This seems to be the hot-button issue to distract Bucs fans from the ugly fact the team is circling the drain, losers of 10 of its last 11 games: the defensive coverage of superstar Darrelle Revis.

Some noted and respected football analysts, like Greg Cosell of NFL Films, suggest the Bucs are almost exclusively running zone coverages. The Bucs dismiss these charges. Some claim Revis playing in a zone defense is a waste of his talent and a significant waste of Team Glazer cash.

Bucs commander Greg Schiano discussed this subject Friday, and he seemed to dismiss any notion that Revis not being 100 percent recovered from major knee surgery is a factor in what coverages the Bucs call.

Sort of.

“He and I talk all the time and he tells me he’s not all the way back, but I kind of expressed in here, whatever percent you want to put on him – I think that’s kind of hokey sometimes, how does a guy know I’m exactly 97.5 [percent]? Whatever he is, he’s a good player and he’s played really well for us in five football games,” Schiano said. “[He’s] another guy though that the first time he walked out on a game field since he tore his knee was the opener, [against] the [New York] Jets. What are we talking about five games? He played 50 something [snaps] in that game, now he’s played more each game. He’s just going to get more and more comfortable. I thought this week’s practice was the best week of practice he’s had since he’s been here. I really did and he’s just fun to coach. This guy understands ball, he’s physically and mentally talented and he loves it. It just a matter of time. He’s already made plays, it’s not like I can’t say he’s not made plays, but I think once he starts really feeling it – and who knows when that’s going to be? I like what we have now, I look forward to liking it even more when he’s 100 percent.”

This seems kind of wishy-washy and Joe isn’t quite convinced the Bucs are trying to get the most out of Revis despite the fact Revis isn’t the old Revis.

If that is the case, isn’t that a smart move?

What if Revis was forced to play press man for a full game but couldn’t handle it physically, and he re-injures his knee or starts getting roasted like Myron Lewis late in a game? Would that be a smart move by Schiano?

Joe doesn’t think so. Besides, it’s not like the defense is the Bucs’ Achilles heel this season.

Not that long ago Greg Schiano talked about the “Hall of Fame” throws Josh Freeman made this year, and about his legendary vision down the field.

Freeman, though, is now divorced from Schiano, as well as his former life partner Raheem Morris. Freeman finally spoke out in detail today on The Dan Patrick Show on CBS Radio.

“I know exactly what happened [in Tampa],” Freeman said. “Obviously, a place where I was coming from was a place where they didn’t see me as the guy. They didn’t see me as the guy that could get it done. You know, I strongly disagree with that. But at the same time, it’s not really my decision to make. It’s just been an awesome deal being blessed having an opportunity to play for an organization like Minnesota.”

Freeman went on to say the “bottom line” in Tampa was “the coach wanted a guy of his own.” He also called Mike Glennon “an awesome dude,” who “works his butt off.”

Freeman also said it’s on him for not playing better and forcing the Bucs’ hand to keep him, but Freeman said of his benching and the aftermath, “it did kind of seem personal [from Schiano] coming from a number of different angles.”

LIsten to the entire interview below. It’s worth the seven minutes. Freeman explains how difficult the rumor mill became for him.

If Dixie Chicks wide receiver Roddy White can’t play Sunday with a bad hamstring, that pretty much leaves the Dixie Chicks upside down at the offensive skill positions..

The Dixie Chicks are banged up bad. About the only skill position on offense where the Dixie Chicks (thus far) have not felt the sting of injuries is at quarterback, where Matty Ice is still slinging the ball.

But the rest of the squad? Decimated. Already gone is Julio Jones for the year. Roddy White, Jones’ counterpart at wide receiver, is nursing an injury as is highly underrated running back Steven Jackson.

Vaughn McClure of BSPN reports from Flowery Branch that both Jackson and White missed practice today. Again.

While Jackson seems more than likely to miss his fourth-straight game with a hamstring injury, White’s status remains unclear. He apparently has missed all week of practice in the past yet still played in a game. Right now, White is nursing a hamstring injury as well as a high-ankle sprain.

Now if White cannot go, that means he will snap a consecutive streak of 133 games played. Something tells Joe, unless the guy simply cannot walk, he will play. How effective will he be? That’s another issue.

