Joe honestly hasn’t seen Bucs fans in this sort of demented state since the waning days of the Raheem Morris administration, and even in those dark days, many Bucs fans just simply checked out of the football season.

Now, just days from the Bucs kicking off the season in New Jersey, Bucs fans seem to be in a despondent if not irritable mood for reasons that aren’t quite clear.

Perhaps it’s the Mike Glennon Mob, a vocal if not angry lot, who just cannot wait for evil to befall Bucs franchise quarterback Josh Freeman in order for Freeman to be benched (if not traded if you can imagine) so their savior to ride up on a white horse and save the Bucs (in their eyes). If it takes a string of Bucs losses for this to happen, so be it, the mob insists.

Perhaps it is false hope that a bunch of hired guns have come to town (Vincent Jackson, Carl Nicks, Dashon Goldson, Darrelle Revis) and because of the generosity of Team Glazer’s checkbook, the squad will somehow magically transform itself into a postseason contender, despite both the NFC South and the NFC stacked with top-heavy, talented, battle-proven teams.

Joe read one of the most ridiculous Twitters in recent weeks last night (which is saying something). Joe won’t out the offending party, but someone — awash in liquor, perhaps? — claimed if the Bucs lose at the Jets in 11 days, “heads are gonna roll.”

Really? After but one game Team Glazer should have a housecleaning? Before any team has had a bye week and at worst, the Bucs will be just one friggin’ game behind in the race for the NFC South crown with 15 games to go?! This had to be the most outrageous things Joe has read. It makes Joe wonder if there should be a license required to use Twitter, much like a driver’s license, where inept parties cannot be allowed to use the invaluable tool.

Anyone, and Joe means anyone, who believes the Bucs should start dismissing people right and left if the team losses its first game of the season really needs to see a mental health counselor.

This is the NFL. There are upsets. Weekly. And while Joe knows intelligent people claim a loss to the Jets could start a freefall where the Bucs fall to 0-7, no one with a sane much less sober mind would have the team start throwing executives, coaches and players over the side just for losing the first game of the season.

That is the definition of insanity. Keep. Calm.

Step into the Bucs locker room. Several Bucs players chatted about the final preseason game Thursday and maybe looked a bit ahead to the upcoming season.

Among the players available were guard Davin Joseph, tackle Demar Dotson, center Jeremy Zuttah, running back Mike James, cornerback Raheem Melvin, defensive end Steven Means, wide receiver Tiquan Underwood, linebacker Dekoda Watson, linebacker Adam Hayward, wide receiver Mike Williams, running back Doug Martin and tight end Nate Byham.

Of course, there is also the post-practice press conference of Bucs coach Greg Schiano.

Naturally, the audio is courtesy of Joe’s good friends at WDAE-AM 620.

Joe found last week’s popular chatter about how Josh Freeman wasn’t going to get enough preseason reps to be ready rather silly.

Really? Were we to believe that a handful of snaps would affect Freeman or any other quarterback’s season?

The stat geeks at BSPN have added up 2013 preseason snap counts of starting quarterbacks across the NFL, and after Saturday’s Bucs-Dolphins game, Freeman has more preseason snaps than Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and Colin Kaepernick.

Joe suspects nobody in the home cities of those QBs is freaking out.

Joe loves Bucs running back Doug Martin like the next guy. What’s not to like? Cool dude. Great back. Can catch, and oh, can he run.

The perfect package.

Well, maybe not so. Joe has already touched upon Martin’s bangs to the head, which should be concerning if not worrisome. The way the NFL cracks down on concussions, and how Buffalo Bills quarterback Kevin Kolb may have had his checkered career finished because of concussions, hits to the head are not to be trifled.

Add to that the fact that — with rare exceptions — running backs simply don’t last long in the NFL, Joe wholeheartedly agrees with the very likely possibility Martin, a Pro Bowl running back, won’t touch the ball in the Bucs’ preseason finale with the Redskins Thursday.

Martin seems to be OK with that, as he talked about playing and not playing today.

“I practice full speed, I practice [at] game speed and that’s all I need,” Martin said. “The starters aren’t going to play, so we’ll ease our way into the regular season and get this season going.”

It would be a criminal waste of felony proportions if the Bucs were to use Martin Thursday night and he got his bell rung. Again. There is simply no logical reason Martin should touch the ball Thursday night, unless he is fetching a loose ball for a ball boy.

