As he does each week, Joe documents Bucs defensive end Gaines Adams’ every move on the field.

NIP: Not in the play.
NOF: Not on the field.

Minnesota – 14:52
First possession
1st-10, MIN27 14:52 Frerotte incomplete pass to the right
Hand check by Adams and then a wide loop toward the quarterback. NIP.
2nd-10, MIN27 14:46 Frerotte sacked by Barber
Stopped at the line then drops back into pass coverage in the right flat. Frerotte then takes off up the middle as Adams races in and gets an assist.
3rd-11, MIN26 14:23 Frerotte sacked by Ruud
At left end, he immediately covers the tight end in pass coverage right off the snap.

Minnesota – 11:37
Second possession
1st-10, MIN39 11:37 Frerotte rushed up the middle for no gain. Frerotte fumbled. Frerotte recovered fumble
Slides inside. NIP.
2nd-10, MIN39 11:08 Frerotte passed to Shiancoe to the right for 23 yard gain
Loops right but gets no pressure.
1st-10, TB38 10:32 Peterson rushed to the left for 4 yard gain
Adams is absolutely owned by Bryant McKinnie who pushes Adams back maybe eight yards.2nd-6, TB34 9:51 Peterson rushed to the left for 6 yard gain
Wide loop to the right then reverses field and gets a tackle on Adrian Peterson.1st-10, TB28 9:12 Peterson rushed to the left for 8 yard gain
Initially drops into pass coverage but is shielded from Peterson by tight end Visanthe Shiancoe.
2nd-2, TB20 8:26 MIN committed 5 yard penalty
2nd-7, TB25 8:13 Frerotte passed to Peterson to the right for 3 yard loss.
Tries to go wide right and is owned by McKinnie. Then Adams cuts inside but is not in the play.3rd-10, TB28 7:39 Taylor rushed up the middle for 3 yard gain
At left end fires in on a wide rush. NIP.4th-7, TB25 6:53 R. Longwell kicked a 43-yard field goal

Minnesota – 2:41
Third possession
1st-10, MIN24 2:41 Peterson rushed to the right for 6 yard gain
Slides inside and nearly gets an assist on Peterson.
2nd-4, MIN30 2:04 Peterson rushed to the left for 5 yard gain
Takes two steps to the right then jumps on the pile to get an assist.
1st-10, MIN35 1:25 Peterson rushed to the left for 22 yard gain
Adams is swallowed up by Shiancoe.
1st-10, TB43 1:06 Frerotte passed to Berrian to the right for 16 yard gain. TB committed 14 yard penalty
NIP.
1st-10, TB13 0:39 Taylor rushed to the right for 1 yard gain.
NIP.

2nd Quarter
Minnesota continued
2nd-9, TB12 15:00 TB committed 5 yard penalty.
Races past block but overpursues Frerotte and can’t recover.1st-7, TB7 14:53 Peterson rushed to the right for 4 yard gain.
Immediately taken off his feet by Shiancoe.2nd-3, TB3 14:14 Peterson rushed to the left for 1 yard loss.
Blown off the line by McKinney.3rd-4, TB4 13:33 Frerotte passed to B. Wade to the right for 4 yard touchdown.
Tackle Ryan Cook gets a quick block on Adams and it was just enough to slow down Adams a step which enabled Frerotte to get the ball away.
Minnesota – 7:40
Fourth possession
1st-10, MIN29 7:40 Peterson rushed to the left for 5 yard gain.
NOF.
2nd-5, MIN34 6:57 Peterson rushed to the left for 2 yard gain.
NOF.
3rd-3, MIN36 6:18 Frerotte passed to Berrian to the right for 11 yard gain.
At left end, after two steps into a rush Adams cuts inside but gets no pressure.1st-10, MIN47 5:44 Peterson rushed to the right for 2 yard loss.
2nd-12, MIN45 4:57 Frerotte passed to Shiancoe to the right for 18 yard gain.
NOF.
1st-10, TB37 4:18 Rice incomplete pass to the right.
NOF.
2nd-10, TB37 4:07 Peterson rushed to the right for 9 yard gain.
NOF.
3rd-1, TB28 3:40 Peterson rushed to the left for 3 yard gain.
NOF.
1st-10, TB25 2:58 Frerotte rushed up the middle for 3 yard gain.
Initially gets a good jump but McKinney blocks his path, then Adams bolts inside and is in on the tackle.2nd-7, TB22 2:21 Taylor rushed up the middle for 2 yard loss.
Adams tries an inside stunt but right guard Steve Hutchinson shoves him away from the play.
3rd-9, TB24 2:00 Frerotte passed to Taylor to the left for 4 yard gain.
At left end, Adams gets some pressure on Frerrotte.
4th-5, TB20 1:47 R. Longwell kicked a 37-yard field goal.

