Cris Carter and Jon Anik of BSPN break down the Bucs loss to the Falcons.

After a strong road performance in Atlanta from Josh Freeman, Joe thought it was timely to bring you this nugget he saw Sunday morning from Tom Balog of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.  

Balog talked to Freeman about the recent advice from one of his mentors.

Freeman said that he talked recently to former Bucs head coach Tony Dungy, who advised him to treat this final stretch as a playoff scenario.

“Because (Dungy said) next year you may be in the hunt for the playoffs,” Freeman said. “We just have to look at each week at a time and it’s a must-win situation to get in the playoffs.”

Father Dungy told Sports Illustrated this spring that he promised Freeman’s father that he’d keep an eye on his son.

Joe likes Father Dungy’s advice to the Bucs’ rookie QB.

Perhaps Father Dungy could start advising Raheem The Dream. He’s another kid with a lot to learn.

Joe’s a little down after hearing word that guard Arron Sears won’t suit up this season or practice with the team, despite returning to the Bucs two weeks ago following his mysterious absence.

Sears knows much of the playbook — after all, a lot of it is Chucky’s — and he had plenty of weeks to get into at least preseason football shape.

Joe thought getting Sears on the field to a big ovation in the final game of the season in January would have been uplifting for Sears and let Mark Dominik and Co. see if he was up to getting smacked around in the trenches.

But the Bucs have placed Sears on injured reserve for the remainder of the season. He can do just about everything with the team except practice, reported the Bucs.

Considering the Bucs paying him, Joe’s not so sure this is the best thing for Sears and the team.  He’s a potentially critical piece of the puzzle for 2010 and beyond, especially considering the Bucs can’t run the ball this season worth a darn.

Wouldn’t it have been a positive for the whole organization to get him on the practice field?

Joe wishes Sears well.

The Falcons lost their starting quarterback. Their starting tailback. And as Dixie Chicks tight end Tony Gonzalez points out, two starting offensive linemen. Yet they were still able to drive from a short field to win.

Gonzalez explains how.

The scoreboard told the story yesterday: Dixie Chicks 20, Bucs 17.

It also told the story of the Bucs’ hideous franchise record six-game streak of the defense — Jim Bates’ defense — allowing 25 or more points a game coming to an end.

Woody Cummings and Joe Henderson of the Tampa Tribune tag-teamed on a notebook where the Bucs defenders claim Bates’ exit and the end to the horrid defensive slide was no coincidence.

“It was different schemes and the way (Morris) presents those schemes,” Talib said. “It makes you believe in both.”

Even with the last-minute loss to the Falcons, Talib said there is reason to think better days are ahead.

“We definitely took a step forward,” he said. “We did a pretty good job on the run, pretty good job on the pass. We just have to make that last play.”

If the Bucs defense holds the quarterback-less Panthers to under 25 points, then Joe will be a believer. Right now, Joe’s happy and sees progress. Let’s just hope it continues.

"Don't worry Rah, you're still a PTPer to this bald, one-eyed whacko... bay-BEE! You're a diaper dandy!"

Former Bucs beat writer and current SI.com columnist Don Banks pulled no punches in placing blame for the Bucs loss.

No, it wasn’t the defense giving up the final scoring drive by the Dixie Chicks.

No, it was not a missed field goal.

It was Raheem the Dream.

Bucs head coach Raheem Morris deserves some credit for Tampa Bay’s improved defensive showing against Atlanta. But his questionable decision-making undid much of the good that apparently came from Morris taking over as the defensive play-caller for the demoted Jim Bates. The Bucs sacked Falcons quarterbacks six times on Sunday, and played with an aggressiveness that has been rare this season.

But Morris looked like a rookie head coach when he called for a fake punt that went awry, wasted a late timeout that gave Atlanta a breather near the goal line, and went for an ill-advised 51-yard field goal attempt that gave the Falcons great field position for their game-winning drive.

Joe was beyond frustrated at the loss. The Falcons owe the Bucs a Christmas present because the Bucs sure played Santa Claus yesterday.

Dick Stockton and Charles Davis discuss how the Bucs tanked the game yesterday.

