Nothing like an NFL Films look inside a game. Joe’s just hooked on this stuff that makes the Real Man Channel, NFL Network, an absolute must.

During the Bucs-Texans game Sunday, Josh Freeman wore the famous NFL Films microphone, and you can watch a 3+ minute compilation here and get a look inside the game.

Sadly, it’s also a great look at how Dezmon Briscoe, Mike Williams and Arrellious Benn let down Freeman on Sunday.

Unless it involves calculating cash, poker-pot odds or handicapping racing forms, Joe’s not too interested in math.

Joe doesn’t play fantasy football or buy into how the numbers crowd has soiled baseball. But Joe will look at stats and assess their worth.

In an annoying yet interesting piece for Grantland.com, Bill Barnwell rolls out some sort of fancy “Pythagorean expectation,” as he calls it, to explain that the Bucs have run into an historically tough schedule. Here’s a snippet:

The closest example of a schedule this tough was in 2000, when the Washington Redskins played six games against teams who had an average Pythagorean expectation of 11.6 wins. That group included both the eventual Super Bowl winners (Ravens) and losers (Giants), along with the Titans (13-3), Eagles (11-5), and Buccaneers (10-6), each of whom made the playoffs. The 7-9 Jaguars, who had a Pythagorean expectation of 9.1 wins, finished out the slate. Amazingly, the Redskins went 5-1 against this murderer’s row and still managed to miss the playoffs. It’s no surprise that Norv Turner was involved.

Feel free to click through above to make your head spin delve into the exciting world of football math.

Yes, the Bucs have had a very tough schedule. For Joe, however, that’s really not the issue. The problem is how the team is playing. Joe suspects fans would rally behind a young 4-5 Bucs team if it was a hard-hitting competitive bunch. If they can re-morph into that team, then a playoff berth is still in reach.

It doesn’t all have to be bad news surrounding the sinking Bucs.

Davin Joseph, Jeremy Trueblood, Micheal Spurlock, Roy Miller and Sammie Stroughter headed out to a Tampa elementary school to work with kids as part of the NFL’s Play 60 program, so it was reported on Buccaneers.com.

“In addition to practicing their running, receiving and footwork abilities, the kids at Potter Elementary were also the recipients of a $10,000 contribution from the Buccaneers and NFL. The donation will help provide much-needed recreational equipment and educational resources to the public school in East Tampa that serves over 650 students, all of whom qualify for free lunch. 

“This gives us an opportunity to really get some things that we may not be able to afford to purchase for ourselves and for the kids,” said school Principal Kimberly Thompson. “Just having that huge donation will allow us to purchase sports equipment along with some books. Our goal is not only just to make them healthy on the outside, but get their brains working as well.”

This stuff is great to hear. It sure humbled Joe to read that the entire student body referenced qualifies for free lunch. That almost seems impossible, considering the low income threshold required for the government program. Not one kid there living out of poverty? These surely are tough times.

Joe hopes the Bucs eventually score one those Play 60 school bus commercials that play incessantly on NFL Network. Perhaps the best thing about this season is not having to watch Arthur Blank and the stupid Falcons mascot bopping their heads over and over, pretending to have rhythm on the bus.

Joe would much prefer to see Bryan Glazer feeling the beat sandwiched between Cody Grimm and Aqib Talib as they ride down Florida Avenue.

The crew that covers the Packers for the Green Bay Gazette discuss stock options, financial talking heads, and the state of the Packers as the Super Bowl champs prepare for the Bucs Sunday.

Prior to the Bucs game with the Texans last Sunday, Joe got a brief moment with Rich Gannon. The former Super Bowl quarterback was in town to call the game for CBS-TV. As a result, Gannon got to spend time watching the Bucs practice Friday and had one-on-one interviews with Bucs players and coaching staff members. Currently, football fans enjoy listening to Gannon as he co-hosts “The Blitz” with popular sports radio personality Adam Schein, heard exclusively weekdays on SiriusXM NFL Radio.

JoeBucsFan: Your observations of Josh Freeman, why is he struggling?