Minnesota – 0:47
Fifith possession
1st-10, MIN24 0:47 Taylor rushed to the left for 6 yard gain.
At left end takes two steps forward and then trots downfield.2nd-4, MIN30 0:23 Frerotte incomplete pass to the right.
Lightning quick jump but Frerotte unloads the ball quickly.3rd-4, MIN30 0:18 Taylor rushed to the right for 3 yard gain.
Gets taken out of the play by Shiancoe.

Minnesota – 9:18
Sixth possession
1st-10, MIN28 9:18 Frerotte incomplete pass to the left.
Drops into pass coverage. NP.2nd-10, MIN28 9:11 Peterson rushed to the left for 7 yard gain.
Slides inside but McKinnie throws him away. Adams is able to recover to make the tackle on Peterson.3rd-3, MIN35 8:32 Frerotte passed to Rice down the middle for 5 yard gain.
At left end Adams is handled by right tackle Marcus Johnson.
1st-10, MIN40 8:00 Peterson rushed to the left for 3 yard gain.
NOF.
2nd-7, MIN43 7:26 Peterson rushed to the left for 5 yard gain.
NOF.
3rd-2, MIN48 6:42 Peterson rushed up the middle for 1 yard gain.
NOF.
4th-1, MIN49 5:50 Frerotte incomplete pass to the right.
NOF.

Minnesota – 3:21
Seventh possession
1st-10, MIN28 3:21 Frerotte passed to G. Mills to the left for 6 yard gain.
Steps inside and nearly bats down Frerotte’s pass.
2nd-4, MIN34 3:01 Peterson rushed to the left for 1 yard gain.
Swim move to avoid the block but by doing so Adams takes himself out of the play.3rd-3, MIN35 2:20 Frerotte passed to Rice down the middle for 17 yard gain.
Adams overruns Frerotte.
1st-10, TB48 1:41 Frerotte passed to Berrian to the right for 19 yard gain
NOF.
1st-10, TB29 1:07 Peterson rushed up the middle for 3 yard loss
NOF.
2nd-13, TB32 0:28 Frerotte sacked by C. Hovan
Adams uses a spin move inside to get around block but gets no pressure.

4th Quarter
Minnesota continued
3rd-19, TB38 15:00 Frerotte sacked by K. Carter
Slides inside and is caught in the scrum.

Minnesota – 3:23
Eighth possession
1st-10, MIN20 3:23 Frerotte passed to B. Wade to the left for 8 yard gain
At left end, takes two steps forward and Frerotte gets the ball away.2nd-2, MIN28 3:17 Frerotte incomplete pass down the middle.
At left end, Adams takes a big loop to get around blockers and gets a hand on the ball just as Frerotte was releasing the ball.
3rd-2, MIN28 3:11 Frerotte passed to Allison to the left for 1 yard loss.
At left end, took a few steps and then cuts inside.4th-3, MIN27 2:24 Frerotte incomplete pass to the right .
At left end got some pressure on Frerotte.

Minnesota – 1:55
Ninth possession
1st-10, MIN36 1:55 MIN committed 10 yard penalty.
From a wide stance Adams jumps and should have been called offsides.1st-20, MIN26 1:46 Frerotte sacked by Wilkerson.
At left end, slashes inside and gets some pressure on Frerotte.2nd-28, MIN18 1:14 Frerotte passed to Taylor down the middle for 11 yard gain. Taylor fumbled. Barber recovered fumble and returned for 2 yards .
Gets some pressure as he races past the blocks.

JoeBucsFan.com analyst Steve Campbell takes a look at what the Bucs offensive line can expect from Detroit's defense.

By Steve Campbell
JoeBucsFan.com analyst

This week the Bucs face a hungry but decimated defense up in Motown.

