Joe gets that the Bucs have underachieved this season and that today’s loss is merely a ray of hope that the Bucs can salvage a decent 2011 campaign.

With all the chatter about Raheem Morris’ job security last week, Joe wrote a post a couple of hours ago saying today’s game helped his cause. But Joe sees the bile in the comments section and reads what’s in his inbox, so Joe wants to clarify for those reading far too deep into Joe’s post.

So here’s the damn clarification.

Look, Joe has no opinion on Raheem’s ultimate job security because Joe believes the jury is out on this season. It’s a body of work hardly finished. Yeah, if the Bucs were 2-8, Joe would be shopping for pitchforks, but that’s not the case. Joe was simply stating that today’s loss actually helped Raheem’s cause, if only for a week. If Team Glazer has a secret chalkboard in their cone of silence, this one goes in the “Keep Raheem” column.

Ultimately, as every Bucs fan knows, Raheem will be judged on the final results for 2011. You want Joe to put a win total out there? No problem. Given what’s transpired to date season, Joe can’t imagine Raheem returns if he only wins two more.

So that’s where Joe sits on Nov. 20.

Is Aqib Talib a talented cornerback? Yes.

Is Aqib Talib worth all the hassle? Until today, Joe would have said with his play this year, probably not.

Today at Lambeau Field, Talib came to play and he played damned well. Facing the highest octane passing game in the NFL with guys on the bench who may be Pro Bowl players with any other team, Talib was strong.

He broke up passes, he made solid tackles, he was all over the field, he was hustling.

For the first time in a long time, Talib played almost to the level that some Bucs fans are adamant he is — a Pro Bowl player.

That, Talib is not. Talib’s hands are so bad, even Michael Clayton winces in pain. He gets burned way, way, way too many times and for all the drama he creates, one wonders why he is still with the Bucs.

But today, Talib waved awaythe doubters. He was one of, if not the best, defender on the field for the Bucs.

Now if he can only make plays, Talib may just be a Pro Bowl player.

Next year.

Now Joe’s not trying to play cheerleader here. He certainly is never confused with Marlana Aref.

But Joe just thinks the way the Bucs played today will temper the shrill howls for Bucs coach Raheem Morris’ head on a platter.

The Bucs committed to running the ball, and ran well. The Bucs passed well, probably the best all season. The Bucs were aggressive on both sides of the ball. The Bucs held one of the NFL’s greatest offenses scoreless in the third quarter.

No the Bucs didn’t win, and that was frustrating. Bucs players after the game were upset and wanted nothing to do with “moral victories.”

But the way the Bucs played, as big of underdogs as they were, as hampered as the team is defensively, speaks to Joe that they were coached up this week.

Yeah, the Bucs lost. That sucks. But Joe is of the mind that in the end, Morris won.

One could debate through the night the Bucs’ decisions to go for two onsides kicks. They failed on both.

Joe really can’t come down hard on those. The Bucs knew they needed magic and miracles today, considering their season-long failures in the red zone. And Kellen Winslow’s 2-point conversion drop surely prompted the second onsides attempt in the fourth quarter.

What did shock Joe was the Bucs punting on 4th-and-3 in the fourth quarter trailing by eight points. If you’re going to try onsides kicks, aren’t your odds better of converting on 4th-and-3?

But the Bucs punted, the Packers got a huge runback negating the punt, then on the first play from scrimmage Elbert Mack picked off Aaron Rodgers on an excellent read. Joe had to laugh. That’s football.

Essentially, Joe’s just trying to say he can live with those calls as they played out in this game. It’s surely not what cost the Bucs the game.

The game wasn’t over with yet and Joe was already getting peppered with questions/arguments that Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik should have signed cornerback Johnathan Joseph.

For reasons unclear, Bucs fans have a bull’s-eye on cornerback E.J. Biggers. Now Joe is not saying Biggers is playing well this year. He’s not, but aside from today, neither has Aqib Talib.

The hate for Biggers stems from being mortal. He got torched a couple of times by — gasp! — Calvin Johnson.

Now if Biggers got skinned time and again by, say, Michael Clayton, Joe could understand the howls of fans. But to suggest that Biggers is a horrible cornerback because Calvin Johnson beat him is to suggest 95 percent of the starting defensive backs in the NFL are garbage.

