* Memo to Raheem the Dream: Now that you are the defensive coordinator, Joe hopes you watched closely the goal line stand by the Panthers. That is how you tackle.

* Well, three points is better than no points.

* Wow, this Moore has a gun. Joe’s glad he’s not that accurate. Guess there’s a reason he was a backup to Jake Delhomme.

* Ronde Barber whiffed so badly on Jonathan Stewart, Pat Burrell is
laughing.

* Tanard Jackson and Geno Hayes play volleyball with Hayes getting the pick!

* Is it just Joe’s massive hangover, or is this game dragging?

* That’s it: Get Antonio Bryant the ball!

* For a Boston College graduate, Jeremy Trueblood is sure a stupid SOB.

* Was that a screen pass Joe just saw the Bucs run?

* Damn, Kellen Winslow had a touchdown. But that was a helluva defensive play.

* King of Turds is mad. There are so many one-liners to use.

* Now THAT’S how to tackle! Way to go Geno!

* Better. Better tackling. That’s refreshing. Maybe Raheem the Dream chewed some asses?

* Very good pressure by Jimmy Wilkerson. Joe is very pleased with that defensive series.

* That’s it: Keep pounding the ball.

* Cadillac Williams nearly broke one but got a first down. Keep the running going Olson.

*Nice footwork by Freeman to keep the play alive and hit Bryant deep. Joe is pleased.

* Mo Stovall is having a nice day.

* Come on Josh, you should have tossed the ball away on that sack.

* Damn. Joe thought Freeman had Bryant for a touchdown.

* Joe is bummed that Connor Barth’s bank shot missed. However, Joe is bouyed to realize that every Bucs loss, the team gets closer to drafting Ndamukong Suh, who was an absolute beast last night against Texas.

* Nice, timely sack by Tim Crowder. Since the first quarter, the Bucs have played solid if not good defense.

* These dink and dunk passes aren’t going to get the job done here guys.

* Well, that’s a good start: Barrett Ruud drilling Jonathon Stewart at the line.

* Whoops. Typed too soon.

* It appears Elbert Mack is going to have a busy day.

* WRAP UP DAMNIT!

* Oh, boy. Now Elbert Mack is out and a glorified practice squad player is in: Derrick Roberson.

* When you have to count on a strong safety to tackle a running back at the line…

* Terrible first series thus far by the Bucs defense.

* Mo Stovall with a huge catch. (His numbers are very close to Michael Clayton’s FYI).

* Where exactly was Josh Freeman throwing that ball? Wow. Really bad interception.

* This is not looking good. Already.

* OUTRAGEOUS! Grade school football players have better tackling technique than the Bucs are showing. WRAP UP!!!

* Bucs got lucky. Steve Smith totally schooled Elbert Mack and was wide open for a touchdown but Matt Moore threw the ball into another zip code.

* Nice shovel pass by Freeman to avoid a sack. Smart.

* Finally a good defensive play. Solid defense there by Tarnard Jackson.

* The practice squad guy (Roberson) nearly with a pick. Of course Moore forced that pass.

* Very nice runback by Sammie Stroughter. It helps that there were a few mistackles, but hey…

* Damn. Antonio Byrant made a helluva catch/near-catch but the ball wasn’t exactly well-thrown. He was wide open.

* Nice run by Derrick Ward. Come on Greg Olson, run the friggin’ ball, will ya?

