Peter King of SI.com notes Antonio Bryant will hit the NFL version of Lotto in '09.

In his weekly Monday Morning Quarterback column on SI.com, Peter King notes that Bucs WR Antionio Bryant will be getting a nice little pay raise for the 2009 season. Bryant is an unrestricted free agent and Bucs fans can make a sober argument he has evolved into this season’s MVP for Tampa Bay.

Antonio Bryant might be a pain in the keister, but he’s going to make some money in free-agency after the season. He’s making $605,000 this year on a one-year deal with the Bucs. He’ll make $6.5 million next year, somewhere. (Not saying he’ll average that for a long-term deal. I am saying he’ll make that much in salary and bonuses, at least.)

Joe wouldn’t be shocked if Bruce Almighty slapped a franchise tag on Bryant to keep him on the Bucs roster. Joe only hopes Bill Parcells keeps his mitts off him until after the Super Bowl.

It appears these Storm cheerleaders will indeed have to find work this summer.

Joe is wondering if someone at the Arena Football League will finally make up their mind?

First the league was suspening operations for next season. Then it was going to play. Now, with teams folding and a commissioner leaving, the league apparently will suspend the 2009 season in a report by the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

The tipping point? Part league owner BSPN said it would not televise a league with only a handful of teams.

Again, Joe is not a fan of arena ball. But he knows many Bucs fans are. Hence the post.

Joe is not a fan of BSPN. Years ago, that four-letter outfit was must-watch for any sports fan. Now, it’s only must-watch for those who have undergone a lobotomy or are under the influence of powerful bi-polar medications.

In fact, Joe is confident he brings Bucs fans more information than BSPN does on its Bucs page.

Years ago (seriously) Joe quit watching BSPN except for live games and few select shows, the number of which Joe can count on one hand with fingers left over. BSPN’s “news coverage” pounds a handful of teams over viewers’ heads, and if you are not a fan of those few teams you are screwed.

Ironically, BSPN passes this nonsense off as journalism. Anyone have a barf bag?

Joe has found many other TV networks and blogs and Internet sites where a sports fan can get loads more information than what is offered by BSPN.

So when Joe comes across evidence of someone from BSPN getting horse dung thrown back at him, Joe loves it. If they can dish it out, they ought to be able to receive it, no?

So in the spirit of fairness, enjoy the following video.

Dolphins executive Bill Parcells is no stranger to tampering, especially with the Bucs.

Last week Joe raised speculation that The Tuna, Dolphins executive Bill Parcells, may be tampering with Bucs free-agent-to-be and stud wide receiver Antonio Bryant. In an article about Bryant by Sean Jensen of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press for Yahoo! Sports, Bryant was quoted saying Parcells is sending messages to him via intermediaries.

This raised all sorts of red flags with Joe.

Joe searched long and hard for the definitive NFL rules on tampering. But he can’t find anything written in black and white (or any color) as the rule seems to be vague.

However, per an article by Mark Maske of the Washington Post earlier this year, Maske wrote:

Under anti-tampering rules, a player eligible for free agency is supposed to negotiate only with his most recent team until the opening of the free agent market, when he is permitted to begin negotiating with any team.

Bryant is an unrestricted free agent after this season.

Joe isn’t sure if what The Tuna is doing with Bryant is actually tampering, but it sure smells fishy. Besides, it wouldn’t be the first time Parcells was fingered for tampering in connection with the Bucs. In fact, it seems Parcells knows all too well about tampering.

Check back to JoeBucsFan.com for more on this developing story. Meanwhile, Bruce Almighty and NFL executives should keep a close eye on Parcells’ inappropriate flirting with Bryant.

After some sideline fireworks with Atlanta coach Mike White, Antonio Bryant hinted that his future is in Tampa Bay

The lone stud performer on the Bucs offense, the soon-to-be free agent with 74 catches for 1,044 yards and an inbox full of love notes from Bill Parcells, said “I’m always going to be a Buc,” after Sunday’s 10-7 loss to the Falcons in Atlanta.

