Galled by third down defense.

You know your team has a horrid defense when on each third down, predicting a conversion by the opponent would be at worst a break-even bet.

And that is the case with the Bucs. They’re are positively awful at their third-down defense and in the recent episode of “The ScuttleBucs,” co-hosts Jeff Cameron and Tom Lang sounded off about the sad state of affairs.

Tom Lang: They should be the team that gives up the most yards per game if they keep up this pace – in franchise history! … If it is third-and-long and the ball is snapped, my impression is, we are not getting off the field. And I am right.

Jeff Cameron: It is one of the most heart-breaking things in the world. It’s akin to your closer blowing a baseball game that you have led the whole way, over and over again.

Lang: It is over 49 percent that opponents are accomplishing third-down conversion — so it’s a coin flip! Every time there is a snap on third down, there’s a coin flip. It doesn’t matter, third-and-six, third-and-10.

Cameron: Because you are not going to get to the quarterback!

It is simply a toxic mix of nightmares. As Cameron pointed out, Bucs pass rushers (what edge rush?) can’t breath on a quarterback, and when corners are giving receivers more cushion than you can find in a Dale Mabry Highway clothing-optional establishment, these results are bound to happen.

Call Joe a pessimist if you like, but Joe doesn’t see this defense getting significantly corrected until maybe March. A 30-year old Simeon Rice or a Ronde Barber in his prime are not walking into the Den of Depression anytime soon.