<a href="http://video.msn.com/?mkt=en-us&#038;brand=foxsports&#038;playlist=videoByUuids:uuids:3351a6a6-ffd8-4068-a148-02327a7b8b02&#038;showPlaylist=true&#038;from=IV2_en-us_foxsports_videosearch&#038;fg=everyzing" target="_new" title="NFL on FOX: No Ryan, no problem">Video: NFL on FOX: No Ryan, no problem</a>

"Come on Ronde, we've got to get a win. My new mortgage payments are ridiculous."

Though Joe knows that Joe Henderson of the Tampa Tribune was being sarcastic in his column about the Bucs loss to the Dixie Chicks yesterday, an otherwise throwaway line rang a bell with Joe.

In explaining (sarcastically) the reasons Raheem the Dream made a number of questionable decisions yesterday, Henderson wrote the following:

Choose your favorite invective: Raheem Morris is a) an idiot; b) clueless; c) cost the Bucs a 20-17 loss Sunday to Atlanta and should be fired without delay.

He did so with a couple of coaching decisions that were a) imported from the planet Zortron; b) not something anyone would try playing the Madden video game, let alone a real NFL contest; c) anyone got a phone number for Bill Cowher?

Interesting. Could Raheem the Dream have been motivated to pull some risky calls because, possibly, he thought his job may be on the line? That by beating the Falcons on the road it may have secured Raheem the Dream another season as the Bucs coach?

Joe wonders…

Last week Vacation Man of BSPN.com laid out his premise of why he thinks Raheem the Dream will be one-and-done as the Bucs head coach.

It seems Raheem the Dream gave Vacation Man more ammunition yesterday as Vacation Man claimed he was the reason the Bucs lost.

It was all looking so good and, then, Morris got in the way. Instead of playing by the book, he signed off on a fake punt that resulted in punter Dirk Johnson looking like Garo Yepremian. Morris signed off on attempting a long field goal that missed and gave the Falcons good field position.

And he called a timeout that he didn’t need to call. That might have helped Atlanta’s coaches and players a little more time to think as Redman threw a touchdown pass to Roddy White with 23 seconds left.

Maybe Morris did the right thing in taking the defense out of Bates’ hands. Maybe Morris will make another move this week and make himself into a head coach — one that doesn’t make huge mistakes when his team pretty much has a game won.

It’s hard for Joe to disagree with any of that. But to be fair, had now-defrocked defensive coordinator Jim Bates still been in charge, would the Bucs defense had held the Dixie Chicks to under 25 points?

Under the sharp eye of now defrocked defensive coordinator Jim Bates, his defense set standards that will make football fans sick to their stomach for decades.

In the mostly sordid history of the Bucs, never had the team allowed opponents in six straight games to score 25 or more points until Bates came aboard.

The first game Bates is gone and Raheem the Dream takes over the defense, scrapping the futile two-gap system Bates demanded his front seven to play, the Bucs hold the Dixie Chicks to less than 25 points.

It was a loss but it was also a win. Having just hours to practice a system they hadn’t used all season, progress was made.

Joe is heartened to see this. With a bad team, sometimes progress has to come in baby steps.

If it works, stick it in the playbook vault and never do it again. 

It seems Antonio Bryant believes this is the Greg Olson school of play calling.

Bryant, who made two great catches on Josh Freeman bombs in the first half against Atlanta, told Stephen Holder, of the St. Pete Times, that he doesn’t understand why the Bucs didn’t look for him again deep in the second half.

“Last year, I came out here (in Atlanta) and had 100 yards in the first half,” Bryant said. “This year, two catches, 80 yards in the first half. In the second half, it’s like, ‘Come on!’

“Look, man, when you get the ball, those are the results you get. Look, Roddy White dropped balls, (Michael Jenkins) dropped balls. I got four attempts and still came up big. I have to make everything count because obviously, something ain’t right.”

Bryant suggested in no uncertain terms that offensive coordinator Greg Olson should trust QB Josh Freeman to make more downfield plays in a game like today’s, when the lead was never more than seven points.

“We have to go and trust our guy a little more,” Bryant said. “He has the talent. On a 1-10 team, you’ve got to go. . . You’ve sat here and seen this man make every throw an NFL quarterback could possibly make the first time he got in against Green Bay.

“When you have guys there, you have to put your foot on their neck and just stomp.”

