It’s time to get a little loud and bond with your fellow Bucs fans while watching the New Schiano Order Bucs in Minnesota on Thursday night at Tilted Kilt in Clearwater.

This is going to be the place to be for this game. The Bucs on Thursday Night Football!!

Tilted Kilt has it all, indoor and outdoor seating, great food, the sizzling Kilt girls, a classy layout, and great viewing. The game audio will be heard everywhere, and Joe’s got lots of jerseys and hats to giveaway. There’s nothing better than the energy of a great sports bar scene rocking for the home team. Be there!

It is a testament to this Bucs team that, after playing as horribly as it did for roughly 40 minutes or so, it was in position to tie — or take a lead in the final seconds.

It shows how much this team has advanced under the New Schiano Order.

What looked to be a touchdown to bring the Bucs within an extra point of tying, or a two-point conversion of winning, was waved off when Mike Williams, who caught the pass from quarterback Josh Freeman, was ruled to have illegally returned to the end zone after being out of bounds.

The controversy comes because Williams clearly was pushed out of bounds by a Saints defender.

Now, if the official in question believed Josh Freeman was out of the pocket, and therefore the push was legal, well, that is nothing but interpretation. On face value, it is a travesty of a call and outright burglary.

Williams wouldn’t walk into the murky waters of the play after the game.

“It was a play where, basically, someone has to get open. Basically, it was the last play of the game. I let a guy [Patrick Robinson] get a push on me in the back of the end zone. I think I stepped out of bounds. I got open, but I stepped out of bounds. That’s what happened,” Williams said.

When Williams was asked if he knew during the act if he was out of bounds, he said, “No, not at first. I know he got a good push on me in the back of the end zone. I guess I stepped out of bounds.”

With no idea he committed a penalty, Williams thought for sure he put the Bucs in position to tie the game.

“But I stepped out of bounds.”

When asked by Doug Fernandes of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune if Williams believed Robinson, and not Williams, should have been flagged, Williams took the road less fined and said, “That’s not my call.”

Now clearly if one looks at the replay, Williams was shoved a good three yards out of bounds, but Freeman had rolled out under pressure to his left. The fact that Freeman was out of the tackle box may have been why Robinson was not flagged for defensive holding or interference.

Jimminy Christmas! Mike Sullivan got so conservative at 1st-and-goal on the Saints 1 yard line late in the third quarter, Joe thought Alan Keyes hijacked Sullivan’s headset.

Trailing by a touchdown and following Vincent Jackson getting outwilled by Malcolm Jenkins, the Bucs ran LeGarrette Blount behind Carl Nicks for a 1 yard loss. Then it was Blount again for 1 yard to the right. Then Blount back to the left for a goose egg.

Blount must do better. But Joe also has to wonder why, if Blount is going to be used in that situation, and the guy is a 240-pound back with tremendous leaping ability, why the Bucs aren’t setting him up to run downhill and dive over the top.

Mike Alstott did it. Earnest Graham did it. Why not Blount?

Is Blount to blame? Or is it the coaching staff?

And what about Freeman just powering in one or two QB sneak attempts, something he’s had great success with in the past.

Regardless, the Bucs got way too conservative there. And the naked bootleg to Freeman on fourth down was a disaster.

Joe’s chalking it up to growing pains for a first-time offensive coordinator.

Drew Brees’ clean postgame jersey wasn’t not a good sign

The Bucs have one sack in the past three games, and Drew Brees came out of today’s Saints victory pretty darn clean.

That’s not how the Bucs drew it up in the meeting rooms, said Bucs defensive tackle Roy Miller after the game, via the Buccaneers Radio Network.

“It wasn’t there,” Miler said of today’s pass rush. “That was our focus, especially on first and second down. We just didn’t do it. It’s on us.”

Miller went on to say that “it works both ways,” referring to the woes in the secondary falling in the lap of the defensive line and its inability to win at the line of scrimmage today. 

Joe’s wondering just how much the loss of Adrian Clayborn is hurting the bottom line.

