Tanard Jackson delivered the jump-off-the-couch moment in the Bucs win at Kansas City. It's time to vote this 23-year-old into the Pro Bowl.

The Bucs’ finest fourth-round draft pick in history added to his super-stud status today.

Free safety Tanard Jackson turned 23 during training camp. But Bucs fans know he’s been a man for well over a year now.

Just when the game at the Chiefs turned extra ugly, when Clifton Smith coughed up the football just five yards from a score, Jackson took the field with the Bucs defense and singlehandedly ripped the game from the Chiefs with a strip and a fumble recovery.

Jackson’s strip of Jamaal Charles was a throwback to the glory days of the Bucs defense, when big plays seemed to come whenever the team needed them most.

Joe knows that the greatest players in the game take charge at critical moments. So that strip and recovery was not just another good play by Jackson, or another big contribution from a Bucs defender. It was a young guy with Hall of Fame potential delivering an extraordinary moment.

Before you cast a vote for John McCain or Ralph Nader, please exercise your right to vote for Jackson for the Pro Bowl. Click on “defense” and then “free safety” and get the job done.

The blistering 70 degree temperatures in Kansas City made it tough on the Bucs, Chucky said. Thanks for the laugh, coach. Please lose the lame excuses

Joe caught Chucky’s postgame news conference, which yielded a good summary of the state of the Bucs, and a ridiculous comment.

Chucky said, “We have character, and we are in a race.”

Whether you are positive or negative about the Bucs play and their outlook right now, there is no denying that the team plays hard for each other and Coach Gruden. Weak teams would have crumbled down 24-3, as the Bucs were today.

Inside the locker room, the Bucs are excited by the big comeback. This kind of win bonds a team. They’re cruising into the bye week on a huge high. It’s not the confident swagger of a championship football team, but it’s real energy. 

And that brings us to the next Gruden gem, “We were struggling, It was a hot day.”

Chucky’s come up with some stinky, funny BS this season, but this one is beyond ridiculous. C’mon, coach. You’re going to imply that the weather was a challenge and made a comeback harder?

The temperature hovered around 70 degrees through the game. That’s a fresh winter day in Tampa. And it’s likely the kickoff temperature for February’s Super Bowl at Raymond James Stadium.

"Man, I forgot about Brett Favre for about 20 minutes there. Great stuff."

The Bucs’ wacky win in Kansas City was a good example of why Jeff Garcia represents the Bucs’ offensive hope entering the final stretch of the season. 

The Bucs beat the Chiefs under the leadership of a veteran QB who executed almost flawlessly during the Bucs’ final three possessions, plus a 2-point conversion to send the game to overtime.

But it was a hardly a great game for Garcia. Stuck in a 14-0 hole, thanks to Earnest Graham’s quick fumble and the Bucs defense leaving their game at the team hotel, Garcia needed to rise to the challenge quickly. He didn’t. He had happy feet, and he seemed afraid to go downfield. Then there was the Griese-like interception that killed a drive.

But Garcia shook it off in the second half and was a calm, creative general late in the game.

He scrambled. He extended plays. He ran the hurry-up offense. He was on target with his throws. The late red zone fumble by Graham? No worries.

The final numbers for Garcia look pretty, 31-for-43 for 339 yards, a touchdown and one interception.

Garcia didn’t play as well as that sounds. But it was a performance that should reassure Bucs fans that we have a leader in the huddle who can get it done late in a game on the road.

Garcia failed on final drives in New Orleans, Denver and Dallas (but he gets a pass in the Denver game). A loss today would have made him 0-for-4 with the game on the line.

Now he’s chalked up one big comeback. And the Bucs enter the bye week with momentum and a leader they can count on.

The Bucs plodded out 81 yards on 25 carries against the Chiefs. The Bucs sad rushing attack had no excuses today. The Chiefs had the worst run defense in the league.

Joe was OK making excuses for the Bucs’ running game entering today’s game against the Chiefs.

There was a reasonable list of excuses to throw out there:

1. The Bucs were on their third fullback of the season.
2. Earnest Graham was out of rhythm having played some fullback, too.
3. Chucky didn’t stick with the running game consistently.
4. Warrick Dunn was banged up in Dallas.
5. The running backs wanted to force Son of Bob to throw so he would toss picks and be removed as the starter. (OK. That’s just Joe having some fun.)

