Yes, the Bucs’ defense, aka the Rutgers defense, belongs to Greg Schiano. Defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan made that clear when he was hired.

A huge question entering 2013 was whether Schiano’s defense would thrive in the NFL after a rough opening season.

If you look at the numbers, the defense is having success.

Points allowed per game – 23.2 (15th-ranked in the NFL)
Yards per game – 333 (14th)
Passing yards allowed per game – 237 (14th)
Rushing yards allowed per game – 95.8 (5th)

No, this is nothing to celebrate, especially with a garbage pass rush. But the Bucs are executing defensively better than most teams in the NFL. Again, that should be expected when you have legitimate superstars at each level of the defense — D-line, linebacker and secondary.

Greg Schiano must win a majority of his remaining schedule to save his job, Joe believes. But his final job-security assessment could include a more thorough study of production. If the Bucs finish with a top-10 defense, that could go a long way in the minds of Team Glazer.

Joe’s written plenty about how Greg Schiano has lectured Bucs rookies about how what would be their college season is over, and how they need to take care of themselves meticulously if they want to thrive through the second half of an NFL season.

So what does that mean for Akeem Spence, a starting defensive tackle and anchor of the Bucs’ stingy run defense, the one that allowed just two yards on 14 Dolphins carries last night?

Spence said his challenges are going to bed early — “I like to stay up and play video games.” — and passing on junk food. Rookies bring donuts in for the team on Saturdays, Spence said, and they’re tough to resist. “You know, I get one or two. I might sneak back for a third and a fourth.”

Spence said he leans on his leadership, citing Gary Gibson as a guy who mentors him and counsels him on whatever he needs to do to stay professional.

BSPN serves up a look at some key plays. In case you forgot what it looks like, the video also includes a packed Stadium on Dale Mabry Highway.

Bobby Rainey, who just a few weeks earlier was walking the streets out of work, points skyward after he scored a touchdown for the Bucs Monday night.

Yes, Joe is still aglow over the first win of the season for the Bucs. Sure, Joe wants the Bucs to have a fabulous draft slot. But when toe meets leather (hat tip, Mr. Deckerhoff) Joe is all-in pulling for a Bucs victory.

It’s just hilarious that Bucs commander Greg Schiano believes this team has stunted and shifted guys on the defensive front line so much that it shocked the Dolphins when the Bucs decided to go straight at Ryan Tannehill on the final defensive stand. Most teams expect defenses to go straight at a quarterback. Guess the Bucs just have to be different.

Sure glad Schiano saw the light at the last moment. Otherwise, who knows how the game turns out.

Sacks

You would think/hope that after the Bucs recorded sacks on consecutive plays (Hell, there Mr. Bowers!) by running straight at the quarterback, someone on the coaching staff will finally see the light and turn the defensive front line loose like it was in the final minutes last night.

Isn’t it plainly obvious through how many weeks and how many games that being cute on defense doesn’t get the job done?

Very cool that Bucs icon Warren Sapp, before the game, told Gerald McCoy to do just what he did late. Also cool that Lavonte David was so upset about what looked to be another loss, that he got in GMC’s face and challenged the defense’s manhood to stop the Dolphins. Voila, sacks and a pick!

Maybe a sign of the future?

Greg Schiano’s Future

Speaking of future, Joe isn’t 100 percent sure that Schiano will lose his job after the season. Joe has a hunch if, somehow, Schiano can weasel through four more wins, he will be safe.

His coordinators? Not so fast.

Newest stud

Did you have a sick feeling in your stomach when Mike James was carted off the field? He had played at a higher rate than Doug Martin. Now down their first two starters, the Bucs turned to Brian Leonard and Bobby Rainey, who was walking the streets just a couple of years ago. This is also an example of why Joe would never draft a running back in the first round. You can always get good running back talent in later rounds or in free agency.

Neither James nor Rainey were drafted in the first round.

Chasing the Dixie Chicks

Joe’s going to have to wrap this up shortly as it is 5:35 a.m., Joe is still working after the game and his head is bouncing and eyebrows growing heavy. The Dixie Chicks flat out stink and the Bucs have largely gotten better each week since they narrowly lost to the Dixie Chicks in Atlanta.

Could the Bucs pull off another shocker? Would it be a shocker?

