It feels like a lifetime ago when Bucs fans were forced to endure the horrors of the Fearsome Foursome, “E.J., Leonard, Danny and LeQuan” in the Bucs’ secondary, which was among the very worst in NFL history last season.

The Bucs made sweeping changes to their defensive backfield, and it’s starting to show up in the stats sheet. The Bucs have the 14th-ranked defense in the NFL and the pass defense is nearing middle-of-the-pack.

One number standing tall is the Bucs total of 15 interceptions. That’s tied for third in the NFL. Seven of the top-10 teams in that category have winning records. It’s been interceptions by committee for the Bucs. Keith Tandy, Mark Barron, Mason Foster, Johnthan Banks, Darrelle Revis and Lavonte David each have two.

Bucs teammates celebrate with Leonard Johnson (29) after his pick-six and move called “The Clearwater Somersault.”

There is a new dance craze in the local trendy hotspots where young, sweaty, nubile lasses grind to the music. It is called “The Clearwater Somersault.”

That’s what Leonard Johnson called his move as he leaped over the goal line following his pick-six of Matthew Stafford yesterday in Detroit, Johnson’s second career pick-six.

Johnson described the play — and his move — onthe Buccaneers Radio Network.

“We were in zone coverage,” Johnson said. “I took my landmark, dropped back, looked at the quarterback and he looked away. I saw the release and rolled with the ball.

“That’s the “Clearwater Somersault.”

Though Johnson admitted it was a tough game, he wasn’t surprised at how the Bucs played.

“All week we had a great practice but knew it would be a tough,” Johnson said. “It was a challenge. Every guy from the D-line to the secondary, brought their A-game.”

Mike Glennon didn’t freeze when he took a late sack yesterday

Joe and every Bucs fan watched in agony as Mike Glennon took a late, seemingly needless sack with just under four minutes to go yesterday. The seven-yard loss pushed Rian Lindell’s field goal attempt back to 50 yards, which he missed (of course), and the Bucs retained their three point lead.

Now Joe’s not about to assume Lindell would have made the field goal if it were seven yards closer, but it still felt like a Glennon mental mistake there really hurt the Bucs.

Glennon didn’t screw up so badly, Greg Schiano explained after the game.

Schiano said Glennon took the sack intentionally, telling Schiano “I thought we didn’t want to give up that 40 seconds” by throwing the ball away and stopping the clock inside four minutes.

Schiano didn’t necessarily agree with Glennon’s thinking, but the head coach made the point that it was an example of how Glennon is always focused.

“The fact that he thinks that way, for a rookie, is very impressive,” Schiano said.

Bucs receiver Tiquan Underwood seemed to be indirectly blasting former Bucs franchise quarterback leaky Rip Van Freeman in Underwood’s praise of Mike Glennon.

Yesterday, Tiquan Underwood may had his best game as a Bucs receiver. He caught two touchdowns from Bucs stud Mike Glennon, one of which was an 85-yard bomb, the sort of pass Joe has been waiting to see from Glennon before Joe could consider knighting Glennon as a franchise quarterback.

After the game, Underwood was, naturally giddy, if not out of breath. But he came running to the defense of Bucs commander Greg Schiano and embattled offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan, and lauded Glennon with some passive-aggressive, not-so-veiled slams at former Bucs franchise quarterback, leaky Rip Van Freeman.

While praising Glennon, heard on the Buccaneers Radio Network, Underwood said, “great job. The reason I respect Mike as a person and as a football player is he comes in every week. He studies. He comes in early and stays late. The things a quarterback must do to be successful in this league he is doing it and he is doing it as a rookie. So he is only going to get better and as you can see, as we keep playing he keeps getting more comfortable.”

To Joe that was not just a compliment to Glennon. It was also a peek behind the scenes as to why Rip Van Freeman eventually melted down with the Bucs and was thrown off the team.

If Underwood respects Glennon for doing what a quarterback needs to do to be successful in the NFL, then what does that say about Glennon’s predecessor?

On Schiano, Underwood said with force and emotion, “we will continue to fight hard for Coach Schiano. We play hard for him, man. And we will continue to do the same.”

The game-winning hit yesterday on future Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson was a stunning, powerful strike, a rib-rattling stick at the game’s biggest moment.

If it was delivered by Mark Barron, Bucs fans would be injecting him into the Pro Bowl conversation.

If it came from Dashon Goldson, “Hawk” t-shirts would be flying off the shelves.

If Megatron was drilled by Johnthan Banks, Bucs fans would be celebrating the drafting of rockstar general manager Mark Dominik.

