When coffee-slurping, popcorn-shoveling, oatmeal-loving Peter King of Sports Illustrated came out before the season and suggested the Bucs would only win two games, Bucs fans erupted in outrage.

Joe stood back. He knew King was hardly the lone football analyst who predicted desperate hours for the Bucs this season, with a starting roster greener than the grass the Bucs play on at the CITS.

Now, after matching King’s predicted win total for the season in just two games, King has issued a very public mea culpa, via his must-read weekly missive, “Monday Morning Quarterback” on SI.com.

King actually has the Bucs as the No. 15 team in the NFL after one-eigth of the season has passed (damned, one-eighth already?).

15. Tampa Bay (2-0). Of all the surprises in the NFL after two weeks, nothing is weirder to me than the Bucs being 2-0. Boy, was I wrong about them.

It seemed not just Bucs fans were incensed about King’s prediction. So too was Bucs great Ronde Barber who King quoted in his column.

Quote of the Week II

“Tell Peter King we already got our two wins.”

— Tampa Bay cornerback Ronde Barber, in the victorious Buccaneers locker room at Carolina Sunday, after the Bucs beat the Panthers 20-7. Tampa Bay is 2-0. I picked the Bucs to be 2-14 in the SI NFL Preview Issue.

Oops.

Joe is as giddy as the next Bucs fan. This coming Sunday will be a different animal. Pittsburgh’s defense is downright frightening it is so good. Is there a more important player to a team in the NFL than Troy Polamalu? Damn, that guy is good.

At any rate, please read King’s column this morning. He leads his column with a brief interview with Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman.

Yesterday Bucs starting quarterback Josh Freeman looked every bit the black Ben Roethlisberger in the first half, defenders unable to bring him down, Freeman using his feet to buy time and nail targets downfield.

Why, even Peter King, of Sports Illustrated, was moved to set his mug of coffee down, push aside his bowl of oatmeal and pass up a handful of popcorn to Twitter how Freeman looked like a playoff veteran quarterback.

King’s cohort at Sports Illustrated, former Bucs beat writer and current NFL columnist Don Banks, wondered aloud if it is actually the Bucs that got the best quarterback in the draft a year ago.

Here’s a surprising thought: Is it possible that Josh Freeman, Tampa Bay’s 2009 first-round pick, is already further along in his development than either one of the higher-drafted first-round ’09 quarterbacks, Matthew Stafford and Mark Sanchez? I know this: Freeman is the only one to open his second season with a 2-0 record. Freeman totaled 225 yards (43 rushing) and threw a pair of TDs in the Bucs’ win at Carolina.

Joe will say this: Stafford appears to be damned good but thus far in his career the poor guy can’t stay healthy. Part of that is the sieve that is the Lions’ offensive line.

Sanchize looks to be the right-handed version of Matt Leinhart.

Joe’s a bit fired up this morning to hear what kind of love the Bucs might get today on Sirius NFL Radio.

Heck, Mark Dominik might even be interviewed, returning for more of the rock-star love he got on the league’s radio station after the 2010 NFL Draft.

Thinking of NFL Radio got Joe remembering when the Movin’ The Chains crew, Tim Ryan, Pat Kirwan and special guest Bill Cowher, came to Bucs training camp this summer to talk all things Bucs.

They churned out an excellent Xs and Os interview with Josh Freeman – highlights only transcribed by Joe – in which Freeman talked about running the ball more this season. And, of course, he’s done just that.

Tim Ryan: Do me a favor? Can you use those big legs and run the rock this year? Because I think that’s a big, big asset that wasn’t probably utilized enough. Ask [Cowher and Kirwan], they know a quarterback that uses his legs, you’re going to change coverages and do other things because you have that threat from the waist down.

