Joe says Jon Gruden's good-enough offense hasn't offered any hope that it can do its part to get the Bucs to the Super Bowl

The Bucs can run the ball a little, but they can’t grind out first downs to close out a game.

The Bucs can throw the ball efficiently and make an occasional big play, but Tampa Bay might be the worst in the league at throwing in the red zone.

Jeff Garcia protects the ball well and keeps risk-taking to a minimum, but he doesn’t have Keyshawn Johnson, Keenan McCardell and Joe Jurevicius to throw to.

The Bucs offense is average across the board, and the play-calling isn’t sharp enough to overcome it.

So the disappointing reality is that the Bucs will have to rely on their defense to get through December and succeed in the playoffs. It’s too late – and too unlikely – for an offensive turnaround.

This all feels unsettling to Joe, much like flashing back to those can’t-get-over-the-hump Bucs teams of the Tony Dungy era.

Joe’s desperately looking for glimmers of Super Bowl hope from the Bucs offense. They are nearly impossible to find.

If the Bucs win the NFC South and earn a first round bye, then beat Minnesota or Arizona at home in the playoffs only to get mauled by the Giants in the NFC Championship game, it’s going to feel like a great Bucs defense was wasted on a barely average offense.