But the shot that broke the Lions back came from little known safety Kelcie McCray, a second-year, undrafted NFL nobody who was claimed off waivers after the Dolphins cut him seven weeks ago.

Joe absolutely had to take the time here to give the guy his just props. (Tampa Tribune columnist also honored McCray.) Joe also hopes Greg Schiano gives McCray an expensive gift for potentially saving his job and preventing another late-game Bucs meltdown.

What an amazing feeling for McCray. Even legendary defensive backs dream of drilling Megatron at the goal line to force a game-ending interception. Kelcie McCray! Remember the name in your Thanksgiving reflections.

OK, Greg Schiano has three wins this season. Most coaches would be working their real estate agents by now. Schiano’s situation isn’t normal. He had an infection in the locker room and it wasn’t just MRSA.

Notice all the drama with the start of the season? Then franchise quarterback leaky Rip Van Freeman missed the team photo and then was stripped of his captaincy title — by his own teammates.

When the Bucs went to New England for controlled practices, it got worse for Freeman when he was overshadowed by the play of Pats failure Tim Tebow.

The Bucs’ locker room was so unnerved the team called one of the dreaded players-only meetings.

Fast forward to the season opener and Freeman’s head was aloof on the very first series of the Jets game. If Joe didn’t know better, he would have sworn Freeman just got out of bed.

Once Schiano rid himself of Freeman, the Bucs slowly came together as a team. And lo and behold, the Bucs have won three straight (should have been four) and knocked off a division-leader in their own crib. This, despite Detroit having tons of weapons while the Bucs defense was ravaged by injuries and a suspension thrown in for good measure.

Now, it’s the Lions who are calling players-only meetings.

My, how this season has come full circle. Only thing that would complete the circle is if Detroit quarterback Matt Stafford was sighted at a Walmart buying alarm clocks.

Playoffs

This is heresy to suggest, but the Bucs are not mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. Yes, Joe is sober typing this. The Bucs would have to have all sorts of help but if they ran the table to finish 8-8, they would have tiebreakers over San Francisco, St. Louis and Detroit. It helps that the NFC East is putrid this season.

Draft

If the draft was held today, the Bucs would have the No. 5 overall pick. Has Mike Glennon convinced you? Or should the Bucs draft Jake Matthews or Taylor Lewan? Or perhaps trade down for Sammy Watkins?

Joe can’t believe he just wrote in consecutive paragraphs that the Bucs have meager playoff hopes heading into December and they could also have a top-five pick in the draft. That’s just how wacky this season is.

Pass plays

Joe is quibbling here because Mike Glennon played so well, but in the first half, many third down calls had receivers running routes short of the first down markers. Joe cannot understand the rationale, or perhaps, as some suggest, Bucs offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan is trying to hide Glennon? If you believe this theory, his many run calls on second-and-long would reinforce this conspiracy theory.

Running such short routes when you need long gains may help your quarterback, but you are also hanging your receivers out to dry. And you are likely putting the defense back on the field quickly. Again.

Team Glazer Speaks

Did Greg Schiano get a vote of confidence after the game from Bucs co-chairman Joel Glazer? Glazer seemed pleased with the team’s turnaround. That will need to continue for Schiano to return in 2014.

Were Glazer’s words a good sign or a bad sign?

Rutgers Day

It was Rutgers Day at Ford Field as Tim Wright and Tiquan Underwood played at a Pro Bowl level. It was Underwood that hauled in a bomb from Glennon — something Joe had been waiting on for weeks — that put the Bucs over the top.

After being pulled off his couch, Underwood has 13 catches at more than 20 yards a pop and three touchdowns in seven games. It is still a mystery how he was cut in favor of Dropsie Ogletree.

Rian Lindell Better Still Be in Detroit

Joe has had it with this unclutch Bucs place kicker. Kickers are very much like running backs: There are so many who can be pulled off the street and be effective. Lindell should be on the street — at a frigid Detroit Greyhound bus stop.

Lindell cost the Bucs a win over the Jets just as much as Lavonte David did. And Lindell did his best to ensure Drew Brees drove the Saints down for a game-winning field goal.

Then there was yesterday when Lindell had two — TWO! — chances to help ice the game and whiffed both times. Granted, he was painted into a corner by an inexcusable sack taken by Glennon. Still, Lindell had plenty of distance on that shot. Since the Bucs still have a prayer of a playoff berth (see above), why keep this guy Lindell on the roster when he’s about as dependable as a low-rent bookie’s odds.