But against the Chiefs, there were no excuses. Kansas City was the worst team in the NFL against the run, and the Bucs were desperate to establish a running game after falling down 14-0 halfway through the first quarter.

The ugly reality is the Bucs couldn’t do it. They couldn’t run the football. 

They were not dominant at the line of scrimmage, and it really seemed like the Chiefs’ defense just wanted it more than Tampa Bay.

Maybe Chucky sees that our running game just isn’t there, and that’s why he has stayed away from it?

When Dunn returns healthy after the bye week, the Bucs will be out of excuses again. B. J. Askew probably will be back on the field then, too.

A real running game would be a nice addition to the offense.

Bucs 30, Chiefs 27 (OT)

Ugly game. Fun game. Lots of big plays. Game ball to Tanard Jackson for the big strip and recovery to set up Earnest Graham’s touchdown pass. Yes, that’s Earnest Graham’s touchdown pass!

The Bucs ran off the field like bank robbers today, snatching a dramatic comeback win against a crappy but scrappy Chiefs team.

We’ll take it. More from Joe soon.

Chiefs 24, Bucs 13

Nasty stuff, Bucs fans.

Joe was expecting to casually enjoy cold beer and steaming nachos as the Bucs ran the ball down the Chiefs’ throat.

• Again the Bucs can’t put the ball in the end zone. A pitch to Michael Bennett on 3rd and short from the 5? Maybe Matt Bryant has pictures of Chucky pleasuring himself during a morning film session.
• K. C. had the worst run defense in the NFL entering the game, yet the Bucs aren’t opening any big holes.
• Sadly, Jeff Garcia looks like a washed up old guy in this half. Let’s hope he turns it around.
• Gruden needs to try more shots downfield. Broken record on that one.
• Where’s the defense?
• Ronde Barber has had more bad games than good this season.
• Props to Clifton Smith on his kick return touchdown.
• Chiefs are showing the Bucs what a vertical game looks like. 
• Get the feeling the Chiefs are going to have Thigpen run, himself, a lot in the second half. The kid can scramble and the Bucs look vulnerable to that
• Entering the bye week next week, if Garcia can’t look better in the 2nd half, Chucky is probably going to the start the Luke McCown era. Ugh.

Bucs (5-3) at Chiefs (1-6)
Week 9
Kickoff: 1 p.m.
TV: FOX, WTVT Channel 13.
Radio: Buccaneers Radio Network (in Tampa WFUS-FM, 103.5 and WDAE-AM, 620); Sirius Channel 107.
Weather: Per AccuWeather.com, really good football weather with a kickoff temperature forecast for 66 degrees under partly sunny skies. Temperatures are expected to rise slightly to 70 by game’s end.
Odds: Per Bodog.com, Bucs -9.
Outlook: The Bucs have to do a number of things before they are among the NFC elite. The first is to score touchdowns. The NFL isn’t soccer. Kicking a ball between goal posts is not the objective of the game. Score some touchdowns!
The Bucs have the manpower to do it. If Camella’s husband is too scared to let his receivers make plays, then get Luke McCown in there. This dinking-and-dunking is pure nonsense as is Chucky’s weak excuse that the Bucs don’t have the running backs. Even if the Bucs have both their top two fullbacks and Warrick Dunn out they still have the talent both in the backfield and up front to run the freaking ball!
This dink-and-dunk crap enables the opposing team to stay in the game and we Bucs fans know all too well what that was like last week against Dallass.
If the Bucs get the ball in the end zone this game should be a no-brainer. If the Bucs are kicking field goals in the first half, look out!

JoeBucsFan.com analyst Steve Campbell awards this week's offensive line game ball to Donald Penn.

JoeBucsFan.com analyst Steve Campbell reviews the Bucs’ offensive line play in Week 8.

In the 1990s, Campbell was a NCAA Division I lineman and played semipro football (he likes to say he was a tackling dummy for a future NFL defenisve tackle). His analysis appears here weekly.

One of the disadvantages of having a young offensive line is no matter how talented they are, they are going to be inconsistent. That was the case Sunday in Dallas.

To say the offense sputtered would be kind. But not all the blame should go to the offensive line. This was the textbook definition of a team loss on the offensive side of the ball.