NFL Thoughts:

Vikings: Their win over the Redskins says more about the Redskins than the Vikings. How badly have the Redskins dropped off? And isn’t it about time we give Adam Schein credit for last year saying he trusted Christian Ponder more than he trusted Josh Freeman?

Seahawks: They crushed the Dixie Chicks, but does this say more about how far off the map the Dixie Chicks have fallen than how good the Seahawks are?

Ravens: Only thing Joe has to say about the Crows is, Joe Flacco is the very definition of clutch.

Lions: They are in the driver’s seat for the NFC North crown. Yes, you read that correctly.

Lambs: Are the Colts starting to fall apart? Joe just isn’t on the Jeff Fisher bandwagon. Maybe the most overrated coach in the NFL. He’s not bad, but there are others you can pin Super Bowl hopes to and have a better shot of, you know, playing in a Super Bowl.

Giants: With three wins, the Giants are two wins out of first place. That’s how miserable the NFC East is. Always overrated, this year it’s a joke.

Steelers: Mike Tomlin is fighting like a madman not to get a top-five draft pick. Why fight it? If you don’t make the playoffs, lose for the draft. Haven’t we been over this before? Wonder who planted the Big Ben trade story with NFL Network? Hhhmmm…

Jaguars: Any given Sunday, friends. Any given Sunday.

Stinking Panthers: They just curb-stomped the 49ers in their own crib. Though Joe was pulling for San Francisco, it was a beautiful, smashmouth game. Old school football.

Cardinals: Even with wunderkind and Houston fan favorite Case Keenum at quarterback, the Texans still can’t find a win. What are the odds the Texans draft Johnny Football next year?

Broncos: Solid win over a good team in the Chargers. But the greatest regular season quarterback in NFL history is banged up with a date with the (currently) undefeated Chiefs around the corner.

Saints: What an absolute chain-whipping the Saints dished out to the Cowgirls! Joe freaking loved every second of it.

Non-NFL thoughts:

1) Is Alabama the No. 1 team in the country? Joe has no doubt. Can they run the table? Not as easy as Florida State should, which Joe agrees is the No. 2 team in the country.

2) If Joe were an LSU fan, he would have thrown a beer bottle through his TV Saturday night. LSU moved the ball on Alabama in the first half and threw away two touchdowns on stupidity. On defense, once LSU let Alabama get away with a fake punt that you could smell coming all the way from Hernando County. Then the defense got off the field on third down deep in Alabama territory when they were whistled for a stupid penalty on an uncatchable ball, which Alabama later scored on the same drive. Perfect example of how dumb mistakes will cost a team games.

3) Heisman Trophy race: Johnny Football leads by a hair over Famous Jameis, who leads by a good margin over A.J. McCarron. Look, Johnny Football is an absolute marked man and still he is putting up better numbers than he did last year. How many quarterbacks can brag they threw for over 400 yards on Nick Saban in successive seasons? Johnny Football may be the lone one. He is the best player in college football.

4) Not that long ago, if you would have said Minnesota would beat Nebraska and Penn State in the same season, then there would have been an intervention issued for you.

5) Speaking of Bo Pelini, he likely has saved his job via a fluke Hail Mary, and a week later, squeaking out a win against the hapless offense of Michigan.

6) Oregon. Frauds. They get punched in the mouth and cannot answer physically. Go ahead and jump up and down like little girls about your 5,000 stupid grade school uniforms and be content with being a wannabe.

7) Stop with this “Fire Will Muschamp” nonsense. The Gators are struggling because they have been wiped out by injuries. Joe still thinks Florida is going to scare the hell out of Florida State later this month.

8) Joe can’t figure out if Tyler Lewan is as good as advertised? The Michigan left tackle is supposed to be the next Dan Dierdorf. Then, you hear how Michigan cannot run the ball. How can you have a stud left tackle and not be able to run behind him? Doesn’t add up.

9) Joe is not sure if Auburn is fraudulent or the real deal? Guess we will all find out in a few weeks in the Iron Bowl?

10) What an ugly injury by Steven Stamkos. Out at least six months and needing surgery? So that means, at best, he wouldn’t be ready until the Stanley Cup playoffs? Just so sad.

It’s not easy being Darrelle Revis, especially when you have 380,000+ followers on Twitter and most of them are Jets fans.