Get rid of this guy! Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik should be calling in kickers for workouts tomorrow as you are reading this.

Schiano Off Hot Seat?

The Bucs are on a 3-1 run and that one loss came in overtime on the road against the best team in the NFC. Has Schiano’s seat gone from roasting to simmer? Of it is even warm?

What will it take for Schiano to rest comfortably in his seat for 2014?

Glennon’s Numbers

In this last two games, Glennon is perfect when throwing 15 yards or more downfield. Perfect! Read that again. Perfect!

Would leaky Rip Van Freeman give his left nad to be 50 percent in passes 15 yards or more downfield? Probably.

And Glennon is perfect.

Also, Glennon is the first quarterback in NFL history to throw a touchdown in each of his first eight starts.

Lions Celebrated Early Christmas

Joe cannot remember when a team had five turnovers (four picks and a fumble) and a blocked punt and still nearly won. So as giddy as Joe and other Bucs fans are today, let’s be honest: The knockout punch is not (yet) there.

Part of the reason the Lions still nearly pulled out a win despite playing Santa Claus was Lindell gagging in the second half.

Schiano and Glennon

Look out now, you Freemanites, but it appears Bucs commander Greg Schiano is developing a pretty decent NFL quarterback.

As Joe has written before, Schiano didn’t wreck Freeman. Freeman wrecked Freeman.

NFL Thoughts:

Saints: Not sure who is going to stop Drew Brees but if the Saints have to play Seattle on the road, Joe is putting his cash on the Seahawks.

Crows: Suddenly the Crows look like a new team, slapping around the hapless Jets. Now this sets up a …

Steelers: The Men of Steel are playing good football of late. For Pittsburgh, beating the Brownies on the road is a good win. And to think some frauds believe the Steelers were shopping Ben Roethlisberger! Oh, on Thanksgiving Night, the resurgent Steelers – still in the hunt for a playoff berth – face the Crows. Joe’s looking forward to that.

Packers: Joe just may have to believe Aaron Rodgers is the MVP of the NFL. The Packers were one of the better teams in the NFL and without him, they have totally collapsed and after tying the Vikings – where leaky Rip Van Freeman was inactive (can you imagine?) – the Packers are in a desperate mode to save their playoff lives. Good thing the Bears and Lions are keeping the Pack in the hunt as Rodgers recuperates.

Jags: They won. On the road. Against the Texans — another team circling the drain.

Chargers: Now if, as some Bucs fans believe, the Bucs, rather than drafting a quarterback in the first round (coughJohnnyFootballcough) the Bucs should try to acquire a veteran quarterback, Philip Rivers is a guy Joe would watch. He was strong in leading his team from behind to beat the Chiefs on the road. He’s also durable and has won playoff games.

Stinking Panthers: Here is where the rubber meets the road for the Bucs. Their next opponent is the Stinking Panthers in Carolina. If the Bucs pull off an upset here, then Joe suggests Schiano is off the proverbial hot seat. The Stinking Panthers didn’t have much of a day, struggling to beat the Dolphins.

Rams: The Rams blasted the Bears. The Rams! This team is truly Jekyll and Hyde, playing with a bunch of scrubs because so many stars are out on the IR.

Cardinals: Who saw this buzzsaw coming, where they whipped the Colts? Guess the injuries are mounting on offense for the Colts. With the Cardinals rising like a Phoenix, the NFC West is tough again.

Titans: What’s to write about a couple of teams fighting for worst in the AFC? Pretty sure the Titans will be drafting a quarterback in May.

Cowboys: What, Tony Romo didn’t choke? Isn’t that what he is supposed to do? Joe always thought the NFC East was an overrated division and this year it is putrid, which makes Joe smile.

Patriots: Joe didn’t watch one second of this game last night. Joe is so sick of the Belicheats and Joe never liked Peyton Manning. Thus, this game held zero interest for Joe. None.

* Lastly, isn’t it time for the networks to scrap the live in-game updates to show a scoring highlight of another game? People that are interested in other games either have the Red Zone Channel on their secondary TV or are monitoring the other game on a laptop/iPad/smartphone. The only thing these updates do is interrupt the game you are trying to watch. This tactic is so 1982.

Non-NFL Thoughts

1) So now that the long arm of the law might lock up Jameis Winston and Johnny Football suddenly looked mortal Saturday, people who follow the Heisman Trophy watch seriously think Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron could be a Heisman frontrunner. Well, let’s hold on. If you compare McCarron’s numbers to that quarterback conference factory, the Big Ten, McCarron would be fifth in passing yards among Big Ten quarterbacks.

