Gameday Tampa Bay!
December 4th, 2016
Game 12
Bucs (6-5) at Chargers (5-6)
Kickoff: 4:25 p.m.
TV: WTVT-TV Channel 13; DirecTV Channel 716.
Radio: Buccaneers Radio Network (WDAE-AM 620 and WFUS-FM 103.5 in Tampa-St.Petersburg region); SiriusXM Channel 145.
Weather: Joe fully understands why folks might want to live in San Diego. The days are just about perfect and the evenings are just enough to wear a windbreaker. And this is winter! Joe arrived Friday and still hasn’t seen a cloud. Per AccuWeather.com, this postcard-like weather should continue. Tailgaters will be treated to temperatures in the high 60s and the weather should top out at 70 by kickoff. By the end of the game, it should be in the mid-60s. Fairly solid football weather.
Odds: Per FootballLocks.com, Chargers -3.5.
Outlook So the Bucs stunned the Chiefs. Then followed that up by shocking the world with a beatdown of the Seahawks. Fluke or pattern? We will find out early this evening. If the Bucs are who we think they could be, then they should win a game on the road against a beatable team. Yes, Joe’s been hearing from many fans and listening to business partners, but damn, don’t the Chargers have a losing record? Yes they do. So let’s stop making these guys out to be Tom Landry’s Cowboys. The Chargers are in last place for a reason. Sure, Philip Rivers is dangerous. He’s not Tom Brady. Joe is not saying the Chargers are outright trash like the Browns, but dang, if you are a team that has proven to beat two NFL powerhouses back-to-back, one a Super Bowl favorite by many, then this game today is winnable. It won’t be easy. But if the Bucs can go on the road and win a game in perhaps one of the most hostile environments in the NFL (Kansas City), then they should be able to go into a dump of a stadium and play beneath clear blue skies and gentle breezes of the Pacific Coast and beat the Chargers, Rivers or not. A loss today and the Bucs’ playoff hopes take a major hit. For the Bucs to win this game, the team has to get the ground game going. Rivers cannot beat a defense if he doesn’t have the ball. If Doug Martin is not running well, then it’s time for Jacquizz Rodgers (if he is active — won’t know until just prior to 3 p.m. eastern) or Peyton Barber. Yes, the Chargers have won four of their last six games. Time to make it four of their last seven and become a legitimate playoff contender.
Trinkets: San Diego averages 28.4 points a game, fourth-best in the league. … Five times this season the Chargers have hung 30 points on an opponent. Only Atlanta, New Orleans and Oakland have had more 30-point games. … San Diego is the lone NFL team to force a takeaway in each game. Last week they had four against Houston. … The Chargers have scored defensive touchdowns in three games in 2016. This century, the Chargers are 25-17 when scoring defensive touchdowns. … Shockingly, the Bucs are 10th in the NFL in sacks with 27. … Largely due to a flurry of takeaways the past few games, the Bucs are now +2 in turnovers, 14th in the NFL. … The rush defense of Tampa Bay has plummeted recently dropping to 22nd in the league allowing 115.8 yards a game. … The passing defense of the Bucs is in the middle of the pack at No. 17 giving up 253.5 passing yards a week. … Chargers QB Philip Rivers needs 37 yards passing to pass Drew Bledsoe (44,611) for 12th all-time. … RB Melvin Gordon leads the Chargers with nine rushing touchdowns. His 11 touchdowns total (two receiving) are fourth-best in the NFL. … WR Tyrell Williams has a touchdown catch in his last three games. He leads the Chargers with a 15.5-yard receiving average and his 10 catches of 25 yards or longer is tied for second-most in the NFL. … CB Casey Hayward has tied his career high and he leads the NFL with six interceptions. … DE Melvin Ingram leads the Chargers with six sacks. … This surprised Joe but maybe it should not have: RB Jacquizz Rodgers leads the Bucs with 393 yards rushing. … WR Mike Evans isn’t yet finished with his third season and he is already nine touchdown catches away from tying Jimmie Giles for the franchise record of 34. Evans currently has 25 touchdown catches in his career. … QB Jameis Winston needs six TD passes in the next five games to set the franchise record at 28. … If DE Noah Spence can get two sacks today, he will tie Adrian Clayborn for second-most sacks for a Bucs rookie (7.5). DT Gerald McCoy is tied with Aaron Donald for most sacks by a defensive tackle (six).