First, Jon Gruden called a pretty poor game. I thought he gave up on the run way too early. A perfect example would be in the fourth quarter. After the Bucs kicked a field goal to make the score 13-9, the Bucs defense held Dallas to a three-and-out. After the punt, the Bucs took over on their own 43. Great field position, and time to pound the rock, right?

Nope. Garcia threw three incompletions in a row, and the Bucs punted.

Immediately after that possession, the Cowboys had another three-and-out and punted again. This time the Bucs took over on their own 42 with 11:34 left in the game. On first down, Gruden actually called a running play and Graham gained four yards. That’s a positive first down play.

But then Garcia threw a short pass for three yards and another incompletion. The Bucs offense would not see the ball again until their final drive of the game with four minutes left.

The second culprit of the poor offensive game was quarterback Jeff Garcia, who was outstanding the previous two weeks against Carolina and Seattle. Garcia resorted to his early-season happy feet ways. Like the New Orleans game, Garcia wouldn’t set his feet, sometimes with little or no pressure. This results in inaccurate passes. His sack late in the second quarter when he scrambled right was inexcusable. Garcia was out of the pocket, so he could have thrown the ball away and the Bucs would have had a 42-yard field goal attempt.

But Garcia’s sack pushed the Bucs out of Matt Bryant’s range.

On to the individual offensive line evaluations.

Donald Penn, LT: Penn was left one-on-one with pass rushing specialist DeMarcus Ware quite a bit. Ware had a sack in his tenth consecutive game, but Penn goose-egged him. I’ve said it before, but I wish I was Penn’s agent because Penn will get a big raise this offseason. Penn gets this week’s game ball.

Arron Sears, LG: Sears is playing a bit better than he was earlier in the season. Still, I don’t like his pass sets. But he’s picking it up in the run game.

Jeff Faine, C: Not the best game for Faine. Dallas defensive tackle Jay Ratliff, who is having a great year, gave him problems.

Davin Joseph, RG: Joseph was beaten by Tank Johnson early in the game on a crucial third-and-one play that was stuffed. The Bucs need more from him if he is going to be the elite guard that some people consider him to be.

Jeremy Trueblood, RT: Trueblood didn’t play all that well, and seemed to let his frustration get the best of him. I like the fire, but he needs to stay more composed.

Size doesn't matter for veteran DE Kevin Carter, who says he loves wearing Bucs colors

Yoga over the weight room?

That was the big revelation in an ESPN.com feature about Bucs DE Kevin Carter. It seems the big fella anchoring the left end is using some alternative conditioning to stay in the league at age 35.

Carter was a stellar pickup by the Bucs last year, among many by Bruce Allen.

However, Carter and the rest of the Bucs linemen must find a way to turnout a consistent pass rush. No matter how strong the Bucs defense, an average-at-best pass rush won’t get them anywhere in the playoffs.

"Yo, ESPN.com dude, I'll help you set up your VCR."

Nothing worse than a media guy who claims to be an expert but doesn’t do his homework.

Pat Yasinskas, ESPN.com’s guru of the NFC South, revealed his half-ass work habits in an interview Friday with the Fabulous Sports Babe on ESPN 1010 AM. The Babe brought in Yasinskas to talk about the Bucs and all things NFC and NFC South.

Well, Yasinskas told the Babe he hadn’t watched the Bucs-Dallas game, only highlights.

His reason? Yasinskas said he was in London for the Saints-Chargers game and didn’t get a chance. Yet he said he didn’t stay in England after the game to sightsee.

Ever hear of a VCR, Pat? How bout a DVR? How about calling your friends at ESPN to get you a tape? Or your pals at Bucs headquarters? 

 You cover the NFC South. That’s your whole job. Watch the damn games before you waste every Bucs fan’s time with a radio interview.

If Bruce Almighty had pulled the trigger on acquiring Brett Favre, the Bucs would have kicked the ass out of Dallass last week Joe is convinced.

Joe provides his weekly take on what almost-Bucs quarterback Brett Favre would have done had he been with the Bucs and if the Bucs are better off without him.

This one is simple: Had Brett Favre been with the Bucs, the Bucs would have whipped Dallass last week. The biggest problem with the Bucs was that they didn’t throw the ball to the end zone, instead preferring to dink-and-dunk.