Antonio Bryant’s words came courtesy of an interview with the Atlanta Journal Constitution, when asked about his heated sideline confrontation with Falcons’ coach Mike Smith.

“Just as long as the man didn’t put his hands on me, I don’t care,” Bryant said, shaking his head. “I don’t recall what [Smith] said. It’s nothing personal. That’s over with, and if he wants to get in my face, that’s great support of a coach looking out for his players. I don’t think he took it as anything more than being a Falcon, just like I’m always going to be a Buc. And I’m not mad at him for that.”

Sadly, this quote may be the best news to come out of the Atlanta loss. Re-signing Bryant, the sixth leading receiver in the NFC, must be an offseason priority for the Bucs. And perhaps his comments are a revelation that a new, longterm contract is in the works.

As for the usually calm Falcons coach getting in Bryant’s face, Joe speculates that White was just trying to impress Bryant and inspire him to come to Atlanta next year.

Joe prefers that approach to Dolphins executive Bill Parcells’, who is having his henchmen send love notes Bryant’s way.

Even scaredy cat Dexter Jackson isn't afraid of the Bucs running game. A 38-year-old quarterback with a bad calf is their biggest backfield threat.

Twelve stinkin’ yards. That’s the longest run by a Bucs running back in the past three key division games against New Orleans, Carolina and Atlanta.

The Bucs backfield couldn’t scare Dexter Jackson.

But forget the stats for a minute and focus on what’s going on with the Bucs rushing attack (if you can even use the word attack for something so weak).

• Tampa Bay rarely earns positive yardage in the red zone.
• The Bucs have no short yardage threat (except on 1st down).
• Their breakaway threat is a nearly 39-year-old quarterback with a bad calf.
• Defenses have gone from daring the Bucs to throw to challenging them to run.

Warrick Dunn is a great back whose time has passsed. He can show some flashes and protect the ball, but his role should be that of change-of-pace back used sparingly to keep him fresh. It’s obvious the season grind and 15 touches a game is more than he can physically handle.

Cadillac Williams said his whole body is sore and he’s not nearly 100 percent recovered from his knee injury 15 months ago, according to FOX Sports announcers’ comments during Sunday’s game at Atlanta.

So somebody please explain how the Bucs are better with healthy, explosive Michael Bennett in San Diego? Chucky and Bruce Allen shortchanged Bucs fans by cutting Bennett, rather than baggage handlers Josh Johnson and Dexter Jackson.

Sure, Earnest Graham was lost with a knee injury in November. But what about the Bucs overrated offensive line? Nobody can accuse them of consistenly blowing open holes in these last three games, all critical division contests.

Speaking on the Bucs Radio Network pregame show Sunday, offensive lineman Donald Penn said the Bucs O-line is “a top-5 line in the NFL.” Yeah, nice try, Donald.

Whether the Bucs’ O-line is top-5, top-10 or simply topless, the Bucs won’t win a playoff game with their worthless running game.

The story of the game: Son of Bob with his arse on the turf. It should have remained on the bench. Thanks, Chucky.

Why wait until nearly the middle of the night to watch replays of the Bucs-Dixie Chicks game when you can catch them here, even before Football Night in America begins?

First are the game lowlights, replete with the voice of Gene Deckerhoff and whoever does the Dixie Chicks’ games.

Next are lowlights from the NFL Network with analysis from Jim Mora and Tom Waddle.

The NFL Network also has Chucky’s postgame comments.

Lastly, Joe provides what the NFL Network calls a “Can’t Miss Play,” the strip by Jermaine Phillips on Falcons tight end Jason Rader that saved a touchdown.

All told, that’s 11 minutes worth of highlghts Joe has before 7 p.m. Joe dares any of the local TV stations to provide that amount of highlights before 9 p.m.