Week 12
Bucs at Panthers
Kickoff: 1 p.m.
TV:WTVT Ch. 13, DirecTV 707
Radio:  Buccaneers Radio Network (in Tampa WFUS-FM, 103.5 and WDAE-AM, 620); Sirius Channel 158.
Weather:  If any Bucs fans will be in Carolina to tailgate, per AccuWeather.com, it will be rather chilly. Kickoff temperature is expected to be 48 under partly sunny skies. The weather may break 50 late in the game but no higher. Fortunately, there will be very light winds.
Odds: PerBodog.com, Panthers -6.
Outlook: The Bucs have a decent chance of winning this game. Backup Panthers quarterback Matt Moore and his habit of throwing interceptions will start. The fact Bucs cornerback Aqib Talib will not play concerns Joe but the Bucs should be OK. The critical element for the Bucs is stopping the run, something the Bucs have not been able to do the last couple of times they have faced the Panthers. In particular Jonathon Stewart has punished the Bucs. If the Bucs somehow stop the run, the defrocking of defensive coordinator Jim Bates will look even better than it does now. It would help if the Bucs can get a running back, any running back, to rush for 100 yards. The Bucs have gone 21 consecutive games without a running back running for 100 yards, the longest drought of any NFL team.
Fun facts: Cadillac Williams usually shines against the Panthers with five touchdowns in his last six games against Carolina. … Panthers receiver Steve Smith has at least 100 yards receiving in six of his last nine games against the Bucs. … Whatever happened to the two lesbian Panthers cheerleaders who got caught “getting busy” in a stall of a Channelside hotspot?

Jason Horowitz and Pat Kirwan of CBSSports.com preview the Bucs-Panthers in this video. Joe normally doesn’t link to video without embed codes unless it is important or high quality.

This video,

 Joe is confident Bucs fans will want to see. Click on the hyperlink above, scroll down and wait a moment for the video to load (it takes a little bit). CBSSports.com doesn’t upload all their videos to YouTube.com and does not provide embed codes from its own site any longer.

That’s a drag for Joe.

Joe brings you his weekly look at what members of the national media rank the Bucs.

Mike Sando of BSPN.com believes the Bucs can be better. He has the Bucs ranked No. 30.

The pressure’s on Raheem Morris to improve late-game decision-making.

Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com isn’t as kind with the Bucs ranked No. 31.

Who will Raheem Morris fire this week? Is it another loss, another firing? It’s time the blame goes to the man at the top.

Adrian Hasenmayer is in the same boat as Prisco with the Bucs ranked No. 31.

Rookie QB Josh Freeman came very close last week to evening his record to 2-2 as a starter before his Bucs couldn’t stop the Falcons in the final seconds. Poor Raheem Morris could have come off looking a little smarter for firing his defensive coordinator and offensive coordinator just 10 games into his first season as captain of the ship

Josh Alper of Fanhouse.com also believes the Bucs are the second-worst team in the league at No. 31.

The defensive performance against the Falcons made it clear that Raheem Morris wasn’t totally nuts when he stripped defensive coordinator Jim Bates of his duties. Josh Freeman’s nearly mistake-free performance showed he wasn’t totally nuts to hand the offense to a rookie. A 10th loss in 11 games proves that sanity doesn’t always equal success.

Unconfirmed reports reveal this to be a photo of former Buccaneer wide receiver Dexter Jackson watching a punt coming his way durind the 2008 season.

Jeff Faine thinks one of the problems with today’s NFL is players aren’t given enough time to develop before hard decisions are made about their future.

Faine talked about this trend on 1010 AM on Friday evening and used himself as an example. He said he wasn’t much of a player when he entered the NFL as a first round draft pick of the Browns in 2003. 

Then Faine went on to give a specific example of a team giving up on a player perhaps far too soon. He picked former Bucs wide receiver/returner Dexter Jackson, the collosal bust of the 2008 draft.

Faine had a little stress in his voice when he mentioned Jackson, as if not to come off as fingering the Bucs for making a mistake. 

“Maybe an ill-advised pick. Who knows? Maybe he wouldn’t have done anything. I don’t know if he had the opportunity,” Faine said. “There’s a growing tendency in the league to make quick changes. …Stick by the players a little.”

Joe is surely not going to condemn Mark Dominik and Raheem The Dream for cutting Dexter Jackson. Sure seemed like the correct move, and the fact he’s wallowing on the Panthers practice squad right now says a lot.

As for teams not giving players time to develop, Joe’s not buying that. If you’ve got ability, there’s always another team willing to take a look, and a whole big league in Canada that is scouted thoroughly.

Faine also went on to passionately identify what he believes is a winning combination the current Bucs have yet to master, “spending the money to get some players. ….a good mix of developing players and veterans who can make plays.”

In this BSPN video, Vacation Man seems to suggest that Bucs wide receiver Antonio Bryant is becoming a cancer in the Bucs locker room. Vacation Man also ponders what will be of Bryant’s future with the Bucs.

