Painted into corner.

That was one of the most atrocious losses in years for the Bucs. Joe is shook. So let’s get this over with.

Cleveland-Ready

Yesterday had to be KitKat-eating Bucs coach Todd Bowles’ worst loss since he took over the team.

The previous worst was in 2022, when the Bucs traveled to Pittsburgh and Mike Tomlin had so many injuries at corner he was literally pulling dudes off the street to play against the Bucs.

So with Tom Brady, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, what did knothead offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich do? Pound the ball against one of the stingiest defensive lines in the league and basically left the corners alone.

It was the most irresponsible game plan Joe had ever seen. But you know what, Bowles could have easily got on the headset and told “fantasy” Leftwich to start attacking the secondary with Evans and Godwin. To the best of Joe’s knowledge, that never happened.

But at least the Bucs lost to a decent team. Yesterday? The Browns’ friggin’ quarterback was three hours from being benched as leaks out of Cleveland said the Browns had reached their limit with Watson after he blew chunks last week against Jacksonville. Facing the Bucs was his final option before being benched, likely permanently.

And he rose up to beat a Bowles’ defense.

Joe believes, like the Tennessee-Ready game on opening day of 2015, yesterday’s loss will have Team Glazer discussing what their head coach’s future. A loss later this year like the Capitol Collapse (also 2015) would then seal Bowles’ fate come January, provided the Bucs miss the playoffs.

Todd Bowles Not Going Anywhere For Now

Joe might as well address the elephant in the room because that is likely all that you will hear on WDAE-AM 620, WDAE-FM 95.7 today. That is, Bowles’ job security.

Most Bucs fans are screaming for Bowles’ head. Joe gets it, but “this Joe” strongly believes that won’t come until January if the Bucs miss the playoffs.

Team Glazer has *never* dismissed a head coach before the end of the season. They didn’t do it under all the chaos with former Bucs commander, Greg Schiano. They didn’t do it with Raheem Morris despite losing 10 straight games.

And Joe doesn’t believe Team Glazer would do that to Bowles, who they like and respect.

Team Glazer may give Bowles his walking papers — but not before the end of the season. That’s just not how Team Glazer rolls.

Expectations Splattered

Joe cannot remember being so down after one loss. The Bucs completely handed a game to the hapless Browns on a platter, the worst team in the NFL with the worst quarterback in the NFL, a guy three hours from likely being benched, probably for the rest of his career.

And the Bucs have talent. It’s one thing to lose a game. Or to lose to Joe Burrow and the Bengals. But the Browns?

The loss yesterday hurts worse than the many, many losses in The Lost Decade. The Bucs had realistic chances of making the playoffs and a notch on the belt was expected to be the Browns. But someone turned the tables.

The reality of the Bucs was like a punch to the face yesterday. This team isn’t very good.

OK, Joe could go on and on and on about how the Bucs slapped fans square in the face by crafting a game plan that ensured the hapless Browns stayed in the game and gave them a chance to win.

But how about fun with numbers as we wrap up this here column?

Bucs Have Become A Lead Pipe Lock In Futility

Joe knows wins and losses mean more than covers. Joe would be so happy to get a horrible back door cover in an expensive bet if that meant the Bucs would win the Super Bowl.

Well, after watching that shameful display of poorly coached football yesterday, at least Joe took solace after following by taking the Browns and the points. Why? KitKat-eating Bucs coach Todd Bowles is now 0-11 in his last 11 games against the spread.

Not only is that damned difficult to pull off, that is also a sure sign of a team that regularly underperforms.

Think about it, even the sh!ttiest teams will cover once in a while. Most won’t go 11 games without covering.

But not the Bucs. Thanks to the Bucs sleepwalking through the loss yesterday to the Browns, Tampa Bay extended its streak to 11 straight games where the Bucs cannot cover.

That’s really bad. And Joe’s going to keep riding that wave until the Bucs start pretending they can and at least appear to look like they are trying to win games.

The Curse of the AFC North Continues

Here’s one for you: Since Bowles arrived in Tampa to take over the Bucs’ defense in 2019, the Bucs are winless against the AFC North. Yesterday’s loss bumped that streak to 0-8.

And since the Bucs have yet to play Pittsburgh and Baltimore, Joe expects that number to grow to 0-10.

How can a team be that bad against one division? The only answer Joe can think of is those teams in the AFC North play physical football. The Bucs have a habit of wilting in a physical game.

It’s one thing to be physical against the tripe that is the NFC South landfill. It’s quite another to beat up the bullies of the AFC North.

Lastly: If you hand a win to the worst team in football with the worst quarterback in your own crib because you couldn’t get your s(p)it together on offense, what does that make you?