If Jermaine Phillips and the Bucs defense don't start playing up to their standards on the road, and quick, the Bucs won't last long in the playoffs.

Joe is still disturbed over how the Bucs’ defense melted down last night; There’s still a nasty taste in his mouth (and it has nothing to do with anything Joe ate or drank last night).

Joe had a hard time falling asleep last night, partly because Joe was shocked to learn WGUL doesn’t rebroadcast Dennis Prager’s show late night any longer, but mainly because Joe tossed and turned over how awful the Bucs tackled — or didn’t tackle — the stinking Panthers’ running backs.

But as Jason McIntyre, publisher and editor-in-chief of TheBigLead.com has pointed out this morning, how the Bucs’ defense layed down last night should not have come as a surprise.

Impressed that the Panthers rolled up 464 yards of offense and moved the ball at will in the second half against the fifth best scoring defense in the league? Don’t be. Here are some yardage totals the Bucs have allowed on the road this season: Chicago (405), New Orleans (438), Denver (333), Kansas City (384). This is why so few people believe in the box of chocolates that is the NFC South – you have no clue what you’re getting on the road.

Joe is all too aware of the fact the Bucs largely play down to their opponents on the road. But Joe was taken by surprise at the large chunks of yardage the Bucs have coughed up on the road.

This is a scary proposition for Tampa Bay. It’s pretty obvious the Bucs will be a Wild Card team provided they even make the playoffs (it’s hardly a lock). Either Chucky better hire a shrink for Monte Kiffin’s defensive players making them think they are playing along Dale Mabry Highway at all times, or let’s hope the Bucs’ offense can play for a full game the way it played in the second half last night.