There is no such issue with Favre.

Last week Favre threw for two touchdowns, including a beautiful shot to Laveranues Coles where Favre enabled Coles to make a play on a pass the defense couldn’t touch (are you reading this Mr. Carmella?) for the winning score.

Jeff Garcia didn’t sniff the end zone.

With Favre, the Bucs would have won. In the loss to Dallass, the Bucs would have been better off with Favre.

Bucs defensive end Gaines Adams wraps up Dallass quarterback Brad Johnson for a sack in last week's disgusting loss to the Cowboys.

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.

Dallas – 14:55
First possession
1st-10, DAL23 14:55 Johnson incomplete pass down the middle.
Adams cuts inside and is blown up by left guard Kyle Kozier.
2nd-10, DAL23 14:50 Barber rushed to the right for 1 yard gain.
Steps back then cuts inside. NIP.
3rd-9, DAL24 14:11 Johnson incomplete pass down the middle.
At left end loops inside. No pressure.

Dallas – 10:57
Second possession
1st-10, DAL21 10:57 Johnson incomplete pass to the right.
Initially steps offsides but just gets back before snap. Adams then tries a backdoor rush but gets no where near Johnson.
2nd-10, DAL21 10:48 Johnson passed to Owens down the middle for 7 yard gain.
Tries to stutter-step around left tackle Flozell Adams. NIP.
3rd-3, DAL28 10:10 Johnson incomplete pass to the right.
Blows past Flozell Adams but Kozier picks him up and tosses him aside.

Dallas – 8:07
Third possession
1st-10, DAL7 8:07 Barber rushed up the middle for 2 yard gain.
Slides inside and gets an assist.
2nd-8, DAL9 7:27 Barber rushed to the left for 1 yard gain.
Shoved inside while Barber cuts outside.
3rd-12, DAL5 6:33 Barber rushed up the middle for 8 yard gain.
At left end attempts to go around Leonard Davis and gets nowhere.

Dallas – 1:04
Fourth possession
1st-10, DAL29 1:04 Johnson passed to Witten down the middle for 8 yard gain.
Adams uses a spin move to get inside and nearly nails Johnson.2nd-2, DAL37 0:31 Barber rushed to the right for 3 yard gain.
Shoved inside and tackles Barber.
2nd Quarter
Dallas continued
1st-10, DAL40 15:00 Johnson passed to Williams to the right for 8 yard gain.
Tries to dance around Flozell Adams. NIP.2nd-2, DAL48 14:21 Barber rushed to the left for 6 yard gain.
Fights his way inside and Barber sidesteps him to get to the outside.
1st-10, TB46 13:45 Barber rushed to the right for 1 yard gain.
NOF.
2nd-9, TB45 13:06 Johnson incomplete pass to the right.
NOF.
3rd-9, TB45 13:01 Johnson passed to M. Bennett to the right for 10 yard gain.
At left end gets a good first step on Davis but Davis recovers to shove him aside just before Adams gets to Johnson.
1st-10, TB35 12:30 Johnson passed to Owens to the right for 1 yard loss..
Adams takes a step back as if he expected a pass and Barber runs right through the whole that Adams left open.
2nd-11, TB36 11:53 Barber rushed to the left for 10 yard gain.
NIP.
3rd-1, TB26 11:07 Barber rushed up the middle for 2 yard gain.
NIP.
1st-10, TB24 10:23 Johnson incomplete pass to the left.
Adams gets real good penetration but Barber picks him up just as he’s about to drill Johnson.2nd-10, TB24 10:18 Barber rushed to the left for 4 yard gain.
Tries to go outside and Barber runs inside.
3rd-6, TB20 9:38 Johnson incomplete pass to the right.
At left end Marc Columbo just pushes him away.
4th-6, TB20 9:29 N. Folk kicked a 38-yard field goal.

