Blunt words for Bucs defense.

Cowboys electric wide receiver CeeDee Lamb didn’t exactly torch the Bucs Monday night. He didn’t need to. [read more]

Click on through to shop at BillCurrieFord.com. Bill Currie Ford GM Sean Sullivan is ready to help you PERSONALLY and give you the Ira Kaufman discount. Just ask!

BY IRA KAUFMAN

It ended with a whimper. The season, and perhaps an era.

The 2022 Bucs bowed out passively and decisively Monday evening, run over 31-14 by America’s Team  as a national TV audience witnessed a public beatdown. It was the only game of the wild-card round that wasn’t competitive, at least for a long stretch, and the extent of the drubbing gives the Glazers much to think about in the next few weeks.

Give the Cowboys credit — except for kicker Brett Maher they played a terrific game. They rolled up 26 first downs and each of their first four TD drives covered at least 80 yards. The Bucs were guilty of busted coverages, poor tackling and not nearly enough pressure against Dak Prescott, who nervously started 0-for-3 and then completed 25 of his final 30 pass attempts.

The other side of the ball was equally depressing for Buc Nation. In throwing a career-high 66 passes, Tom Brady played poorly, averaging only 5.3 yards per pass attempt. The run game, used sparingly, provided little help.

Brady thanked the local media after the game in what some are interpreting as a signal he has thrown his final pass as a Buccaneer. What we know for a fact is the Cowboys are headed for San Francisco and Brady is headed to his family and support team as he contemplates retirement.

Should Brady desire to play next fall, he might look at Tampa Bay’s 8-10 record and decide this team isn’t good enough to compete for a championship next season.

Ownership could think likewise. It was that kind of night.

Here’s how Big D made the Bucs look small: [read more]

Bucs Pro Bowl center Ryan Jensen led an acronym festival last night at his locker in the somber Buccaneers locker room.

Finally, explained what happened to his knee when he crumbled to the ground in late July. [read more]

The end?

At least if Monday was Cam Brate’s final game with the Bucs, his last catch was a touchdown. [read more]

“No, Mr. Glazer, you can’t draft coaches.”

Cue the draft lunatics! Their season has begun!

With the Bucs’ brutal playoff loss to Dallas last night, Tampa Bay now officially sits with the 19th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft by virtue of them having the worst record among the losers on wild card weekend.

The last time the Bucs owned the 19th pick they selected O.J. Howard in 2017.

Edge rusher? Quarterback? Defensive tackle? Joe’s not ready to dive in.

Explains why Bucs defense was soft.

So Joe knew few Bucs would be in the talking mood after such a disgraceful display of football in front of a national television audience. [read more]

Tristan Wirfs

Inside the solemn Buccaneers postgame locker room, Joe noticed a sheet of paper in the lockers of two players, it was titled “Fast and Confident.” [read more]

Todd Bowles

Joe is stunned Todd Bowles’ defense got its ass handed to it tonight.

That’s the strength of the team and the strength of the head coach. [read more]

Unprepared defense.

Joe was convinced first-year Bucs coach Todd Bowles was safe to return next season. [read more]

The season is over. Our beloved Bucs came out tonight and played exactly like they have nearly all season: sputtering offense and inconsistent defense. But this time there were no late-game heroics, barely a whimper.

Tampa Bay got sent on vacation with an old fashioned ass-kicking. [read more]

Opening night.

Packed House.

Comment all night long right here. Play nice!! And stick around for Joe’s award-winning Bucs coverage after the game.

He’s back!

Monday evening is when Tom Brady’s weekly, pre-recorded podcast usually drops, but it went early today because Brady and his fans are a little busy tonight. [read more]

About a year ago against the Rams, a lot of chatter emerged just before the game that Tom Brady had invited a load of relatives to The Licht House because it very possibly was his last game. [read more]

The massive ESPN contingent in Tampa today included six-time Buccaneers Pro Bowl defensive tackle Gerald McCoy. [read more]

Wild Card Round Edition

Cowboys (12-5) at Bucs (8-9) 

Kickoff: 8:15 p.m.

TV: ABC (WFTS-TV Channel 28, locally).

[read more]

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The playoffs are here! And so is Ira’s big day (Tuesday) with the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Ira dives into all things Bucs with Joe and closes out with picks and game predictions, and more. Enjoy The Sage of Tampa Bay Sports!

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Bucs C Ryan Jensen.

[UPDATE: 10:26 a.m.] Here we go! [read more]