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BY IRA KAUFMAN

From a nightmare to sweet dreams, all in 30 minutes.

The Bucs rebounded from a sloppy, uninspired opening half to overwhelm the Saints 21-3 in the final two quarters Sunday, earning a fourth consecutive division title behind another stirring late-season surge.

In the process, Mike Evans ran down history with a consequential 9-yard catch in the final seconds of a 27-19 triumph. It would have been prudent for Baker Mayfield to end the game by taking a knee, but thousands of fans and every member of the organization would have bemoaned the end of a historic 1,000-yard streak by a beloved Buccaneer.

Jason Licht was waiting for Evans outside Tampa Bay’s locker room and their post-game embrace was long and emotional, knowing the Bucs accomplished their twin goals. [read more]

Bucs GM Jason Licht, the architect.

Some people wonder why Joe often refers to Jason Licht as the “Buccaneers Ring of Honor” general manager.

This confuses Joe. [read more]

Reaction

For a moment Joe thought he was watching a baseball game. [read more]

Neutered.

Strange look for the Bucs offense today.

Rachaad White didn’t touch the ball once and Joe didn’t like it. [read more]

Rallying to win (the division).

So the Mike Evans streak wasn’t the only streak on Joe’s mind this afternoon. And thankfully, fortunately, this streak is oh-vah! [read more]

So the regular season just ended with rookie Jalen McMillan hauling in 24 catches, 316 yards and 7 touchdowns through his final five games.

Joe’s never seen a guy pull off those kinds of numbers with limited targets. [read more]

Wanted in New England?

Joe understands that maybe after the Bucs beat the slimy Saints to win the NFC South title today, not every Bucs fan will still consider Bucs offensive coordinator Liam Coen to be the next Bill Walsh. [read more]

Mike Evans speaks out.

What an emotional day for Mike Evans, Bucs players and fans.

Eleven regular seasons of Mike Evans needed an exclamation point — five more yards to hit 1,000 receiving for the season and a tie of Jerry Rice’s all-time record. [read more]

A two-year problem for Todd Bowles.

Rough day for the legions of Bucs fans that aren’t supporters of head coach Todd Bowles. [read more]

The Bucs needed every one of Baker Mayfield’s 68 yards rushing today.

Yeah, sixty-eight! [read more]

How bout those Bucs!!

With everything on the line, the Bucs came out and dropped a runny deuce on the field of The Licht House. No duck flew in to save them.

But someone found plenty of Imodium and Angel Soft and the Bucs found themselves in the fourth quarter.

Tampa Bay is 10-7 and NFC South champs for the fourth consecutive season! [read more]

The Bucs’ fourth consecutive NFC South crown is on the line.

Don’t choke!

Comment all game long below. Go Bucs!!

“Lavonte, watch me set some records today.”

Now Joe doesn’t know if it was the Bucs’ sports science people or the trainers or analytics specialist Jackie Davidson or if it was intuition from Bucs coach Todd Bowles. [read more]

Jalen McMillan hops over the goal line for a score last week.

Here’s a stat that blew Joe’s mind. [read more]

New Orleans QB Spencer Rattler.

Since the slimy Saints have come off a bye, their offense has been horrendous. [read more]

Game 17

Slimy Saints (5-11) at Bucs (9-7)

Kickoff: 1 p.m.

TV: FOX (WTVT-TV Channel 13, locally) with Kevin Burkhardt, Tom Brady and Erin Andrews.

[read more]

Yes, the NFL is a business.

That’s why the Bucs sent three consecutive short passes to lunatic Antonio Brown and asked Ronald Jones to block for him as the 2020 season closed in a game the Bucs won 44-27.

Brown had a cash incentive on the line.

Jones? Pffft, all he had was 978 yards rushing and a hunger for 1,000. [read more]

Crazy like a fox?

So the NFL had 22 double-digit pass rushers last season.

That number has been cut in half this season with one game remainng. [read more]

No, this post has nothing to do with the Tampa Bay edge rush or tomorrow’s return of Bucs sacks king Shaq Barrett. [read more]

Bucs O-linemen speak out supporting their quarterback.

Joe remembers former Bucs great Warren Sapp saying this and it’s so true. [read more]

The Bucs announced this afternoon that starting safety Jordan Whitehead was involved in a car accident this morning and his resulting injuries are significant enough that the Bucs placed Whitehead on the non-football injury list.

As a result, Whitehead will not play in tomorrow’s win-and-in game against the Saints.

Details of the accident are unclear.