Chucky is in love with veteran quarterbacks yet avoids using seasoned punt and kick returners

Joe is stunned the Bucs pulled rookie Clifton Smith off the practice squad yesterday and thrust him into the game against Dallas as the No. 1 kick returner and punt returner.

Where was the logic there? Where was the sense of urgency for this critical conference game?

Obviously, benching rookie scaredy cat Dexter “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up” Jackson, was a wise move. But throwing Smith into the top returner role was foolish.  And it cost the Bucs dearly.

Smith, 23, a free agent signing out of Fresno State, got off to a good start in the return game, but later fumbled for the Bucs first turnover. Dallas didn’t turn that into points. But Smith’s late-game screwup helped lose the game.

The Cowboys punted to Smith with four minutes remaning. He panicked and called for a fair catch and caught the punt on the Bucs 26 yard line with nobody within seven yards of him. NOBODY.

It was a classic rookie mistake by a rookie who didn’t belong in the game.

That play cost the Bucs at least 5 to 10 yards.  And likely precious time on the clock as they failed on the game-ending drive.

We’ve seen Michael Clayton return kicks, as well as Mr. Invisible, Michael Bennett. Remember him? Also, the Bucs had Ike Hilliard available and Joey Galloway. Hilliard had already lined up as a punt returner for the punt following Smith’s fumble.

Chucky is in love with veteran quarterbacks. It’s time for him to start dating seasoned returners.

Gaines Adams dropped Brad Johnson late in the first half on Sunday for the Bucs first sack in 16 quarters

It had been 16 quarters since the Bucs last sack, when Gaines Adams dropped Dallas quarterback Brad Johnson for a loss late in the second quarter on Sunday.

Oooooooh.

Sack No. 2 came late in the fourth quarter. Ryan Sims drove Johnson to the turf for a big loss with 4 1/2 minutes left in the game to set up the Bucs final drive.

To find fault with the Bucs defense would be unfair nitpicking – other than their needless penalties. Tampa Bay allowed just 13 points to Dallass and did enough to win. 

Chucky can’t rely on defensive scores every week.   

However, the pass rush wasn’t what it could have been against Johnson, an old stiff stuck in the pocket.  As Joe says every week, the Bucs need to start getting to quarterbacks consistently, or they will be burned by the good ones every time.

A rash of penalties on the Bucs defense late in the first half gave Dallass its lone touchdown of the game, and eventually gave the Cowboys the win.

BUCS LOSE 13-9 @ Dallas

The Bucs looked as if they would go into the locker room at halftime tied. Maybe down by a field goal. Dallass had the ball just on the cusp of field goal range when the Bucs decided to have a mental meltdown.

The Bucs started commiting penalty after penalty, continuing to give Dallass first down after first down. Finally, giving Dallass a first-and-goal at the four, Brad Johnson completes an easy short pass for a touchdoown and a 10-6 lead.

Joe sensed at the time that might cost the Bucs. And it did.

The Bucs finished the game in easy field goal range unable to convert a four-and-four. A chip shot field goal, had the defense not allowed the late first half implosion, would have tied the game or given the Bucs a win.

Gotta give credit to Dallass’ defense. It played great. Of course the big time first half catch by Michael Clayton used up his quota of big catches for the season. The next time his name will be called the rest of the year will be on a dropped pass.

A frustrating loss. Hopefully the Rays won’t completely ruin Joe’s day.

As usual, Joe has some halftime thoughts:

* Nice meltdown by the Bucs defense on Dallass’ last drive of the half. By being moronic, the Bucs gave the Cowboys four first downs and a short touchdown. That is very, very huge for Dallass.

* Are Joe’s eyes still foggy from staying up late and watching the Rays or did Joe actually see a White Tiger on the field?

* When was the last time Michael Clayton made a big catch? His catch in the first quarter to extend a Bucs drive was fantastic. Joe can’t remember the last time he did that, if ever.

