Like any Bucs fan, Joe is willing to look the other way on Josh Freeman’s five interceptions.

Look, Joe knows the kid is a rookie, still pretty much wet behind the ears. Joe blames offensive coordinator Greg Olson for continuing to throw the ball when it was clear Freeman was having a rough day. In short, Olson set up Freeman to implode.

It was an arrogant move: “I’m going to call my gameplan even though a guy with a white cane can see it’s not working.” Truly a page from the Chucky playbook. Nothing like trying to rattle the confidence of your first-round draft pick, rookie quarterback.

Joe also will overlook the interception in the end zone by Jon Beason. Antonio Bryant, who was Freeman’s target, was open and Beason made a fantastic play by hiding behind a defensive tackle and popping loose just as Freeman released the ball.

It was a tremendous play by Beason and sometimes Joe has to tip his cap to the opposition. 

Peter King of SI.com, writing in his must-start-your-week-with column, Monday Morning Quarterback, wondered aloud if Freeman’s terrible day may be a harbinger of things to come.

The Bucs running up 469 yards and scoring six points. Six! They’d better hope the 16-6 loss at Carolina was a growing-pains game for Josh Freeman and not a precursor of the future — because he threw five interceptions.

It is mindblowing that an offense can rack up well over 400 yards of offense and have just two field goals to show for its effort.