If White and Jackson cannot make a go of it, then the Bucs simply must shut down future Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez. Sunday would be a good time for safety Mark Barron to live up to his pre-draft hype and lock up Gonzalez.

“That wasn’t a false start!”

Outplayed and run out of town in Tampa and in D.C., 30-year-old Jeremy Trueblood is the new starting right tackle for the Dixie Chicks. He moved into the role three games ago.

Now Joe and Bucs fans know Trueblood is a below-average right tackle. Former Bucs QB Shaun King even referred to the Falcons’ having the worst right tackle in the NFL, during an interview on WDAE-AM 620 yesterday.

Joe brings this up because the Buccaneer opposite Trueblood on Sunday, Daniel Te’O-Neshiem and/or DaQuan Bowers, is somebody the Bucs hierarchy expected to be able to beat a guy like Trueblood and wreak havoc in the offensive backfield, recording sacks and hurries and tackles for loss.

Trueblood must prove to be a glaring weakness against Atlanta. That has to happen.

Imagine if Michael Bennett (4.5 sacks for Seattle) was staring down ol’ Dunderhead. But he’s not, and the Bucs need to produce.

The Bucs’ four-man, D-line-only rush has been poor this season. Joe sincerely hopes it improves Sunday.

Joe checked in with the Ron and Ian show this morning to discuss a wide variety of Bucs subjects. Enjoy.

Joe knows the subject de jour lately has been the Bucs are playing in a man-to-man/zone defense, depending on who is doing the talking.

Ask fans and well-respected analysts, and they state without a doubt the Bucs are playing Darrelle Revis in a zone defense. Ask the Bucs, and they smile and invite fans to help craft game plans.

Some even are so bold to suggest Bucs commander Greg Schiano is throwing away good, hard-earned Team Glazer cash by “wasting” Darrelle Revis. That’s what Pete Damilatis of Pro Football Focus recently told Sports Talk Florida.

“Starting to really believe that the Buccaneers are really wasting him. One of our analysts, Sam Monson, made the analogy that I am going to steal, that it’s like buying a Ferrari and using it to grocery shop. You have one of the best man-to-man cover corners in the league. He excels at locking down one guy. You put him out there and you are basically just playing 10-on-10 because you don’t have to worry about [the opponents’] top receiver. … I don’t know why you would give up the draft pick and give up the [mega] contract to get [Revis] if you are not going to use him the way he is meant to be used?”

Joe has an idea why. Perhaps Revis isn’t 100 percent? Recently, Revis was asked if he was fully recovered from his major knee surgery from last year, and in so many words, he suggested he was getting there. It was hardly a definitive answer.

Notice that David Joseph, who also had knee surgery last year, is not his same self? This is largely because he has yet to fully rebound from knee surgery and Revis had his surgery a few weeks after Joseph had his.

Maybe Revis’ body can’t handle the rigors of a full game playing man-to-man, and can only perform in such coverages a few plays a game (he has), that his knee or his body isn’t allowing him to make the sharp cuts and stops and starts needed for strong man-to-man coverage for a full game?

The numbers are staggering up in Atlanta. The Falcons’ defense is putrid on third down — worst in the league bad.  

D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution penned a look at the Falcons’ futility.

Missed tackles and soft pass coverage is foiling the Falcons’ defensive scheme on third downs.

Teams have converted on 33 of 66 third-down situations for 50 percent inefficiency rate, which ranks 32^nd in the league.

What is even more troubling is that the defense has not been able to stop offenses in third-and-long situations.

When confronted with situations of third-and-8 yards-plus, the defense has been getting scorched. Teams have converted of 10 of 22  (45.4 percent) in third-and-8-plus situations.

The Bucs’ stuck-in-the-mud offense could be just the tonic the Falcons need. Or the Bucs could be able to move the chains consistently and score points, and win the field position battle to give their defense plenty of good chances to shut down Atlanta’s depleted offense, which is missing Steven Jackson, Roddy White and Julio Jones.

Given how heinous the Falcons defense is right now. This will be a telling game for Mike Glennon and friends.

Veteran Ch. 10 sportscaster Dave Wirth examines what might give Bucs fans the greatest hope for a “W” in Atlanta on Sunday. Enjoy this exclusive video preview for JoeBucsFan.com.

There’s a lot of respect for No. 8 out there. The young man is appreciated.