In fact, the geeks at FootballOutsiders.com, a group of well-respected numbers-crunchers did exhaustive research and came to the conclusion Biggers was one of the top 10 cornerbacks last season.

This year, Biggers is getting picked on. A lot. So the cries to hang Dominik from the Sunshine Skyway Bridge for not signing Jonathon Joseph have begun.

Joe doesn’t think Biggers is playing that terrible. Yeah, Joe said it. It seems when receivers are making plays against Biggers, it’s only by a step or he’s just outmuscled.

It’s not like Biggers is getting his clocked cleaned time and again (like Myron Lewis today). That tells Joe Biggers’ issue is fundamentals, whether it is technique or footwork, something correctable.

The hate on Biggers reminds Joe of the hate leveled against Brian Kelly when he gave up the game-winning touchdown in the 1999 NFC title game. Turns out, Kelly was a helluva cornerback and started in the Bucs’ Super Bowl-winning season.

Now whether Dominik should have signed Joseph isn’t really a valid argument to Joe. Does Joseph play the same type of defense that Raheem Morris runs? Joe hates the Bengals and has maybe watched Joseph play once prior to this season, so Joe cannot say.

If Dominik — who, one must remember does not dabble in over-priced free agents — should have signed anyone it should have been a linebacker (not named “Quincy Black”), not a cornerback.

Go call some Madden-type video player or some serial fantasy football player about Joseph; not Joe.

Exhibit A why Joe yearns for LeGarrette Blount to get his hands on the ball more was there for all to see in the second quarter today.

After falling behind 14-0, the Bucs opened their next possession with a 28-yard strike to Arrellious Benn. Hallejuah to Greg Olson for calling a play that simply let Josh Freeman throw it up to Benn and let him make a play.

Then up stepped Blount. The man took the rock in the backfield, broke seven tackles and bulled his way into the end zone 54 yards later. Here’s the stunning video from NFL.com.

Now Joe knows it’s heresy for many around these parts to compare Blount to Mike Alstott. But Blount’s sheer refusal to go down and his relentless drive in the second level of the defense is worthy of the Alstott comparison. That second-quarter run was just one man’s will and strength on display.

Blount had 18 carries today and 107 yards, still not enough for Joe. They’ve got to involve him more in the red zone at least. But Joe’s not going to waste more time hoping Blount gets more of the rock. This was about as good as it will get, and the Bucs offense surely moved the ball extremely well today.  

Further adding to his emerging legend, Blount got caught mid-hurdle with a helmet to the groin twice today and kept on coming. If that’s not tough, Joe’s not sure what is.

The last few weeks the way the Bucs have all but put LeGarrette Blount on mothballs, Joe became so angry week after week he nearly tore down his Rachel Watson poster in rage.

The fact that in the previous game against Houston Blount only touched the ball 13 times was simply unacceptable.

But it had gotten to a point that Joe was burned out in begging, pleading the Bucs to use Blount because it seemed the coaching staff was much more enamoured with throwing three-yard passes in the flat to running backs when the team needed 13 yards for a first down.

Why try to control the ball with your 1,000-yard rusher and impose your will upon opponents when you can go three-and-out each possesion and fry your defense?

Whether the Bucs coaching staff (finally) had an epiphany or if vandals got a hold of Greg Olson’s iPad playbook and corrupted 75 percent of the files that contained pass plays, the Bucs decided to commit to the run and feed Blount the ball.

And looked at what happened! It was clearly the Bucs best offensive game to date this season and it was no coincidence that Blount led the way.

Hell, even that weekly (weakly?) Arrelious Benn end around play that Olson is so enraptured with actually got positive yards for a change, imagine!

Remember last year when the Bucs horribly struggled offensively but finally broke loose against Arizona on the road, and the offense rolled the rest of the season? That was because it was LeGarrette Blount’s breakout game and the fact he became a major element in the offense.

Feed Blount the ball and good things happen. This time the Bucs had the world champs on the ropes.

Feed Blount the ball! It’s a good thing, not a pox.

There surely are no moral victories in the NFL, but this was almost just that for the Bucs, considering the ugly depths the Bucs had fallen to over the past few Sundays.

