Tampa Bay Buccaneers Spiral Downward and It's Just a Shame

"It's a shame we couldn't execute better."

So said Tampa Bay Buccaneer franchise quarterback Josh Freeman after Sunday's latest nosedive in the downward spiral that now has reached five straight losses for the bumbling Bucs.

Freeman was right. It was a downright shame that he couldn't take a simple snap from Jeff Faine and get one yard and keep Buccaneer comeback hopes alive on the chilly, wet turf in Tennessee.

It was a shame Freeman fumbled that snap and the panic that ensued late, deep in Tennessee territory, seemed to sum up where this Buccaneer season is heading. With this 23-17 loss to the Titans, the 4-7 Buccaneers have seemingly run out of excuses for what is now a losing streak akin to something Raheem Morris produced in his first season as head coach.

It's a shame that this team cannot stop shooting itself in the cleats.

It's a shame that LeGarrette Blount's nice day went for naught.

It's a shame that a decent showing by the secondary went for naught.

Would you like to sum up this 2011 Buccaneer season in one series of plays?

Try that fourth quarter madness when the Bucs were up 17-13 and actually putting a drive together, something they struggled with most of the day, considering they got that lead on a 27-yard interception return by Aqib Talib, who was having a pretty darn good day.

But we digress. Back to "the drive."

Offensive coordinator Greg Olsen, in all his wisdom, was feeding the football to LeGarrette Blount. What a novel idea!

Blount was responding as he had most of the day when given the chance. He was going for 16 then 14 as the clock ticked down around the 10 minute mark and surely the Bucs would go down and really take control of this contest. Surely they'd get a miracle win despite the five turnovers. 

Our boys had worked themselves nicely to the Titans 34 where Blount took another handoff and delivered with an eight yard effort to the Tennesse 26. Oh yeah!

Then stupid happened, as it always seems to do with this team.

Kellen Winslow, public enemy No. 1, was flagged for holding. Raise your hand if you're surprised to see Winslow with a crucial penalty called on him.

Go back to the Titan 44-yard line, fellas.

As if that wasn't enough, Jeremy Zuttah then got in on the act with a false start.

So there were the Bucs back at mid-field and virtually done.

Momentum had made her way to the Tennessee sideline where she would spend the rest of the game.

You all know what ensued.

Tennessee rode Chris Johnson, who gashed the Bucs for 144 second-half yards and 190 total. This Buccaneer defense was the cure for what had been ailing Johnson.

Isn't that a shame?

It didn't help the cause that defensive tackle Brian Price was carted out of the stadium, early, with an injured ankle.

Another shame.

The lasting image of Matt Hasslebeck standing around for what seemed like five minutes before he threw the winning touchdown pass will last all week.

And that's a shame too.

This team comes home with a 4-7 record. It was Morris telling us last week that "we can still have the same record as last year."

Wrong Raheem. You're wrong because this team isn't nearly as good as last year's bunch. Last year your team didn't major in stupid, it had some discipline, it was able to avoid the ridiculous penalties that have become your trademark this season.

And isn't that a shame.

It's a shame that Josh Freeman now has 16 interceptions on the season. At this rate, he's going to have as many interceptions this year as he did touchdown passes last year—and that's 25.

Hopefully Morris will now ditch the talk that "we're still in the playoff hunt."

This team is in no way, shape or form worthy of being in any playoff talk.

Right now, you've got to start wondering if Morris has placed his derriere on a place that has fire underneath it.

You may have noticed that the Glazers have lowered ticket prices for next season. What they really need to do is lower them, effective immediately, and send every season ticket holder a refund check for Christmas.

It's a shame, but they won't.

What now remains for this team is a pair of games against the Carolina Panthers and one against Jacksonville. Forget the Cowboys and Falcons, they're playoff contenders. The Panthers and Jags are in the same rowboat as these Buccaneers.

Rowing to nowhere, rowing to a higher draft choice in 2012.

And you would think Raheem Morris would need a sweep against those teams to return next year.

From hero to hot seat.

That's the way this season has gone for this entire team.

And as the fearless leader Josh Freeman said earlier, it's a shame.

Isn't it?