Hey Mike, for the love of all that is holy in this world, please get rid of the Benn’d Around play, will ya? Please?

Joe nearly tossed his laptop this afternoon when, again, the repulsive Benn’d Around play reared its ugly head.

For those not aware, last year, (very) offensive coordinator Greg Olson hatched a play where he would use wide receiver Arrelious Benn on an end around, seemingly each and every game.

The thing is, defenses knew it was coming, and so the play was an epic fail, week after week. Yet Olson continued to call the damned play, despite the fact, it failed over and over.

Joe thought when Olson was jettisoned in January that the Benn’d Around play would be gone for good. But no! It seems the new regime under the New Schiano Order is fond of the play as well.

For the third time this season, today, the Benn’d Around play was called and the results were predictable. Benn gained two yards. Hell, why not run Doug Martin, he can gain two yards and perhaps break a tackle, as he did today?

Joe heard on the Bucs radio broadcast during the game that one reason the Bucs call the Benn’d Around is that “it keeps defenses honest.” Nonsense!

Defenses have seen that play called virtually every week for, what, 19 NFL weeks now? How exactly does that keep the defenses honest when they are looking for the play whenever Benn goes in motion? Good grief!

Please, someone in security at One Buc Palace, confiscate each and every playbook that has that play in it, and burn the books! Grab each and every iPad that has that play on it, and corrupt the damn things so they can no longer be used.

Enough of this Benn’d Around play. If a drunk sitting in the top row of the stadium knows this play isn’t fooling anyone, then why can’t coaches who make six figures, or more, know this play doesn’t work.

Enough already!

No issues for Vincent Jackson getting across the goal line on this play for the Bucs.

As one can imagine, nerves were raw in the Bucs locker room. Not many Bucs were willing to talk. Understandable. It was their worst game of the year, yet, despite all the powderburns on their feet, the Bucs thought they had tied the game up in the final seconds, only to be denied by the zebras (replacement refs, anyone?).

Vincent Jackson was among them. He may be the answer to a trivia question for decades to come, and not in a good way, “Who caught a 95-yard pass in the NFL without scoring?”

Jackson was a stand-up guy in the locker room, offering to field questions. That doesn’t mean he was in a great mood.

When someone — Joe isn’t sure who — asked Jackson point-blank if he “ran out of gas” on the 95-yard catch, Jackson quickly took a page out of the playbook of oily Drew Rosenhaus and said, “Next question,” while facing straight ahead, staring into the klieglights of TV crews.

Jackson had limited participation in practice late last week with a calf issue. When asked if that played a factor in getting caught from behind, and denied a dire needed seven points, Jackson said he “did the best I could.”

Josh Freeman couldn’t have done much more today

Today the numbers tell a true story. Josh Freeman stepped up and played a hell of a game.

Freeman finished 24-for-42 for 420 yards and three touchdowns. The fantasy geeks are going wild, for sure, but Joe only cares that this was Freeman’s most complete performance of the season. He made a wide array of throws and showed some great poise. Freeman got bailed out on some near interceptions early, but largely his decision-making was sound.

It wasn’t Freeman’s fault that the Bucs coaching staff called for LeGarrette Blount to pound the ball three times from the 1 yard line and then sent Freeman on a naked bootleg that wasn’t so naked for the fourth-and-goal fail.

Joe’s looking forward to more of what we saw today from Freeman.

Greg Schiano took responsibility

The leader of the New Schiano Order shouldered plenty of responsibility for the Bucs’ loss today after leaving the field as a 35-28 loser to New Orleans.

Greg Schiano made it clear the Bucs made the most mistakes they’ve made all season against the Saints. Schiano cited pass coverage errors and pass-rush issues and said, “It comes back to coaching.”

The mistakes, coaching and execution, are why Joe wrote earlier that the Bucs took a stop backwards today, after progressing steadily through every game of the season in many aspects.

Perhaps the best thing about this loss is the Bucs have no choice but to let it go. They’ll be on a plane to Minnesota on Wednesday for a date on Thursday Night Football.