* In the second quarter the Cowboys seem to be running right at Gaines Adams when he is lined up at right end. The Bucs defensive end is a good pass rusher and pretty good at dropping back into pass coverage but from the past couple of games, including the first half, that Joe has charted Adams he is not very good at tackling when the ball carrier is coming right at him. Often a ball carrier puts a simple move on Adams and he is toast.

* Settling for field goals isn’t going to get the job done today Chucky.

Bucs (5-2) at Cowboys (4-3)
Week 8
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 118.
Weather: Per AccuWeather.com, fantastic weather with temperatures in the mid-70s at kickoff rising to 81 toward the end of the game under sunny skies.
Odds: Per Bodog.com, Dallass -2.
Outlook: The Cowboys are sitting ducks for the Bucs. This is a team that is in the midst of circling the drain. No Tony Romo means the menacing Bucs defense will have a new target and a familiar one: Brad Johnson.
Some “experts” claim Johnson, the former Bucs Super Bowl-winning quarterback, knows the Bucs defense and will pick them apart. This is one of the best jokes Joe has heard in weeks.
Johnson is 40-years old. He never had much of an ability to throw the long ball. He threw three interceptions against St. Louis. The Lambs’ defense is not even remotely close to the same league as the Bucs. Additionally, since Johnson can’t throw deep, look for the Bucs to give up the long pass and dare him to throw deep.
Since Johnson is slightly more mobile than the pirate ship at the CITS, the Bucs will likely blitz all game long.
In short, if the Bucs don’t win this game, Chucky should be ashamed to show his contorted face all next week.

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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.

Seattle – 14:53
First possession
1st-10, SEA12 14:53 Wallace passed to Carlson to the right for 6 yard gain.
Stood up by Walter Jones then backs off.
2nd-4, SEA18 14:21 Wallace incomplete pass to the right.
Scoots past Jones but Jones steers Adams past Wallace.
3rd-4, SEA18 14:15 Wallace passed to Colbert to the right for 8 yard gain.
At left end Adams goes around Sean Locklear approaches Wallace from behind but Wallace gets the ball away just before Adams gets him.
1st-10, SEA26 13:42 Jones rushed to the left for 2 yard gain.
Jones owns Adams initially but Adams slips away and gets a tackle.
2nd-8, SEA28 13:03 Jones rushed to the left for 2 yard gain.
Slips outside Jones and then runs inside.
3rd-6, SEA30 12:18 Wallace incomplete pass to the left.
Drops back into pass coverage and is nearly in the play.

Seattle – 9:05
Second possession
1st-10, SEA33 9:05 Jones rushed to the left for 8 yard gain
Walter Jones pushes Adams inside as Julius Jones runs outside.
2nd-2, SEA41 8:33 Jones rushed to the left for no gain
Drops back into pass coverage. NIP.
3rd-2, SEA41 7:48 Wallace incomplete pass to the right
Flies past tight end John Carlson and gets a hand on Wallace but Wallace gets the pass away.

Seattle – 4:13
Third possession
1st-10, SEA15 4:13 Wallace incomplete pass to the right
Jones toys with Adams. NIP.
2nd-10, SEA15 4:06 Morris rushed to the left for 1 yard gain
Adams runs a stunt inside and gets caught in the scrum. NIP.
3rd-9, SEA16 3:24 Wallace incomplete pass to the right
At left end Adams races past Locklear and deflects Wallace’s pass.

2nd Quarter
Seattle – 12:48
Fourth possession
1st-10, SEA4 12:48 Morris rushed to the left for 2 yard gain.
Pulls back at the snap. NIP.
2nd-8, SEA6 12:17 Wallace passed to Robinson to the left for 6 yard gain.
Jones locks up Adams but Adams nearly gets a paw on the pass.
3rd-2, SEA12 11:35 SEA committed 6 yard penalty.
Bursts through the line and has a shot at a tackle for a loss but Jones runs right past him.
3rd-8, SEA6 11:03 Wallace passed to Weaver down the middle for 6 yard gain.
Bottled up by Jones Adams escapes to get an assist.