Rich Gannon: I think there are a number of factors. The fact they have been inconsistent running the football, that has factored into it. I think another thing is he has taken some unnecessary risks with the ball. He’s been a little bit more aggressive. I talked to him on Friday about that and he said he came out in the beginning of the season and was overly aggressive. He tried to fit every ball in there, taking chances with it. I think he has learned you can’t do that.

I think he trusts some players. He trusts a guy like Mike Williams, he trusts a guy like Kellen Winslow. You have to be able to pull it in. The one [thing] that really troubles you is the five interceptions in the red zone, four coming on first downs.

Another thing I have seen on tape is that he at times is sloppy with his footwork. He gets a little lazy, not getting away from the center fast enough. I think a lot of that is being in a shotgun so much, you can develop bad habits, you are just sitting there.

I see him falling away from throws at times when there is pressure inside. There are some things, some fundaments and some technical things he needs to work on, but hey, he has a ton of talent. He’s a big, strong guy who stands in there and is willing to take a hit. He just has to fight his way through it. He is capable.

Joe: There has been some talk that the Bucs receivers aren’t getting open is a factor in his struggles. How do you see that?

Gannon: I don’t think either one of those guys [Bucs receivers] are speed demons. They are guys who use their size. The receivers have to get separation and you don’t see that right now on the film.

The Twilight Zone theme music eerily pounded through Joe’s head as he drove on I-275 listening to The Josh Freeman Show on WDAE-AM 620 last night.

Freeman was talking about having lengthy football conversations with Albert Haynesworth after the Bucs-Texans game. Freeman praised Haynesworth and said he valued having a veteran like Haynesworth around and called him “a mentor.”

Joe looked in his back seat to see of there was Talking Tina doll there waiting to stab him.

All this Haynesworth stuff is just surreal to Joe. Joe’s rooting hard for Haynesworth. The Bucs desperately need him to perform. But it’s still hard to accept that No. 95 is a positive influence who left all his baggage on the plane from New England.

Yesterday, Raheem Morris praised Haynesworth for being communicative and for his work ethic, describing a scene of seeing Haynesworth already in at One Buc Palace working with trainers at 8 a.m. Wednesday. “He just wants to help his team win,” Raheem said.

Joe hopes it continues. Haynesworth has to know his career rides on his performance and behavior over the next seven weeks.

Step aside, Nostradamus, Scott Reynolds is in the house.

Per a report on PewterReport.com, the lead writer of the online outfit says he’s 100 percent sure the Bucs will open the team checkbook in 2012 and start wining and dining the big names when the free agency bell sounds in March.

“… Mark down these words. This team will be an active player in free agency next year,” Reynolds said on something called Pewter Report Radio. “The plan, as I’ve come to understand it from talking to several people inside the building, is to have three draft classes to acquire talent and depth that has experience. Then, I believe next year, you will see this team go out and get some big-time free agents at key positions, some we know about and some yet to be defined. But there will be the free agency splash coming next year. I can guarantee you that.”

Hmm, well, Joe has marked it down, as Reynolds’ requested. But Joe’s not sure he’s buying this one. Though given the glaring liabilities in the Bucs’ linebacking corps and the desperate need for another running back, among other needs, Joe’s not seeing how the Bucs can draft their way into the coveted lasting contender status next season.

The lovely Tiffany Simons and Gregg Rosenthal discuss who should not be blamed for the Bucs struggles in this NBCSports.com video.

Breaking sports news video. MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL highlights and more.

Former Bucs defensive end Steve White (1996-2001) is a real treat to have around town investing time enlightening Bucs fans.

White’s a true student of football, a deeply passionate Bucs fan, and he takes the time to watch Bucs games numerous times and share his detailed and entertaining takes. It also helps that he understands the intricacies of the Bucs defense. You may disagree with White, but he calls it straight from his knowledgable football head, as well as his heart. 

Tuesday, White took to the Internet-only airwaves, those unregulated by FCC profanity statutes. He joined Derek “Old School” Fournier on WhatTheBuc.net to breakdown the Bucs-Texans debacle. This was not a broadcast for young children or squeamish types.

Needless to say, Joe enjoyed it very much.

