that’s good, “Williams said. “That what we wanted to do. We overcame penalties and to do that [and score], it felt good.”

Joe reminded Williams of the previous season where a drive would come to a screeching halt after a penalty. Williams smiled at Joe and said, “I kind of forgot last year.”

Referring to another nasty Bucs habit of last year, Williams added, “It is always great when you score seven instead of three.”

Joe wasn’t the lone person who got a chance to speak with longtime successful NFL front office honcho Bill Polian when he visitied Bucs training camp while co-hosting a show with Alex Marvez heard exclusively on SiriusXM NFL Radio last week.

Even eye-RAH! Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune got a chance to chat with Polian, who believes better days are ahead for Bucs fans, meaning, perhaps, fewer blackouts.

“This state has been hit as hard as any in the nation and the team’s been up-and-down,’’ Polian said. “They haven’t established an identity as compared to the old Bucs. But if they win, people will come back. This is a football town—and it always has been. You have to realize the economy is very tough and this is a relatively small market.’‘

Of course, winning cures all ills. But Joe believes Polian has a point: With Father Dungy, and later Chucky, the Bucs had an identity. It was a bruising defense. With Raheem Morris, the identity was more hapless than intimidating, some suggest worse: quitters.

This will not be the case under the New Schiano Order. Expect a return to a punishing run game and a smart, attacking defense.

The various sizes, colors and quaility of sport coats on hangers across the Bucs’ locker room Friday night made the place look more like a Men’s Warehouse clearance sale than a postgame hangout.

It was yet another new detail on display under the New Schiano Order. When you travel on the road, you look like you’re on a serious business trip. Coaches, players, everyone.

For years, Bucs icon Ronde Barber arguably was the sharpest dressed Buccaneer. And Barber now appreciates that he’ll have more company when it comes to off-field style and professionalism.

“Coach Schiano wants us to present ourselves in a first-class manner,” Barber said. “This is it. A lot of guys have done it already, but it’s nice to have solidarity across the team doing it.

“We’re coming to every away game dressing [professionally]. It’s to really come on a mission. So it’s more a business trip than anything else.”

As for home games, Barber said, “I haven’t heard our policy on that yet.”

Davin Joseph laughed when Joe asked him about the fancy threads. This kind of rule wasn’t in place under Raheem Morris.

“It’s a good change,” Joseph said. “It’s a positive change for the entire team. It’s every time we travel. Every time, all the time [we’re out],” Joseph said. “

Do you have to wear the shiny black shoes, Davin?

“No. You can pick your color. Nobody’s gone too extravagant yet, but I’m sure it’s to come,” Joseph said.

A veteran Buccaneer, who requested his name not be published, told Joe he suspects there will be more uniformity to the Bucs’ dress code when the final roster is in place: “It wouldn’t have been fair to tell guys struggling to get their first NFL paycheck to go out and buy a suit, but that’s probably going to change for the regular season.”

Warren Sapp gushes over the methods of the New Schiano Order

In this Man Channel video (aka NFL Network video), Bucs icon Warren Sapp and Kurt Warner debate the way Greg Schiano is running the Bucs with an iron hand.

But there really is no debate, both future Hall of Famers love the New Schiano Order approach. Sapp gets particularly animated in his support for the Schiano way.

“You can not walk into a football organization and live soft and fight hard,” Sapp says.

Sapp went on to say the lines for the Bucs players are “clearly drawn on the floor. So when they do throw you those bones, they really react to you like, ‘Fellas, hey we going to pull it back today. Oh, coach. Ok, coach with us right now.’ You have to set it stern and then pull it back. Because if you go in soft, it’s over.”

Listening to Sapp, Joe thought back to how the Bucs reacted as if they just won a playoff game after Donald Penn caught a punt during minicamp, a challenge from Greg Schiano. Penn’s reward was the Bucs ending practice early.

Joe wonders what will be the next “bone” Schiano will toss his team.

Cody Grimm had at least two misses last night

Bucs tackling was hardly perfect last night. Is it ever in a preseason game?

Per the analysis of the New Schiano Order, the Bucs had seven tackles for a loss in Miami — that’s darn good — and 12 missed tackles. The dozen is a too-high number and a decent chunk were on the first-team defense.

Three of them can be seen right here on one play, when Gerald McCoy, Cody Grimm and Ronde Barber couldn’t wrap up Reggie Bush.

Today, Greg Schiano talked about how now the Bucs can get back to their fundamental tackling drills, a staple of Schiano practices, and “connect the dots” to better apply their technique. In all, Schiano was not alarmed.

“We missed 12 tackles. So, you now, I’ve had games where we missed 18 to 20 tackles and you also had games where you missed four tackles. So 12’s kinda, eh, not good, not the worst,” Schiano said.

All that matters is whether the Bucs get the sloppy tackling corrected. If the tackling’s not sharp on opening day, then look for the Bucs to get gutted and gashed from the Panthers strong running and scrambling game. The game is still blocking and tackling at its core.