If Martin goes down for any length of time, folks, this Bucs squad will be in a world of hurt.

You can get a great feel for Mike Williams’ sense of humor by listening to this audio below, via 620wdae.com.

Williams, who Joe talked to after this take below, did everything he could today to advise media to let Bucs fans know they shouldn’t worry about the Bucs offense. The preseason offense is so vanilla, Williams said, that it’s just not worth the scrutiny.

If the offense is this bad against the Jets, then by all means complain, Williams said.

Yes, there was a reason to smile watching the Bucs against the Dolphins on Saturday night; Davin Joseph was on the field, a year removed from a heinous blown knee and the subsequent surgery.

Joseph didn’t look so great out there, but his presence was more important than his play. He emerged healthy and was a full participant in today’s practice, which several players characterized as “extra physical.”

In the locker room, Joseph was asked to grade his Saturday performance on a scale of 1-to-10. Joseph gave himself “about a six.” That was a little higher than the poor grade former Bucs guard Ian Beckles gave Joseph yesterday.

Joseph said his knee is 100 percent and he expects to be firing on all cylinders on opening day.

So how’s All-Pro guard Carl Nicks dealing with a scary staph infection in his foot?

Greg Schiano said today that Nicks is progressing. But Davin Joseph took it a step further, telling Joe that Nicks is at One Buc Palace daily doing what he can to recover and prepare, though not yet practicing.

“You see him coming in every day. He has a purpose about him,” Joseph said.

Joseph stressed that he and his teammates have been telling Nicks to not rush and take whatever time/means necessary to return healthy.

This is good news. Joe was unsure whether Nicks was laid up with his foot elevated and unable to do anything, or whether he was up and about and doing something.

If Nicks comes back healthy in Week 6, after the Bucs’ Week 5 bye week, Joe would consider that a blessing.

Yes, the Bucs will get down to the 75-man roster today, officially, and then whittle down to the final 53-man roster next week.

One would think wide receiver Tiquan Underwood is safe. A nagging injury to Chris Owusu and Kevin Ogletree having a bad case of the dropsies in games, has pretty much cemented for a job for Underwood with the Bucs this season.

Underwood isn’t taking a chance. The fact the Bucs cut him last year is still fresh in his memory. Thus, Thursday’s preseason finale against the Redskins is not a formality for Underwood.

“As a player, whenever you are playing in a game, No. 1, you try to get your job done,” Underwood said. “Just stay consistent. Thursday night’s game is no different than any other. Put your best foot forward and try not to make any mental errors. Win you one-on-one battles and go from there.”

This year, seemingly in an effort to upgrade the No. 3 wide receiver slot, the Bucs brought in competition, namely the aforementioned Ogletree, who joined Owusu. Underwood thought they helped improve his skillset.

“Competition is always good,” Underwood said. “It brings out the best in players. You just have to go out there and put out a good performance and let the decisions be made. Just go out there and play free.”

On face value, it could be tricky for Underwood against the Redskins, and not because of the future truck drivers of America he will be facing. Underwood is used to Bucs franchise quarterback Josh Freeman throwing him passes, not backups like the hero of the Mike Glennon Mob, Mike Glennon, or Dan Orlovsky.

Underwood dismissed that notion.

“As a receiver it doesn’t matter who is throwing the ball,” Underwood said. “If the ball is in the air, make a play. Catch the ball. Doesn’t matter who is the quarterback, just go out there and play hard and play to the best of your ability.”

Showing his versatility, his ability to stay injury-free ,and his ability to catch when the lights are on, just may give Underwood an edge over Ogletree and Owusu, Joe believes.

But “The Turk,” who is looming, may have other ideas.

Bucs cornerback Danny Gorrer had surgery recently and the Greg Schiano acknowledged the position is thinning quickly

Bucs cornerback Danny Gorrer, who intercepted Joe Flacco in the preseason opener, had groin surgery, Greg Schiano revealed today. The timetable for Gorrer’s recovery is unclear.

On the heels of Anthony Gaitor being placed in injured reserve yesterday, the Bucs now have depth issues at cornerback.

“We had depth and now we don’t,” Schiano said during today’s afternoon news conference.

Joe followed up toSchiano to ask whether his depth concerns would affect a decision on Darrelle Revis possibly getting action in the preseason finale Thursday.