White unloaded on offensive coordinator Greg Olson, saying he deserves a big share of the blame for the Bucs’ impotent offense. How bad was it? White said he would take Mike Shula immediately to replace Olson.

White explained in great detail, but in the center of the cauldron is the inexplicable lack of use of LeGarrette Blount. He also begs the Bucs’ brass to stop the BS of calling the Bucs a running football team.

Joe found himself standing and applauding in front of his laptop numerous times. Why Joe hasn’t cheered that much since the Bucs’ last victory. You can listen to the broadcast here. 

Here’s one of White’s take on Kregg Lumpkin.

“We got a running back in Kregg Lumpkin that absolutely 100 percent is not looking to block anybody on a passing play. All he’s looking for is, ‘What’s the quickest way I can get out into this route? Because I know Josh is going to have to throw it to me because there ain’t nobody blocking for his ass.’ 

“Listen, Kregg Lumpkin is not a good football player. He’s our third-down back somehow. Don’t ask me how that happened. This is a guy who had several opportunities on Sunday to get first downs, and I swear, every single time he made the wrong cut or the wrong decision to get the final yard or yard and a half to get the fu*kn first down.

“So now we got an offense where we have a quarterback whose confidence is obviously shaky. You’re not giving him any help. You’re not chipping the defensive ends. You’re not leaving anybody in to help block. So he knows that he’s going to get hit pretty soon after he gets the ball out of shotgun. So he’s looking to throw it as soon as possible. Then everbody gets on his ass about throwing interceptions and being aggresssive.  … So [Freeman’s] like, ‘Let me hit the dumpoff pass and jog off the field.’ Man, we’ve got the most inept offense I’ve seen around here in a long time.”

Joe’s no fan of Olson, though the offensive coordinator surely has been stymied by numerous drops and a quarterback who’s not throwing the ball like he did last year. But the Bucs offense is inexplicable at times, (Joe’s given up on ever seeing a pounding of Blount) and the first quarter results aren’t merely coincidence.

OK boys and girls, here is the TV map for the 1 p.m. eastern time kickoffs on Fox. You will see the Bucs-Packers game (in red) will be broadcast to much of the nation. Fox’s No. 1 crew, Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, will call the game. (Click on the image for a larger view.)

Red: Bucs at Packers
Blue: Dallas at Redskins
Yellow: Panthers at Lions
Green: Cardinals at 49ers, 3 p.m.
Brown: Seahawks at Rams, 3 p.m.

Image courtesy of the506.com.

"Hey Coach, remember me?"

The Bucs are the youngest team in the NFL. Rarely do teams with a roster full of young talent do much unless they have a quarterback that is the new standard of excellence, such as an Aaron Rodgers.

So it stands to reason the young Bucs are still learning the ropes. That’s what Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik suggested yesterday while chatting with Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune.

“We are going through some growing pains, obviously, with this football team right now,” Dominik said while watching a workout at One Buc Place. “But in terms of being panicked or desperate or worried, I’m not at that point.”

Tampa Bay is coming off a 37-9 loss to the Houston Texans in which players’ effort was called into question by head coach Raheem Morris.

“We have a high standard around here in terms of what a loaf is in terms of Buccaneers history,” Dominik said. “So, when an effort is questioned, it is because we hold guys to a very high standard.”

Why are the Bucs struggling this year? Well, Dominik is on to something, of course. But there are other factors as well; it’s not just one element fans can point a finger at.

There is a much tougher schedule, certainly, and injuries have played a smaller role. When your stud running back has a hurt knee and your franchise quarterback has a bum thumb, it sort of limits your options.

No offseason for the Bucs to gel also likely hurt the team worse than anyone cares to admit.

"Olie, you can still be your best self and dial up a first quarter touchdown."

Joe’s fascinated by new media and all it’s done for sports coverage. Especially the way leagues like the NFL allow biting commentary on their official websites. That’s fun stuff.

Though Joe wonders how much fun the folks at One Buc Palace are having with former NFL executive Mike Lombardi’s latest blast on NFL.com. Lombardi also doubles as a frequent analyst on NFL Network. He penned an I-told-you-so piece on the Bucs today, essentially saying his fears after the Bucs were torched in the preseason by the Patriots have led to the sad state of the Bucs today.