Hopefully, the Bucs’ effort will quiet the crowd that ridiculously claims the Bucs are so lacking in talent they can barely compete. The Bucs showed they can hang with the best in the game when the coaching staff has the team ready to play. Who could have imagined the Bucs would rack up more yards than the Packers? 

Minus overmatched E.J. Biggers and Myron Lewis, the defense was solid, tackled well, and Elbert Mack delivered a huge fourth quarter interception. Josh Freeman had two ugly picks, but revived himself overall with a 28-for-38 day and 342 yards and two touchdowns. LeGarrette Blount had 18 carries for 107 yards.

Greg Olson finally dialed up some plays to let Arrelious Benn use his gifts.

Damn, the Bucs had some horrendous luck early, with a sure blocked punt/broken play ending up in a Packers first down and an extended drive that led to Green Bay’s first touchdown.

Kellen Winslow’s 2-point conversion drop was a killer. His constant pushing off to get open is getting increasingly costly. Eventually his post-catch antics will catch up to him, too. Does any other tight end get penalized as much?

Painful loss, and the Bucs sit mired at 4-6. But at least they looked “yungry.” After the crap fans have been subjected to for the past few weeks, it’s at least something to latch on to.

OK guys, knock yourselves out. Let Joe know how you feel about what is transpiring in today’s game. Don’t hold back (within reason, of course).

Week 11
Bucs at Packers:
Kickoff: 1 p.m.
TV: FOX has the broadcast, and their top crew of Joe Buck and Troy Aikman will call the game, which will air on local TV and be seen on FOX by nearly half the country.
Radio: Buccaneers Radio Network (in Tampa WFUS-FM, 103.5 and WDAE-AM, 620); Sirius Channel 136.
Weather: Per Weather.com, kickoff conditions should be sunny and 35 degrees with a 20 percent chance of precipitation. Snow flurries, perhaps? The temperature is not expected to break 36 degrees through the game. … About as good as it gets for a late-November game at Lambeau Field.
Odds: Per SportsBook.com, Bucs +14.5.
Outlook: There really isn’t much to say about this matchup, though former Bucs defensive end Steve White has a detailed breakdown of how he thinks the Bucs can get to Aaron Rodgers. Why isn’t there much to say? Well, that’s because most Bucs fans are hoping the Bucs simply show up and tackle, play hard, and revive the solid play they flashed earlier this season. Even if the Bucs can manage that much, they’re still an underdog to the high-flying, undefeated Packers. Rodgers has completed 73 percent of his passes with 28 touchdowns and only three picks. If there wasn’t so much concern that the Bucs would put forth maximum effort, then there’d be all kinds of chatter about how the Bucs don’t play well in cold weather and have an ineffective pass rush that must revive or they’re in huge trouble today. Joe expects the Bucs to get lit up left and right, so Joe’s focus is on the offense. Can Josh Freeman find confidence? Will the Bucs ever truly commit to running the football? Will Greg Olson dig deeper into the playbook and scrap what repeatedly doesn’t work? Joe suspects the Bucs will hang in for a while, and they may have a couple of big plays in the secondary in them, but it would be the stunner of the NFL season if the Bucs walk away with a “W.”

With all the ugly chatter surrounding the Bucs, Joe felt like injecting some happy talk. And about the only thing to crack a smile about is the Bucs’ special teams.

Rich Bisaccia ran off to San Diego last offseason, but the Bucs’ special teams haven’t missed a beat. Michael Koenen leads the league in net punting average, a credit to his mad skills and an exceptional cover team. He’s also near the top of the league in punts inside the 20 yard line.

Connor Barth is nailing field goals at a 90 percent clip. (Ironically, his predecessors Mike Nugent and Matt Bryant are drilling at a stunning 94 percent.)

The return game has been decent and consistent, and Sammie Stroughter coming back should help. If Preston Parker can’t bust one soon, Joe would love to see “Run, Micheal, Run” Spurlock get another crack at what made him infamous.

Dwayne Stukes, Bisaccia’s former understudy, deserves a high-five for leading the lone Bucs unit that hasn’t regressed from a year ago. One might think the malaise that ails the Bucs offense and defense would infect the special teams, but there’s been no hint of that.