Seattle – 6:06
Fifth possession
1st-10, SEA31 6:06 Talib intercepted Wallace for 19 yards
Runs right past Jones and nearly gets to Wallace but the Seahawks quarterback just gets the ball away in time.

Seattle – 3:01
Sixth possession
1st-10, TB33 3:01 Jones rushed to the left for 3 yard gain
Jones shoves him outside but releases Adams too soon as Adams gets an assist.
2nd-7, TB30 2:26 Wallace rushed up the middle for no gain. Wallace fumbled. Ruud recovered fumble
NIP.

3rd Quarter
Seventh possession
Seattle – 12:32
1st-10, TB25 12:32 Wallace passed to Morris down the middle for 8 yard gain.
Jones holds Adams but no flag.
2nd-2, TB17 12:06 Morris rushed up the middle for 3 yard gain.
Adams cuts inside and gets an assist.
1st-10, TB14 11:37 Morris rushed to the left for 2 yard gain.
Blows past Jones from a wide split, cuts inside and gets the tackle.2nd-8, TB12 11:09 Wallace incomplete pass to the right.
Drops back into pass coverage in the right flat.
3rd-8, TB12 11:02 Wallace passed to Morris down the middle for 4 yard gain.
At left end stutter-steps past Carlson but gets no pressure on Wallace.

Seattle – 8:11
Eighth possession
1st-10, SEA35 8:11 Morris rushed to the right for 45 yard gain.
Slides into the fight flat and then turns inside and is lost in the middle of blockers.
1st-10, TB20 7:41 Wallace incomplete pass to the right.
Adams loops right and gets past block but gets no pressure.2nd-10, TB20 7:36 Wallace passed to Jones to the right for 5 yard loss.
Curls inside. NIP.
3rd-15, TB25 6:50 TB committed 5 yard penalty.
Adams jumps offsides.
3rd-10, TB20 6:43 Wallace incomplete pass to the left.
At left end Adams is grabbed by Carlson and nearly tackled but no flag.

Seattle – 1:09
Ninth possession
1st-10, SEA16 1:09 Wallace rushed up the middle for 6 yard gain.
Bottled up at the line and shifts inside and has a shot at Wallace but Wallace puts a move on him and Adams whiffs at an open-field tackle.
2nd-4, SEA22 0:40 Morris rushed to the left for 3 yard gain.
Despite coming in from a wide split, Jones throws him to the outside.
4th Quarter
Seattle continued
3rd-1, SEA25 15:00 Duckett rushed to the left for 1 yard loss
Cuts inside and misses a shot at Duckett.

Seattle – 4:24
10th possession
1st-10, 50 4:24 Wallace passed to Colbert down the middle for 10 yard gain.
Fakes outside and cuts inside but is lost in the scrum.
1st-10, TB40 4:02 Wallace incomplete pass to the right.
Shoved outside by Jones.
2nd-10, TB40 3:56 Wallace passed to Engram to the right for 8 yard gain.
At left end Adams rolls around block but gets no pressure on Wallace.
3rd-2, TB32 3:32 Jones rushed up the middle for 21 yard gain.
Shoots past blockers but Julius Jones runs inside.
1st-10, TB11 2:56 Wallace passed to Carlson to the right for 3 yard gain.
NOF.
2nd-7, TB8 2:23 Wallace incomplete pass down the middle.
NOF.
3rd-7, TB8 2:17 Jones rushed to the right for 6 yard gain.
At left end Adams fires past Ray Willis but overruns Jones.
4th-1, TB2 1:55 Wallace passed to Carlson to the right for 2 yard touchdown. O. Mare made PAT.
At left end Adams sheds the initial block by Carlson and shoots at Wallace but Wallace is able to get the pass away.
Seattle – 0:06
11th possession1st-10, SEA35 0:06 Wallace passed to Robinson to the left for 17 yard gain.
NOF.

For the second week in a row, the Bucs were better off without quarterback Brett Favre.

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.