Freeman: No doubt. We catch a lot of man-to-man, but hopefully we won’t see as much this year because those young receivers are able to do a lot of things. But I like seeing two-man, and we really didn’t see a whole lot two-man. …But this weekend Miami has shown a lot of tendencies with their new defensive coordinator …they play a lot of two-man in a lot of third down situations. So look for me this weekend to take off a couple of those times. Yeah, if it opens up I have no problem with running. 

There was a lot more to the interview. But, needless to say, Joe is not surprised to see Freeman lighting it up on the ground this season.

With the absence of a rushing attack, Joe is just speechless watching Freeman carry the Bucs’ offense on his back. Amazing. How hard must he be to prepare for at this point?

It will be quite a fierce test for Freeman on Sunday against Pittsburgh. It might be the toughest defense the Bucs will face all season.

Joe didn’t know this video existed but ran across it last night. Joe likes Gregg Rosenthal of NBCSports.com quite a bit. Therefore, he deserves a round of applause.

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

Now Joe knows it’s outrageous if not irresponsible to talk playoffs after just two weeks, but Joe came across a little nugget thanks to Cork Gaines, the master of JoeRaysFan.com and Jason Floyd, engineer at WDAE-AM 620.

Both gentlemen posted this little nugget, unearthed by Kevin Seifert of BSPN.com:

Teams that have started 2-0 have made the playoffs 64.1 percent of the time (107 of 167).

That stunned Joe so much as he was drinking a beer and watching NFL Network last night (as usual, monitoring Twitter on his Blackberry) that Joe had to put the beer down.

Who on earth dreamed the Bucs would be in the same sentence as the word “playoffs” in late-September, other than to suggest no chance?

Caution: Last year Denver won its first six games and missed the playoffs.

PantherFan seems to be fighting back tears. Nearly a loss for words at the loss to the Bucs.

The folks at the Charlotte Observer seem to be a bit smitten with Josh Freeman.

They even penned a postgame story about his scrambling prowess, checking in with Donald Penn and others to get their take.

“We have to improve on that, but he’s a big guy and I think people were just having trouble bringing him down,” [Panthers linebacker Dan] Connor said.

Penn said Freeman “saved me two or three times” in the Bucs win at Carolina.

Joe recommends your read the story. Joe always enjoys seeing how Bucs’ reputations grow – positively and negatively – around the NFL.

Plenty of Bucs highlights over the Carolina kitties, thanks to the good people of the NFL Network.

First are the game highlights replete with the pipes of Gene Deckerhoff.

Earnest Graham skies over the goal line for a touchdown reception.

Kellen Winslow hauls in a huge 40-yard catch.

Mike Williams has his second touchdown reception in as many games in the NFL.

Ronde Barber grabs his second interception in as many games this year.

Matt Moore looks like the stiff he is as he fumbles.

Geno Hayes stops the Panthers on fourth-and-goal, thanks to help from tackle Brian Price.

Aqib Talib puts the dagger in the Panthers.

More clips of Graham’s touchdown catch.

Josh Freeman makes like Fran Tarkenton.

More Freeman highlights in the win.

Another look at Winslow’s big catch.

Stylez White buries Matt Moore.

Another look at Williams’ touchdown catch.

Watch the Raheem Morris and the Bucs react to the win in their postgame press conferences.

So many heroes for the Bucs today. But Joe wants to make sure nobody forgets the touchdown-saving tackle by Tanard Jackson on Carolina’s kick return early in the fourth quarter.

The Bucs were leading 20-7, and Mike Goodson fielded Connor Barth’s kick and ripped up the gut through some big holes before Jackson made an open-field, solo tackle on him at the Bucs’ 44 yard line.

If Jackson fails there, Goodson blows by Barth to the end zone.

Jackson didn’t have his best game last week against Cleveland, but he showed up very big in the second half today. It’s probably a very different game if he doesn’t make that tackle.

So how about that old fart Ronde Barber? An NFL senior citizen, despite self-admittedly not having that last “gear” to run back interceptions, is playing like a young stud.