December 4th, 2016 at 12:21 pm
This will not be as “easy” of a game as some fans think!!! Really want to see DM22 have a great game so the Bucs can own time of possession!!!! The Chargers guard and center will be challenged from the Bucs stunts and twist and bringing a blitz straight up the middle!!!!! close game but Bucs make it 4 in a row!!!!!!!!!!
Go America!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And Go BUCS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
December 4th, 2016 at 12:27 pm
Bucs 24-20
December 4th, 2016 at 12:33 pm
What a day if Tampa wins and Redskins and Falcons lose today!
December 4th, 2016 at 12:43 pm
Agreed joeseph,
fat dougie aint going to do crap but we know stubborn koetter isnt going to do nothing
Quizz with his cutback doesnt need the blocking that fatboy needs
Cecil shorts? Does he have pictures of jason gump shirtless
We need shep starting with 50 snaps but the clowns says no.
Koetter going to send 4.7 forty shorty shorts on the go route deep again and again.
Scared to lose, predictable koetter will lose this game by his playcalling. Run dougie 1st and 2nd and let jameis throw it against the blitz on 3rd and long
Yippy a 2 misses
Fat dougie 1 fumble and timely drop
San Diego 37-21
December 4th, 2016 at 12:59 pm
I agree, we need efficient time consuming drives on offense.
On the defensive side it’s simple, keep doing what you have been doing the last three weeks and the victory will follow.
Go Bucs !!! See you on the game’s open thread.
December 4th, 2016 at 1:05 pm
KF people would take you seriously if you actually said anything semi-intelligent. With some sort of facts to backup your rambling rather than personal opinions. But as usual facts don’t matter to idiots.
December 4th, 2016 at 1:13 pm
Pound their face in the dirt!! GO BUCS!
December 4th, 2016 at 1:20 pm
Go Bucs. Make Kobe eat his words. Oh wait. Kobe doesn’t keep his word. It’s meaningless anyway. Go BUCS!
December 4th, 2016 at 1:22 pm
Go Bucs. Make Kobe eat his words. Oh wait. His word doesn’t mean anything. Go BUCS!
December 4th, 2016 at 1:41 pm
@Joe
Can we get a poll of whether or not, to give the lifetime ban to ” kobe liar”???????
December 4th, 2016 at 1:56 pm
Hunter henry = travis kelce
Our goofy looking brate can only dream
December 4th, 2016 at 1:57 pm
^ I vote in favor of the ban.
December 4th, 2016 at 1:59 pm
As much as I love doug Martin and will have his back til he retires as a buc. I love that we have Rodgers back. I think he is an all purpose back much like Martin is. They are very similar in running style, a mixture of power and elusiveness, but they also each have their own strengths and weaknesses. I like this Duo, more than I like Martin/Sims.
I’m excited to see how Koetter runs the offense having 2 talented backs to work with.
December 4th, 2016 at 2:03 pm
The only way to rid ban a person from a message board, especially trolls is too totally disregard. I don’t know if there is anyone on this board worth ignoring but if there was I wouldn’t address them in the first place.
December 4th, 2016 at 2:04 pm
Chargers got this one, but I said that for Seattle last week
December 4th, 2016 at 2:09 pm
Go Bucs! Drain the Chargers will. Let’s get this show on the road cranked up. Gonna get high high high just like the Bucs for this win.
December 4th, 2016 at 2:09 pm
tnew is right on about the trolls.
There’s not any reason to respond to Kobe Fakefan anyways. He says the same, uniformed, unintelligent remarks every week, on every subject. Doug is fat, Koetter is a clown, Kobe has no life, blah blah blah. He has been COMPLETELY WRONG on every single thing he’s said preceding the last 3 games. His comments have no value, nor do they merit a response.
Back under your bridge. Bye felicia !
December 4th, 2016 at 2:27 pm
Eric Berry pick 6. Back the truck up and PAY THIS MAN PLEASE
December 4th, 2016 at 2:33 pm
@unbelieveable
Lmfao. Hahahahhhah
December 4th, 2016 at 2:35 pm
Inclvote to ban kobe
December 4th, 2016 at 2:35 pm
*I vote
December 4th, 2016 at 2:37 pm
Jesus Kobe has turned full troll. I’ll take Brate over 90% of the TE in the NFL
December 4th, 2016 at 2:39 pm
I’ll admit, I thought the KC game was a fluke, then the seabuzzards were taken care of. Lets win this one guys! Prove you’re playoff caliber right NOW!