Bucs defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin confirmed after Sunday's loss to the Dixie Chicks that he is leaving after the season.

In the worst-kept secret Joe can remember, and a news item Joe first reported back in October before anyone else in the Tampa Bay media, Bucs defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin confirmed today that, yes, he will join his son Lane Kiffin at the University of Tennessee following the season, reports Stephen Holder of the St. Petersburg Times.

“It boiled down to one thing: It was your son, and that’s what it is,” Kiffin said. “I love these players. I addressed it Wednesday. I told (General Manager) Bruce (Allen). Jon (Gruden) was the first person I told. The head coach, he should know first. I told the defensive staff before I went downstairs at a quarter ’til 4. We had a team meeting at 4 o’clock and the whole team was there.

“I told them kind of what I’m telling you. I said, “Guys, this was a tough decision. I went back and forth. I said I just want you to know now. I didn’t think it was right to keep carrying it out.”

And so ends a 13-season era in Tampa Bay that Bucs fans may never see duplicated. When Monte Kiffin took over as Bucs defensive coordinator in 1996, the Bucs were a dreadful squad. Now under Kiffin, the Bucs are annually considered one of the best defenses in the NFL.

Few defenses, including the vaunted Steel Curtain of the Steelers, the 1985 Bears or the 2000 Ravens could claim a better defense than the one Kiffin helped mold for the Bucs in the Super Bowl season of 2002.

So well respected is Kiffin that others have campaigned for Kiffin’s induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. So has Joe.

Joe is somewhat torn on this subject. He’s happy for Kiffin but sad as a Bucs fan.

Apparently, Kiffin told the team this earlier in the week. No wonder the defense played lights out today for its old warrior coach.

Joe would rather watch Bill Parcells take a bath than the Bucs offense in the red zone

The Bucs made four games worth of big defensive plays against the Falcons, but still managed to throw the game away.

Why?

Why?

Why?

First and foremost, Joe is a diehard Bucs fan, and he can’t remember when the defense had so many stellar big plays but still lost. Surely, there were games like this in the Trent Dilfer-Sean King era. But was anything this sickening?

Here’s the painful recap:

1. Running full speed, Jermaine Phillips stripped TE Jason Rader at the goal line – after a 25-yard gain – to force a key turnover.
2. Aqib Talib made an acrobatic interception at the goal line to thwart a Falcons’ drive.
3. Ronde Barber had a pick at midfield.
4. Backup wide receiver Brian Clark blocked a punt that set up the Bucs for what should have been the winning touchdown drive from the Falcons’ 22 yard line with 2:29 remaining.

Yes, the Falcons churned out 373 yards of offense, sadly typical of a Bucs road performance, and Atlanta had too many long runs. But the Bucs defense was huge when it had to be.

The Bucs red zone offense, though, is more painful to watch than Bill Parcells taking a bath.

There has got to be a way for this team to move the ball in the red zone. Either the young offensive line is very overrated or the play-calling between the 20s is simply a second rate sideshow.

Bucs wide receiver Joey Galloway was listed as inactive. Really?

Joe believes without a shadow of a doubt the best sports columnist in the Tampa Bay area is Martin Fennelly of the Tampa Tribune. If nothing else, Martin doesn’t use the same lead paragraph over and over and over again for some three years counting.

Fennelly wasted little time ripping the Bucs after the loss to the Dixie Chicks. Some gems:

Joe Galloway was officially listed as inactive for the game. How could we tell?

Here’s how it has worked this season: Jeff Garcia gets a little hurt and Brian Griese takes over, then Brian Griese gets a little hurt and Jeff Garcia takes over, then Jeff Garcia gets a little hurt and Brian Griese takes over, while Luke McCown stands on the sideline considering having his age legally changed to 36.

One day we’re going to miss those four-yard Bucs completions on third and 5.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen an offense spend more energy on scoring seven points in all my life.