Everyone at One Buc Palace seems to be all smiles since Jim Bates was defrocked.

Speaking yesterday on Sirius NFL Radio, Derrick Brooks was asked about the Bucs’ rush defense and why it’s been more sorry than good this season.

In short, he applauded Raheem the Dream for taking over the defense.

Brooks explained the Bucs problems stopping the run come down to personnel.

“The Bucs went back to a single-gap scheme and got back to a system they were familiar with and comfortable with and it showed,” Brooks said.

“I was watching the non-verbal actions [of the defense] and clearly they were more comfortable under the system that Raheem came up through, Monte Kiffin’s scheme and not what Jim Bates tried.

“To be fair, Bates didn’t have the personnel that fit his system.”

Alex Marvez of FoxSports.com, who was co-hosting with Brooks, went a step further and called out the Bucs’ front office.

“Oh, there was no maybe about it,” Marvez said. “It was an absolute disaster by the Bucs front office in not getting the proper personnel for Jim Bates.”

There was no one — save for possibly Warren Sapp — that bemoaned the Bucs hiring of now defrocked defensive coordinator Jim Bates more than Pat Kirwan.

In his columns on NFL.com, his videos on CBSSports.com, and his weekday PM drivetime radio show on Sirius NFL Radio, Kirwan rarely passed on a chance to describe what a bad mix Bates was for the Bucs.

But as much as Kirwan — as it turned out, correctly — hated on Jim Bates, Kirwan is in the tank for Bucs rookie Josh Freeman.

In a recent column he typed for NFL.com, Kirwan raves about Freeman.

Believin’ in Freeman
After watching all of the coaches’ tapes of Tampa Bay rookie quarterback Josh Freeman, I am a big fan. If I were a Bucs fan, I would be excited about the future. Freeman has a long way to go but the arm strength, the mobility, poise and leadership are in place and ready to be developed. I think it really takes off this weekend with a tough road game in Carolina. It wouldn’t surprise me to see him build on his 250-yard, two-touchdown effort in a near-victory over Atlanta last week.

Joe has stated earlier this week that one of the few things Joe has to look forward to in watching the Bucs play eash week in this dreadful season, is to see how Freeman improves.

The archbishop of NFL Draft coverage is Joe’s good friend Justin Pawlowski, of 620 WDAE-AM. The guy is just hands down one of the best draft analysts in the country, let alone the unquestioned draft king in the Bay area.

It’s not even winter yet, and Pawlowski has begun his long annual process of studying the draft like no other.

Today, he’s churned out 10 players the Bucs should be eyeing carefully as they prepare for what’s sure to be a top-10 pick. Click on The Blitz graphic and enjoy.

**Don’t forget to tune into The Blitz today at noon on 620 WDAE-AM. Pawlowski hosts live from Gators Cafe and Saloon on Treasure Island.

When it’s December and a one-win team is playing a four-win team, there’s not a lot to play for beyond pride, fans, contract incentives and a future deal.

In the case of Sunday’s Bucs-Panthers game, there’s another thing to play for: payback.

For those who thought the Bucs would try to forget about the illegal, vicious hit Panthers sleaze cornerback Dante Wesley leveled on Clifton Smith in October, center Jeff Faine put that to rest on his radio show on 1010 AM this evening.

Faine explained that the Bucs coaching staff made an effort to open the wound that never healed.

“We replayed that hit on Clifton Smith this morning, so it is definitely nice and warm,” Faine said.

Joe finds it comical that Wesley actually told The Herald out of Rock Hill, S.C., that he didn’t think the Bucs would look for him on the field on Sunday because the hit wasn’t intentional.

Wesley shrugged when asked if he was worried about that, hoping his reputation and the communication he has had with Smith will carry the day.

“I don’t think it should be a factor in this game,” he said. “I’m sure when they looked at the tape, they realize it wasn’t anything I tried to do intentionally. There shouldn’t be anything during the game because of that play.”

For those who missed the hit on Smith, here it is below. …Joe’s quite certain the Bucs saw this again and concluded what any objective observer would; it’s a dirty play and very intentional.

