Panthers Show What Bucs Season Might've Been Martin Fennelly, The Tampa Tribune, published 27 December 2004 It ended with the home team running the ball into a pile three times to end the final home game, a game lost by 17 points. The stands were almost deserted by then, most people having fled the cold weather and the colder reality of a Super Bowl franchise gone bust. Three running plays from a home team that abandoned the run before the game even began. Three nowhere plays for a nowhere season. One game remains, but the Bucs have already formed a gigantic white flag. Their 37-20 loss to Carolina lacked even a whimper. Granted, it was tough for Jon Gruden's hellions, knowing that they already had finally been officially eliminated from even NFC playoff contention. There was nothing to play for. Then again, the Bucs have played like that most of this season, their first with double-digit losses since 1996. That was Tony Dungy's first year. It began 0-5, but ended on a high, with everything in front of the Bucs. This season began 0-4, but is ending in runaway funk. Hope is a stranger. Did the Super Bowl ever happen? This feels more like the Bucs' last 11-loss season, in 1993 under Sam Wyche. Steve DeBerg started at quarterback on opening day. Chidi Ahanotu was a rookie. Yes, Chucky the Flying Squirrel is giving the Wayback Machine a real workout. Speaking of way back, Dexter Jackson, Super Bowl MVP two years ago, is again at safety for the Bucs, and feeling a little lost like everyone else. Dex managed a smile. ``When it rains, it snows.'' We have no idea what that means. And clearly many Bucs had no idea what Ronde Barber and Simeon Rice meant when they took the team to task after last week's embarrassment. We're not even sure Simeon understood, since he didn't show up on Sunday's stat sheet. Far from refuting what Barber said about this being a bad football team, the Bucs reinforced it. There were missed tackles, fleeting discipline, crucial turnovers. There was stupid football. There was Ronde Barber, with nothing left to say. ``I said it all last week.'' But Dwight Smith had been warming up in the bullpen, remembering a magazine prediction. ``We were predicted to go 5-11 before the season,'' Smith said. ``Maybe the sportswriters know more than we do.'' And here I am, without a Christmas present for Dwight. Meanwhile, the Bucs have become stocking stuffers for the Panthers. ``At some point, you've just got to say they're better,'' Smith said. The Panthers got off to a slow start, like the Bucs. In fact, they started worse, at 1-7. Then the defending NFC champs' heart kicked in, more heart than currently possessed by the NFC champs who preceded them. Carolina has overcome injuries to Stephen Davis, Steve Smith and Kris Jenkins, which is worse than injuries to Charlie Garner, Joey Galloway and Booger McFarland. ``They've done it the way you're supposed to do it when you're down,'' Barber said. And they did it to the Bucs. Again. When it rains, it snows. Blinded By The Light. It wouldn't be so bad if the head coach wasn't blinded by it. Yes, Jon Gruden made the obligatory apology to the thousands of Bucs fans who left early and to the 19 who stayed. He promises to work harder. Can a 2:17 wake-up call be far behind? ``It's a good thing the electricity works at One Buc Place because we are going to need it,'' Gruden said. But how can there be light at the end of this tunnel so long as the stubborn head Chucky refuses to switch the bulb on his head? It's bad enough that Sunday he ruled out an entire facet of the game, you know, the facet where you hand the ball to someone and they run with it. No, the scary thing is the blind refusal by Gruden to insert Chris Simms, though Gruden had the kid warm up, hoping for an ``appropriate situation'' to use him. What's more appropriate than 5-10, down 17, no one in the stands? As for Simms starting the finale at Arizona, Gruden recited Griese's numbers. ``I think Griese hit 30 out of 40 today,'' Gruden said. Actually, it was 30 out of 41 - 32 out of 41 if you count the two interceptions. Gruden seems convinced the future can wait. Does another failed offseason quick fix loom? Sometimes, you have to step back to move forward. There were poignant moments Sunday. Like the memories of NFL great Reggie White, who died too young. And there was this: Two hours after the game, Brad Johnson walked away from Raymond James Stadium and probably his last Bucs home game. Johnson carried a framed No. 14 jersey, like the one he wore at the Super Bowl. So long ago. Those days are over. Those Bucs are over. Sunday was just further proof. As if we need any.