Sorry A.J. Just be content with rings and Miss Alabama.

2) So Florida State was giving 58 points to Idaho and still covered? OK, time to brag. Who collected cash on that wager?

3) Never in Joe’s life would he ever have dreamed – ever! – that a low-rent school like Georgia Southern would come into Gainesville, not complete one pass – not one! – and still beat the mighty Gators. That simply was unfathomable to Joe. Georgia Southern beating Vandy or Kentucky would surprise Joe. But Florida? If this didn’t make Tim Tebow curse and want to sin with a woman, nothing will.

Now Joe understands how Florida State fans felt when USF beat them in their own crib.

4) Joe still thinks Florida is going to scare the hell out of Florida State this week. Really. Rivalry game.

5) Baylor? I mean, come on! You couldn’t put forth a better effort than that with your Star Wars-like offense. That was worse than an Oregon fraudulent choke. Turrible.

6) If Auburn beats Bama, and wins the SEC title game, then Joe is predicting right here and now that Florida State will be playing Auburn for the national title. That is, if Winston isn’t pinched.

7) Speaking of the fraudulent Ducks, they lost to Arizona Saturday. Go have fun in the Sun Bowl in lovely El Paso.

8) If you don’t like UCLA bone-crushing linebacker/physical running back Myles Jack, you don’t like football.

9) LSU defensive coordinator John Chavis is the only guy that has been able to figure out how to stop Johnny Football. Not Nick Saban. Not Bob Stoops. Not Dan Mullen. Not Will Muschamp. Maybe Chavis will be working in the NFL soon?

10) It appears Muschamp is safe, and he should be for at least one more year. But if the Gators decide to move on, Joe would like to see the Bull Gators try to outbid T. Boone Pickens for Mike Gundy.

Darrelle Revis and the Bucs have messed with the minds of the Lions so much, they have called for the always fun and often dreaded players-only meeting.

If you can’t get enough of the Bucs’ thrilling 24-21 win over the Lions today, if you want icing on that delicious chocolate cake, Joe has it for you.

Per Kyle Meinke of MLive.com, the Bucs have gotten into the heads of the Lions so bad, have rattled them so much, that the Lions called the dreaded and always fun “players-only” meeting.

“We definitely need to have a team-meeting,” tailback Reggie Bush said. “Really dig deep inside and find out what we’re made of. And it’s going to take everyone on this team — the coaching staff, the players — to overcome this.”

Can he call the meeting?

“I can,” he said, “but it’ll happen.”

And he did, as Meinke later wrote that Nate Burleson was 100 percent behind Bush in wanting a team meeting.

Joe’s just going to guess we won’t be reading about Matthew Stafford oversleeping for meetings and team photos, nor will we be reading about Stafford being stripped of any team honor or title.

The Atlanta Falcons are now in the Bucs’ rearview mirror in the NFC South. Tampa Bay is 3-8 and rising; Atlanta is 2-9 and sinking.

The Redskins also have three wins but play this week on Monday night at home against San Francisco (6-4.)

Regardless of what happens in that game, the Bucs will be sitting with the fifth overall pick in the 2014 draft, if the season ended this week. The Jags, Texans, Vikings and Falcons all have two wins.

Of course, the Bucs’ season has five games to go. Is Tampa Bay officially eliminated from the 2013 playoffs yet? Perhaps that’s a better question.

Joe was scratching his head at halftime, wondering about some of the pass plays that Bucs offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan was calling.

Often on third downs, Sullivan — who Joe likes a lot — called plays where Bucs receivers were running routes on the short side of the first down marker. Why?

Isn’t the purpose of passing on third down to move the chains? Having receivers running routes short of the first down marker sort of defeats the purpose and puts receivers between a rock and a hard place, having to break two or three tackles to get a first down after catching a pass.

Sullivan, who now sits upstairs calling plays, surely could see from that vantage point that his routes were not going past the first down marker.

To make this even more of a riddle, it’s not like the Lions’ secondary is anything to write home about, unless it is a profanity-laced missive.

After the game, Underwood spoke about how the Bucs had that bomb (he caught from quarterback Mike Glennon) in their back pocket ready to use if needed. Had Sullivan not called so many dinks-and-dunks in the first half on third downs, maybe that bomb wouldn’t have been needed.

Joe can’t believe the Bucs would waste three or four (or more) drives just to set up one play in the second half. That’s a bit far-fetched.