For the second week in a row, Jeff Garcia is the winner and Joe is happy.

Last week in the Bucs 33-10 win over Seattle, Garcia completed 27 of 36 passes with one touchdown and no interceptions. Garcia threw for 310 yards and was sacked once.

Detroit’s offsite quarterback coach, playing in a 16-13 overtime loss to the Raiders, connected on 17 of 30 passes for 203 yards and a touchdown with two sacks and no interceptions.

For the second week in a row, the Bucs were better off with Garcia than Favre.

As one can expect, Joe has the all important NFL Network videos related to the Bucs-Cowboys game, even though Roger Goodell’s boys refuse to provice embed codes.

First up is NFL Films’ always solid preview. Steve Sabol and his crew are national treasures.

Next up is analysis of the game from NFL Network’s Rich Eisen, Jamie Dukes and Rod Woodson. The trio break down why Chucky is mentally unstable to suggest Son of Bob start at quarterback.

Lastly, AccuWeather.com offers a video forecast of the game.

Chucky seems to have a crush on Bucs cornerback Aqib Talib.

Joe loved the first round pick of Aqib Talib in this spring’s draft. And thanks to Talib’s play, the Bucs may have the best, deepest secondary in the NFL.

And Talib isn’t a starter yet.

It seems Chucky is smitten with Talib, according to an article in the Tampa Tribune by Woody Cummings. Chucky likes Talib’s personality and ballhawking skills.

“Talib has a great charismatic personality and, to be honest with you, I think this game needs players like that,” Gruden said. “I know our team does.”

The Bucs pick of Talib really solidified the Bucs defense. There is no weakness in the defense. The best thing about Talib is that with such a deep secondary, Bucs coaches can rotate the players thereby keeping them fresh for not only the second half of games, but the playoffs.

JoeBucsFan.com analyst Steve Campbell gives Bucs right tackle Jeremy Trueblood a game ball for his play in the Bucs win over Seattle.

JoeBucsFan.com analyst Steve Campbell reviews the Bucs’ offensive line play in Week 7 and projects what fans can expect against the Dallass Cowboys on Sunday.

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.

The Bucs offensive line turned in another solid, if not spectacular performance last week against Seattle. I was critical earlier in the season of Jon Gruden’s abandonment of the run and his tendency to throw too much. Jeff Garcia and the Bucs came out slinging but I think this was the way to attack Seattle.

The Seahawks showed the “loaded box” look that Chicago used against the Bucs in Week 3 when Brian Griese attempted 67 passes in an exciting overtime Bucs win. Seattle used mostly eight-man fronts and sometimes loaded the box with nine defensive players daring the Bucs to throw. Considering that, a 36/38 run/pass ratio is pretty good in my book.

The pass protection was outstanding. Besides the one sack by Seattle, I could count only two times where Jeff Garcia came close to being hit as he threw: Both the result of blitzes. I didn’t see one time where a Bucs offensive lineman was beaten in a one-on-one type pass protection situation. Jeremy Trueblood (more on him later), specifically, was very good in pass protection. Just like in the Chicago and Green Bay games, Trueblood shut down a top notch defensive end. This time it was Patrick Kerney that Trueblood was neutralizing.

I wouldn’t fret too much as a Tampa Bay fan about the Bucs’s 2.5 yards per carry average for this game. As stated earlier, it’s tough to run in the NFL when teams are loading the box with eight and nine men. There is just no room to run anywhere. The good news is, even with their depleted wide receiver corps, the Bucs made the Seahawks pay for their strategy. Expect teams to loosen up the box a little more, and hopefully Gruden will take advantage of this, and run the ball.

Though the Bucs offensive line played well, the Bucs tight ends did not have their best night. There were several times where all five offensive linemen made their blocks, and a tight end was beaten in one-on-one run blocks.

Game ball: It was a tough call, but my game ball goes to right tackle Jeremy Trueblood who was very good pass protecting, and I continue to love his aggressiveness in the run game. Opposing defensive players that are “pile watchers” better watch themselves when playing the Bucs. Trueblood goes to the whistle every play and is always looking for somebody to hit that is standing around watching the tackle.