There’s been plenty of local speculation about Raheem Morris’ future, if the Bucs continue their horrid tailspin. But what are national insiders saying?

Perhaps the busiest and best-connected NFL analyst in the business, Pat Kirwan, offered an insightful take this week on Raheem’s future during an interview on 770AM in Fort Myers. Kirwan’s a former assistant coach and personnel executive, who now works for CBSSports.com and CBS NFL Today, hosts a show on Sirius NFL Radio, and writes regularly for NFL.com and more.

In Kirwan’s mind, Raheem is sure to return for the final year of his contract because this will be a poor offseason for head coach hunting.

“Raheem, he’s very bright. I’ve known Raheem since he left high school and went on to Hofstra to play,” Kirwan said. ” To me, Tampa Bay, they’ve had a stadium issue for a while now. And that stadium issue isn’t going away unless they get a big-time marquee name coach in there that can draw people back to the stadium. And if he doesn’t win, they’ll be right back outta there.

“I don’t think they’re going to make a move. I think they’re going to try to do it one more time with Raheem. At the end of the day, and this is coming from a couple of people that are in search of a head coach, they’re real nervous about the list this year. Gruden’s not going to do it. Cowher’s not going to do it. Jeff Fisher will do it, from what I know. And after that, you know, where are we headed? Brian Billick.

“But the assistants in this league, not a very strong list this year. So I would say Raheem’s going to get another shot at this.”

Interesting to hear the buzz about the head coaching pool, but Joe’s not sure Kirwan’s logic necessarily fits. After all, the Bucs canned Chucky and hired Raheem, which nobody saw coming.

Joe still thinks it’s far too early to be talking about a new head coach. If the Bucs can start playing legitimate football consistently and win a few more games this season, there’s no way Team Glazer is going to send Raheem packing.

Yeah, the Bucs on defense was ugly against Houston, no question.

And it was downright ugly when they were alley-beaten in San Francisco.

But could it just be mental? That’s what Bucs new defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth suggested to dapper Rick Brown of the Lakeland Ledger.

Newcomer defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth said on Sunday the defense had a hard time letting go of bad plays.

“We’re a young team and instead of letting a bad play go and wiping it out your mind, and going and playing football, we let it pile on and kept thinking about it,” Haynesworth said. “Then, there’s another bad play and that was the kind of game you saw.”

As Maxwell Smart would say, “The old snowball effect, eh?”

This is an interesting subject to Joe. Could it be that the angry crowd, which has been kicking their dogs and cursing at their neighbors because rock star Mark Dominik is allergic to signing overpriced free agents, on to something?

Might Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik push for a hiring of a defensive coordinator next year?

Bucs coach Raheem Morris loves to say “stats are for losers.” When it comes to the calculator crowd in baseball, which loves to tout a second baseman’s OBGYN, Joe wholeheartedly agrees.

And while Morris is right on when, really, the only stat that counts is the scoreboard, Joe recently has wondered if the savvy Morris is creating a smokescreen?

When the heinous Jim Bates Experience was jettisoned by the Bucs and Morris took over as the Bucs defensive coordinator, real change for the better appeared right away.

Since, to be frank, Morris’ defenses haven’t been that good, in fact, they have ranked amid the bottom of the NFL. Granted, one could argue he has little to work with.

OK, fine. But the numbers in this case don’t lie, which has made Joe in the past, and now, wonder if Morris has too much on his plate?

This thought was passed on to eye-RAH! Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune in a TBO Bucs. Q&A.

Q: What do you think the chances are of Mark Dominik hiring a new defensive coordinator to help Raheem out? That way Raheem could focus on more basic technical aspects of the game; i.e., penalties.

Jose Cuadra, Greenville, S.C.

A: Raheem Morris is not eager to give up his dual responsibilities as head coach and defensive coordinator, but you can argue he has taken on too much. The defense has slipped to 31st in the league and the Bucs are equally vulnerable against the run and the pass. It wouldn’t be unrealistic to suggest Morris will be asked to relinquish some of his defensive responsibilities next year.

– eye-RAH! Kaufman

Now in theory hiring a defensive coordinator makes all the sense in the world. Joe strongly believes that Morris may be pulled in too many different ways. A head coach has a ton of responsibilities alone, much less adding the tasks of being a defensive coordinator.

