Buccaneers are a prop for rest of league It didn’t cost the Bucs the game Sunday. Nor did their quarterback. Nor was it as comically emblematic of this lost season as that Bucs timeout that wiped out former Buc Matt Bryant’s missed field goal and gave him a chance to make one, which he did, for a halftime lead. But Bucs rookie tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins still put his finger on it. Actually, he put his foot on it. Seferian-Jenkins placed his foot on top of the football as if it were a bar rail and folded his arms after he caught a short touchdown pass to give the Bucs a 17-16 lead early in the fourth quarter ... of a game they nevertheless lost to the Atlanta Falcons, not 56-14, only 27-17 this time, as if the score matters anymore. Seferian-Jenkins was slapped with an unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty for using the ball as a prop. The Bucs were docked 15 yards on their ensuing kickoff, which set up the Falcons quite nicely for their go-ahead-for-good touchdown drive, helped by a pathetic Bucs defense’s seemingly endless supply of third-down failures and penalties. Lesson: Never rejoice over a one-point lead when you’re 1-7. “Whether he knew it or not, he used the ball as a prop,” Bucs coach Lovie Smith said. This whole league is using the Bucs as a prop. Sunday’s loss left new old Bucs quarterback Josh McCown in tears — yes, the tears of McCown — and Gerald McCoy very nearly speechless, which is saying a lot. Oh, the humanity. The view from 1-8. Do I hear 1-15? Remind me to bring Kleenex to the next game. For crying out loud, can’t anyone here play this game? What a shattering season. The Bucs had a month and a half to think about that beating they took in Atlanta. This was their answer? The Falcons had not won since beating the Bucs the first time. They might not win again after beating the Bucs a second time. The Bucs might not win again, either. I mean, the Bucs even got breaks. Like wide open Devin Hester’s hands-of-stone drop of a sure touchdown. Or that Josh McCown ball that should have been picked off by Atlanta cornerback Desmond Trufant, but bounced off his hands and into those of Vincent Jackson for a first down. The Bucs fumbled two plays later. Welcome to the show, Charles Sims, welcome. No wonder McCown went Dick Vermeil. His raw emotion was strangely encouraging, since just last week McCoy said, “I don’t think enough guys are upset with losing.” But it does not change the fact that this a very bad football team. No matter who plays quarterback, this offense cannot score more than 17 points in a game. It’s as if that 18th point is electrified or something. No matter who is in there, and we’ve never even heard of some of these guys, this defense can’t make a stop when it needs one. Bucs take opening kickoff, embark on a three-week drive, settle for field goal. Defense lets Falcons come right down to take 7-3 lead, throwing in third-down penalty (Leonard Johnson, pass interference) to extend TD drive. Falcons add field goal for 10-3 lead after third-and-15 penalty on Bucs (Crezdon Butler, illegal contact) wipes out Falcons incompletion. Bucs go on late two-minute drill before halftime to tie game 10-10. Falcons come right down to take 13-10 lead at half after Bryant makes good on timeout-aided second field goal try. Bucs take lead on Seferian-Jenkins score. Foot on ball. Falcons return kick to own 35-yard line and, aided by another third-down Bucs penalty (Johnthan Banks, illegal contact) to wipe out incompletion, score touchdown for 24-17 lead. We conclude our journey back at the corner of Seferian and Jenkins. If the Bucs ever get straightened out, he’ll be a part of it. At least now he knows it’s always too early to celebrate when you’re these Bucs. Remember that, son. And to bring Kleenex. For crying out loud, is there any end to this?