So many Bucs fans, annoyed that Team Glazer rarely discusses the Bucs publicly, demand the rarity — that Team Glazer issue some sort statement of their feelings about the State of the Bucs.

Well fans got their wish, sort of. Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune corralled Bucs co-chairman Joel Glazer in the bowels of Ford Field after the Bucs’ improbable 24-21 win at Detroit and got a few words from Glazer.

In short, Glazer likes what he sees (the last three weeks, that is) and apparently likes and respects Bucs commander Greg Schiano.

‏@RCummingsTBO: Bucs co-chairman Joel Glazer on Bucs coach Greg Schiano: “The team never doubted him in the Locker room.” … On last three wins: “speaks volumes about Greg”

Joe doesn’t know if that is what one would call a vote of confidence, but it does suggest Team Glazer is impressed by the turnaround.

December is a big month for Schiano. Team Glazer puts a lot of stock into how a team finishes a season. Joe wouldn’t be shocked if Schiano can squirrel away a couple of more wins, then he will return for 2014.

Tiquan Underwood stood taller than his hair today with two touchdowns and a career high in receiving yards

Mike Glennon completed eight passes to undrafted rookie tight end Tim Wright today, plus three balls (two touchdowns!) to Tiquan Underwood, who had a career high 108 yards. That’s 11 of Glennon’s 14 completions!

Where did Underwood and Wright play in college? All together now, “Rutgers!”

Greg Schiano must be pouring the good champagne on the airplane home.

Underwood flashed the breakaway speed Bucs fans had heard rumors about, and Wright continued to make extremely difficult catches over the middle. That kid’s got special talent.

It’s downright nuts that Underwood was pulled off his couch during the bye week because he wasn’t, umm, good enough to make the roster. He’s now got 13 catches at more than 20 yards a pop and three touchdowns in seven games.

Underwood heaped praise on his quarterback and the Bucs’ gameplan for his 85-yard touchdown bomb, via the Buccaneers Radio Network.

“They gave us the coverage we were looking for and Mike Glennon put it on the money. Mike sullivan, hats of to our offensive coordinator. He put that play in specifically for the look we were waiting for. Detroit has a great front seven so for us to have the time to get that off is tremendous,” Underwood said.

Wright benefited from three tight ends dropping injured ahead of him on the depth chart before he got a chance to catch 34 balls.

Perhaps the Bucs need more Buccaneer Men from Rutgers?

In the middle of this feel good evening (without the benefit of alcohol for Joe, if you can imagine), Joe must interrupt with ugly news.

Rian Lindell, do not board the Bucs’ team bus leaving Ford Field for the airport. Just hop a cab and go to the Southwest counter and get your one-way ticket home. Back to Portland.

No, a win didn’t mean much today outside of temporary glee. Still, Mr. Lindell, you did your best (again) to see that the Bucs lose. You missed critical field goals in the second half that could have iced this win for the Bucs. Instead, you gave the Lions every opportunity to win.

Yes, you. If the Lions could have somehow gotten out of their own way, they would have won. Thanks to your missed field goals.

Yeah, Mike Glennon didn’t help you out much by taking an idiotic sack pushing the line of scrimmage back. But that was still a makeble field goal. You had the distance.

This isn’t the first time you let this team down. Does Joe need to remind you of the Saints loss at home?

Lindell should not be allowed back at One Buc Palace and should not be allowed back in the city limits of Tampa unless he is dropping cash to go to Busch Gardens.

“Who’s with me?”

Imagine if Team Glazer was moved by billboards, paper bags and sports radio screams, Bucs fans wouldn’t be enjoying front row seats for one of the more mind-blowing resurrections in Bucs history.

The Bucs were lifeless and dead a month ago after a home beating by Carolina on Thursday Night Football, which followed a thorough media beating by NFL Network leading up to the game, as well as a good few weeks of clobbering from all angles — ex-Bucs, fans, pundits and more.

The New Schiano Order is 3-1 since then and on the rise. They’ve made adjustments. They’ve thrived through injuries and with a rookie quarterback. They’ve developed players, and registered solid wins. 

Is Greg Schiano’s once broiling hot seat even warm?

It is. Schiano still has to keep his team playing good football and keep his quarterback progressing to earn a return voyage in 2014. But it’s very hard to imagine that not happening on this winning afternoon.

The Bucs are on the rise, and Josh Freeman is in Minnesota.

Mike Glennon already owned the Buccaneers rookie record for touchdown passes. And now, following a fantastic seven-yard throw to Tiquan Underwood today in Detroit, Glennon became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw a TD in his first eight games.