But Morris’ contract is through 2012 (currently). Just what kind of a defensive coordinator would be willing to uproot his family to Tampa just for one year? No man.

So Joe is of the mind that the Bucs should hire an outside consultant, say, Brian Billick or Bill Cowher or even Dan Reeves to come in and have full access to every corner of the Bucs on-field operations and give his two cents into how the Bucs can improve.

A fresh set of eyes never hurts and NFL teams hire consultants all the time.

Does Raheem Morris have a secret language?

No, not because he uses words like “yungry” and “boydog,” but because Bucs icon John Lynch seems to think Raheem is communicating in code. 

Rick Stroud has penned a feature today for TampaBay.com that does it’s best to sound the panic button on the Bucs. More on that later. First, here’s the comment from Lynch:

And former Tampa Bay Pro Bowl safety John Lynch, part of a broadcast team for two of the Bucs’ games for Fox, believes Morris even forecasted the collapse.

“It’s almost like Raheem has been trying to say this in code, that maybe people thought they were better than they actually are and he knew that,” Lynch said. “I know I had that sense being around him.”

This is very bizarre. Raheem is one of the more open-book coaches in the NFL. Very vocal with the media, fans and surely with former Bucs icons he’s known for years. Why wouldn’t Lynch, the handpicked analyst for Bucs preseason games, have just asked Raheem to clarify? Very strange. Though Joe surely thinks the head coach is crafty enough to speak in code.

Further along in the story, Herm Edwards takes a nasty swipe at three Buccaneers.

“I feel a little for the quarterback, because he’s a good player,” Edwards said. “I look at the personalities he has to deal with — Kellen Winslow, Mike Williams, LeGarrette Blount. He’s looking at all this mess saying, ‘Really?’ “

Ouch! Edwards could have inside information on Williams and Blount, but Joe would wager Edwards is talking out his ass and knows nothing about their personalities other than what he’s heard around the BSPN water coolers. As for Winslow, well, it’s more conceivable that Edwards is on to something.

Edwards goes on to offer more theories on the Bucs, and there are takes from Ronde Barber. Click through above to read the story. … That’s not Joe talking in code. That’s a legitimate suggestion.

Some classic radio last night with Albert Haynesworth sitting down for an hour on the Buccaneers Radio Network to take calls from fans and get peppered with questions from host T.J. Rives.

Haynesworth really opened up and flashed a good sense of humor. 

Some highlights:

On Raheem Morris:  He’s closer to my age, which is very cool. You can talk to him, not just about football. … He said, ‘I chickened out’ [by not signing with Tampa Bay in 2009.]

On his young teammates: High motivated guys. … I’ve never seen young guys work the way our guys do.  … I don’t need to set a tone. … First day I got here after practice, we as a defensive line went out to lunch to Lee Roy Selmon’s.  … That’s never happened to me before. … Being on a young team with this much camaraderie. Wow.

On Frank Okam’s dining at Selmon’s: He ate a lot.

On who bought lunch: I picked up the check. A thank you to my guys, to be there. … I actually went back to the waitress [to get the check] before anybody could. An old vet move.

On Aaron Rodgers: I have to put 345 pounds on him a couple of times. … If you kill the head, the body will die.

On his boating obsession: Haynesworth said he has houses on the water in Tennessee and Miami and loves all kinds of powerboats. “I swear [that’s why I didn’t sign with the Bucs in ’09]. I told my agent. ‘No, I can’t go to Tampa. I need to go somewhere ugly, like the Redskins.'”

Haynesworth also discussed why he believes he was wronged in Washington to the point that the Redskins nearly took away his love of football. He said he has the utmost admiration for Bill Belichick and really gave 100 percent in New England.

Haynesworth also explained how important it is to him “to be appreciated,” which was a little bit weird — and telling — to Joe, but Joe’s not going to play amateur shrink today.

For Joe, Haynesworth really comes off as a happy, lovable guy that believes he was a fish out of water in his last two defenses and has found new life in Tampa.

Joe’s on board. Why not? Go break Aaron Rodgers in half, Albert. 

