Sad defense.

Not only are the Bucs a bad team — 4-6 — it is very obvious to Joe: [read more]

Needing a miracle?

If the Bucs somehow make the playoffs after today’s loss, one thing needs to happen. [read more]

Team Glazer is lurking.

Consider that through this ugly Bucs four-game losing streak the Todd Bowles defense has allowed 15 touchdown passes against 0 interceptions — all while opposing quarterbacks have completed 99 of 131 passes, a 75.6 completion rate. [read more]

Bucs coach Todd Bowles.

So we have officially reached the bye week. The Bucs are 4-6.

Other than calling the Bucs a bad team — you are what your record says you are — Joe thinks it is fair to judge what a team is through 10 games. [read more]

Who’s responsible?

What a groin-kick loss today for the Bucs. Joe will have trouble getting over this one.

Especially troubling to Joe was the Bucs not going for the jugular late in the game. Sound familiar? [read more]

Joe is ill. This game was very, very, very much within reach for the Bucs but they couldn’t rise up and grab it — at home.

All while the Falcons were losing to the slimy Saints. [read more]

Injured

The early word is Tristan Wirfs has a sprained MCL. [read more]

So the Tampa Bay public address announcer was loud and proud in the first quarter today bellowing at Bucs fans to welcome Jon Gruden, the Super Bowl-winning head coach ousted from the Buccaneers Ring of Honor.

What a moment it was. [read more]

OK, it is warm and breezy at The Licht House today where way too many 49ers fans have infiltrated the building. Big game for Bucs if they hope to make the playoffs.

Feel free to bang it here for your thoughts, comments and observations of the game.

And as always, Joe hopes that you please do behave. [read more]

Flash poll posted at 8:44 a.m.

Will Vita Vea and the Bucs return to Germany in 2025?

Bucs fans who enjoy traveling to road games have a coin flip of a chance they’ll need a passport in 2025. [read more]

Hurting.

So who’s the standout playmaker in the Bucs defense?

Some might argue it’s rookie Tykee Smith. [read more]

Kelce brothers discuss Todd Bowles.

Say what you will about head coach Todd Bowles — and Joe’s readers very much have — you can hear the deep respect NFL players have for the Bucs’ leader of men. [read more]

Calijah Kancey is ready to rock.

For defensive tackle Calijah Kancey, the regular season sort of starts today against the 49ers. [read more]

Challenge for Ben Bredeson.

Yeah, the Bucs are dealing with injuries, no question. But the 49ers are as well. [read more]

Strong 2024.

“This Joe” often referenced Baker Mayfield’s 2023 season, his first with the Bucs, as a career year. [read more]

Prep work on 49ers.

Bill Belichick has a famous saying when he’s studying players for the draft.

Bucs corner Zyon McCollum looks for the opposite when he’s studying an opponent. [read more]

Game 10

49ers (4-4) at Bucs (4-5) 

Kickoff: 1 p.m.

TV: FOX (WTVT-TV Channel 13 locally) with Kevin Burkhardt, Tom Brady and Erin Andrews.

[read more]

So Vita Vea played more Monday than he had in one game since Halloween of 2021. [read more]

YaYa Diaby

Once upon a time in 2015, then-Bucs head coach Lovie Smith got annoyed with media for asking about the Tampa Bay defense allowing a galling 70-plus percent completion rate.

Completion percentage doesn’t matter, Lovie insisted. [read more]

If Joe were locked in a room with Todd Bowles and was asked to tell the head coach something that would hurt his feelings, Joe would go directly to one thing. [read more]