Revis gets a lot of Tweets sent his way. Many of them, he said last night, are “F. You.”

Revis says the “bitter Jets fans” don’t bother him. Attacks have been routine for years. “C’mon man, I’ve been getting death threats since my [first] holdout,” Revis said. 

Occasionally, Revis will fire back, but it’s rare. No. 24 said he is very removed from anything Jets and he rarely watches football during his personal time, only keep track of the standings and future opponents.

Revis’ Twitter world came into focus last week when national media reported on a Twitter response he sent to a fan, stating he preferred the Bucs and $16 million per year versus the winning Jets and a lower salary.

Greg Schiano credited veterans on the Bucs defense like Darrelle Revis for shutting down the Dolphins late to secure the team’s first win of the season.

It is still mind-blowing to Joe how a defense that has been mostly suspect all season was able to smother the Dolphins’ rushing attack for a mere two yards Monday night.

Joe doesn’t care how miserable the Dolphins are. Two yards rushing, for an offense, is beyond the pale.

But that’s what the Bucs did Monday night, holding Miami to two more yards rushing than Joe had. That is incredible. In the eyes of Bucs commander Greg Schiano, the base reason for the stingy defense and the win was the play of his veterans.

“I think when you have veteran players like Gerald McCoy, who is a Pro Bowl player, and a guy like Darrelle Revis and Dashon Goldson and a guy like Lavonte David, in that last drive, stepping up and [saying], ‘This is not going to happen. Right now, right here, we are gong to get this.’ that’s what you need.”

Darrelle Revis’ game-winning pick was set up by two sacks from the Bucs’ front line, something Greg Schiano believes the Dolphins did not expect.

Read Steve White on his blog, Passing on the Game, hear him on radio, hear Warren Sapp in interviews, hear Booger McFarland on the radio, and the trio has nearly hollered themselves mute. They can’t stand the way the Bucs under commander Greg Schiano approach rushing the quarterback (cynics would say, not rush the quarterback).

Moving guys around, running silly, cute stunts, dropping dudes into pass coverage on blitzes, it drives the former Bus defensive linemen out of their minds.

And, it totally caught Dolphins coach Joe Philbin, quarterback Ryan Tannehill and the Dolphins’ offense totally off guard.

The Bucs had played so many cute tricks (which basically has resulted in nothing) the Dolphins expected the Bucs to continue to run stunts and silly moves on Miami’s final drive. That’s what Schiano thought after the Bucs got sacks on consecutive pass attempts to force Ryan Tannehill into a desperate throw on fourth down that Darrelle Revis picked off, sealing the win.

Gerald McCoy said coaches (defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan?) told the defensive linemen just before they took the field for the final time, “Go get the quarterback,” which Schiano believed fooled Tannehill.

“I don’t think he expected that look,” Schiano said. “I thought it was a really good call by Bill Sheridan. Somtimes you have to save something for the end and he did, and it worked great.”

Lavonte David buries Dolphins running back Daniel Thomas Monday night for a safety. David and the Bucs set a team record for fewest rushing yards allowed in a game, two.

Here’s a stat for you to curl up in your blanket tonight, dreaming dreamy thoughts of Warren Sapp, Derrick Brooks, John Lynch and Ronde Barber:

The Bucs held the Dolphins to a mere two yards rushing. Yes, you read that right. Two yards rushing. Total. For the game. In four quarters.

That’s playing some football. Oh, and it is a Bucs record. Think about that for a moment. Some of the great defenses the Bucs have had all throughout the years and this much-maligned defense held the Dolphins to just two more yards than Joe had Monday night.

The previous record was 10 yards, which happened twice; one last year at home against the Stinking Panthers, and back in 1994 against the Redskins.

Bucs commander Greg Schiano lauded, in particular, linebacker Mason Foster.

“The guy struggled the last couple of week,” Schiano said. I thought mason Foster stepped up and played really [well]. I just saw him flying around out there tonight. All the pieces fit together. When you can have an effort like that, [holding an opponent to] two yards rushing, that’s going to eat a lot of clock. “

Sometimes pictures need no words, but Joe will add a few. The NFL crossbar is 10 feet high. Donald Penn’s got some hops. Not bad for a guy who goes 330 and change wearing football gear.