In an age when newspapers are shedding sports columnists the way Chucky goes through quarterbacks, Joe wonders if Fennelly is an endangered species? Joe sure hopes not. Although Joe believes there’s a couple of columnists in the Bay area (Joe’s already called out one) who should immediately learn a new craft (they haven’t exactly learned their current one to be honest) or begin enjoying the fruits of retirement.

Rock on Martin!

Chucky always says his offensive players must practice consistently to get a start. But Brian Griese got the nod against the Falcons despite doing little more than rehab since Oct. 5.

Brian Griese got the starting nod today after barely practicing since injuring his elbow against Denver 10 weeks ago.

So where the heck was Luke McCown? Chucky has said for years that his players have to practice in order to see the field and perform in the offense. McCown took most of the No. 1 quarterback reps in practice this week, acccording to the local beat writers.

And it’s not like McCown doesn’t the know the offense; He performed solidly as a backup to Garcia last year.

Joe is not faulting Gruden for playing Griese. Heck, the guy played about as well as Brian Griese can play. But if McCown can’t beat out Son of Bob when he’s less than 100 percent, then Chucky must have lost all faith in McCown. 

Expect McCown to be wearing a different uniform next season, when he becomes a free agent.

Son of Bob and the Bucs offense was given an early Christmas gift. Only a stiff like Son of Bob could reject Santa.

The Bucs were trailing 10-7 with three and a half minutes left in regulation. The Falcons were punting near midfield and about to pin the Bucs deep in their own territory. In short, the Dixie Chicks were preparing to stop the Bucs and win the game.

Then, here comes Santa Claus.

The Bucs version of St. Nick, Ryan Clark (Joe will write more about him later), who shouldn’t have even been dressed for the game, blocks the punt and Sabby Piscitelli recovers at the Dixie Chicks-22.

The Bucs only need two first downs, or one big play, and they win the game. A quick 10-yard pass to Michael Clayton and the Bucs now have 1st and 10 at the Falcons’ 11 yard line knocking on the door.

Then, the Bucs did a remarkable job screwing themselves; A short run, a sack of Son of Bob, a penalty and the Bucs’ chances of getting a touchdown were done. Nothing like losing 20 yards in the red zone.

After the Bucs settled for a game-tying field goal, the defense held the Dixie Chicks to a three-and-out. Again, the Bucs again had a chance to put the game away only to see Son of Bob throw the chances away.

After two putrid runs, the Bucs had a third-and-eight on the Falcons-37. From the shotgun, Son of Bob is sacked. Again.

This wouldn’t have happened with Jeff Garcia.

Son of Bob had a chance to be a hero. Instead, he went down quicker than a cheap prostitute in a navy port. He looked like a China doll back there. No mobility and never really tried to escape a sack. Just fell down like a little girl.

Joe doesn’t know how that skunk can look into the eyes of Derrick Brooks or Ronde Barber after the performance the Bucs defense turned in today.

Ronde Barber pulls down his second quarter interception.

Falcons 13, Bucs 10 (OT)

Tremedous effort by an injury-plagued Bucs defense. They could have folded like a cheap tent after giving up 10 first quarter points. If the Bucs only had a quarterback, they would have won. Son of Bob actually played great — for his standards — by only throwing one interception. But how many times did he take a sack on third down?

Jeff Garcia wouldn’t have.

Joe had a tough time believing the Bucs were actually in the game in the end. But there they were with a chance to win it. But sacks and stupid penalties in the end cost them late in the fourth quarter.

Joe will have much more later on this tough loss.

Joe’s holding off on fourth quarter comments because he doesn’t want to miss any of the overtime.

* Seems as though the defensive tackles are getting worn out. The last few plays of the third quarter seemed like the fourth quarter against Carolina.

* Naturally, Son of Bob ruins what was the best Bucs drive of the game after the fumble on the Bucs-1. Bryant was wide open over the middle but Son of Bob decides to throw into double coverage and an interception. He will throw two more this quarter.