Now is the time to head over to a Total Wine & More store or any other smart beer retailer to pick up a case of Caybrew for the long, glorious football weekend. 

How exactly would another case of Icehouse or Coors Light be special?  

It wouldn’t be.

Frankly, taste is why Joe drinks Caybrew, not just to impress the island women he’s so fond of. The official lager beer of the Cayman Islands, Caybrew is most often likened to a much smoother version of Heineken. …As smooth as you might imagine Rachel Watson to be.

Be like Joe; stock up on Caybrew. Don’t skimp on taste!

Click on the beer or ass below to find retailers and smart bar owners near you.

As is often the case when he co-hosts “The Red Zone,” on Sirius NFL Radio Fridays at 1 p.m., (this week with Alex Marvez of FoxSports.com), former Bucs great Derrick Brooks gets peppered with Bucs questions.

Today, Marvez and Brooks were talking about the better cornerbacks in the NFL when Marvez asked Brooks where he would rank Bucs cornerback Aqib Talib.

Brooks didn’t say where he would rank Talib, but Brooks expects Talib to dominate opposing receivers in the near future, provided he does one thing.

“He needs to grow up,” Brooks responded when Marvez asked why most league insiders don’t talk about Talib being an elite player. “He needs to get that maturity off the field. Once he does that, people will take more notice of him on the field.

“He’s already a great cover corner. But he has to put in the work off the field. He just can’t take [his play] for granted.”

Sounds like solid advice from one of the game’s greats. Who is Joe to disagree with Brooks?

For Joe, the Holy Trinity of life is football, women and Caybrew.

If Joe has one of the three on a weekend afternoon or a Thursday night, life is good.

If Joe has two of the three on a weekend afternoon or a Thursday night, life is very good.

If Joe has all three on a weekend afternoon or a Thursday night, life is nirvana.

In an effort to meet two of the three spiritual standards, and as a goodwill effort to help a burgeoning Tampa Bay area enterprise, Joe offers a video from the St. Petersburg Times on the Tampa Bay Breeze, the local franchise of the Lingerie Football League.

The Breeze has their season-opener tonight at the Ice Palace. The only quibble Joe may have with the Breeze is Rachel Watson could have made a strong captain (sigh).

Joe hopes the video helps speed your focus into the weekend.

Scott Reynolds, The Grand Wizard of PewterReport.com, the Internet-only, Bucs fan site best known for its defunct print magazine and message boards, is making bold comments about Doug Williams.

Per Reynolds, unnamed player agents are telling him the legendary quarterback is not cutting it in his current job as Bucs Director of Pro Personnel and is likely to be fired after the 2009 season.

For years, agents I’ve spoken with have raved about Dominik’s scouting acumen as well as his personality. I haven’t heard many positive reviews at all about Williams from agents since he joined the front office in 2004. Williams’ calling card appears to be standing on the table for backup quarterback Josh Johnson on draft day in 2008 and being involved with Dominik in recruiting wide receiver Antonio Bryant to Tampa Bay last year. There have been some whispers from agents that the Bucs will shake up their personnel department and that Williams will get fired to make way for more experienced talent evaluators. That doesn’t seem far-fetched as the days of Tampa Bay’s front office boasting the likes of Rich McKay, Jerry Angelo, Tim Ruskell, John Idzik and Dominik are long gone, unfortunately. Even the front office of Bruce Allen, Kevin Demoff, Ruston Webster, Dennis Hickey and Dominik back in 2005 had more talent for spotting players and experience in dealing with the salary cap and agent negotiations than the current collection of executives. If Williams, who is one of the more storied players in team history, gets fired at the end of the season in a scouting shakeup, which certainly seems like a possibility from the agents I’ve spoken to, don’t think of him as Dominik’s scapegoat. That term means  “one that bears blame for others.” Williams might be portrayed as the fall guy by some in the media following a dismal season, but within the agent community, his potential firing will be justified because he’s regarded as not being great at his craft in NFL circles.

Now no sane observer is going to confuse the Bucs’ scouting and drafting department with the NFL’s best over the past several years. Whether Williams deserves to be terminated, Joe’s not so sure.

What Joe is sure of is that Reynolds should have gotten a comment from Williams for this story.