Here’s a snippet: 

My premise this summer was that the Bucs were a young team that could be molded the right way. They were like a college team that craved leadership and needed to learn how to be a pro, and Morris had their full attention. But Morris chose not to put the hammer on them and made excuses for their poor play. Now, Morris has been making excuses for them all season. The Bucs are young as babies, but Morris does not have to baby them. He should lead them.

When the Bucs came from behind at Minnesota to win their first game in Week 2 and followed it up with a home victory against the Falcons, everything seemed fine — the young Bucs were getting it. But then they got blown out in San Francisco — no problem, just a bad day, because the next week they beat the Saints. These inconsistent patterns are typical of a young team.

But that way of thinking is very dangerous. Being inconsistent shouldn’t be blamed on youth. There is an old saying in football, “You are either coaching it, or allowing it to happen.” Being inconsistent happens. It happens because there is not a high level of competition at practice, bad practices are tolerated and there is no attention to detail. And all this occurs because no one is accountable.

You can click above to read the entire column.

Man, the heat is cranking up under Raheem Morris. And as Joe has written numerous times, that’s where the heat belongs, versus being directed at the front office. Joe might feel differently if the coaching staff was getting the most out of its roster, but that’s nowhere near the case.

Earlier this week, former Super Bowl quarterback Rich Gannon, who co-hosts “The Blitz” with popular sports radio personality Adam Schein, heard exclusively on SiriusXM NFL Radio, stated after watching the Bucs lose to Houston, “I’m convinced Josh Freeman is not 100 percent,” referring to Freeman’s sprained thumb.

Gannon was correct, so Freeman told Rick Stroud of the St. Petersburg Times, though Freeman insists his thumb is improving.

Freeman was asked if the injury has had any effect on how he can throw or grip the football: “Maybe a little bit,” Freeman said. “But at the same time, being out there, you can’t really make excuses for anything. If you’re going to be out there playing, you’ve got to go out and prepare to play well.

“The Bears game, I kind of strained it. Then, right out of the gate in the Saints game, it gets hit again. Then it gets hit again and again. I’m feeling really good about it because this past week, Houston, I didn’t get it hit at all. I mean it feels good. Maybe the Saints were going for it, maybe not. I don’t know.”

Since injuring his thumb, Freeman has a unnerving Trent Dilfer-like touchdown-to-interception ratio of two touchdowns and seven interceptions.

It’s a good thing Freeman’s thumb is improving. If the Bucs have a prayer of beating the Packers in Green Bay Sunday, Freeman will have to play like the stud quarterback he showed last season, given the fact that the Bucs simply refuse to use LeGarrette Blount.

Bucs icon Ronde Barber seems to epitomize leadership.

He plays at a high level and hasn’t missed a game since 1997, evidence of an extraordinary work ethic. He’s never in trouble off the field, and he’s known for being eager to teach young players in the film room and on the field.

However, ESPN NFC South blogger Pat Yasinskas isn’t sold on Barber’s leadership. Speaking Monday on The Fabulous Sports Babe Show on WHBO-AM 1040, Yasinskas clearly questioned whether Barber is a strong force in the Bucs locker room.

“Ronde, I don’t know that people around here truly understand Ronde,” Yasinskas said. “They just automatically assume that he’s this team leader. I don’t know that Ronde is really that. You know, Ronde’s been a nice player. Ronde’s taking care of his own business but I’m not sure that he’s the guy leading this team. This team clearly needs some leadership right now and you would expect a guy like Ronde, if he truly is a big time leader, to step up and provide that.”

Whoa! Somewhat harsh commentary there from Yasinskas, who also added that the Bucs are going “down the tubes.”

Joe can’t put the leadership weight of the Bucs on Barber. What more is Barber supposed to do?

Derrick Brooks clearly was a once-in-a-generation type of team leader, a guy that owned a locker room, worked hard on his leadership craft, and essentilly operated on a significantly higher plane. Joe thinks Yasinskas might be holding Barber to Brooks’ unattainable standard. 