Joe was banging his head against the wall after the Bucs’ decision to go with a three-man rush on Drew Brees in the first half on two key third-down plays.

First it was the Bucs leading 21-7 early in the second quarter. The Saints had a 3rd-and-10 on their own 20 yard line. The crowd was going nuts. And the Bucs sent only three to rush Brees with no luck. Brees relaxed in the pocket and fired a 13-yard strike to Lance Moore over the middle.

First down. And the Saints march down for a score.

OK. It didn’t work. But then the Bucs came right back to it.

On the next Saints drive, again the Bucs had the Saints in 3rd-and-long, this time from their own 36 yard line following a Lavonte David four-yard tackle for loss and the Bucs faithful going wild. And there came that heinous three-man rush again with Brees hitting Lance Moore for 16 yards and a first down. Then the Saints scored on a bomb — and ugly tackling — on the next play.

Tie game, 21-21.

Then AGAIN, with New Orleans with 3rd-and-long early in the third quarter, the Bucs went back to the three-man rush. And you guessed it, Drew Brees had time to pump and let good ol’ Lance Moore settle into space for a 35-yard gain.

Joe’s not sure what was being missed by the defensive coaches, but it was inexcusable. Pressuring Brees was working far better than the three-man rush, yet the Bucs chose to give Brees the precious gift of time and got burned repeatedly.

Vincent Jackson, on the second Bucs offensive play after the halftime rest (the first play was a run), caught a pass from Josh Freeman and had a free romp 80 yards to the end zone.

But somehow, the fit, long-striding Jackson, the Bucs’ $11 million man, got run down from more than 20 yards away by Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins at the Saints 1 yard line.

Joe’s never seen such a collapse of will from a player in his prime. Nobody can make an argument that Jackson was tired. Was it his calf that showed up on the injury report last week but was supposed to be no problem? Maybe. But Jackson sure looked good after that play en route to racking up seven catches for 216 yards and a touchdown.

Joe has a theory; Jackson didn’t want it as much as Jenkins.

But it wasn’t Jackson’s fault the Bucs couldn’t put the ball in the end zone against the vaunted Saints defense from the 1 yard line. 

Game over.

Once a upon a time this season, the Bucs were supposed to be the most physical football team around, a team that would impose its will behind beastly offensive linemen. The New Schiano Order would tolerate nothing less.

That wasn’t the case today.

If you can’t score from 1st-and-goal from the 1 yard line on the Saints, then you deserve to lose. And that’s what happened to the Bucs today, as Tampa Bay blew a 14-point lead and got manhandled often after the first quarter by the suspect Saints defensive line. The 1-4 Saints, now 2-4, outscored the Bucs 35-14 to close out the game on the Tampa turf.

There was some questionable efforts by the Bucs’ offense, and eye-opening Bucs coaching calls on both sides of the ball.

The Bucs took a step backwards today, no matter how close the game was. There’s no way to sugarcoat it.

Stick with Joe through the afternoon and evening for so much more.

Welcome to Throwback Sunday where the Bucs don the old creamsicles, even the cheerleaders are decked out in orange. Feel free to post your comments here about the game. As always, do not post URLs of illegal, pirated Internet streams of the game, but you are welcome to share them via e-mail. Have fun!

As we near kickoff, check out veteran WTSP sports anchor Dave Wirth’s insight on the Saints-Bucs game today.

The Bucs just released who will not suit up today on Throwback Sunday as the Bucs host the Saints today. And the victims are:

RB Michael Smith

DB Keith Tandy

LB Jacob Cutrera

LB Najee Goode

C Cody Wallace

WR Chris Owusu

TE Danny Noble

It just blows Joe’s mind that Michael Smith is not active. Again.

Bucs coach Greg Schiano has stated how the Bucs kickoff return team needs to improve, yet the Bucs keep speedster Smith on the bench.

Doesn’t add up for Joe.

Week 7

Saints at Bucs

Kickoff: 1 p.m.