From Joe’s experience, Williams is one of the most accessible Bucs executives, always milling around the press box and rather eager to chat, and usually a colorful quote, as well.

If Joe were ever to print such strong assertions about Williams or any other executive, from anonymous sources no less, JoeBucsFan.com readers can be sure Joe would go ask the guy for his comment.

That’s Journalism 101. Not to mention Williams deserved that respect.

The play of the Bucs this season has fans eating handfuls of Zantac each Sunday.

But the play of rookie quarterback Josh Freeman has been somewhat a relief for Bucs fans, including Joe.

If Bucs fans think they have seen the best of Freeman, hold up, says Stephen Holder of the St. Petersburg Times. He notes how the Bucs haven’t yet opened up the playbook for Freeman.

The Bucs rookie quarterback is at his best when point deficits appear insurmountable. He makes the requisite throws expected of a franchise quarterback. His No. 1 receiver, Antonio Bryant, this week urged coaches to unleash Freeman and all his potential.

Tempting as that might be, the Bucs are trying to resist rushing Freeman along. They will continue to spoon-feed their first-round pick, to an extent, until his experience level no longer requires it.

This is smart, Joe believes.

Whatever and however Raheem the Dream and offensive coordinator Greg Olson have done with Freeman, it’s working. No need to deviate just to pacify a disgruntled wide receiver who likely won’t be with the Bucs next season.

Trey Wingo, Mark Schlereth and Herm Edwards of BSPN discuss the Bucs-Panthers game. You might be surprised what you hear.

Spoiler: Herm really likes what Raheem the Dream did with the defense after he defrocked defensive coordinator Jim Bates.

The Professor addresses cheering for Philip Rivers and the rest of "whale's vagina" team

The creator, curator and Mr. Everything at the popular RaysIndex.com is not only the premier Tampa Bay Rays blogger/analyst/wiseass fan on the planet, but a hardcore Buccaneers fan.

Joe is honored to have The Professor, Cork Gaines, join him for a weekly feature at JoeBucsFan.com. His column delivers far more punch than any Andy Sonnanstine fastball.

The Professor is here to ask, and answer, the tough questions.

Everybody relax, I’m here. This is The Professor in the Pork Chop Express, and I’m talkin’ to whoever’s listenin’ out there…

FIRST QUARTER (a look back)
Everybody had something to say about Raheem Morris’ decision to fake a punt last week against the Falcons…Was this as bad as everybody says? 

At the time of the fake punt I shook my head. When Morris went for a field goal later in the same area of the field, I had a heart attack in my butt. The fake punt came at the 39 yard line. Later in the fourth quarter, with the ball at the 36 on third down, Morris chose to play for a field goal with a basic running play on 3rd and 7. We only have a real problem with one of those calls. Either you have confidence in your kicker, or you don’t. If Connor Barth can’t make it from 56 yards, then fake the punt. At 1-9, who cares? But if you don’t have confidence then why go for the field goal later? If Morris didn’t think Barth could make from 56 yards, then why did he think he could make it from the 53 (actually it was 51, but Morris played for the field goal a play earlier). 56 yards is a long field goal, but Connor Barth connected from 54 outdoors in Miami. One of those calls was horrible. I am just not sure which one…MAYBE

SECOND QUARTER (looking forward)
The Bucs’ 1-10 record is their worst start to a season since 1985…Why should Bucs fans continue to care about this team?

Interesting side note about that ’85 Bucs squad. They opened the season with a 38-28 loss to the Bears. The only team to score more points against Chicago that season was the Dolphins. Of course, Miami was the only blemish that season against a Bears team that went 18-1 with a defense that many consider the best ever…WAIT. WHAT WAS THE QUESTION?

THIRD QUARTER (outside the pocket)
With only five games remaining, the Bucs face Carolina this Sunday with one last hope for a late season run to get out of last place…What other games should Bucs fans pay attention to this weekend?