Bryant makes a lot of sense.

And that’s twice in two weeks he’s come after Olson in the media. Either nobody told him to clam up at One Buc Place, or Bryant cares so deeply he can’t control himself.

No need to stay up until the middle of the night to get scant highlights when Joe brings much more to you much earlier, compliments of the good people of the NFL Network.

First are the game lowlights replete with the voice of Gene Deckerhoff. Second, NFL Network’s Jamie Dukes and Tom Waddle break down the key plays of the game.

Josh Freeman’s top plays are highlighted along with Antonio Bryant as well as Cadillac Williams.

The Bucs blocked punt is featured.

Buccaneers.com has the postgame press conferences of both Raheem the Dream and Freeman.

THE PESSIMIST is a diehard Bucs fan whose negative writings appear occasionally on JoeBucsFan.com. His views surely do not necessarily reflect those of Joe. However, Joe sure gets a kick out of them.

THE PESSIMIST is here to hang this loss squarely on the Glazers.

Now THE PESSIMIST knows Brian and Joel don’t call the plays, but they do call the shots in the offseason.

Thanks for investing in your team, fellas. Your frugal asses — when it comes to the Bucs — forced your overmatched head coach to run cornerback Derrick Roberson out on the Georgia Dome turf to replace Aqib Talib late in the game.

That’s the kind of depth you get when you’re about five miles under the salary cap: Derrick Roberson.

Derrick freaking Roberson, a guy with just a few plays of experience in his second season as an undrafted free agent out of Rutgers.

Nice. Thanks a lot. Thanks for caring.

So that’s the depth at cornerback you paid for, Glazers. And sure enough the guy makes a key holding penalty to set up Atlanta for the win.

Maybe Phillip Buchanon doesn’t make that play. But we’ll never now, will we.

Can’t wait for the offseason.

As mad as any Bucs fan may be at their head coach right now, Joe has to give Raheem The Dream credit for reviving the Bucs defense from the depths of the NFL against Atlanta’s strong offensive line.

Somewhere, Jim Bates is embarrassed that he couldn’t see what was right in front of him and couldn’t coach his way out of a paper bag.

Forget for a moment (if you can) that Raheem The Dream hired Jim Bates and his two-gap, defense to begin with — a collossal mistake — the Bucs new defensive coordinator knew what the hell he was doing entering this Atlanta game and for much of it.

Joe will let former Bucs defensive end and JoeBucsFan.com analyst Steve White break down the defensive line play in his can’t-miss Bull Rush column tomorrow.

As for the linebackers, it was obvious Barrett Ruud, Quincy Black and Geno Hayes are built for Raheem The Dream’s new Monte Kiffin hybrid system. Ruud made the splash plays he’s been missing all season, and Quincy Black (no Joe doesn’t forgive his offside on a Falcons’ punt) and Geno Hayes’ speed was used effectively throughout the game.

 The secondary, minus Sabby Piscitelli’s putrid angles, missed tackles and lost opportunities, was sound.

Joe couldn’t help but think for a moment in the third quarter that Raheem The Dream and Chucky would probably have been a good match.

Perhaps they can reunite next season.  

This arena league reject slicing apart the Bucs defense is all you need to know about the brutal Bucs.

Unless it was a freak, the change from Jim Bates’ profoundly incompetent (for this personnel) two-gap defensive front flipping to a one-gap scheme was a very good move.

That’s about the only thing Joe can gleam from this miserable loss.

Think about it: the Bucs faced a team fighting for their playoff lives, in other words, an average team, and the front seven knocked out its starting quarterback and put its starting tailback on the bench.

And still the defense couldn’t stop the Falcons offense when they needed a stop the most.

Chris Redman, who was rescued from the arena league only because ex-Dixie Chicks coach Bobby Petrino knew him, was signed by the Falcons to back up dogfightng Mike Vick.

Chris Freaking Redman… the stiff hadn’t thrown a pass in the NFL in almost two years! This guy comes off the bench cold, not really knowing what defense he was going against, took five sacks, and the SOB still picked apart the Bucs like he was Roger Staubach.

How can this be???

Joe hit his head on the bar so hard after the loss, he nearly got thrown out before he paid his bill. Give Joe a freaking break, CHRIS REDMAN???