Schiano took time to clarify that the Bucs have depth at corner but they can’t afford another injury.

However one may choose to view the Bucs’ cornerback situation, they are depth-challenged at the position — for now.

There will be loads of corners hitting the market soon after teams cut down to their 53-man rosters. Remember, the Bucs found their opening-day nickel back, Brandon McDonald, on the street last year at this time.

As expected the Bucs-Redskins preseason finale will not be seen live across the Tampa Bay area, except by those in the seats on the stadium on Dale Mabry Highway. 

The Bucs will not sell 85 percent of non-premium seats to prevent an NFL blackout by this evening. Feel free to buy a ticket at the box office or online. They’re running pretty cheap via the secondary market.

Joe has learned that WFLA-TV Channel 8 will broadcast the game on tape delay Friday at 7:30 p.m.

Trevor Scott opened Bucs fans eyes with three sacks on Saturday

The Bucs’ new sackmaster, veteran Trevor Scott, was a guy that impressed the Bucs during 2012 joint practices sessions between the Bucs and Patriots in Tampa. That was the word from Ronde Barber during the Bucs-Dolphins broadcast Saturday.

Scott proceeded to be an effective backup defensive end in New England, finishing with three sacks last season.

Scott entered free agency this season, but the Bucs didn’t bite. Why not?

Joe doesn’t know the answer. Adrian Clayborn was still in the middle of knee rehab in March, and Michael Bennett had left the building, and many folks, but not rockstar general manager Mark Dominik, were hoping the Bucs would go after a veteran pass rusher.

Regardless, the Bucs have Scott now. Only a Buccaneer for a week, Scott has managed to inject a little hope into the prospect of the Bucs having an average pass rush this season.

The quarterback mess in New York has reached epic proportions in Jets camp. Damn, what Jets fans wouldn’t do to have Josh Freeman!

Joe only cares about this circus because the Jets happen to play the Bucs in 12 short days. This SNY-TV video of Jets coach Rex Ryan getting grilled yesterday on all things QBs says it all. Enjoy.

You know how the four-letter draft analysts come around in the weeks leading up to the draft — you know the kind, like the fraud that got a grand total of two first round picks correct last spring — and talk about how players are rising or falling, despite the fact teams have their draft boards pretty much set?

Well, if one was to use the same jargon with rookies a little more than a week out from their first NFL regular season game, Bucs defensive tackle Akeem Spence is on the rise. And this is not fabricated news forced by orders from suits.

No, Bucs fans and scribes who watch a lot of Bucs football can see the rookie from Illinois blossoming on the football field. Dapper Rick Brown of the Lakeland Ledger writes about how Spence is showing up with his play but still has work to do.

The thing is, he’s gotten better each game starting beside Pro Bowler Gerald McCoy. Against Miami Saturday, Spence showed a burst and ability to penetrate. He was attacking and chasing and showing that the moment was not too big for him. While coach Greg Schiano has not named him a starter, it is no doubt who will start the regular season beside McCoy. “He’s definitely playing at a high level,” Schiano said. “I should say this — playing at a high level at times. he’s still an inconsistent rookie. The splash plays are what people see. Losing the A-gap is what you don’t see. That’s what I see. Getting cut on the backside and now all of a sudden one of those stretch runs (happen).”

Spence’s ability to do more than one thing is impressive. Sure, when Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik first let Roy Miller go, Joe was shocked because privately and publicly Bucs suits and coaches raved about Miller. So when the Bucs drafted Spence, Joe was dubious.

To see how Spence ran down a Dolphins ballcarrier in the flat — something you never saw Miller do — and as Brown pointed out, getting penetration, it appears Spence may be the steal of the Bucs’ 2013 draft.

Shaun King has no faith in Greg Schiano

Is it possible that the leader of the New Schiano Order, a man obsessed with details and preparation, has no plan in place to deal with the unexpected?

Former Bucs QB Shaun King thinks so.

The NBC Sports NFL analyst, and one of three QBs to lead the Bucs to the NFC title game, joined the Ron and Ian show on WDAE-AM 620 this morning as a guest host and explained the he believes the Bucs are a lacking guidance from the top.