TV: WTVT-TV Channel 13 in the Tampa Bay area, DirecTV Channel 708. Game will be available on Game Rewind on NFL.com at midnight as well as Game Short Cuts on NFL Sunday Ticket, also at midnight tonight.

Radio: Buccaneers Radio Network (in Tampa WFUS-FM, 103.5 and WDAE-AM, 620); SiriusXM Channel 136.

Weather: Per AccuWeather.com, really nice weather. Temperature at kickoff will be 80 degrees under sunny skies. The temperature will actually rise slightly to 82 by game’s end. No rain, little wind. Bring the sunscreen!

Odds: Per Sportsbook.com, Bucs +1.5.

Outlook: If you like offense, this game should be for you.

Provided last week wasn’t just a tease, and the Bucs can light up the scoreboard, it’s just about the only way the Bucs will be able to beat the Saints.

Sure, the Saints defense stinks (and no, Joe isn’t expecting much of anything from Jonathan Vilma). Sure Jimmy Graham was left in New Orleans with a bum ankle. But we are talking about future Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees who still, with inferior receivers, can put many points on the board.

No, this game will be on the shoulders of the Bucs offense, specifically the passing game. When the chains were unlocked on quarterback Josh Freeman last week against the Chiefs, the Bucs offense was lethal. Between Mike Williams and Vincent Jackson catching footballs, and yes, even Doug Martin catching passes out of the backfield, the Bucs proved they can move the ball.

This will have to happen today to keep up with Brees.

Bucs fans know Ronde Barber should someday be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The career numbers he has racked up, and continues to rack up as a safety, are impressive.

Sadly, there is a major logjam of cornerbacks waiting to get to the Hall of Fame. That doesn’t help Barber’s case.

How impressive has Barber been? Even the ESPN types are turning heads. Consider Adam Schefter, who now has jumped on the bandwagon of Barber to the Hall of Fame.

3. Ronde’s résumé: As running back Tiki Barber racked up Pro Bowl appearances and enough yards to become the Giants’ all-time rushing leader, few would have thought twin brother Ronde would have the more distinguished NFL career. But into his 16th season, all with the Buccaneers, cornerback Ronde Barber is the one who has stood out as much for his ability as his durability. His interception return for a touchdown last Sunday was the 12th defensive touchdown of his career, tying Aeneas Williams and Charles Woodson and trailing Rod Woodson and Darren Sharper by one for the most in NFL history. Barber’s next start Sunday against New Orleans will be his 222nd, passing former linebacker Derrick Brooks for the most in Buccaneers history. Barber has more consecutive starts than any other cornerback in NFL history, more sacks than any other cornerback in NFL history and more interceptions than any other Buccaneer in history. As the interceptions, touchdowns, starts and records keep piling up, Barber’s case for a spot in Canton continues to be bolstered. It was hard to imagine that the Barber most likely to wind up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame would be Ronde. But all these years later, no one can argue.

But still there are jugheads who argue. How many times have your heard scribes claim Barber is a “system cornerback?” That’s one of the weakest sauce arguments Joe has ever heard.

So what if he was a system player, which Joe doesn’t buy, how did he do in the system he played? One could argue Joe Montana — who Joe worshiped — was a system quarterback. Would Montana have put up the numbers he did if he played for the Bills or the Saints and not for Bill Walsh in the original west coast offense?

Would Lawrence Taylor had been the complete terror he was if he had played in a 4-3 defense and not an outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense?

This “system” argument is pure nonsense, through and through.

If Barber doesn’t get into the Hall of Fame because of a logjam, well, OK. That happens. But if Barber doesn’t get in because voters have the notion he was a system cornerback, then that will be an absolute travesty.

Oh, the irony. Donovan McNabb of all people is spewing on NFL Network that Ronde Barber is the weak link in the Bucs secondary. Here’s the video.

McNabb breaks out game film and spits out a stat that says Barber has been targeted 18 times this season by opposing offenses and has been beaten 12-of-18 times for two touchdowns.

