The Bucs physically pounded the Saints in the second half and in overtime, they drained the spirit right out of the Saints.

The overtime period by the Bucs offense was a work of beauty.

For weeks (months?) Joe had been begging, pleading for Bucs offensive coordinator Greg Olson to ditch the Chucky playbook and run the damned ball.

Not only did he do that against the Saints, it appeared the Bucs were determined to ram the ball up the Saints’ rear ends in overtime, taking advantage of a tired Saints defense.

Avowed blog hater Len Pasquarelli, of BSPN.com, claims the Bucs in the late going took the will away from the Saints.

Not only did the Bucs thrash the Saints in the second half, they dented the Saints’ confidence as well. Tampa Bay’s 29th-ranked offense outgained New Orleans 250-170 in the second half and bashed the interior of the New Orleans defense with a running game led by Cadillac Williams.

“We felt like we were being pushed around,” said Saints free safety Darren Sharper, who had a first-half interception. “They were more physical than us. At the end, with [Williams] beating on us, we couldn’t stop them.”

Let’s hope Olson learned a lesson from Sunday: that even if the Bucs are down a touchdown — or 17 points at halftime — keep pounding the ball, don’t give up.

The results can be sweet.