The Lions, despite what I think is good coaching from former Bucs coaches Rod Marinelli and Joe Barry, have put up horrendous defensive numbers this season. Detroit is 31st in the league in total yards and points per game. They are also dead last (32nd) in rushing defense, giving up over 171 yards a game on the ground.

In addition, it appears the Lions will be without their best defensive lineman, former Bucs stud Dewayne White. Look for journeyman and another former Bucs player, Corey Smith (14 tackles, 2 sacks) to start in White’s place at right defensive end.

The Lions defense up the middle has been pretty poor, and that can be attributed to their below average defensive tackles. Former Bucs tackle Chuck Darby (9 tackles, 0 sacks), Cory Redding (31 tackles, 3 sacks) and Shaun Cody (22 tackles, 0 sacks) will rotate at the two defensive tackle positions. On the left side, Trueblood will match up against 10th-year veteran Jared Devries (28 tackles, 2 sacks). Devries is a hardnosed player, but that is a matchup in which Trueblood should flourish. Ikaika Alama-Francis (10 tackles, 0.5 sacks) could also see some time at one of the defensive end spots.

Derrick Brooks looks to crush some Lions heads Sunday in Detroit

The NFL Network has more Bucs video. And why wouldn’t it?

First a preview of the Bucs game with the Lions produced by NFL Films. Near the end of the video is a segment on Derrick Brooks.

Next up is a weather forecast by AccuWeather.com. Not sure why because the game is in a soulless dome, but maybe some Bucs fans will be traveling to the Motor City for the game. Maybe they can also ask for a bailout, too?

Oh yeah, Joe almost forgot his weekly kvetching about Roger Goodell not providing embed codes for his videos.

JoeBucsFan.com analyst Steve Campbell gives Donald Penn a game ball for his performance against Minnesota. Campbell also notes the Bucs running game is averaging just 2.9 yards per carry in the past four games.

JoeBucsFan.com analyst Steve Campbell reviews the Bucs’ offensive line play against Minnesota. Campbell’s insight comes from many years in the trenches, including college and semi-pro ball.

Overall, it was a pretty good effort by the Bucs offensive line in a hard fought 19-13 victory over Minnesota. The running game, while not overly effective, was steady enough to give the Bucs nearly an eight minute time of possession advantage. Still, it’s been over a month since the Bucs have had what would be considered a “good running day.”

Since the Bucs ran for 142 yards on October 12 against Carolina, the running game has been for the most part missing in action.

In the four games since, the Bucs have run the ball a total of 116 times for only 335 yards. That is a paltry 2.9 yards per carry. And with workhorse Earnest Graham out for the season, there is a huge cause for concern that it won’t be much better the last six weeks of the season.

On the positive side, the pass protection has been fantastic. Tampa bay has only surrendered 11 sacks on the season. That’s good for fourth in the NFL. Only the Titans, Broncos, and Saints have protected their quarterbacks better. On to the individual analysis:

Donald Penn (LT): What more can I say about this guy? I’m hesitant to keep gushing over his performance, but week after week he keeps shutting down the best defensive ends in the league. This week it was Jared Allen’s turn to turn up on a milk carton. In case you don’t know, Allen is the highest paid and probably among the top three defensive ends in the game. Allen was limited to no sacks and two tackles. One of the tackles was on a Jeff Garcia scramble.

In fact, the Bucs ran left 14 times right off the hip of Penn and I only saw Allen notch one tackle of Warrick Dunn. Perhaps I underestimated Penn’s run blocking ability, because he was a mauler.

The good news for the Bucs is that Penn is scheduled to be exclusive an rights free agent after this season. He won’t be a restricted free agent until after the 2009 season. You can probably expect Penn’s agent to make some noise after this season, though, to try get the Bucs to extend him and give him a big raise. Oh, by the way, Penn gets another game ball.

Arron Sears (LG): Sears has played better as the season progressed. He had some trouble with Pat Williams on run downs Sunday, but frankly, better guards then Sears have struggled with Fat Pat. He got snowplowed on a crucial third-and-one where Dunn was stopped for a loss. I would like to give you a fancy description of why Sears struggled on that play, but I think it’s just a case of it’s hard to move 380 pounds of determined blubber. On the passing plays where he was matched up with All Pro defensive tackle Kevin Williams, Sears showed good feet and athleticism.