These guys should be absolutely ashamed they wear an NFL uniform to let Chris Redman of all people carve them up like a roasted turkey three days ago.

Joe is so disgusted he doesn’t know if Pepto Bismol will work.

Bucs rookie quarterback Josh Freeman took a few moments after an awful loss to speak live on the Buccaneers Radio Network to talk about the game.

In particular, Freeman defended his offensive coordinator’s call on third down late in the game that proved mortal.

“From an offensive standpoint, we couldn’t get things going in the second half and that is why we lost,” Freeman said.

“When we had third down with three minutes to go (Derrick Ward running to the right for three yards on third-and-seven from the Falcons-36) was a good play call. We just have to find a way to get the yards when you need them and keep the chains moving.”

Joe is absolutely flabbergasted by the playcalling of Greg Olson and Raheem The Dream. Make no mistake; their second-half insanity cost the Bucs the game.

TWICE they took the ball out of the hands of their quarterback, who was playing well, when he could have iced or nearly-iced the game.

First, it was the horrendous fake punt call, which Joe already has broken down. So Rah, you’d rather have Dirk Johnson throw it on 4th-and-8 than Freeman?

Joe could have understood if Rah went for the 55 yard field goal there, but Johnson to throw?

Second, it was handing off to Derrick Ward on 3rd-and-7 to run off right tackle on the Bucs’ final meaningful drive to set up a 51-yard field goal to tie the game.

So much for being that aggressive, go-for-the-win football team that you talked about so much, Rah. You chickened out. Not only that, no question the odds were probably better for a 3rd-and-7 throw then a 50+ field goal.  

On top of that mess, the Bucs are afraid to run the damn ball on first down. They can’t run the ball consistently, and either Cadillac Williams and Ward are on the downsides of their careers or the Bucs offensive line is terribly overrated.

The Falcons kicked a third-quarter field goal to pull the game to 17-13 with the Bucs still leading. Starting the next series on their own 20, the Bucs send Freeman back to pass and he’s nearly sacked and the Bucs are flagged for a holding penalty.

Where was the run?

Then they run on 1st and 20 with Derrick Ward for a two-yard loss. Second down was a dropped short pass to Antonio Bryant, followed by a seven yard dump off to Kellen Winslow on 3rd and 22.

After the punt, Barrett Ruud forced fumble and a turnover. Then the Bucs ran on first down for eight yards — hooray — then convert first down. Then they go ahead and throw on first down againt for two yards out of the backfield to Ward, who then ran for two yards on second down followed by a too-short dump off to Winslow and a punt.

Then in the fourth quarter, with first down on the Atlanta 40 up 17-13, they throw again on first down incomplete, which led to a 3-and-out and the fake punt from hell.

Joe is frustrated beyond words. This was a game taken away from the team by the head coach.

Raheem The Dream revived the defense, but that doesn’t mean he knows how to be a head coach.

Joe’s played a lot of sports. Some guys just win — whiffle ball, pickup basketball, or NFL football, it doesn’t matter. Raheem The Dream just isn’t one of those guys.

Bucs veteran cornerback and overall good guy Ronde Barber was so upset and frustrated after the loss to the Dixie Chicks Sunday afternoon, he could barely talk.

He ended each of his sentences, heard live on the Buccaneers Radio Network, with deep sighs and often mumbling to himself as in disbelief.

In particular Barber was peeved over a cheesy five-yard penalty on cornerback Derrick Roberson that gave the Falcons a first-and-goal from the Bucs five when it should have been fourth-and-goal from the 10.

“To get a penalty away from the ball… [sighs]… whatever. I better not make any comments. I mean… [sighs]… whatever… [heavy sighs].

“Hey, [Falcons quarterback Chris] Redman has played in this league before. It was a Bucs type of game: bend but don’t break. it worked out for us most of the game. But they dialed it up to Gonzalez late [sigh].

“This one is very frustrating. It was our style of a game. I wish we could have found a way not to make it so exciting at the end.

“We are 1-10. We are obviously not a good football team.”

Falcons 20, Bucs 17

* Just great special teams play by the punt team. Outstanding. Now the defense has to slam the door shut on the Dixie Chicks.