It was Penn’s second career touchdown. And yes, the dunk was planned.

“Y’all know I love basketball, man. The first time I [scored a touchdown] I didn’t know how to act. I lost my composure. So this time I had something planned,” Penn said.  “And then I saluted to the troops, with this being Veterans Day. They do a lot for us and they really go under-appreciated.”

Penn explained that he lobbied hard for years for the Bucs to return his end zone route to their play list. Penn said he even demanded coaches watch film of his 2010 end zone romp in San Francisco.

Like Mike James, many Bucs fans covered their face when James fractured his ankle. But backup RB Bobby Rainey saved the day.

So the Bucs, down Doug Martin, seemed to have found a solid replacement in Mike James. The rookie ran for 158 yards last week at Seattle. He started Monday night’s game with 41 yards on five carries when he was rolled up on and fractured his left ankle.

Brian Leonard replaced James and largely was inconsistent, so the Bucs turned to recently signed Bobby Rainey, who last carried a football in Week 5 when with the Browns. He was walking the streets when the Bucs signed him.

Monday night, Rainey blew up. He had 45 yards on eight carries, his longest a 31-yard scamper down the left sideline where he was knocked out at the Dolphins-1.

Undaunted, Rainey then plunged in from the 1 for the Bucs’ winning touchdown.

Even though the Bucs stink, you have to give credit to Bucs running backs coach Earnest Byner for getting his players ready to play at a moment’s notice.

If not for Rainey, there’s a good chance the Bucs don’t record their first win Monday.

The inspirational speech by Lavonte David to the Bucs defense is being talked about from all corners.

Even Darrelle Revis told Joe it inspired him. In this BSPN postgame audio, Schiano referenced the core of David’s message, “This stops now.”

Da’Quan Bowers and the Bucs pass rush showed up just at the right time Monday night.

The Bucs have been putrid getting to opposing quarterbacks. Horribly so. Anyone who reads this site more than once a month knows this.

Then, all of a sudden, as if being lifted by the spirit of Warren Sapp himself on the night his number was retired, the Bucs got a pass rush.

At the perfect time.

Just after the two-minute warning, Miami had a first down at their own 23 needing a field goal to tie. In countless other games this season, the Bucs would have found a way to hand the Dolphins a win on a silver platter. But then, here comes William Gholston and Da’Quan Bowers.

Yes, Bowers helped smother Miami quarterback Ryan Tannehill to the turf on the stadium on Dale Mabry Highway. On second-and-a-bus ride, big old Gerald McCoy put Tannehill down on the ground again.

On fourth-and-a-prayer, Tannehill decided to trespass on Revis Island, heaving a throw down the right sideline for Mike Wallace, but the ball was picked by Darrelle Revis.

Ballgame over.

In short, the sacks on consecutive plays amounted to what former Bucs, mainly Steve White, have been screaming for all season: pin your ears back and make a beeline for the quarterback.

There were no stunts, no nothing. Mano y mano, McCoy said after the game.

“Just go,” GMC said his coaches told him before he and his defense took the field for the last time Monday night.

And look at the result! Hello!

There was also inspiration from a buddding superstar on the Bucs roster. Lavonte David, frustrated by seeing way too many wins turn to losses, got into GMC’s face before the first snap after the two-minute warning, telling GMC and the rest of the Bucs defensive line to man up and get make Tannehill eat dirt.

And it resulted in victory.

Joe’s going to forget for a moment about his flimsy bank account and pretend he’s a member of Team Glazer.

A packed house celebrating Warren Sapp Night just witnessed a thrilling Bucs win, with the crowd on its feet cheering as the Bucs closed out the game with two consecutive sacks and an interception.

Happy times!

Joe suspects Team Glazer is beaming. And Joe also is confident Team Glazer holds out hope that Greg Schiano can right their ship and see the Bucs through to a winning second half of the 2013 season. A loss tonight after leading 15-0, well, Joe would have been shoveling dirt on Schiano’s chances and suspecting Team Glazer would go coach shopping (if they haven’t already.)

Joe believes Team Glazer will choose optimism when it comes to Schiano, if the head coach gives them that chance, aka playing winning football down the stretch. Team Glazer knows it’s not easy to pick a good head coach, and if they’ve got a team on the rise playing hard for their leader, that might be enough to keep the house in tact.

