The Bucs are battling the Bears and the Rays this weekend. (Sorry. Joe has a soft spot for Delmon Young.)

If the Bucs lose to Chicago and go 1-2 during the same week the Rays start selling playoff tickets, the Bucs will feel the effect of life as the No. 2 team in town.

Now is the time of year when many big companies set marketing budgets for 2009, and start buying. The Bucs will get hurt financially if the team is in the crapper and their salespeople have to compete against the feel-good Rays.

Also, there are thousands of average Joes out there who will save their nickels to score Rays playoff tickets, plus Rays gear and beers for slutty honeys at Ferg’s. Their attitude will be, ‘Screw the 1-2 Bucs, and buying new Bucs gear and tickets to sell out the remaining games at RJS.’

But if the Bucs win, well, the team’s buzz in full swing. They’re a winning club with an intriguing Packers team coming to Tampa.

This is why Joe is sure that if the Bucs lose on Sunday, Jeff Garcia starts again, as Gruden will feel the heat from upstairs. The Bucs would need a spark, on the field and off.