“I don’t think the Bucs have a plan. I’ve been saying this. Mark Dominik does not have a plan. It’s not like he’s made picks and acquisitions saying, ‘Ok. This is going to happen, and this going to happen and we’re going to develop this guy while this guy is getting paid,'” King said. ” I don’t think Schiano has a plan. I don’t think he knows how to adjust when things aren’t going well. And I’ve said that from the beginning and I stand by that. And now, unfortunately because I was hoping I was wrong because I’m a Bucs fan, I’m starting to be proved absolutely correct.”

Now Joe must disagree on a level here. Dominik clearly operates off a detailed roadmap for the Buccaneers. Sure, one can question the value of Dominik’s plan over the past five years, but to say he doesn’t have one is silly. The Bucs are loaded with Grade A talent and salary cap room. Dominik doesn’t coach. He doesn’t put on pads. It’s not his fault Danny Gorrer can’t catch, Vincent Jackson couldn’t finish off a long touchdown run, and that Schiano defense couldn’t prevent Eli Manning from playing fantasy football.

As for Schiano’s ability to adjust to adversity and his overall plan, Joe believes the jury is still out on all that. Nobody knows whether Schiano is a good NFL game coach and a guy whose philosophies can produce winning football. Schiano did manage to right the Bucs ship and lead them to an impressive win in Atlanta to close the season. So that was a fantastic sign. (You can hear King’s full take below.)

Cornerback Anthony Gaitor was placed on the injured reserve list. The Bucs must trim their roster to the mandatory 75 by tomorrow.

The Bucs must cut their roster to the mandatory 75 by tomorrow and now unemployed players got the bad news today.

Joe is confident none of the names will jump out at you but two names that escaped the Grim Reaper by being put on the injuried reserve list were the captain of the 2012 inactive list, running back Michael Smith, and cornerback Anthony Gaitor.

The fate of both players was not unexpected.

Smith, drafted last year, was brought in mainly to be used as a return specialist. However, he could only return kicks and was not (or could not be) used elsewhere on special teams. In the waning days of training camp, Smith rarely took snaps with the second team, always a red flag.

Gaitor, with the addition of Darrelle Revis, Mike Adams and Johnthan Banks, was on the bubble when training camp began. With Revis looking to play against the Jets (at least at this point), Gaitor’s future with the Bucs was hanging by a thread.

(Don’t worry. The Bucs won’t bring back Nine Lives Myron Lewis.)

Veteran receiver Derek Hagan, who played under Mike Sullivan with the Giants, and veteran fullback Spencer Larsen, were cut, among others. No surprises there at all, but the cutting of Larsen could signal that Erik Lorig is getting healthy and/or the Bucs might be considering Peyton Hillis as a backup fullback.

OK, so Thursday night at the Stadium on Dale Mabry Highway, the Bucs play their final preseason game of the season (yea!). Frankly, if it wasn’t Joe’s job and Joe was at home, Joe would watch Ole Miss at Vanderbilt. Preseason football is dreadful and the fourth game that features almost exclusively beer truck drivers and insurance claims adjusters is sad.

But Bucs commander Greg Schiano could liven up Thursday’s dreary game by playing superstar corner Darrelle Revis.

While future Hall of Fame running back Jerome Bettis is not Schiano, if Bettis were calling the shots (at about the 5:50 mark), he would want to see Revis take off his training wheels before the real bullets fly in the regular season, Bettis told Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic of the annoying “Mike and Mike Show.”

“I would want Darrelle Revis to get a little game speed. Just that. I don’t need him to tackle anybody. I just want him to stop and start on a dime a little bit in a game situation before Week 1. I want him to react a couple of times.”

It’s an interesting theory floated by Bettis. Just get used to game speed. But Joe wonders if Revis couldn’t be doing the same thing against Vincent Jackson in practice as opposed to some future high school math teacher with the Redskins?

But Joe can’t argue with Bettis’ core theory: If you are going to start Week 1 against the Jets, Revis better be ready for game speed because surely Jets coach Lou Albano will test Revis once or twice.

Tampa Bay Times Bucs beat writer Rick Stroud doesn’t hold back in his assessment of the Bucs’ preseason offense in this WDAE-AM 620 audio. “It’s been particularly bad,” Stroud said.

What makes this audio most fun is how the radio calls of Bucs play-by-play man Gene Deckerhoff are woven into the conversation to illustrate the troubles of Josh Freeman.

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