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Joe’s friend Tom Curran, of CSN New England, looks back in this video at the Bucs-Pats game. While the Patriots defense suffocated the Bucs’ first-team offense, Curran qualified the Pats’ defensive performance saying they took advantage because “there were some shaky moments with the Bucs’ offense.”

Michael Smith made a case for himself to lose his captaincy of the inactive list

It wasn’t all doom and gloom last night for the Bucs.

After a heinous display of special teams play last week against the Ravens — fumbled punt, blocked punt and more — the Bucs rebounded against the Patriots to actually look strong. Well done, Coach Wannstedt and friends.

Captain of the inactive list Michael Smith used his 4.3 speed and good blocking to rip off a 63-yard kick return to start the Bucs’ first possession. That was damn good, especially against the first-teamers. Will Smith win a roster spot because of it? Doubtful. But he’s surely earned more opportunities.

WR Eric Page did nothing to lose his role as top punt returner (one return for three yards.) With another solid night in Miami on Saturday, there’s no doubt Page will earn a roster spot. After all, the Bucs’ improved pass rush and secondary should generate a lot more punts, so the returner position has increased importance, right? Joe can dream.

Page also returned two kicks for 68 yards.

Derek Dimke hit a couple of field goals, and the coverage teams were sound.

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All-Pro guard Carl Nicks was supposed to play last night against the Patriots.

He didn’t.

Bucs fans were told that Nicks playing last night was all part of his step-by-step rehabilitation/readiness plan. But minds changed, so documented Woody Cummings of The Tampa Tribune.

About 90 minutes before kickoff, the Bucs announced they decided to scratch Nicks from the lineup, saying he had put in enough good work during joint practices against the Pats to warrant sitting out.

The Bucs stressed the decision was not the result of any kind of setback for Nicks, who is still recovering from the plantar tissue tear in his left big toe that ended his 2012 season after seven games.

“It’s no big setback or anything,’’ Bucs coach Greg Schiano said. “We just feel like it’s better that we get him better for next week to play a considerable amount of time.

“He got some really good work up here during the week, so we feel like he’s gotten enough already for this time in his recovery and return. We feel good about that.’’

Joe’s not encouraged. Nicks was going to play around 10 plays or so last night. That’s peanuts, yet the Bucs held him out.

Like every other Bucs fans, Joe hopes the health fairy visits the Bucs and has Davin Joseph, Carl Nicks, Darrelle Revis and Adrian Clayborn ready to play a full game — at full strength — when the season kicks off in 22 days.

The leader of the New Schiano Order was on the Buccaneers Radio Network at halftime last night and very simply stated that his Bucs didn’t play well.

After the 25-21 loss to the Patriots, which included a roasting of the Bucs’ first-team defense and a grounding of the first-team offense, Schiano was even more subdued.

“We competed in the second half, and that was important,” Schiano said.

It’s great to compete, but Joe would expect that from every NFL team. Expectations for the Bucs are much higher.

“We made too many mistakes tonight,” Schiano said. “And I don’t know, you know, if it’s fatigue, or what it was. But we did make mistakes. We gotta get that fixed. Now we played against a good football team, too. So, you know, sometime they can put a little pressure on you. But we need to make sure we do our job. And then if you get licked by, you know, a really good player or a really good team, you get licked. Sometimes that happens. But mistakes, we can’t, you know you can’t judge the quality if you’re making mistakes. We’ll get that cleaned up.”

Schiano did offer specific praise for rookie running back Mike James. “Mike, especially, made some people miss.”

You can hear the Schiano audio below, via WDAE-AM 620.

Greg Schiano has been vocal recently about getting Da’Quan Bowers transitioned to a full-time, every-down player.

Schiano has cracked a whip on Bowers in the media, and he played Bowers a full half against the Ravens. And part of the time in that game he even had Bowers playing defensive tackle in the 3-technique, a move seemingly made to force Bowers to grind and grind.

Fast-forward to tonight against the Patriots, and Bowers was not in the starting lineup. He appeared with the first team as a situational pass rusher. That’s hardly a way to get Bowers ready to become a versatile manbeast with double-digit sacks.

At this point, Joe is wondering whether Bowers is on his way out of Tampa, just 10 months after Schiano raved about Bowers’ work ethic and the body-transformation he accomplished while rehabilitating his blown Achilles.

Ronde Barber offered a harsh assessment of Josh Freeman

Now Joe has gone on record, dozens of times, stating Bucs franchise quarterback Josh Freeman should start the season because he gives the Bucs the best chance to get to the playoffs.h

That doesn’t mean Joe hasn’t had issues with Freeman and still questions whether Freeman will ever be able to turn the corner and be thought of as a winner, not racking up needless fantasy football statistics.