Glennon’s progress has been so steady and stunning. Joe can still remember Glennon looking shaky making bad decisions against second- and third-team defenses in training camp. Now the kid is a hot name in the NFL.

He finished today 14-for-21 with 247 yards and two touchdowns.

It’s the holiday season in case you haven’t figured that out yet and boy, the Lions were sure in the giving mood.

It was as if the Lions were Santa Claus the way they handed out presents. Five turnovers by the Lions — five! — and none bigger than the one sparked by the immortal Kelcie McCray — who? — when he drilled Calvin Johnson on the three-yard line, forcing Johnson to cough up the ball late in the game which sent the Bucs into the glorious victory formation.

Still, it was a nailbiter. Ryan Lindell should not be allowed on the Bucs charter flight returning from Detroit tonight. If you kicked in high school or played college soccer, please e-mail your highlights video to the Bucs pronto.

The Bucs blocked a punt late and, thanks in part to Lindell, came up empty-handed.

The Bucs picked up a mysterious fumble by Kris Durham (what was the point spread?), and thanks to a stupid sack gifted by Glennon and another Lindell miss, again, the Bucs came up empty-handed.

It was as if the Bucs tried to return all the gifts the Lions offered and were rebuffed and told to go home because they didn’t have a receipt.

All those injuries to the Bucs defense, and all the turnovers by the Lions, yet the Bucs still had to sweat out a win. Well, Joe will take being lucky over being good any day.

Nice job Bucs. Except for you, Mr. Lindell. Joe never wants to see you wearing pewter and red again. Coal in your sock for you!

The Revis-free second half today truly illustrated just how valuable Darrelle Revis is to the Bucs’ defense.

Calvin Johnson did little in the first half when Revis followed him around Ford Field on nearly every snap. It even seemed like Revis might have gotten inside Matthew Stafford’s head a bit. Stafford was tentative and inaccurate at times with Revis on the field.

But Revis blew a groin late the first half, and the Bucs’ chances seemed to blow away along with it.

Stafford went right for Johnson — successfully — to start the second half. And the whole Bucs defense appeared to open up with for Detroit without Revis shrinking the field of opportunity.

Thankfully, the Lions gave the Bucs Thanksgiving gift after Thanksgiving gift, which led to the Bucs win.

Joe’s not discounting the big plays made in the backfield by linebackers and defensive line, the adjustments on Johnson in the secondary, and the big hit by reserve safety Kelcie McCray that led to the game-ending interception, but let’s be real; Revis delivers an irreplaceable impact. 

Joe’s hoping Revis can return healthy for the final five games of the season. Yeah, every team has injuries, but Joe’s dying to see what a revived Bucs team, with Revis, can do against a very tough schedule down the stretch.

Amazing rookie Mike Glennon continues to stun the NFL. Glennon’s now played half a season (eight games) with 13 touchdown passes against just four interceptions.

That projects out to a full season of 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions! That’s in the ballpark of Josh Freeman’s famous 25-and-6 of 2010, a season that catapulted Freeman to budding superstar status and landed him getting voted by his peers as the 83rd best player in the NFL.

What more could the Bucs ask of Glennon? Sure, he’s making some rookie mistakes, like needlessly taking a fourth-quarter sack today. But Glennon’s not screwing up much.

And now he’s winning — three in a row!

But a bigger question is what more could Bucs fans ask of Greg Schiano and Mike Sullivan when it comes to developing a quarterback?

If this Glennon progression continues, it makes Joe wonder what Schiano-Sullivan could do with an elite first-round quarterback out of the 2014 draft? Of course, that won’t happen. It’s all about No. 8 for the New Schiano Order, assuming the regime survives this season, unless Schiano wants competition at the position.

How does three in a row feel?

The Bucs’ second-half offensive impotence didn’t matter today. The defense and specials rose up big — without Darrelle Revis, Dashon Goldson and Mason Foster. Unknown safety Kelcie McCray drilled Calvin Johnson near the goal line to dislodge the ball and lead to a Johnthan Banks game-icing interception.

Your New Schiano Order Buccaneers just beat a good football team. On the road!

The Bucs’ offensive line lost the battle in the trenches, but it didn’t matter with Mike Glennon converting his deep shots and staying pretty damn cool for a rookie.

The Bucs are back to their punt-blocking ways, with the second in as many weeks.

There’s a swagger about the Bucs right now. They believe, and it feels damn good.