Normally, I would also tell you about any Bucs offensive lineman who didn’t have their best night, but I honestly thought they all played pretty well.

Against Dallas the Bucs face a defensive team whose back is against the wall. That scares me a bit, because the last time we faced this type of defense, it was the Denver Broncos, and that was a forgettable day for the Tampa Bay offense. Also, Dallas runs a 3-4 defense, and historically, these types of defenses have given the Bucs fits. At nose tackle, the Cowboys go with Jay Ratliff (6-4, 302). Ratliff has been a very active, overachieving player. The same can’t be said for the defensive ends of the Cowboys. Marcus Spears and Chris Canty have been major disappointments this year and for most of their short careers in Dallas. With the exception of DeMarcus Ware (a sack in 10 straight games), the Dallas linebackers have been very average.
Zach Thomas and Bradie James have been gashed lately in the middle. Thomas looks like a player that is on the definite downswing of his career.

This is a great opportunity for the Bucs this week. Dallas has been a team that has been run on this year, and if the Bucs offensive line can give Garcia time to throw, their depleted secondary can also be exploited.

Joe got a few chuckles from reading today’s touchy-feely Bucs love story in the Tampa Tribune.

Anwar Richardson writes about how the Bucs locker room is so unified that players credit their closeness with the team’s 5-2 record.

First, Joe smiled when he read about the street smarts of Jeff Garcia. It turns out Garcia, according to the story, picks up Jerramy  Stevens every morning and drives him to One Buc Place. Stevens, The King of Turds, has a suspended driver’s license.

Wisely, Garcia has decided that if you have an accused rapist and overall thug on your team, then its best to make friends with the guy as a way to protect your beautiful wife and new baby daughter.

While Jeff Garcia may drive Jerramy Stevens to work, Joe has a hunch he doesn't allow Stevens around his lovely wife Carmella, shown above.

Second, Joe thought it was funny that Richardson made no effort in the story to include a contrasting viewpoint or provide any comparison to past Bucs locker rooms. Not that Richardson would have found a player who would dare say something could be negative in Chucky’s world, but it would have been nice – and appropriate – to try.

Third, Joe has heard so many times on local sports radio in past years about how Jon Gruden has lost the locker room, about how the players secretly hate him because they are not treated professionally, and about how no top free agents will want to come here because of what it’s like to play in Tampa. Uhhhh, now what do yo say, Guys?

That’s OK. Gruden’s not listening anyway, as he told the Dallas media this week.

“You’ve got to sometimes not listen to the elevator music. You’ve got to be mentally tough and believe in your program. Fortunately, I’ve been able to surround myself with really good players who have a good, strong sense of loyalty and respect.”

The reality is the Bucs play hard for Gruden. That’s been true in good times and bad. It’s an undeniable fact.

Players liking each other is nice, but it’s totally irrelevant, as long as they leave it all on the field on Sundays.

NBCSports.com’s Tom Curran, in his weekly “Rising and Falling” segment can’t seem to say enough good things about Bucs quarterback Jeff Garcia, claiming Garcia is the kind of quarterback Tony Romo wishes he was.

But Curran is not so kind to Chucky, blasting the Bucs coach for even suggesting Son of Bob should be starting at some point instead of Garcia. Joe is confident Carmella will enjoy this. Bucs fans may as well.

Antonio Bryant is about to break out, so writes Mike Henry of the Bradenton Herald.

He’s been slowly getting better, slowly catching more and more passes. So it’s not without reason to suggest that Bucs wide receiver Antonio Bryant is on the cusp of breaking out, so writes Mike Henry of the Bradenton Herald.

As Henry, a noted horseman, suggests, sometimes it’s wise to forget the past and concentrate on the present. Henry infers this is what Chucky is doing in relation to Bryant.