* Nice play by Tanard Jackson to nearly force Matt Ryan into a fumble. It still killed the drive but great hands by Jackson.

* Where would the Bucs be without Antonio Bryant? It’s very possibly he’s the Bucs MVP… of the season.

* The Bucs pass defense, specifically Ronde Barber and Aqib Talib, have kept the Bucs in the game. Talib makes a nice interception that likely would have ended in a Falcons touchdown. Then the Bucs get on the board thanks to Barber.

* Gaines Adams is getting worked over and he didn’t play one snap in the Falcons’ final drive of the half. Adams had two decent rushes but he took so wide of a rush it didn’t matter how good of a jump Adams had on the Falcons. The Dixie Chicks were also running right at Adams.

* We’ll see how the Bucs do in the third quarter. Remember, Son of Bob hasn’t thrown a pick yet. Yet.

Joe has some quick first quarter musings:

* On long pass from Matt Ryan to Michael Jenkins (Tampa native; Leto High School) freaking Jermaine Phillips tried another junior high school move trying to hit Jenkins so hard he would fall on his own. Of course Jenkins broke the tackle for about five extra yards. Memo Phillips: How difficult is it to learn to WRAP UP THE BALL CARRIER??? Or are you just that stupid?

* So far — so far! — Son of Bob is playing OK. You know it’s a matter of time before he throws three picks. He already got away with one on the second possession when he threw to Alex Smith who was covered like a blanket.

* Nice of the Bucs offense to play so disciplined that they continue to back themselves up and dig a hole for themselves.

* Both Jovan Haye and Chris Hovan are out. Looks to be a long day for the Bucs rush defense.

Bucs (9-4) at Falcons (8-5)
Week 15
Kickoff: 1 p.m.
TV: WTVT Channel 13, DirecTV 709.
Radio: Buccaneers Radio Network (in Tampa WFUS-FM, 103.5 and WDAE-AM, 620); Sirius Channel 147.
Weather: Per AccuWeather.com, despite the game being played in a souless dome, outside for tailgaters the weather will be a bit crisp with temperatures in the low 50s under mostly cloudy skies. Fans leaving the some after the game will experience temperatures in the upper 40s.
Odds: Per Bodog.com, Falcons -3.
Outlook: Joe doesn’t like the over-used cliche of “must-win” but that cliche certainly applies today. The Bucs will likely make the playoffs even with a loss but a loss pretty much dooms the Bucs to a wild card game and playing on the road. Given the Bucs putrid struggles on the road that’s not a good thing.

Joe doesn’t like the vibes he’s getting from this game. First is the Bucs are traveling after a road Monday night game. Rarely do teams play well on the road after a Monday night game.

Then of course are the Bucs struggles on the road.

Throw in the fact the Bucs are banged up on the defensive front, well, let’s just say Joe is more than a little concerned. If Jovan Haye and Chris Hovan can’t go today that puts the Bucs in a terrible position defensively.

Also, starting quarterback Jeff Garcia is hurting. Joe fully expects him to start. It’s too important of a game not to test the waters for Garcia, who has a person six-game winning streak over the Dixie Chicks.

Joe just doesn’t have a good feeling about this game. Of course, a few turnovers for the Bucs could change his mind.

Joe has a few videos to take readers to ease them into the final minutes of a Saturday night and into a Sunday morningFirst up is a game preview by the good people of NFL Films.

Next, NFL Films has a clip of Chucky taking about Jeff Garcia’s injury.

Scott Smith of Buccaneers Insider has a look at the current NFC playoff picture.

Smith also has a report on the health of the Bucs defensive tackles Jovan Haye and Chris Hovan.

Lastly is a weather report for the game from AccuWeather.com. Sure the game is played in a godless dome but Joe understands some Bucs fans may want to travel to Atlanta and tailgate.