“Attack the old guy and you’ll be successful,” McNabb said of what the Saints need to do.

Something to watch for tomorrow. And somewhere the ultra-competitive Barber is seething.

The pride of Rutgers, Bucs center Jeremy Zuttah, reminisced last night on the Buccaneers Radio Network about his big moment on offense, the one and only time his number was called. Joe went to YouTube to find it, and thought it was worth sharing. Pretty cool play-call for sure.

Boomer Esiason took serious shots at Josh Freeman’s work ethic and reputation and implied that too much partying is affecting Freeman.

Yesterday, former NFL quarterback and current CBS talking head Boomer Esiason dropped in, via phone, for a visit with Justin Pawlowski and Gary Shelton, co-hosts of the “Gary and the Commish” show on WHFS-FM 98.7, to discuss all things Bucs.

Esiason had plenty to say about Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman and virtually all of Esiason’s comments were no less than explosive.

In short, Esiason claimed Freeman was “clubbing” and doesn’t take his job as the Bucs quarterback seriously, thus why he has struggled in the early weeks of the 2012 season.

“I hate to do this and I hate rumors and things of that nature. One of the reasons we say this is we have information on every single player in the league and what is going on and what is the thought process and what is the reputation and all that other stuff,” Esiason said. “Here is Josh’s reputation in the eyes of a lot of us that cover this league: tremendous talent, tremendous arm, tremendous football player. The sky is the limit for him and usually what makes people get to that next level is his commitment that he makes to his craft: the study in the playbook, understanding where you are in the offense and taking everything you do as a quarterback and taking it seriously and not hanging out on Friday nights and not hanging out on Tuesday nights and being above all the stuff that unfortunately a lot of young men find themselves in the midst of, and that is young men enjoying themselves when they are on their off time.

“I get all of that. We all went through that as players and that other stuff. But he if wants to be the next group of players, if he wants to be mentioned in same breath as Drew Brees, who you will see Sunday, or Tom Brady or Ben Roethlisberger, and even Ben Roethlisberger had some growing up to do, and I remember us challenging him to grow up as well, then he is going to have to take his craft a helluva lot more seriously.

“While I think he is a tremendous football player — he had a great game last week. Now I think we are starting to see the fruits of the Vincent Jackson signing and throwing the ball down the football field. This could be a really exciting football field if he gets plugged in and gets plugged in in a way that we all believe he should be in order to reach what we believe is a very, very high potential ceiling.”

Esiason was challenged on his comments by Shelton, who told the story of former Bucs offensive (keyword) coordinator Greg Olson telling Shelton that no quarterback he had worked with had a better work ethic.

Esiason responded by reinforcing his comments, throwing out the word “clubbing” in speaking of Freeman.

Later, after the interview, Shelton was taken aback. He openly wanted to know just what source Esiason was basing his Freeman comments on.

This is the very first Joe has heard of this as well, and given how dozens of people both inside and outside the walls of One Buc Palace rave about Freeman’s work ethic, Joe has to believe Esiason’s information is wrong, or a plant.

As regular readers of this here corner of the interwebs know, Joe is addicted to SiriusXM NFL Radio.  One of Freeman’s biggest supporters is former Super Bowl quarterback Rich Gannon, who has worked several of Freeman’s games, watched Freeman practice several times and has sat down with Freeman many times as well. Gannon gushes about Freeman’s work ethic, going so far as to say about Freeman, “He gets it.” And this is coming from a man who still harbors a touch of bitterness at the Bucs for jettisoning Chucky.

Pat Kirwan, one of Gannon’s colleagues at SiriusXM NFL Radio, is likeminded in his support of Freeman. Like Gannon, Kirwan has attended Bucs practices before and has had sit-downs with Freeman.

To be honest, Joe has no idea if Esiason has ever attended or watched a Bucs practice much less sat down and spoke with Freeman. As Joe stated before, he has to believe that Esiason’s source is either misguided or this data given to Esiason is simply a plant.

The entire interview with Esiason can be heard by clicking the link in the second paragraph of this post.