Apparently, former Bucs great Ronde Barber and Joe are like-minded. Barber, after watching a poor first-half performance by Freeman (he had as many sacks as completions), Barber, now a talking head for FOX Sports, said at halftime Freeman cannot put a team on his back, so reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

@RapSheet: Ronde Barber on Fox on ex-teammate Josh Freeman: “Josh Freeman can’t carry the offense by himself. We all know that. He’s prone to mistakes”

This is why Joe has been so skeptical of Freeman. Joe always compares Freeman’s college days to Eli Manning’s. Quick, name an NFL player who Manning had as an offensive teammate? Yet Manning put the Rebels on his back and nearly got to an SEC title game (a close loss to Auburn prevented that), but did get Ole Miss to a Cotton Bowl, a New Years Day game.

Freeman, in three years as a starter, just once threw for more touchdowns than interceptions and his only bowl game came in the world renowned Texas Bowl, where the Wildcats were routed by Greg Schiano and the mighty Scarlet Knights of Rutgers.

Oh, and Freeman for two years (including the Texas Bowl appearance) had a future NFL offensive starter as a teammate. Some wide receiver you may have heard of, Jordy Nelson.

Joe had thought the way Freeman practiced prior to this week, by all accounts, terrible, that he had turned the corner. Well, Freeman is having another Six Flags moment. More and more Joe is convinced this is who Freeman is and Bucs fans should learn to accept the manic swings in his performance.

Freeman’s NFL mark against teams with a winning record? A dismal 6-15.

Just because Bucs franchise quarterback Josh Freeman struggled tonight against the Patriots doesn’t mean rookie Mike Glennon should start.

Joe is confident the Mike Glennon Mob will sleep little tonight, unless mass quantities of alcoholic beverages are consumed.

Glennon, the Bucs’ backup quarterback, came into an ugly game played by the Bucs at New England and led the Bucs on three scoring drives, often doing what Freeman struggles to do: Throw with accuracy.

And, no, that doesn’t and shouldn’t be a reason for Glennon to start Week 1 against the Jets, despite Freeman playing more like a rookie than Glennon.

Look, is it nice what Glennon did? Sure. But who was he playing against? The vast majority of players on the field for the Patriots facing Glennon will be filing for unemployment in two weeks. Why should Joe — or any sober fan — get all worked up that a quarterback moved this offense against a bunch of Arena League players?

Then throw in the fact the Patriots were running a vanilla defense for Glennon. No coach in his right mind, and Bill Belicheat is among the best, is going to put something on tape in preseason that may be important in the regular seaosn.

No, Glennon should not start. And, yes, Freeman gives the Bucs the best chance to get to the playoffs. This year.

Rather invisible through much of training camp and against the Ravens last week, rookie running back Mike James really introduced himself to Bucs fans tonight in Foxborough.

James got some first-team action after Doug Martin had his bell rung executing a cut block to open the Bucs’ second offensive series.

Two plays later, James ripped off an 11-yard run for the only first down of the first-teamers. He caught a short ball from Josh Freeman in between two sacks of the Bucs’ franchise quarterback.

James finished the first half with three carries for 33 yards, and two receptions for seven yards. More importantly under the New Schiano Order, James didn’t fumble.

Is it fair to judge Josh Freeman tonight on just two offensive series?

Of course. That’s all Joe and Bucs fans have.

Freeman was 2-for-3 for eight yards. He took three sacks, and at least one, possibly two, came because he held the ball too long.

Kevin Ogletree dropped a pass on Freeman on third down of the first series.

Ugly night for the Bucs’ first-team offense. Joe was having Raheem-era, slow-start flashbacks.

So here we are boys and girls, two weeks into the preseason as the Bucs play the Patriots and yes, Tom Terrific and his knee will play despite the presence of Adrian Clayborn.

A lot of Bucs fighting for a starting gig can do a world of good for themselves tonight by putting in a good game. Should be fun.

Now you are welcome to share illegal links of the broadcast among yourselves via e-mail. Posting illegal links of the broadcast here will get you run.

Enjoy the game!

Preseason Game 2

Bucs at Patriots

Kickoff: 8 p.m.

TV: WTVT-TV Channel 13. Game will be broadcast via tape-delay on the NFL Network at 1 a.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. Tuesday.

Radio: Buccaneers Radio Network (in Tampa WFUS-FM 103.5, and WDAE-AM 620); SiriusXM Channel 85.

Weather: Per AccuWeather.com, pretty good football weather. Kickoff forecast is 69 degrees with little to no wind with low humidity and no chance for rain. Forecast has temperatures falling to 61 by game’s end.

Odds: Per FootballLocks.com, Patriots -3.

Outlook: Well, the starters should go about two or three series or so, and Joe will be interested in a lot of players. For one, all eyes (as usual) will be on Bucs franchise quarterback Josh Freeman. Joe wants to see how Freeman bounces back from, by all measures and reports, an abysmal week of practice. If his Six Flags ways continue, the rollercoaster tonight should be going up. There are also battles to watch. Can Gabe Carimi really unseat Damar Dotson at right tackle? Can Dekoda Watson secure the gig at strongside linebacker? Which cornerback is going to pull away for the slot corner spot? Can a No. 3 receiver be found? How about return specialists? These are the things Joe will be keyed in on because by next week, one would guess the projected starting lineup could be or should be pretty much set.