Jeff Faine (C): A very solid, consistent performance from Mr. Consistency himself. Faine did a nice job of giving help to whoever was matched up with Kevin Williams on passing plays and also picked up some nice A-gap blitzes from the Vikings linebackers.

Davin Joseph (RG): Joseph did a pretty nice job with the Williams’. He had a horrible holding call that nullified a Garcia to Antonio Bryant touchdown. On the play, Joseph didn’t show good feet which caused him to be beaten by a blitizing linebacker. He had no choice but to grab a handful of jersey of the Viking player. Luckily for Joseph and the Bucs, they scored a TD on the drive anyway.

Jeremy Trueblood (RT): Trueblood was penalized for an unnecessary roughness call early in the game in the Vikings red zone. The penalty killed the Bucs, because they went from a 3rd-and-2 on the Minnesota-17 to a 3rd-and-17 on the 32. After reviewing the play, I can see Trueblood’s point in his defense of himself. Warrick Dunn was not down, the whistle had not blown, and Vikings linebacker Ben Leber was trying to strip the ball out of Dunn’s hands. It’s a fine line, and it’s the type of penalty that’s called about 50 percent of the time. Not a bad game overall from Trueblood.

Carmella Garcia is having a T-shirt sale. No, not the shirt off her back.

Maybe it’s just a Christmas sale – or maybe not.

Regardless, Joe feels obligated to bring you all things Bucs (and to post as many pictures of Carmella Garcia as possible).

On Jeff Garcia’s “Pass It On Foundation” Web site, the price of t-shirts has just dropped 50 percent. There are two cool styles with Garcia in Bucs action shots in each. Shirts were $19.99, now they’re just $9.99.

Joe’s nervous. He wants to see Garcia back on the Bucs next year.

Joe contacted Garcia’s San Francisco-based agent, Steve Baker, but Baker won’t get back to Joe. So Joe just picked up a couple of shirts.

Go for it. The proceeds help a lot of kids.

By BOB FOX

JoeBucsFan.com analyst Bob Fox takes a weekly look at the NFC playoff picture. Fox writes for numerous sports publications. He brings an insightful take on the conference. 

JoeBucsFan.com analyst Bob Fox says the Packers should step up to help the Bucs in games against New Orleans and Carolina in November. The Bucs already gave the Pack a hand with wins against their division rivals, Chicago and Minnesota

This year, it almost looks like the Bucs and Green Bay Packers have formed an alliance to help each other get to the playoffs, which shows again how much these great franchises have improved over the past two decades.

In the late 1980s, when ESPN broadcast NFL Primetime, Chris Berman and the late Pete Axthelm borrowed the phrase “The Bay of Pigs” when talking about matchups between the Bucs and Packers. Both teams were woeful then, like the botched “Bay of Pigs” invasion of Cuba in April 1961.  

The downslide started for the Packers in 1986, when coach Forrest Gregg gutted the team to add youth. The Packers suffered seasons of 4-12, 5-9-1 and 4-12 from 1986 through 1988, when Lindy Infante took over as coach. 

Infante, with the help of QB Don Majkowski, led the Packers to a 10-6 record in 1989. The success, however, was short-lived. The Packers fell to 6-10 in 1990, and 4-12 in 1991.  

The Packers’ revival began in 1992, under new coach Mike Holmgren and new quarterback Brett Favre. Since then, the Packers have posted the best record in the NFL, highlighted by just one losing season (2005),  a win in Super Bowl XXXI and 22 playoff games.

The Bucs were born in 1976 and lost their first 26 games. But they won the NFC Central in 1979 and 1981, and reached the NFC championship game in 1979. Starting in 1983, however, things got progressively worse for the Bucs. Twelve consecutive double-digits losing seasons followed until 1994, and Tampa Bay didn’t have a winning record until 1997, when they went 10-6.

The biggest reason for the turnaround was Tony Dungy, who coached the Bucs to a 54-42 record from 1996 to 2001, and won the NFC Central in 1999. The Bucs, however, couldn’t get over the playoff hump under Dungy, and in 2002, they made former Packers assistant Jon Gruden their coach. Sure enough, Tampa Bay won it all that year.