Off topic, Matt Bryant just hit a 59 yarder, wow.
And yeah, we should go after Berry! Draft WR first, TE 2nd, and DE/DT 3rd according to who falls there. Thats where I am right now.
December 4th, 2016 at 2:39 pm
Hey that bum Bryant nailed a 59 yrder
December 4th, 2016 at 2:40 pm
Mannn Eric Berry on this D, what a present that would be
December 4th, 2016 at 2:44 pm
Less talk
more pictures
December 4th, 2016 at 2:47 pm
Falcons, Eagles and Saints all losing right now. If that continues and the Redskins and Giants lose the Bucs have tons to play for today. Lets hope everything keeps falling in our favor.
Plus Jake Mathews for Falcons left the game with an injury.
December 4th, 2016 at 2:48 pm
We need the pressure from the FRONT FOUR…
Rivers will lose it if we can get a few good hits on him.
GO BUCS!!!
December 4th, 2016 at 2:52 pm
Go Chiefs!
December 4th, 2016 at 2:55 pm
TD KC, this is the time of the season when dirty birds start going down, go bucs.
December 4th, 2016 at 3:03 pm
ATLANTA IS LOSING!!!!!!! HOPE THAT IT STAYS THAT WAY
December 4th, 2016 at 3:09 pm
How sweet. Both ATL and NO are loosing!!! Go Chiefs and Lions!!!
December 4th, 2016 at 3:15 pm
So far everything is going the way we need it. A win in San Diego completes a great week! Go Bucs!
December 4th, 2016 at 3:29 pm
Will be at Christmas Party during 2nd half…..taping game….telling everyone to STFU about the score……
I’m sure all of you have experienced that.
December 4th, 2016 at 3:36 pm
Go KC!! Score again, put this games away!!
December 4th, 2016 at 3:40 pm
KC looks like they tryin to give it away…
December 4th, 2016 at 3:46 pm
I had to step away from the game. I can’t watch it.
December 4th, 2016 at 3:49 pm
Anyone else getting that nervous, put in your stomach feeling? I start feeling this way before every Bucs game.
December 4th, 2016 at 3:50 pm
LOL
December 4th, 2016 at 3:50 pm
DID ANYONE SEE THAT 2POINT PICK ON THE ATL TD TO RETAKE THE LEAD!? 29-28
December 4th, 2016 at 3:50 pm
ATL just gave up a lead by an intercepted 2pt conv?
December 4th, 2016 at 3:51 pm
That was super! Dont understand the rule. Someone please explain
December 4th, 2016 at 3:55 pm
Tampaaaaaaa,playoffs here we come.wooooo.tbucs r Superbowl bound
December 4th, 2016 at 3:56 pm
Come on KC! Please please win!!
December 4th, 2016 at 3:58 pm
kobe faker you should be a man of your word and go away.
Buccaneers won last week why are you still posting.
December 4th, 2016 at 4:00 pm
thank you KC
December 4th, 2016 at 4:01 pm
KC wins! Yeah baby!!!!!
December 4th, 2016 at 4:03 pm
KC wins and Lions win (or should), so Bucs should be very fired up this afternoon!!!
If this opportunity does not put a fire in them, nothing will
December 4th, 2016 at 4:11 pm
Bucs have the opportunity to get back into 1st place in the Div today.
Let’s go BUCS!!!!
Kobe – GTFO of here!!!! You are a nuisance and a straight up TROLL
December 4th, 2016 at 4:19 pm
Oh, nvm. was watching on nfl ticker. it just said int. didnt say it was returned. Ours for the taking! Go Bucs!
December 4th, 2016 at 4:33 pm
What a friggin crappie way to start a game!!!!!
December 4th, 2016 at 4:33 pm
Did Verner accidentally put on Brent Grimes’ shoes?
December 4th, 2016 at 4:33 pm
Chargers just marched down the field unimpeded
December 4th, 2016 at 4:52 pm
GMC with a big play!
December 4th, 2016 at 7:40 pm
Going to work tomorrow…. having to work in Atlanta…… Priceless! Thank you little baby Jesus!
December 4th, 2016 at 7:46 pm
as my first comment is waiting for moderation….^^^^^ movie reference^^^^ love everyone… if its not posted… just know… going to work tomorrow will be Amazing….Living in atl… as a bucs fan… blows
December 4th, 2016 at 8:46 pm
Prooved once again,this team is special.Bring on the Saints!!
#GoBucs