The Bucs are still in a three-way tie for the worst record in the NFL. Based on opponents’ strength of schedule (.556), the Bucs would hold the third pick if the season ended today (CLE, .534; StL, .545). Without a clear No. 1 player in the draft, the Bucs may be better off without the top pick. Still, the strength of schedule is too close for comfort. St. Louis has little chance of winning in Chicago, but Cleveland could pull the upset at home against San Diego, which won’t like the 39-degree, game-time temps. Bucs fans should be rooting hard for the Chargers. Besides, San Diego is German for “A Whale’s Vagina.” And who doesn’t like whales?…SAN DIEGO @ CLEVELAND

FOURTH QUARTER (no huddle)
When asked about his decision-making skills Monday, Raheem Morris admitted that his decisions have been “not good”…Did you expect him to say something different?

One of these days, Raheem is going to walk in and start looking at things in the room and saying that he loves them…RAHEEM LOVES LAMP

The Bucs just signed their third punter of the season…Good move?

At 1-10, why not just go into full Madden-mode and go for it on every fourth down?…PROBABLY WON’T BE ASKED TO THROW THE BALL

The Bucs just signed Rudy Carpenter to be the third quarterback…What does this move tell you?

Including the preseason, the Bucs have already had four starting quarterbacks, and Carpenter represents the fifth active QB. Who is coaching this team again?…THOUGHT THEY FIRED GRUDEN?

Steve Spurrier was 0-12 as qurterback of the Bucs…But how cool is this picture?

There is so much to love. The long sleeves. The wristbands. The orange belt. The long hair. The pants and socks that look like they hadn’t seen a washing machine in a few weeks…OH MAMA

We have heard you pick a beverage for each game based on the matchup…What is the drink of choice for week 13 against the Panthers?

The Bucs need all the help they can get. Until they make a drinkable version of “Sex Panther” (made with real bits of panther), I’ll have to go with a little Black Magic...VOODOO BLACK MAGICK

Everything, aside from the team's record, seems to be all smiles for Raheem the Dream and the Bucs since defensive coordinator Jim Bates was defrocked.

There were whispers in recent weeks that maybe Raheem the Dream had lost his team, that his players may have tuned him out.

The tone of the speak on the various players radio shows was getting more bleak if not dark. Joe heard it plain as day.

But Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune is of the mind that not only is the notion that Raheem the Dream lost the locker room nonsense, but Raheem the Dream solidified his standing with the team by defrocking defensive coordinator Jim Bates.

Q: At the beginning of the season I asked if you thought that there was a chance that Raheem would be fired and Bill Cowher hired as coach. You said only if Raheem lost the locker room and it appeared that he was clueless as to what was going on. Aren’t those conditions in place?
Lester Patrick, Hiawassee, Ga.

A: I don’t think Raheem has lost the locker room at all. In fact, I think the decision to go back to a one-gap scheme has probably won him some fans that may have been on the fence over the original defensive switch. And don’t underestimate the power Raheem has a hands-on coach. He’ll be even closer to these guys now. As for being clueless, Raheem is definitely learning on the job and his game-day coaching needs some work. How he fares as a coordinator will say a lot about his future. At this point, it’s still too soon to know what Raheem’s future holds.
— Roy Cummings

Just listening to the voice of various players on their radio shows in the last two weeks, you can tell it’s as if a weight has been lifted from their shoulders, specifically the defensive players.

Just watching the Bucs play last week at Atlanta, despite the outcome, any Bucs fan could tell how hard they played.

No, if there is any mutiny, it wasn’t coming from players who were between the lines last Sunday.

Educated NFL fans and real men who have the NFL Network already know Mike Mayock is the premier NFL draft analyst.

So it pleases Joe to read Mayock rave about the play of Bucs rookie quarterback Josh Freeman in his first few starts.

Commenting in a chat on NFL.com, Mayock raved about Freeman.

michael, tampa
What do you think about Josh Freeman? I think he has done great so far. And he hasnt received any kudos for his play.

Mike Mayock, NFL Network
Hey Michael I agree. The reason people aren’t talking about him is that he plays for such a dreadful team. Freeman has a big arm, a tremendous frame and a healthy work ethic, which will bode him well in the future. He is a great centerpiece to build your team around.

Joe understands Freeman will have more ups and downs. He’s still a rookie. Joe just hopes Freeman keeps his head up during the valleys and doesn’t get to giddy with the peaks.