Again, this is Joe attempting to think like a Glazer. The Bucs remain 1-8, but it’s only a perception game from here forward. Can Schiano win games and make the Glazers think twice about giving him the boot? Bucs fans should have their answer in less than a month.

Joe will have much more in the wee hours and in the a.m. about tonight’s win against the Dolphins, but a stunning stat that sticks out is the Dolphins only managing two yards rushing on 14 carries. That’s got to be somewhere close to an NFL record.

The Bucs channeled their No. 1 ranked rush defense of 2012, swarming to the football and getting in the backfield.

The pass rush is still pathetic, and the Bucs are weak where the cornerback is not named Revis, but there’s enough talent on the field to make plays and stuff the run. That will win plenty of games against lesser quarterbacks and depleted offenses. The Bucs still have a few of those opponents on their schedule.

The champagne may not taste great tonight, but at least you can finally pop a bottle. The Bucs won! It was a long 10 1/2 months.

The Bucs’ defense came up huge when it had to. After Mike Glennon’s second-half interception, the Dolphins managed a field goal after a -5 yard drive. And then the Bucs slammed the door.

There were sacks! William Gholston and Da’Quan Bowers shared one on the final drive, and Gerald McCoy followed that up immediately before a Darrelle Revis interception effectively iced the game.  

And speaking of that Glennon pick, Joe believes it was the best thing that could have happened to the Bucs. It seemed to slap Bucs coaches in the head and get them back to what was working — the running game. Mike James was brilliant before suffering a major ankle injury in the first quarter. Then Brian Leonard and off-the-couch Bobby Rainey carried the load.

Rainey, snatched off waivers a few weeks ago, had eight carries for 45 yards, including a 31-yarder that set up his winning TD run. Leonard delivered 20 carries for 57 yards, the biggest rushing load of his seven year career.

The Bucs played about 30 minutes of excellent football — to start the game and to finish the game — but it was enough. They made plays, you know, the kind that win games.

Enjoy the feeling. Greg Schiano is.

Monday Night Football in Tampa. The kickoff is upon us. Warren Sapp night at the Stadium on Dale Mabry Highway.

Can the Bucs finally win their first game? Can the Bucs take advantage of the blown up Dolphins offensive line?

It is sold out here in Tampa. Crowd already yelling “Tampa.. Bay!”

Let’s hear it Bucs fans. Post your comments here throughout the night. Have fun.

The list of Bucs who won’t wear a helmet.

Cornerbacks Deveron Carr and Danny Gorrer, safety Bradley McDougald, guards Carl Nicks and Patrick Omameh, wide receiver Chris Owusu, and rookie defensive end Steven Means.

Joe’s a bit surprised by Gorrer’s omission.

Game 9

Dolphins (4-4) at Bucs (0-8)

Kickoff: 8:40 p.m.

TV: BSPN.

Radio: Buccaneers Radio Network (in Tampa WFUS-FM 103.5, and WDAE-AM 620); SiriusXM Channel 86.

Weather: Per WTSP-TV, it should be a beautiful night for football at the Stadium on Dale Mabry Highway. A kickoff temperature of 72 is expected under balmy breezes. At the end of the game, it should be in the upper 60s, and maybe pushing 70. Chamber of Commerce night for a national audience.

Odds: Per FootballLocks.com, Dolphins -2.

Outlook: On paper it is so simple: The leaky Dolphins offensive line has lost its starting left side. So load up on a pass rush from the right. Right? Right? Probably wrong. The Bucs seem too hellbent and too busy running cutesy stunts that regularly take defensive linemen out of position and/or out of plays. The results are a horrible sacks total lost opportunities to make plays.

It’s like the captain of a burning ship. The Bucs are going to do it their way, baby, listing ship or not.

There’s really not much for Joe to be positive about;. the Bucs have the worst record in the NFL. The biggest positive is to say they could and should draft a stud next spring.

What Joe hopes to see is the newfound Bucs running game with rookie Michael James. If the Bucs can block tonight like they did against Seattle, then it will be interesting to see how James fares.

Sadly, whatever the Bucs do right in the first half, Joe suspects they will inexplicably get away from that in the second half, and end up losing the game.

It’s what the 2013 Bucs do.