Joe knows big No. 95 is a character new to Bucs fans. And you can catch postgame audio from Albert Haynesworth here to get to know him better.

Many thought Haynesworth was a “butthole” when he got to Tampa, so Brian Price stated Sunday. You can add Joe to that group. But having heard him speak several times, Joe thinks Haynesworth sounds like a decent guy. Haynesworth did an excellent pregame sit-down with Justin Pawlowski, of the Buccaneers Radio Network, in which Haynes explained, “I love to dominiate.” Hopefully the Bucs will make that audio available to fans.

In the postgame audio linked above, Haynesworth explained that he picked up his role in the Bucs’ system very quickly but switching sides on the line with his fellow defensive tackle was new for him.

“I never really played left,” Haynesworth said. “That’s a new thing that I gotta get used to and better at, for sure.”

This surprised Joe a bit. Joe’s hardly versed in ever intricacy of the Bucs’ defensive line schemes, but it seems odd that they would play Haynesworth where he’s not comfortable given he only got on the Bucs’ practice field on Thursday.

Something to keep an eye on in Green Bay.

Last year Joe vividly remembers how Bucs fans would angrily slam down their bottle of beer on the bar whenever someone mentioned the Bucs had not beaten a team with a winning record.

It was true, an ugly fact that didn’t change until the final week of the season when the Bucs beat Drew Brees and the Saints in the Superdome in the final week of the season.

Well, the opposite is true this year. Opposite meaning the Bucs 4-5 record is, in part, due to the fact the Bucs schedule has been down right tough.

ESPN’s Pat Yasinskas documents just how tough.

Tampa Bay’s opponents are a combined 48-37 (.565 winning percentage). No other NFC South team is even in the top 12. The Seattle Seahawks have had the league’s most difficult schedule so far. Seattle’s opponents are 49-33 (.598). Minnesota and Denver are the only other teams that have played more difficult schedules than Tampa Bay’s.

The Carolina Panthers are No. 13. Their opponents are 43-39 (.524). The Atlanta Falcons are No. 21. Their opponents are 40-43 (.482). The New Orleans Saints are No. 25. Their opponents are 42-50 (.457).

The Bucs are the only team in the NFL who have played their last five games against teams who now currently have six wins (New Orleans twice). Things do get a little easier for the Bucs going forward. Their remaining opponents are a combined 31-32 (.492).

Now does this excuse some of the Bucs play? No. Does this mean the Bucs haven’t painted themselves in a corner in trying to reach a playoff berth? No.

But, just like last year’s record, the strength of schedule sheds some light as to why the Bucs are 4-5.

Playoff chances aren’t dead yet, though are a reach.

If somehow the Bucs can beat the Packers — unlikely, but hey, who thought the Rays, 12 games out in September, would be in the playoffs? — the season suddenly has a new outlook.

The Bucs are on a losing streak. Sooner or later it has to snap. The team has gone through rigorous practices this week to try to sharpen its edge.

The Packers are rolling. History suggests they will lose sometime. They had a laugher of a win Monday night and have a short week of work this week.

One of the teams the Bucs will have to beat out for a wild card, the Lions, have a brutal schedule the rest of the way.

Just saying.

Joe’s heard some fans and media squawking about how rockstar general manager Mark Dominik miscalculated the ability of the Bucs roster and, per these folks, fans are now seeing on the field what a talent-poor roster delivers.

Joe thinks this is a garbage take. And Joe’s prompted to write about it now because St. Pete Times Bucs beat writer Stephen Holder is saying just the opposite in a long analysis of the state of the Bucs penned today for TampaBay.com.

“Right now, it is hard not to think the front office overestimated the talent level of this team,” Holder writes.

Joe’s not about to believe that Josh Freeman isn’t as talented as he was last year, and that this offensive line isn’t as talented as the one that won games last year without the services of Davin Joseph, Jeff Faine and Jeremy Trueblood. Joe’s also not buying that LeGarrette Blount has lost anything to his game. And please don’t tell Joe that Mike Williams and Arrelious Benn aren’t capable of catching more than four passes combined like they did Sunday, during a game that had the Bucs trailing and taking to the air.