It’s impossible to deny that Mike Glennon has a done an admirable job in a brutally tough situation. He walked into a mess as a rookie and didn’t add to it. He’s even scoring strong grades from tough critics.

Donald Penn talked this week about how Glennon has a tough time with the losing and veterans have invested time pumping up his spirits.

“That’s good for him to be so hard on himself, too. That’s going to take us a lot further,” Penn said.

Joe’s very interested to see how Glennon develops and how he handles intense pressure.Trips to Atlanta and Seattle over the next three games will be telling.

The play of the offensive line really suffers without roadgrader Carl Nicks.

If there is one area of the Bucs that has played  woefully below expectations, it’s the offensive line. Once thought to be a strong unit, it has been anything but.

First, there is the MRSA foot/turf toe of stud left guard Carl Nicks, who just had surgery and no one knows exacly when or if he will return in 2013. Then there is the right guard, Davin Joseph, who simply isn’t his old self since having major knee surgery. He claims his knee is fine, but something is awry.

Because of Nicks’ absences, the Bucs have juggled the line and now are toying with returning Jeremy Zuttah to left guard and Ted Larsen to center. It’s just a mess.

If Joe could point to one area that is the problem for the Bucs 0-5 start (there are many) it is the line. It can’t run block, and as a result, defenses are loading the box with eight and nine men, confirmed by Bucs All-Pro running back Doug Martin. Defenses are daring the Bucs to pass by loading up the box, which is why Mike Glennon is second all-time in NFL history for most pass attempts in his first two starts.

“Trust” is a word tossed around a lot of late at One Buc Palace and Bucs commander Greg Schiano asks that people trust that the offensive line, as a mess as it is, will eventually get the job done for Martin, and the floodgates will open.

“Every play’s designed to go in a certain area with a certain scheme, but then, once you trust the play, you’ve got to trust your eyes then,” Schiano said. “So, trust the play to get it going and then trust your eyes, and [running back] Doug’s [Martin] got as good [of] vision as any back I’ve ever coached, so we’ve just got to keep trusting it. It’ll pop.”

Here’s the thing: Rarely has Martin been able to break a good run through five games because of the instability of the offensive line. After five games, how much more can Martin, or any Bucs running back, trust that the offensive line will magically turn into the Hogs of the 21st Century?

Getting the offensive line turned around may be the key to getting the Bucs turned around. But after five games of being unable to flip the switch, Joe must be frank and ask, why should anyone expect the line to suddenly blast open holes?

Isn’t five games, nearly a third of the season, enough of a sample size to suggest with some authority that the play of the offensive line may just be what it will be for the remainder of the season?

There’s a good old fashioned Xs and Os disagreement brewing between Bucs coaches and what feels like the rest of the free world.

Earlier today, defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan had strong and fun words for fans and pundits “chirping” about the Bucs allegedly not using lockdown cornerback Darrelle Revis frequently in man coverage. That’s not the case, Sheridan said, echoing prior comments from Greg Schiano.

Hogwash, claimed acclaimed NFL Films icon Greg Cosell. During an interview this morning on WHFS-FM, 98.7, Cosell charted the Eagles-Bucs game and explained it’s clear what the Bucs aren’t doing with Revis.

“Actually, they hardly played any man (coverage),” Cosell said of the Bucs secondary coverage. “We watched that tape over and over and they hardly played any man, it was almost all zone (coverage).”

As for Revis in particular, Cosell was surprised by the Bucs usage of him.

“We counted 2 plays in which you could truly say Darrelle Revis was playing man (coverage),” Cosell said of Revis’ play against the Eagles.  “Revis only lines up on the left side of the defense which makes the defense fairly predictable from a coverage stand point.”

Part of the Bucs loss to the Eagles that still rolls around in Joe’s noggin is that of all people, N-bomb dropping Riley Cooper fried Bucs cornerback Johnthan Banks.

Today in the Bucs locker room, Banks fessed up to his mistakes. But like a rookie should, Banks admitted those plays are not in his memory bank.

“I’ve just got to live and learn,” Banks said. “I’m playing this game, I’m a rookie, I’m out there flying around having fun making plays. I made two mistakes that cost our team some big yards and seven points, but I’m just out there having fun and it’s a big learning experience. If I don’t take anything from those games there’s no use of me being out there. Every game I’m out there I make a mistake, I learn from it. That was one of those things where I hate that it happened, but I’m kind of glad it did happen. It’s something I can learn from. It’s something I can work on and get better at.”