“Everybody at some point probably doesn’t agree with some authority,” Gruden said of Bryant’s off-field problems, which included a late-2006 arrest in which he was charged with reckless driving, driving under the influence and resisting arrest, leading to a four-game suspension.

“Maybe in hindsight, Antonio could have used better judgment. But I don’t want to rehash the past. I can only judge what he has done here. I think he recognizes the future is now and he has to take advantage of this opportunity.

What Bryant has done in the past pales in comparison to the King of Turds. But Bryant thus far has been, from all accounts, a model citizen and an even better receiver. With the White Tiger’s status a mystery and so many Bucs wide receivers getting banged up, Bryant has a rare opportunity to go from backup to star in just a few games.

With a Bucs win over the Cowboys Sunday, Tony Dungy will no longer be the Bucs winningest coach. Chucky will.

Joe really appreciates Tony Dungy, the man.

Joe is thankful for Tony Dungy, the former Bucs coach.

But Joe long ago grew weary of the hero worship and deification of Tony Dungy the Bucs coach from a large segment of Bucs fans. To hear these Bucs fans speak, Dungy was a mixture of Paul Brown, Nostradamus, Clara Barton and the Messiah all rolled into one.

So for these same sycophants — Joe refers to them as “Dungyphiles” — Joe politely suggests they should find a seat and begin preparations to seek some sort of therapy after reading the following sentence.

With a win over the Cowboys Sunday, Chucky will become the winningest coach in Bucs franchise history, as Anwar Richardson of the Tampa Tribune points out.

“I try not to think too much about those types of things,” said Gruden, in his seventh season with the Bucs. “I just feel like I have a great responsibility here. I’m very fortunate to have been surrounded by a lot of great and talented people, and I just want to win the next game. Whether it’s 28 games or 33 games you’ve won in your career, it really doesn’t matter. We need to win our sixth game.”.

Despite the risk of creating a flamewar, Joe is happy to learn this piece of information. First and foremost, this record suggests the Bucs have been successful under Chucky. And they have.

Is Dungy a good man? No, he’s a great man.

Was Dungy good for the Bucs? Certainly.

Was it a good thing the Glazer Boys turned the page and showed Dungy the door? Absolutely!

But if Joe somehow won a monster lottery and could buy an NFL team, Joe would give away a good chunk of that team to hire Dungy as a director of football operations, not, however, as coach.

Joe’s favorite backwards hat, better known as Rick Brown of the Lakeland Ledger, makes his best campaign pitch in this election year to rally support that the Bucs are one of the best teams in the NFL.

Joe agrees, and as a result, hopes to cast an absentee ballot.

The Bucs O-Line took in Game 2 of the World Series together at the Trop

The Bucs’ offensive linemen get together for a beasts night out on Thursdays. These nine men invade a local steakhouse or take in dinner and an activity, and one player picks up the check. It’s a bonding session for the big and not so beautiful.

Last night was Davin Joseph’s turn to pay the tab. And it was a big one, he revealed on The Davin Joseph Show.

It turns out the guys voted to go to Game 2 of the World Series at Tropicana Field.

Joseph said he called his “ticket guy” for a set of tickets together and the evening would run about $1,000 per head.

During the Thursday evening broadcast on 620AM WDAE,  Joseph also gushed over center Jeff Faine and Jeff Garcia.

On Garcia: “I’ve never played with a guy like him who gets hit hard in the chin and gets right back up like it never happened. …There are never complaints from him. No comments. He’s just so focused on what he needs to do.”

On Faine: “He’s real smart. He’s got a degree from Notre Dame and he mastered [Gruden’s] playbook in two months. It took me one year.”

Charley Casserly and Jason Horowitz of CBSSports.com break down the Bucs-Cowboys game. Casserly notes that Dallass will need to run the ball to win but, doing that against the Bucs may be a bit more than the Cowboys can chew. Give it a look.

Casserly also agrees with Joe that Son of Bob should never take the field again for the Bucs.

Watch CBS Videos Online

Time for Joe to offer the weekly power rankings from around the Web.

