Joe was able to confirm that the Bucs have not and will not practice in pads this week in preparation for the Falcons on Sunday. Playing on a short week after Monday Night Football led to the decision.

NFL labor laws crafted in 2011 prohibit hitting each other in practice every week during the regular season — something unthinkable years ago. Nowadays, coaches are forced to pick and choose when they’ll get physical. Typically, teams will burn their “padded” practices early and go soft in December when most NFL bodies can use the extra rest.

This is noteworthy because Greg Schiano spoke openly before the Seattle game and last week about how the Bucs were having their best practices of the 2013 season.

Hopefully, a soft week won’t upset that rhythm.