Banks did give a lot of credit to his fellow members of the Bucs secondary who have taken him aside for personal tutoring to help him accelerate his NFL learning curve.

“My teammates, they’re always supportive,” Banks said. “That’s one thing about this team, I came from a great team in Mississippi State, but the family environment here it’s like totally different, I’m so comfortable being around these guys. I enjoy coming into work and working with these guys. All these older guys, [cornerbacks] Mike [Adams] and [Darrelle] Revis, they knew I was kind of down about it and they both just kept talking me up and they’ve been helping me out along the way and it’s been fun.”

This week, Banks will face another elite quarterback in a short time period. First it was Drew Brees than Tom Brady and now, Matty Ice, as the Dixie Chicks find themselves in a desperation game for playoff-hope survival.

“I’m getting used to it, it’s been fun, just getting to go against these guys,” Banks said. [Atlanta Falcons quarterback] “Matt Ryan, I think he’s similar to [New Orleans Saints quarterback] Drew Brees, all of them are different but I honestly think Matt Ryan is similar to Drew Brees. He’s a really good quarterback, probably one of the top five, top 10 quarterbacks in this league and it’s going to be another challenge going out and facing him.”

The cool thing about this, if there is one, for Joe is that Banks actually knows he made a mistake and seems to understand, partially from listening to his teammates, what he did wrong and what to do to correct his missteps.

The fact he’ll face two sure-fire Hall of Famers and a perennial Pro Bowler in three of his first seven games will certainly help him down the road.

In this CBS Sports video, Kevin Corke and prickly Pete Prisco discuss the sorry state of the Bucs. Prisco believes they’re the worst team in the NFL save for the Jags.

If you believe in justice — and you want to do Joe a favor — then you must click through below and vote for Paradise Worldwide Transportation. This is the finest limo company in the free world. Plus, the Tampa Bay Business Journal survey is fun and gives you a chance to have your voice heard.

A common perception of the Bucs defense is that defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan, under the watchful gaze of Bucs commander Greg Schiano, has all-world cornerback Darrelle Revis playing much more zone coverage than man-to-man.

This is not completely accurate (or inaccurate). Revis has played zone, true. But some fans, for whatever reason, are under the misguided notion that Revis is playing more zone than man coverage.

It seems Sheridan is tiring of this perception and wants to help Bucs fans out. In fact, he’s even open-minded to getting fans’ suggestions to better the Bucs defense. Sheridan, during his weekly press conference this afternoon at One Buc Palace, invited fans to sit in with defensive assistants to craft a gameplan.

When asked about fans’ perception that Revis is playing mostly zone, Sheridan flashed an ear-to-ear grin and said:

“What are they chirping about? Tell me what they are chirping.

“What I invite them to do is, join us. I get here about 5:20 a.m. every single morning. And they are more than welcome to hang around until 11 p.m. for the first four nights of the week and they can help us put the whole gameplan together.

“We have all the free Cokes you would want in the building. And we’ll be happy to take their suggestions on how we could better use Darrelle. Trust me when I tell you we painstakingly game plan how to best use all our personnel. Not just Darrelle.

“But I appreciate the chirping.”

The smile never left Sheridan’s face when he invited public input. His remarks can be found here at the 4:20 mark.

Joe has to give Sheridan a lot of props. Many thin-skinned coaches would have blown up. Sheridan was good-natured and had some fun.

At least someone isn’t wound too tight at One Buc Palace during these dark days for the franchise.

It’s the JoeBucsFan.com weekly podcast with the smooth-toned broadcast wizard, Ronnie Lane of WDAE-AM 620 and the Buccaneers Radio Network.

The NFL is tougher on the body than Olympic Track & Field. Today, it was learned Bucs returner/receiver Jeff Demps had groin surgery after getting injured against the Eagles.

This is unfortunate, considering the Bucs hoped to methodically add packages with Demps to the offense. The threat of Demps’ speed, if not his talent with the ball, was a plus that was just being realized.

Joe wishes Demps well. One would think Eric Page would re-claim the kickoff return role.

Yes, all teams have injuries, but the Bucs are racking up a stunning number this season.

TBO’s Patrick Welter and Tampa Tribune humorist Martin Fennelly discuss the grim outlook for the Bucs in this TBO.com video.