Dallas – 2:23
Fifth possession
1st-10, DAL41 2:23 Barber rushed up the middle for 9 yard gain.
Stands up as if waiting for the run but to no avail as Barber runs right past him inside.
2nd-1, 50 2:00 Barber rushed up the middle for 3 yard gain.
Tries an outside loop. NIP.
1st-10, TB47 1:37 Johnson passed to Owens to the left for 4 yard gain.
At left end gets no pressure.
2nd-6, TB43 1:32 Johnson sacked by Adams
Runs an inside loop and is unblocked.
3rd-12, TB49 0:47 Johnson passed to Barber to the left for 1 yard gain.. TB committed 15 yard penalty.
At left end tripped up by Columbo.
1st-10, TB33 0:40 Johnson passed to M. Bennett to the right for 5 yard gain.
At left end, drops back into pass coverage in the left flat and picks up the tackle.
2nd-5, TB28 0:33 Johnson incomplete pass to the right
At left end tries an inside stunt but there are too many blockers so he leaps to try to tip the pass.
3rd-5, TB28 0:28 TB committed 6 yard penalty
Rolls outside and gets no pressure.
1st-10, TB22 0:21 TB committed 5 yard penalty
Fullback Deon Anderson ties up Adams after he gets past the line.
1st-10, TB17 0:18 Johnson incomplete pass to the left
Put on the ground by Flozell Adams.
2nd-10, TB17 0:13 Johnson passed to P. Crayton down the middle for 13 yard gain.. TB committed 2 yard penalty
Columbo does a nice job of keeping Adams from getting any pressure with good hand checks.1st-2, TB2 0:01 Johnson passed to Williams to the left for 2 yard touchdown. N. Folk made PAT
No pressure as Johnson gets the ball off right away.

Third quarter
Dallas – 14:32
Sixth possession1st-10 Barber rushed to the left for 5 yard gain.
Stutter-steps then waits for Barber who promptly runs inside.2nd-5 Johnson passed to Barber to the right for 2 yard gain.
At left end half-asses it as he dances with Columbo. NIP.
3rd-11 Barber rushed up the middle for 2 yard gain.
Tries to run around Columbo. NIP.
4th-1 Barber rushed to the right for 2 yard gain.
NOF.
1st-10 Barber rushed to the right for 5 yard loss.
Stands up as if waiting for Barber to come to him but Barber goes outside.
2nd-11 Johnson incomplete pass down the middle
Initially gets a good jump but Columbo takes out his knees.
3rd-10 Johnson passed to Barber down the middle for 1 yard gain.
NOF.

Dallas – 7:21
Seventh possession
1st-10, DAL48 7:21 Johnson passed to Owens to the left for 12 yard gain.
Kept away with good hand checks by Columbo.
1st-10, TB40 6:40 Barber rushed to the right for 11 yard gain.
Shoved outside by Columbo.
1st-10, TB29 6:06 Barber rushed to the right for 2 yard gain.
Shoved away by tight end Martellus Bennett.
2nd-8, TB27 5:28 Johnson incomplete pass to the left
Drops into pass coverage. NIP.
3rd-8, TB27 5:23 Johnson incomplete pass to the right
At left end, tries an inside stunt but there are too many bodies. Goes right and there’s no opening. Then stands straight up and tries to bat down pass.
4th-8, TB27 5:13 N. Folk kicked a 45-yard field goal

Dallas – 0:27
Eighth possession
1st-10, DAL23 0:27 Johnson passed to Barber down the middle for 14 yard gain.
Contains right and is in a position to make a tackle on Barber but he whiffs on the Dallas running back.
4th Quarter
Dallas continued
1st-10, DAL37 15:00 Barber rushed to the left for 2 yard gain.
Owned by Flozell Adams.
2nd-8, DAL39 14:22 Johnson sacked by Adams
From a very wide split Adams flies past all blockers for the sack and nearly forced a fumble.
3rd-17, DAL30 13:50 Johnson passed to Barber to the right for 4 yard gain.
At left end stutter-steps past Columbo and gets some pressure on Adams.

Dallas – 12:33
Ninth possession
1st-10, DAL14 12:33 Johnson incomplete pass to the left
Sets up to contain outside. No pressure.
2nd-10, DAL14 12:29 Johnson incomplete pass to the right
Gets a good fast jump to the outside then stops and cuts inside.
3rd-10, DAL14 12:22 DAL committed 5 yard penalty
3rd-15, DAL9 12:22 Johnson passed to M. Bennett to the left for 6 yard gain.
At left end takes a step outside then cuts inside but there is nothing but congestion. Adams reads the play well and runs outside to get an assist.