He has two interceptions through the first two games of the year. His interception in the first half — again — may have set the tone for the Bucs going up 2-0 to start the season, the first time that has happened since 2005 (Ssssshhhh! The Bucs won the South that season).

Barber, perhaps in his last NFL season (labor negotiations will play a big part in whether Barber returns), is hardly playing like he’s in his final NFL season. Guy is playing just as well as he ever did.

When speaking on the Bucs radio network, Ronde, as always, deflected criticism and instead talked about his team, all but admitting the younger Bucs and coach Raheem Morris have him feeling like a reborn NFL player.

Enjoy it Bucs fans. This may be his final season. Already it’s a memorable one for one of the greatest players in Bucs history.

Josh Freeman has Peter King eating out of his hands.

Joe tries to be Mr. Multimedia.

Unlike too many in the MSM, Joe does not look down on Twitter, chats, the Devilnet, Facebook, et al. Those that do are no less than foolish.

So as Joe was running a live chat, monitoring Twitter and watching the Bucs game, Joe came across an interesting Twitter posting from coffee-slurping, popcorn-munching, Red Sox-loving Peter King, of Sports Illustrated.

He watches all the games from the NBC studios in Manhattan and was enamoured with Josh Freeman’s studly first half.

Josh Freeman’s looking like a fifth-year playoff quarterback. So confident.

Yes, Freeman in the first half looked like horny Ben Roethlisberger, sans the college chicks. Dude was making plays right and left.

If the NFL were the NHL, and the three stars were handed out, Joe would have to give Kellen Winslow the No. 1 star.

Let’s not talk about his two sick catches in the first half that both helped the Bucs rack up points and jump on top of the Panthers. Instead, let’s focus on the guy’s will.

Dude has had so many operations on his right knee, Joe has lost count. He couldn’t participate in OTAs. He was limited in training camp. He barely showed up in preseason games.

This week, he was doubtful. It was a kickoff decision whether he would even dress for the game. Instead, he not only dressed, he not only started, he was a freaking stud!

“He was a clutch guy. He was money when it counted,” Bucs coach Raheem Morris said on the Bucs radio network after the game. “He played when he could. I appreciate what he did today.clutch guy.money when it counted. played when he can. i appreciate what he did today. Those guys got on the football field gave us a chance to win.”

Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman was equally impressed with K2.

“Kellen Winslow was huge today and a big question mark coming into today,” Freeman said on the Bucs radio network after the game. “But that is Kellen. He struggles during the week but he is always out there on Sunday.”

Much to the Carolina Panthers’ chagrin, of course.

There was offensive coordinator Greg Olson pounding the ball with Cadillac Williams all game long today against Carolina.

As Raheem Morris said in his postgame news conference, “It’s not last year.”

Joe is impressed by Olson’s commitment to the run, especially considering it wasn’t working. Cadillac had his second rough game in a row, banging 27 carries for 51 yards in Carolina. His longest run was eight yards. Last year, Olson probably wouldn’t have been so patient.

Hopefully, the Bucs will figure out why they can’t run the ball.

Throw today’s 50 percent completion rate for Josh Freeman in the toilet. Freeman was absolutely brilliant after his opening throw of the game that sailed high.

What more could Bucs fans ask for from their second-year quarterback? He made smart throwaways. He was poised under pressure. He ran with savvy, strength and awareness. And he made big-time plays.

The throw to Kellen Winslow for a 20+ yard first down was brilliance.

Freeman is the real deal.

“We are starting to put things together. We have heart,” Freeman said on the Buccaneers Radio Network following the game. “We are starting to buy in and adopt Raheem’s  mannerisms. My eyes have immediately shifted to the Pittsburgh Steelers.”

Joe might even go buy that Freeman jersey Joe promised to buy when/if Freeman made a Pro Bowl.

With the Bucs’ dreadful running game and young receiving corps, the Bucs need greatness from Freeman.

And that’s what he delivered today. 

