More love from his quarterback.

Joe listens to and reads a lot of national talking heads and sophists for their Bucs takes and intel. [read more]

Done with overtime games.

Last year the Bucs lost two bitter overtime games. With a late score in each game — the Bucs had the ball late in regulation — the Bucs would have won. [read more]

Emeka Egbuka catches the game-winning touchdown pass Sunday in Atlanta.

Welcome to Victory Monday, Bucs fans! Ah, football is here. Glorious football! How you feeling about that win yesterday? Bet you don’t even notice your hangover. [read more]

Bucs used a Jesse “The Body” Ventura approach.

Joe thought of this when learning of this statistic in Sunday’s win over the Dixie Chicks [read more]

It seems like Todd Bowles has it in him to turn on a player.

Bowles is a mild-mannered guy but he’s not always long on patience. [read more]

Baker Mayfield scrambled for critical yards on third downs Sunday.

Finding a way to win. That’s what good quarterbacks do and Raheem Morris found out the hard way (though his quarterback damn near pulled off what Baker Mayfield did.) [read more]

This is not something you hear publicly very often.

In the happy Bucs locker room in Atlanta, iconic Tampa Bay linebacker Lavonte David had tough talk for a teammate.

[read more]

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BY IRA KAUFMAN

What a way to kick off your 50th season.

When I used the word “bizarre” to describe the final moments of Sunday’s jittery 23-20 victory in Atlanta, Todd Bowles didn’t disagree.

There was a whirlpool of emotions as officials kept ruling in favor of the home team when the Falcons drove 91 yards for the go-ahead score, taking nearly nine minutes off the clock.

Still, Baker Mayfield had enough time to deliver the game-winning march, capped by a 25-yard TD strike to stud rookie Emeka Egbuka with only 59 seconds remaining. Tampa Bay’s celebration became muted when normally reliable kicker Chase McLaughlin, who had missed a 44-yard FG try earlier, went wide left on the extra point.

Now the Falcons needed only a FG to send the game to overtime, but Younghoe Koe misfired from 44 yards out to seal a wild victory that included an offensive line shakeup by the visitors.

It was sweet revenge against a team that swept Tampa Bay last season and had won four of the last five matchups against an NFC South rival.
“Division game, big-time win,” said Mike Evans. “We were looking forward to this one.” [read more]

Safety Antoine Winfield buckles up preparing for battle Sunday.

The last two minutes of today’s win in Atlanta was so stunning and thrilling, it’s easy to forget perhaps the play of the game happened with 11 seconds left and it was performed by All-Pro Bucs safety Antoine Winfield. [read more]

Franchise quarterback Baker Mayfield looked darn rusty in the first half today in Atlanta — and in much of the second half. [read more]

The Bucs got a huge drive-killing, third-down sack from their new edge rusher today. [read more]

Mike Evans celebrates with Emeka Egbuka after the rookie caught a 25-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter that proved to be the winning play.

There was a lot of talk on the Buccaneers Radio Network after the game about the play of Bucs rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka and how he was able to help deliver a win with two touchdowns and lead the Bucs in receiving despite his inexperience. [read more]

So inside the ecstatic Bucs postgame locker room, Joe got 1-on-1 time with Tampa Bay center/left tackle Graham Barton. [read more]

There is so much mystery to Joe surrounding the Bucs’ decision to bench projected starting left tackle Charlie Heck, moving Graham Barton from center to left tackle, move Ben Bredeson to center and plugging in Michael Jordan the football player at left guard. [read more]

Went for the kill shot.

Emeka Egbuka’s 25-yard touchdown catch from Baker Mayfield turned out to be the winning play for the Bucs. That play, Mayfield said, was brewing for some time in the second half. [read more]

What a debut!

Now THAT’S why you spend a No. 19 overall pick on a receiver! [read more]

No answers.

Sloppy, sloppy football game to open the season. But it was oh, so pretty in the end.

Pass the Rolaids. The Bucs are 4-0 in opening days under head coach Todd Bowles. [read more]

Opening day is here! Comment all game long below.

Be nice. Don’t insult each other. Save reasonable vitriol for the referees and the Falcons.

Go Bucs!

Stick with Joe for all kinds of can’t-miss postgame stuff.