Dallas – 9:58
10th possession
1st-10, DAL14 9:58 Barber rushed to the left for 6 yard gain.
Bottle up inside as Barber goes outside.
2nd-4, DAL20 9:18 Barber rushed to the left for 2 yard loss.
Flies in and overruns Barber.
3rd-6, DAL18 8:40 Johnson passed to Owens to the left for 11 yard gain.
At left end slides inside and gets no pressure.
1st-10, DAL29 8:21 Barber rushed to the right for 1 yard gain.
At left end contains outside and is locked up by Columbo.
2nd-9, DAL30 7:45 Johnson passed to Curtis to the left for 8 yard gain.
NOF.
3rd-1, DAL38 6:57 Barber rushed to the left for no gain.
NOF.
4th-1, DAL38 6:28 Barber rushed to the right for 1 yard gain.
NOF.
1st-10, DAL39 5:44 Barber rushed to the right for 4 yard loss.
Runs inside. NIP.
2nd-14, DAL35 5:04 Johnson sacked by R. Sims
Takes two steps inside then backs off.
3rd-19, DAL30 5:04 Johnson passed to Barber to the left for 7 yard gain.
At left end tries a spin move but gets no pressure.

Mike Florio, the creator, curator and overall guru of ProFootballTalk.com has a breakdown of the NFC playoff picture. If the season ended today the Bucs would be tied with Dallass for the final playoff berth and thanks to that wretched offensive performance (yeah, Joe’s looking right at you Chucky!) the Bucs have lost the tiebreaker with Dallass.

Said Florio, “”I’m Not Ready To Write Off The Buccaneers.”

Banished to the doghouse, Michael Bennett should get handoffs from his former doghouse buddy, Jeff Garcia, in K.C. on Sunday.

Back on Sept. 16, Joe told you Michael Bennett was a bitter man. Bennett had a microphone stuck in his face in the Bucs locker room by the Pewter Report and referenced playing for a new team and how he might move on “with some other players.”

Per league rules, this video disappeared from Pewter Report’s Web site within 24 hours. Michael Bennett also disappeared since that time.

He’s been buried on Chucky’s bench or inactive, even when Bucs brass knew Warrick Dunn was banged up entering the Dallas game.

A former Pro Bowl running back, Bennett was handpicked by Bruce Almighty and Chucky to join the Bucs last year. At 30 years old with light mileage, he’s in his prime and ready to contribute.

Yet rather than use him, Chucky deactivated him last week and opted to moan about a “shortage of running backs.”

During preseason Bennett proved healthy, quick and consistent in the former Earnest Graham role of August workhorse, the go-to guy when the first-teamers left the game.

According to the Tampa Tribune, Chucky said Bennett may emerge from the doghouse in Kansas City this week and take some handoffs from his former doghouse buddy, Jeff Garcia.  

Joe’s pulling for Bennett.

Success this week will likely prompt Chucky’s forgiveness and have the coach expand his options to dress three running backs on Sundays. The Bucs could use all the offensive firepower they can muster.

Carmella's father-in-law says the Bucs can't find a hole

Regular JoeBucsFan.com readers know how much Joe loves Bob Garcia, Jeff Garcia’s candid ex-football coach dad, who is one the most entertaining Bucs analysts on the planet.

Here’s good ol’ dad with a take on last week’s game and the state of the Bucs’ running game. We apologize for the expletive.

“[The Bucs] played pretty well, but offensively, god, we haven’t been able to run the ball the last two games.

The [running game] numbers have been poor for quite a while, even against Denver. Jeff said, ‘Hey, they stayed in that Cover 2 and we tried to run the ball but we [couldn’t].’

“There’s no openings. I’m watching other teams where, shit, the guy is just running through a hole into the secondary. But our guys have a tough time getting through the line of scrimmage. Why it is, I don’t know. But [the Bucs’] coaches, they’re able to look at the film and slow it down and see who’s making the block or if they’re getting any movement up front.

The elder Garcia, who was a legendary high school and small college coach in Northern California, has a weekly blog for the Gilroy Dispatch. He speaks his mind on all things Bucs, 49ers and local sports. You can find it at GarlicSports.com

Don’t fret Bucs fans. Despite the injuries beginning to mount for the Bucs, there’s really no reason to be concerned.