Lately, however, the Bucs have suffered a couple a one-game-and-out situations in the playoffs.  The worst part is that both losses were at the cozy confines of Raymond James Stadium.

As for this season’s alliance between the Bucs and Packers, the Bucs have done their part, although they also beat the Packers, 30-21, at Raymond James Stadium in September. The Bucs faced a new nemesis at QB for the Packers in that game, Aaron Rodgers. Favre had faced the Bucs 22 times, winning 15 times. The Bucs relentlessly pressured Rodgers and he ended up spraining his shoulder. 

The 7-3 Bucs, however, have helped the Packers out, as they defeated both the 5-5 Chicago Bears and the 5-5 Minnesota Vikings this year. Both reside in first place in the NFC North with the Packers. 

The Packers get their chance to return the favor in the next two weeks, as they will play in New Orleans on Monday night to take on the 5-5 Saints who are in fourth place in the very competitive NFC South, and then will host the first-place, 8-2 Carolina Panthers at Lambeau Field the following Sunday.

The next six weeks will determine which six teams from the NFC will make the playoff field.  Right now, it looks like the Wild Card teams will come from either the NFC South or NFC East.  Here is a rundown, division by division:

NFC East
New York Giants  9-1
Washington Redskins  6-4
Dallas Cowboys  6-4
Philadelphia Eagles  5-4-1

A few weeks ago most assumed that one or maybe even two Wild Card teams would come from this division.  Except for the Giants obviously being the most dominant team in the NFC, the rest of the division has floundered the past few weeks.

NFC North 
Green Bay Packers  5-5
Chicago Bears  5-5
Minnesota Vikings  5-5
Detroit Lions  0-10

It certainly looks like only the division winner will be heading to the playoffs, unless a couple of teams catch fire in the next six weeks.  The Vikings have been inconsistent all season and the Bears were demolished by the Packers 37-3 at Lambeau Field on Sunday.  The Packers and Bears still have to play each other again, as do the Vikings and Bears.

NFC South
Carolina Panthers   8-2
Tampa Bay Bucs  7-3
Atlanta Falcons  6-4
New Orleans Saints  5-5

To me, this is clearly the best and most competitive division in the NFC.  Every team can be dangerous, and the Bucs have a relatively easy schedule from here on out. And it would really help if they can get some assistance from teams like the Packers in defeating their divisional rivals.  Jeff Garcia has re-energized the Bucs offense with his gutsy play, and the Bucs defense is always opportunistic.  I definitely see at least one team coming from this division as a Wild Card team.

NFC West
Arizona Cardinals  7-3
San Francisco 49ers  3-7
Seattle Seahawks 2-8
St. Louis Rams  2-8

Except for the Cardinals, nobody from this division is going anywhere.  The Seahawks drop off has been somewhat surprising, but not when one looks at their massive rate of injuries at key positions.  The Cardinals have probably the best passing attack in the NFL right now as Kurt Warner is garnering talk as a possible MVP with the great season he is having.

Bottom line, these next six games will all be huge games, especially the inter-divisional games in the NFC East, NFC North and NFC South.  The Packers can help out the Bucs quite a bit in the next two weeks.

Both teams have made themselves into upper-tier teams over the last decade or so, even if they have had a few bumps along the road. It wasn’t like that in the late 1980s, when it was called ”The Bay of Pigs.”

Now, it’s just two quality football teams that happen to reside on a bay.

Thankfully, Garcia is used to getting his bell rung at home

So Vikings DE Ray Edwards, a man who clearly doesn’t respect the game, leveled Jeff Garcia with a major shot to the head on Sunday. Edwards was four or five steps late to Garcia who had released a pass in the pocket deep in Vikings territory.

Today, the geniuses at NFL headquarters said the hit was only worthy of a $25,000 fine.

Oh, that’ll really teach Edwards, or discourage any other player. Yeah, right.

With such a flimsy fine on a ruthless head shot to a quarterback, the NFL is encouraging headhunting and teams placing a bounty on players. Buddy Ryan must be wishing he was still coaching.

In what other sport would a player get off that easy? None. What’s the harm in issuing a fine and making the guy sit out the next game without pay?