On BSPN.com, Pat Yasinskas bumped up the Bucs from No. 7 to No. 6.

The Bucs are solid in every way. Plus, running up against teams without their QBs helps.

Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com has the Bucs slightly higher at No. 5.

The way Jeff Garcia is playing, it’s time to look at them as a serious playoff contender. Their game at Dallas will be an interesting one this week.

Then of course, the czar of football writers Paul Zimmerman of SI.com, known better as Dr. Z, has the Bucs at No. 4 and echoes what Joe has been saying all along about Chucky/Son of Bob/Carmella’s husband, albeit in a more eloquent way.

This is the hot spot. The Redskins had to get moved down after the Browns nearly nipped them. Panthers and Bills were strong contenders, but to be brutally honest, what decided me was an AP story I read after the Bucs’ defeat of Seattle. Garcia “outplayed fellow-back-up-turned-starter Seneca Wallace…” the clumsiness of that sentence mirroring the clumsiness of the thought. Back-up? Garcia won the starting job in camp then got hurt. The AP also noted that Gruden has no plans to bench him as starter when Griese returns. Bench him? The guy’s playing at Pro Bowl level. You know something. The game’s all about image — blind, stupid image.

Ian Eagle, Clark Judge, and Jason Horowitz of CBSSports.com discuss the “second-chance” quarterbacks who are thriving in the NFL this season, including Jeff Garcia. Judge talks about how Garcia “never makes a mistake” which is pretty close to the truth.

Judge’s comment reminds Joe just what a deranged state of mind Chucky must be in to even consider putting Son of Bob on the field.

The CBSSports.com trio also discuss the possibility of a Jeff Garcia movie, written by Terrell Owens.

Watch CBS Videos Online

Win the A-Train commemorative bobblehead right now.

Here at JoeBucsFan headquarters, we’ve got a Mike Alstott commemorative bobblehead to give away. It’s pretty cool. The box is dated Oct. 19, 2008, Mike Alstott Night at RayJay.

We’ve made winning easy for you.

The first person to e-mail Joe the last name of the local radio star who interviewed Joe on Sunday gets the bobblehead. Include your name and address, so we can mail it out to you with the JoeBucsFan.com home game. (Hints: The answer was posted on this site in the past week, or check the banner ads above.)

We’ll announce the winner in the comments section below. Good luck.

UPDATE: We have a winner. The answer was Justin Pawlowski, of The Sports Animal. 

It took about 90 seconds to get the winning e-mail. Cork Gaines, a C-list celebrity, in fact, took home the prize. You can Google him. Sorry to Pete Fein of Tierra Verde, who missed the bobblehead by 1 minute. Pete, we got your info. and we’ll hook you up with something soon.

Not much to cheer about in Dallas lately. Except, of course, the cheerleaders.

Joe is encouraged by the whimpering coming from the Cowboys’ camp. Without Tony Romo, the team resembles a bratty 4-year-old girl who misses her mommy and is pouting because grandpa’s in charge.

They imploded against the Rams last week, and they sure don’t seem to be rallying around 40-year-old Brad Johnson at starting QB.

“Dead Coach Coaching,” is how a Fort Worth Star-Telegram columnist is referring to Dallass coach Wade Phillips.

Dallas Morning News columnist Tim Cowlishaw writes:

So really the Cowboys are back in the same boat that they sunk in a week ago. They hoped for a medical miracle from Romo in St. Louis, and they didn’t get it.

Now they’re hoping for a passing miracle from Brad Johnson either Sunday against Tampa Bay or a week later in Giants Stadium.

I think they had a better chance of seeing one delivered a week ago.

In the link above, the Dallas newspaper serves up a video interview with Brad Johnson, in which he calls the Bucs defense “lethal right now.”

Last week against St. Louis, Johnson did his best Brian Griese impression. He completed 17 of 34 passes for 234 yards and a touchdown but was intercepted three times and sacked three more. Johnson will make his first start against the Bucs since leading them to the beloved 2003 Super Bowl victory.