The latest injury seems to be guard Arron Sears who suffered a concussion in practice earlier in the week, so reports Dave Scheiber of the St. Petersburg Times. That’s on top of running back Warrick Dunn’s pinched nerve and safety Jermaine Phillips’ broken left forearm.

Why isn’t Joe sweating? Because of the Bucs’ depth.

Phillps could be a key loss but Sabby Piscitelli will fill in quite nicely. Plus, Piscitelli lays the wood to receivers so Joe will be happy to see some receivers splashed.

If Dunn can’t go, Joe is more than happy to see Michael Bennett take the field. His speed would be a nice changeup to Earnest Graham’s bulldozing style of running.

And if Sears can’t go, the Bucs have Jeremy Zuttah, who may be better than Sears.

Don’t worry Bucs fans. In years past this would be a time to be nervous. Not this season.

Travis Bell of WTSP has a video report on how Bucs defensive back Sabby Piscitelli will start this week at Kansas City in place of ailing Jermaine Phillips who has a broken forearm.

Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune has his weekly Bucs podcast on TBO.com. Cummings has all sorts of tidbits including how the White Tiger, Joey Galloway, is getting frustrated at the offense. So is Joe.

Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune has his weekly podcast on TBO.com. He talks about the loss to Dallass and a look at the game with the Chiefs. Cummings noted that pretty much the entire Bucs team, both players and coaches, are in agreement that the offense may not be agressive enough.

Cummings also hinted the White Tiger is getting frustrated with the timidity of the passing game.

Additionally, Cummings hints that Warrick Dunn is banged up and has a bad back. It’s bad enough that he may not be able to answer the bell in Kansas City.

Charley Casserly and Jason Horowitz of CBSSports.com preview the Bucs-Chiefs game. As good as the Bucs can be, it’s scary that the Bucs have but one road win. Give it a look.

Watch CBS Videos Online

Bucs running back Warrick Dunn is nursing a sore back and Anwar Richardson of the Tampa Tribune suggests he is questionable to make the trip to Kansas City. Joe's not too concerned.

Some interesting news coming out of One Buc Palace Thursday from Anwar Richardson of the Tampa Tribune.

Seems as though Warrick Dunn missed practice and Chucky wouldn’t say whether he will make the trip to Kansas City or not.

“I am one of these coaches who believes you got to practice to play,” Gruden said. “I don’t want to discount how important I think practice is, but we think he is going to be OK. We’ll let you know tomorrow. We got a number of guys who have been idle and it reflects the way you play. It’s a tough business, especially when you don’t practice. We think he’s going to be OK, but we’ll let you know tomorrow.”

Dunn got his back dinged in the loss to Dallass and Richardson hints Dunn is questionable for Sunday’s game.

Gruden did say he expected RB Michael Bennett to play if Dunn can not go. Considering Tampa Bay is playing Kansas City, which is 1-6, and the Bucs have a bye next week, there is a strong possibility Gruden might rest Dunn for important games down the stretch.

While Dunn, who will be replaced by Michael Bennett if he can’t go, was big news, what was bigger news is that Chucky was using Cadillac Williams in practice. Chucky, unless he is playing with a poker face, all but announced Cadillac was ready to roll.

“We had a 12 play simulation of the Chiefs,” Gruden said. “We did the best we could and Carnell took about 10 or 11 straight plays. It’s exciting to see him out there, but not only see him out there, but the progress. He really looked good today. Next week during the bye week, we’ll put the pads on and try to make it a little more tough, but step two went well today.”

Joe thinks Chucky was out of his mind last weekend when he said the Bucs are thin at running back and that was one of the reasons the Bucs lost to Dallass. While Joe would love to see Cadillac back, he is more of a mind that Chucky is blowing smoke.

Former Bucs tight end and current Bucs radio network analyst Dave Moore says Arrowhead Stadium is the loudest outdoor stadium in the NFL.

Current Bucs radio network analyst and former Bucs tight end Dave Moore was interviewed on the NFL Network today and it was really interesting.

Moore talked about a lot of things concerning the Bucs. One of the most interesting was Moore suggested the Chiefs, despite being a brutal team, will not be an easy win.

Moore went on to say Arrowhead Stadium is the loudest outdoor stadium for visiting teams to play in and the fans give opposing offenses fits in communicating. Give it a look.