Perhaps this explains why the Bucs signed linebacker Matt McCoy again this week, after cutting him earlier this season following a DUI arrest. McCoy is the perfect goon to take out Jake DelHomme on Monday Night Football in two weeks.

Monte Kiffin can call a few early blitzes and have McCoy go full-throttle, helmet-to-helmet on DelHomme no matter what. That’ll only cost him probably $35K and maybe win the Bucs the division title.

Seems worth it to me.

"If we can't beat the Lions, man, I'm outta here."

Add one more to the list of reasons why Sunday’s Bucs-Lions game has the stink of upset all over it.

Former Bucs and now Lions cornerback Brian Kelly told the Bradenton Herald the Detroit locker room is upbeat and focused.

Now Kelly finds himself playing corner for the only winless team in the NFL, one that has dropped 17 of its past 18 games.

“Actually, if you came in this locker room, you wouldn’t really even know it,” Kelly said. “You would think the record was maybe 6-3, 7-4 or something. Guys are upbeat, and I tell you it has a lot to do with the guy that Rod is. He comes in the team meetings and we’re not walking around here high-fiving each other like we’re playing great, but we’re also not walking around with our head in the sand and moping around looking for excuses and complaining about stuff.”

So here’s the running list of why this game should scare Bucs fans.

• Detroit is 0-10 but improving
• The Lions coaching staff has deep knowledge of the Bucs
• The game is blacked out on local Detroit TV. (That’s got to be bad luck somehow)
• Tampa Bay hasn’t played a complete game on the road all season
• The Bucs are actually thin at running back, unlike the days of Chucky’s alleged “shortage” of backs weeks ago

Joe bets Carmella Garcia would want to stay in town if Julius Peppers signs with the Bucs in the offseason

Pat “Vacation Man” Yasinskas, NFC South blogger for BSPN.com, has published a list of potential 2009 free agents and one name has Joe doing a double-take: Julius Peppers.

The 28-year-old Panthers defensive end is still a stud and would look great out of a Carolina uniform and wearing Pewter and Red. How awesome would it be to pillage the Panthers’ roster like that?

Bucs DE Kevin Carter is another name on the free-agent-to-be list. Carter’s played well, but having Peppers rather than him is a no-brainer. The Bucs are desperate for a pass rush.

Tampa Bay is way under the salary cap, even if they open the vault to keep Jeff Garcia, who is another guy on the list. 

Joe recommends they hurry up and sign Garcia. He’s the best available QB for the 2009 Gruden-led Bucs. …And, of course, we need to keep Carmella in town.

Jason Horowitz and Charley Casserly of CBSSports.com preview the Bucs-Lions game. Casserly details the Bucs running back situation now that Earnest Graham is out for the year.

Watch CBS Videos Online

Here's a snack for Joey Galloway. Michael Bennett left it in the luxury suite of Chucky's doghouse

So the truth comes out today. Joey Galloway broke his foot against Atlanta, and the Bucs were covering it up so opponents might waste time preparing to face him.

Galloway spilled the beans today, according to the St. Pete Times. Also, Chucky talked to the media and opened up about Galloway’s reduced role behind Antonio Bryant and Michael Clayton.

This Chucky spin is contradictory and gives a glimpse into the coach’s mindset, which seems to reveal Galloway occupying Michael Bennett’s and Jeff Garcia’s old blanket in the Bucs’ doghouse.

“I’m sure it is tough on him,” Gruden said of Galloway’s new role. “It’s been tough on us. We’ve had to make a lot of adjustments, not only at running back but in our receiving corps. But he plays the same position that Antonio Bryant plays and he can’t deny the fact that Antonio is playing great. Not good, he’s playing really outstanding football. They’re kind of stacked at the same position. We’re trying our best to utilize them both and we’ll continue to do that.

“But Mike Clayton is having a solid year. His statistics may not say so, but put the tape on. He’s really playing well, as is Ike Hilliard. Joey missed a lot of time late last season, missed a lot of the preseason — all the preseason – he missed five or six games. We’re in the process of doing the best we can to use everybody.”

Joe’s going to help you read between the spin.

First, if Chucky is trying to confuse opponents, why not say today that Galloway may be part of several three-receiver sets and you consider him a starter? Why not go overboard to talk about how excited you are to use these three studs together?