Wow! Joe had a blast at the V.I.P. grand opening event at Ed Morse Cadillac Tampa this week. And the party continues for everyone Saturday, with a fabulous free barbecue, and all kinds of sports giveaways and raffles (Joe knows they have some cool Bucs and Rays stuff), including a giant TV.

Plus there are incredible grand opening sales and service specials. Visit Ed Morse Cadillac Tampa now online, or head over there Saturday. It’s a sweet place to visit, and Joe can attest to their stunning customer service.

Nothing steams Joe more than hearing chatter from those who blame the Bucs’ woes on a lack of talent.

Sorry. Joe can’t let those through. It’s a bogus take, floated this week by beat writer Stephen Holder and now ESPN NFC South blogger Pat Yasinskas. The latter, in an ESPN live chat today, says Freeman’s struggling because he has a bunch of second-rate talent around him.

CC (Atlanta): Aaron (Bay Area) is right. Freeman should get alot more heat. You just make excuses for him. Funny… you have no problem blasting Matt Ryan despite a porous OL. And Ryan has been alot better than Josh this season.

Pat Yasinskas: Yeah, Ryan has been better than Freeman this year. And I don’t think I’ve blasted Ryan very much. My point on Freeman is this — have you seen what’s around him? A very bad team in a lot of ways.

First, the Bucs have a punishing 1,000 yard rusher in the backfield that they refuse to use with regularity.

Second, the Bucs have a very high-priced offensive line with two guys, Donald Penn and Davin Joseph, universally viewed with upper-echelon regard. That’s a damn good line in front of Freeman.

Third, Mike Williams was voted the 80th best player in the NFL by his peers for a reason this offseason. Anyone who watched the 2010 combine could see he was the most talented college receiver behind Dez Bryant, and he proved it his rookie year. He’s had too many drops this season, but Williams is not a “bad” player by any stretch. Arrellious Benn is a legitmate threat used all too sparingly. Preston Parker is the best slot receiver the Bucs have had since Ike Hilliard, far better than Sammie Stroughter last season.

Joe could go on, but the point is this offense with largely the same cast and coordinator moved the ball very well the second half of last season and churned up fat yardage on the ground. They even seemed to have an identity.

It’s not a “very bad team” around Freeman as Yasinskas claims. Joe has no explanation for Blount’s use, or lack thereof, or why the Bucs haven’t adapted to the increasing man coverage on their receivers. But Joe’s quite sure the answers aren’t that all these guys have turned into a pile of crap. The coaching just isn’t getting nearly enough out of them.

The thumping of the war drums is getting louder from a circle of fans, and it’s not the drum circle on the beach on Sunday afternoons at Treasure Island.

The drums are for a new coach.

There is a sect of Bucs fans that never accepted Raheem Morris from Day 1. Their yelps are growing louder with the Bucs seemingly free falling.

Now let Joe be crystal clear: He is not advocating a change in leadership. In fact, barring a complete meltdown, Joe doesn’t see Team Glazer making a change.

But like a Bucs win cannot be predicted at Lambeau Field Sunday, nor can Joe predict what Team Glazer is doing in the background, or what their mindset is. But eye-RAH! Kaufman is of the mind that how the team hustles will determine Morris’ job security.

The Glazers have not proven to be impulsive owners when it comes to making a change at the top. Tony Dungy lasted six years, Jon Gruden walked the Buc sidelines for seven seasons, and Morris is only one year removed from a 10-6 finish.

But when it comes to lack of effort, head coaches are vulnerable. You could argue some Bucs quit on Morris in the Houston game, and you can be sure the Glazers will be watching very carefully the rest of the way to gauge how hard the Bucs are playing.

Toward the end of his 3-13 first season, Morris could point with pride that the Bucs kept playing hard in December. Sunday’s debacle against the Texans might be an indication that his message is no longer getting through to the league’s youngest club.

A lot of this talk of Morris’ job security will vanish if the Bucs pull off the improbable and beat the Pack. As Joe pointed out earlier this week: At some point, it stands to reason the Packers will lose a game. The Bucs are on a losing streak. No one believes the Bucs won’t win another game. The Packers breezed through Minnesota Monday and on are on a short week and likely looking past the Bucs to Detroit on Thanksgiving.

In the immortal words of Joaquin Andujar, “Youneverknow.”