Gabe Carimi will land the right tackle job, predicts a Bucs beat writer.

Tampa Bay Times Bucs beat scribe Rick Stroud believes former 2011 Bears first-round pick Gabe Carimi will unseat Demar Dotson for the starting right offensive tackle job.

Stroud made the call this morning on The Sports Page on WDAE-AM 620. (Audio below.) Regarding Carimi, Stroud explained that he believes “that’s really the guy they feel more comfortable with.” Stroud cites Carimi’s recent increased practice with the first team and the presence of Bob Bostad, Carimi’s college coach at Wisconsin who now leads the Bucs’ O-line.

Joe can’t make this call yet. However, if Carimi is named the starter and is effective, then rockstar general manager Mark Dominik pulled off quite a coup securing Carimi for a sixth-round pick.

Dotson did sign a barely-starters-money contract extension this offseason, and he was the weak link on the Bucs’ line last season, though Greg Schiano, Davin Joseph and Bostad were all on record praising him in the spring and early summer.

The sun could be setting on Anthony Gaitor’s career

With Darrelle Revis and Danny Gorrer not playing tonight, the Bucs’ remaining cornerback depth with be in the spotlight in New England. Rashaan Melvin, Johnthan Banks and Leonard Johnson likely will have plenty of opportunities to shine — or crumble — against Tom Brady.

Or will the Bucs roll out Michael Adams as the No. 1 slot cornerback? He’s a guy Schiano praised for his tackling against the Ravens last week.

Joe will be zeroing in on how, when and where those guys play.

Raheem-era holdover Anthony Gaitor also had good moments in practice this week, per various Twitter reports. Can he stick his name back in the mix?

Rookie CB Branden Smith, undrafted out of Georgia, is another guy to keep an eye on. He looked decent against the Ravens scrubs and was solid returning kicks for the Bucs.

Oh, the drama.

Greg Schiano said his Bucs made a “truckload” of mistakes against the Ravens last week, and the leader of the New Schiano Order followed that up saying he’d be happy to cut that number in half tonight.

There’s no doubt four turnovers were among the messes, as well as penalties and many issues common in preseason when players soon to be grad students and gym teachers are on the stage.

Veteran WTSP-TV, Ch. 10 sportscaster Dave Wirth looks at this and other elements to tonight’s Bucs-Pats game in Foxborough. Click below.

The No Excuses Tour heads to Tropicana Field from Tampa Lee Roy Selmon’s locations. Click here for the schedule.

**STAYING FOR THE SATURDAY AUGUST 17 POSTGAME CONCERT!

Catch the famous No Excuses Tour luxury bus departing Lee Roy Selmon’s locations in Tampa for this weekend’s Rays-Blue Jays series and the Yanks-Rays series later this month.

Your Paradise Worldwide Transportation chauffeur is waiting — and it’s only $9.95 roundtrip!

More than 1,000 fans have enjoyed this amazing service.

Lock your seat down NOW at NoExcusesTour.com.

Aside from Bucs quarterbacks and defensive linemen, the position that makes Bucs fans twist and turn is tight end.

During this offseason, whenever a tight end’s name recognizable from fantasy leagues popped up, fans wondered aloud whether rock star general manager Mark Dominik would lunge to sign said tight end.

In fans’ minds, tight end is a critical position. In offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan’s mind, it isn’t. That is the key element here.

So when the Bucs signed Tom Crabtree, it was met with much head-scratching. Never mind Crabtree was buried on a depth chart behind one of the game’s best tight ends, Jermichael Finley.

This subject was touched upon recently by the master numerologist of the stat-heavy ProFootballFocus.com outfit.

The “word on the street” is that Tom Crabtree has a shot to overtake Stocker at tight end, but that might not be too helpful even if it does happen. This could be a real area of concern with Freeman desperately needing an outlet valve underneath.

This isn’t just word on the street. Joe would be shocked, barring an unforeseen trade or other roster move, that Crabtree doesn’t start. He made his bones with the Packers as a crushing blocker. He did well with the rare opportunities he had to catch balls down the field. Well enough that the Bucs jumped on him when he was available.

For those who want the Bucs to get a high-flying tight end, consider that with Sullivan as the Giants receivers coach, Big Blue won a Super Bowl after their Pro Bowl tight end was injured.

Bucs franchise quarterback Josh Freeman, at a public outing this summer, was questioned about the Bucs getting a household name for a tight end, Freeman shrugged his shoulders and said the Bucs don’t use a tight end much in Sullivan’s offense so what’s the point.

Luke Stocker, given his erratic play and injury troubles, simply is not reliable.