Also, all season, Gruden has talked about Galloway and other players needing to practice and get in rhythm with the offense.

Well, coach, Galloway has been practicing for about a month. He’s healthy. And he’s played in three straight games. Why even mention that he missed time at the end of last year, or in preseason? That’s very old news.

These quotes, and Galloway’s limited snaps, are all the evidence Joe needs to know that Galloway occupies the penthouse of Gruden’s doghouse.

Let’s hope he gets out of there soon. He’s going to need to contribute if the Bucs want to challenge the Giants. And that’s what this season should be about.

This clip has two amazing things:

1) How the receiver is able to shake the cobwebs enough to make the catch after getting lit up like a Christmas tree.

2) How in the world was the receiver able to life his head after this hit?

As the Lions march toward 0-16, expect the media to start bugging Steve Spurrier about his time at QB for the winless 1976 Bucs.

Joe rooted for the Patriots to beat the Giants in the Super Bowl earlier this year for one big reason. He wanted to see the Pats go 17-0 and make the annoying undefeated ’72 Miami Dolphins disappear forever.

Go away already, guys. Pro Bowler turned cocaine trafficker Mercury Morris is too annoying, along with the other old Dolphins that gather every year to celebrate when all NFL teams finally lose a game. Although, Joe is partial to Larry Czonka, the retro A-Train.

For this season, Joe hopes the 0-10 Lions keep on losing.

Joe wants to see the reaction on Steve Spurrier’s face when the ESPN cameras follow him around asking if he’s excited about the possibility of being overshadowed in the NFL record books. You see, Spurrier was the starting QB on the ’76 Bucs who lost every game, 0-14. That was the only true winless season in modern league history.

It would be great to hear the witty, annoyed comments from the Ol’ Ballcoach.

St. Pete Times columnist John Romano takes a look at the ’76 Bucs team today, in what is sure to be the first of many articles on the ’76 Bucs, if the Lions keep losing.

Recently, former Bucs great Warren Sapp has been unloading on his former Bucs teammate Meshawn Johnson. After a phone call and a scolding from Mom, Sapp has changed his tune.

Seems as though former Bucs great Warren Sapp isn’t the bad ass  he would like people to think he is. At least when his mom gets involved.

Recently, Sapp has been unloading on his former Bucs teammate Meshawn Johnson, going so far as to call Johnson “a bitch” on the Showtime weekly program “Inside the NFL.”

Well, calling Meshawn a female dog apparently didn’t sit so well with Sapp’s mom, per Adam Shefter of NFL.com.

“A week ago I took a shot at an old teammate of mine and I really felt like I crossed the line,” Sapp said. “My mother was watching that show and she gave me a buzz and said, ‘You know what, that’s wrong because you and that boy and the kids and all of your families have played together and won together and you’ve got to apologize.’

“And I said, ‘You’re right.’ I am so wrong for crossing that line with Key and I apologize to my man out there and good luck to you on your (ESPN) show.”

Well. A man can be a big, bad, tough football player spouting crap all day long until his mom calls. Then he’s just like the rest of us.

Odd that Sapp might think Meshawn is effeminate for playing an interior decorator on a reality show, but it’s — Joe guesses — manly to try to make a living as a dancer on a reality show.

UPDATE: Here’s the video (hat tip to AwfulAnnouncing.com):

If Roger Goodell's plan goes through, Bucs playoff tickets will be easier to get, and cheaper.

If Roger Goodell has his way, local scalpers will be screwed if the Bucs make the playoffs.

The NFL commissioner is tired of scalpers making out like bandits while the NFL is not making the same amount of mark-up. In recent years, the NFL has partnered with “ticket bookies” like StubHub.com in an effort to get its slice of the scalping pie.

But the NFL, always out to make an extra buck, is irritated others are making cash. So Goodell is trying to figure out a way to leave the scalpers eating their tickets.

In an article by Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times, Goodell might force fans to show identification upon entering the gates to prove they actually bought their tickets from the NFL, not from Sam on the street corner.

“It’s difficult and it’s time consuming, but it may be the next step that we need to take is where you actually say, ‘You come to the stadium with your identification, and you’ll get your two tickets after you’re inside the gate,’ ” Goodell told a small group of reporters in Los Angeles.