* Redman didn’t throw it away, he just missed the receiver. Come on Bucs, exploit how this guy Redman was on the streets.

* Solid interior defense there to stuff the run.

* Geno Hayes may have gotten away with a pass interference but Joe isn’t so sure if Gonzalez had a first down even if he caught it.

* Big stop by the Bucs. Big stop!

* If the Bucs have to pass why not play-action passes?

* Great. Two yard gain. A potential quick three-and-out.

* Terrible play calling. Terrible on this drive. Why not run the ball?

* Idiotic. The Bucs could have pinned the Falcons (again) deep in their own territory. Now they have the ball near midfield. What, is Greg Olson trying to keep the Falcons in the game?

* How the hell is that crap quarterback tearing up the Bucs? He should be in the UFL. Maybe.

* OK, come on defense. Third down. Make Redman look like the stiff he is. An interception would be nice.

* Nice play by Roberson to break up the pass which would have been a first down. He may have gotten away with interference. Seems like the zebras are letting the defensive back play.

* Joe doesn’t like the play call but Joe loves the result. First down, clock runs. Run clock, run.

* Caddy couldn’t bust through as the Falcons stuff the middle.

* Lot of clock. Over nine minutes. Caddy for three.

* Bucs are 2 of 9 on three downs and it’s third down. Let’s see if the rookie can come through.

* What the hell? A fumble??? Come on Tito, PROTECT the ball!

* How big of a moron is Jeremy Trueblood? This guy is supposed to be smart since he went to Boston College, but for a smart guy pulls some stupidass stunts.

* Bucs are doing their best to keep the Falcons in this game.

* Challenge that incompletion Rah, challenge it! Challenge it!

* Terrible that they are not challeging that play unless one cannot challenge it.

* Falcons 80 percent on fourth down.

* Just terrible. Good coverage on Gonzalez but couldn’t someone jam him at the line of scrimmage?

*  Good pass rush by the Bucs. Need to keep it up.

* Oh, no. Talib is hurt.

* Batted down pass! Solid, solid work by the Bucs defensive front. By far, by FAR the best game the defensive front has played. And Jim Bates is in Tampa. Coincidence?

* Wow, did the Bucs dodge a bullet. Jason Elam missing a kick? Unthinkable.

* First down Bucs, Antonio Bryant. Who was that dumbass on WQYK-AM 1010 this morning who said Bryant is the worst receiver in the league? Please!

* Under five minutes. Gotta keep the clock running.

* WTF a timeout???

* How the F’ can you get a false start after a timeout???

* Nice gain, clock running. Keep it up Bucs.

* Sweet first down catch by Sammie Stroughter. First down. Keep the clock moving boys.

* Should the Bucs go for a field goal or pin the Falcons in their own corner?

* Guess it’s a field goal attempt. And a miss. Wow. Falcons have good field position but they still need a touchdown.

* Time for the Jim Bates-less defense to shine.

* Did two injured corners force Raheem’s hand in trying a field goal?

* This doesn’t look good to Joe.

* Can anyone stop Tony Gonzalez?

* Man, this two-bit quarterback is absolutely carving up the Bucs. Pathetic.

* Joe is watching a frigging high school defense. Unreal.

* Why call a timeout there? If the Falcons score, the Bucs will need that timeout.

* What are the odds that Gonzalez catches the touchdown pass on this drive?

* A hold on the other side of the field. Nice job Einstein. First and goal from the five. Man!

* If Gonzalez doesn’t catch a touchdown Redman will run it in.

* Joe doesn’t like that timeout. Why give the Falcons a chance to set up a play when they were reeling? Joe suspects some trick run knowing Mike Mularkey, the Falcons offensive coordinator.

* Freaking Chris Redman. Chris FREAKING Redman. Unreal.

Joe is having an absolute tantrum right now at Raheem The Dream calling for a fake punt.

C’mon, Rah.

You passed on a 55-yard field goal in a dome for Dirk Johnson to throw a pass? Are you nuts?

This is the fourth quarter. You’re winning. You’ve got a hot field goal kicker and great punt coverage teams. You’re defense is playing well.

This was a horrendous call. Go for the field goal or punt the ball. If you insist on going for it, wouldn’t Josh Freeman and the offense have been a better option?