On the defensive side of the ball, the poor tackling exhibition in the secondary surely isn’t related to talent. Aqib Talib, Tanard Jackson and Sean Jones have gotten it done in past years.

Everyone knew going in that the defensive line was young and likely a liability, so surely it can’t qualify as overestimated. That said, Adrian Clayborn has been a significant upgrade. Brian Price is overachieving, and Michael Bennett also is an upgrade over sackless Kyle Moore. Gerald McCoy was giving the Bucs what they expected.

Joe will say that Quincy Black falls in the mythical overestimated talent category. Geno Hayes also hasn’t made the leap in his fourth season to a level of consistency that will keep him around. So add him in. But Mason Foster has been as advertised. Even Hardy Nickerson sees it.

Obviously, Joe could break this down in more detail. But the point is Joe’s not buying that all of a sudden a bunch of players have lost their gifts. These same guys beat the Falcons and Saints this season, and those wins were no fluke.

If Joe were to point fingers of blame, it’s far more reasonable to hang what the Bucs have become on the coaching staff. At the end of the day, a coach’s job, on any level, is to get the most out of his players consistently. The Bucs staff has had far too many failures in that area.

So what are the tangible consequences for Buccaneers players after the shameful home-field beating at the hands of the Texans on Sunday?

The answer is two practices in pads this week, rarely allowed under the new labor agreement, and a head coach that expects to hear collisions. Raheem Morris explained his changed mentality on The Raheem Morris Show on WDAE-AM 620 last night.

“I’ll take these guys into the woodshed, so to speak, this week,” Raheem said. “We’ll go to practice and we’ll put our pads on, and we’ll compete in practice and get these guys to play a simulated game. … Obviously you’ve got to change some of your preparation when that happens. … 

“Before, you know, everybody’s trying to worry about preservation and keeping your team healthy. This week we’re going to go more with a physical mentality. We’re going to work on the physicality of our football team.

“Gotta clean up your sense of urgency. And you gotta somehow simulate it in practice. The only way to simulate sense of urgency in practice is to put the pads on and go out there and do some things a little bit different, and play a little bit harder and make it a little bit tougher to make people concentrate more.”

Joe can only hope the Bucs figure out how to tackle by actually doing it during these physical practices. Things surely coudn’t get much worse in that area.

And receivers and cornerbacks holding on to balls would be a good thing, too. Watching the Bucs-Texans game again, Joe saw the lost interception by Aqib Talib and the clear drop in the end zone by Dezmon Brizcoe, and knows the Texans should have led only 13-7 at halftime.

Regardless, something has to get through to the Bucs. If they can’t at least play sound football in Green Bay, Joe’s going to have to wonder if they’ve given up on their coaches.

Reports from various national media say Albert Haynesworth’s 2012 contract is for $7 million.

One might assume the Bucs would have no interest in that kind of salary for a backup defensive tackle, but it seems Haynesworth may be having a legitimate audition for a 2012 starting role in place of injured Gerald McCoy.

Per a Q & A on TBO.com, Bucs beat writer Woody Cummings reveals that the powers that be at One Buc Palace aren’t yet counting on McCoy being ready for next season’s opening kickoff.

Q: I like the Bucs’ move for Albert Haynesworth but after this year, McCoy will be back. Does the team just plan on using albert for this season and then just dumping him next season or do they have plans on keeping him for the long term? I still feel that he can be the same player that he was as a Titan, and he is a better player than Roy Miller, who has been invisible for most of his career.

A: I think the decision to pick up Haynesworth was done in part because there is concern inside the organization that McCoy won’t be back for the start of the season next year. His injury takes anywhere from six months to a year to recover from. He recovered from the same injury in six months last year, but that may not be the case this time. …

Click through the link above to read beat writer Cummings’ complete response.

Frankly, Joe hadn’t even considered that McCoy wouldn’t be healthy and ready to go come training camp for next season. Joe knows many fans already use  the “bust” word for McCoy. Joe’s not there yet, but if McCoy can’t start 2012 on the field, Joe’s not sure how to avoid giving him the label.