Not only does JoeBucsFan.com analyst Steve Campbell have a solid synopsis of the Bucs offensive line play in his weekly analysis, he also breaks down each sack the Bucs gave up against Carolina and describes why it happened. Campbell liked Faine's play last Monday night.

It was another mixed bag result for the Bucs offensive line in the loss to Carolina. The alarming trend of giving up sacks continued, but I will break down each sack in this article to show, once again, that all the blame doesn’t lie on the feet of the offensive line.

Sack No. 1 by Tyler Brayton: This was, quite frankly, a horrible pass set by Jeremy Trueblood. The Bucs left tackle guessed on an outside rush and Brayton crossed him up with an inside move. Trueblood didn’t take the right set or step, and he couldn’t recover. This looked like the Jeremy Trueblood of 2006.

Sack No. 2 by Richard Marshall: This was a corner blitz by Marshall. The Tampa offensive line was in “slide” protection to the left. Slide protection is when every lineman steps in the same directions and is responsible for the gap they are stepping towards. In this instance, by sliding left, they are giving help to the left side, specifically Donald Penn, who was blocking Julius Peppers. Marshall blitzed from the right side and was matched up on the blitz pick up with Warrick Dunn. Dunn totally whiffed on the block, and Marshall sacked Jeff Garcia.

Sack No. 3 split between Julius Peppers and Charles Johnson: This was in the two-minute drill before halftime. This was a seven-step drop by Garcia where he had all day to throw. Garcia saw nobody open and started running around for another few seconds before going down. This was the ultimate coverage sack.

Sack No. 4 by Peppers: This was another sack given up by Trueblood. Not too much you can say about this one. Just an example of probably the best defensive end in the game doing what he does best. It looked like Trueblood was gearing up for a speed rush by Peppers and got crossed up with a bull rush. Trueblood was a little high in his pass set, and with someone as strong as Peppers, you’re going to get pushed back in that situation.

Sack No. 5 by Damione Lewis: Lewis simply beat Arron Sears here with an elementary hand slap move and Sears got caught not moving his feet.

So, as you can see, two of the five sacks were not the fault of the offensive line. Giving up three sacks is not great, but in 38 pass attempts against a great defensive line, it’s not real poor either.

On to the individual performances.

Donald Penn (LT): Penn did OK for the most part against Peppers. He was given help in the form of chip blocks about half the time. He didn’t give up any sacks, but he did have a costly tripping penalty when Peppers beat him with a bull rush. It may not be any easier Sunday when Penn faces John Abraham and his 12.5 sacks. Abraham is questionable for the game with an injury.

Arron Sears (LG): Resorted to his early season form. He was equally mediocre in the passing game and running game. He had trouble getting any push on Panther’s defensive tackle Maake Kemoeatu on the inside runs. Sears was pretty effective when he pulled on runs to the right, especially on Cadillac Williams’ four- yard touchdown run. Sears pulled and blew Na’il Diggs about five yards deep into the end zone. Sears will face Jonathan Babineaux this week, and will need to play better against him than he did in Week 2 in Tampa

Jeff Faine (C): Played really well on Monday night. He was really aggressive and showed incredible effort on the second level blocking the linebackers of the Panthers.

Davin Joseph (RG): Like Faine was very aggressive on Monday night and I liked what I saw. He struggled with Kemoeatu as Sears did, but Joseph was much more aggressive than Sears was. I like his effort and I like how he’s always looking for somebody to hit near a pile. Joseph will face Grady Jackson Sunday so he better bring his lunch pail. Jackson is at least 350-pounds and an anchor in the middle of the Falcon’s line.

Jeremy Trueblood (LT): This was a forgettable game for Trueblood. He was pretty good as always in the run game, but resorted to his rookie season form where he was too stiff in his pass sets. Luckily for Trueblood, he gets second year man Jamal Anderson this week from the Falcons. Anderson is on his way to being a major first round bust. I like Trueblood a lot in this matchup.

Game ball: Faine.