No, the rookie defensive tackles didn’t get any sacks. But that doesn’t mean they didn’t make an impression. In fact, it was two big plays by the Bucs defense that was created by the two rookies.

In the third quarter, with Carolina having a 3-11 deep in their own territory, Quincy Black flew in from the left side on a stunt and buried Carolina quarterback Matt Moore. But it was GMC that made the play. On his stunt to the left, he drew so many Panthers blockers it left a wide open lane for Black to run through and drill Moore.

Bucs ball.

But the play that may have been the game’s most important came late. With punkish rookie Panthers quarterback Jimmy Clausen leading Carolina inside the Bucs-5 and fourth down, Brian Price clogged up traffic in order for Geno Hayes to come in and make his second big play in a row, killing Carolina’s comeback.

So the rookies aren’t making splash plays, but they are making solid fundamental plays that lead to stops. Often, those are as important if not more so than sacks.

Bucs/NFC South beat writer Pat Yasinskas, of BSPN, dropped some cold water on the Bucs victory just minutes after the final whistle.

Tomorrow’s Talker: Are the Bucs the surprise team this season? Come on, let’s keep things in perspective. They’ve defeated a pair of dysfunctional teams in Carolina and Cleveland. This is a very nice start for a team that was 3-13 last year, and there also are encouraging signs popping up all over the place. But the season’s still young and so is this team. The arrow’s on the rise, but it’s not quite pointing to the Super Bowl in Dallas just yet.

It’s hard to disagree with Yasinskas, but is this really “Tomorrow’s talker?” No way. Joe thinks there will be far more buzz about John Fox’s future than about the Bucs’ running away with the NFL.

C’mon, Pat.

Joe’s fired up for defensive end Tim Crowder, who Joe was lobbying hard for in the preseason.

Turning in his typical high-motor performance today, Crowder grabbed two sacks, one which led to the key Matt Moore fumble and turnover in the fourth quarter. On that play, Crowder was rushing off left end and Kyle Moore, who recovered the fumble, had moved to rush inside.

Crowder also had the final tackle on the Bucs’ late goal line stand.

During one of his daily news conferences last week, Raheem Morris called Crowder “The King of Hustle.”

A “Jim Bates guy,” the Bucs snatched up Crowder last September after he was cut by the Broncos, where he had a strong rookie season in 2007 under Bates.

Again, Morris plays the right card keeping Michael Bennett inactive.

The Bucs are 2-0!

The offense made big plays. The defense made big plays. And the Bucs won the battle of halftime adjustments.

Joe’s pouring cocktails for everyone!

So what if the Bucs can’t run the ball. Right now, they now how to win!

And guess what? Steelers starting QB Dennis Dixon left their game against Tennessee injured.

Is 3-0 around the corner?

Don’t forget to stick with Joe all afternoon and through the evening for the best postgame coverage around.

All hail Josh Freeman.

Incredible poise and talent displayed by the young QB, who has been near perfect, and at times spectacular, since his bad opening throw today.

Joe’s concerned (not surprised) the Bucs can’t run the ball again (15 carries for 32 yards outside of Freeman’s scampers), nor can they stop the run (16 carries for 81 yards).

But hey, the Bucs are making plays and winning on the road. Some excellent play-calls by Greg Olson, too.

If Raheem can make the right adjustments at the break, the Bucs should be in good shape for a “W.”

Caught as he was exiting the field at halftime, as the Bucs led 14-7 over the Panthers, Bucs coach Raheem Morris shared his thoughts with the Buccaneers Radio Network. 

In short, Morris blamed himself for the Panthers’ score, a Steve Smith special over the middle, without going into detail.

“It was good that the offense is doing a great job for us,” Morris said. “If not for me [on the Panthers’ touchdown], we will really be doing some good things there.”

But Morris is not content. He fully believes John Fox and the Panthers will thrown the kitchen sink at the Bucs in the second quarter.

“We have to keep the pedal to the metal,” Morris said. “This team [Carolina] is not going to quit.”