While Joe is a capitalist at heart, this proposal warms Joe’s heart. This might make tickets to a playoff game both easier to get, and cheaper.

Goodell’s naughty-minded wife also warms Joe’s heart.

Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com discusses with Lauren Shehadi his top five NFL teams. Joe was shocked to learn Prisco has the Bucs at No. 4.

Prisco noted that Earnest Graham’s injury will hurt the Bucs and that “it’s funny they sat down Jeff Garcia” for Son of Bob.

Gee, ya’ think?

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Buccaneers.com has the entire John Lynch retirement press conference from Monday on video.

Joe just ran across something pretty neat. Earlier today, Buccaneers.com uploaded John Lynch’s Monday press conference when he announced his retirement from One Buc Palace in it’s entirety. The press conference is broken down into two videos.

There are no embed codes as Joe is confident some IT geek must have tried to molest Roger Goodell at some point in his life and he is therefore scared to allow NFL fans to view videos. At any rate, Joe has the links. Here’s the first half of Lynch’s press conference and here’s the second half.

Bucs running back Earnest Graham was placed on the injured reserve list this morning. His season is finished.

The PewterReport.com has reported that running back Earnest Graham is done for the year, placed on injured reserve this morning.

Linebacker Geno Hayes met the same fate as he injured his knee on special teams.

Graham rushed for 563 yards (4.3 avg.) and four touchdowns before sustaining a serious ankle injury vs. the Vikings last Sunday. He was the primary ball carrier for Tampa Bay’s offense, which ranks 14th in the NFL in rushing.

Obviously, Joe is bummed about this. Joe is also scared Warrick Dunn will be too worn down for a playoff run and that Cadillac Williams simply isn’t ready.

So Michael Bennett was expendable? Nice job Chucky!

Tampa Bay area thieves may not want to tangle with new Bucs running back Noah Herron.

As Joe suspected, the Bucs signed a running back, so reports Stephen Holder of the St. Petersburg Times.

The Bucs signed former Northwestern University and Packers RB Noah Herron to a free-agent contract Tuesday, adding depth to a thin backfield after the loss of Earnest Graham to a severe ankle sprain Sunday.

Joe likes this move for a simple reason: Herron is no one to screw around with, as a burglar found out the hard way this summer.

According a criminal complaint, Herron was in an upstairs bedroom playing a video game and talking by phone with his girlfriend about 11:30 p.m. on May 30 when the doorbell rang twice. He ignored it and then heard people on his deck, so he called police.

When he heard breaking glass and realized people were inside and coming up the stairs, he called police a second time.

Then he unscrewed a bedpost, hid behind a bedroom door and saw a man enter and take cash from his desk drawer. Herron told police the man went to the stairs and called to someone else, which made him fear for his life as he realized there were at least two people inside.

When the second intruder came in, Herron hit him in the head, then shut the bedroom door to keep the other man out.

He said he heard one person running outside, and when the man on the floor started to get up, he hit him again and then went to his garage and told police a man upstairs needed medical help.

Herron put the scumbag in the hospital. Nice!

So you pieces of human debris out there, word to the not-so-wise: Don’t plan on breaking into Herron’s home when he moves to town.

As you read here, Joe was scheduled to appear on The Sports Animal, WDAE-AM 620, yesterday with the legendary Steve Duemig about 5:30 p.m.

If you were listening to The Big Dog’s program, you heard the show go off the air temporarily about 5 p.m. because of a technical difficulty at the show’s remote location. Subsequently, Joe’s appearance was cancelled.

The Big Dog was very apologetic and says he’ll have Joe back soon to talk all things Bucs and for updates on the Monte Kiffin-Lane Kiffin saga.

Aaron Boulding of a BSPN.com has an odd video where he bounces across the globe for what seems like the sole purpose of playing video games. Oh, kay.

Meanwhile, Boulding stops at One Buc Palace where various Bucs play video games against members of the U.S. Armed Forces stationed overseas. Joe isn’t sure this is what Al Gore envisioned when he invented the internet. But it’s a neat project the Bucs do with the troops. Anything that makes their grueling days a little bit better is more than OK with Joe.

The best thing about this video is Joe was, uh, introduced to a lovely lass by the name of Molly Qerim. Joe is impressed.