Another loss keeps top pick in sight Martin Fennelly, The Tampa Tribune, published 22 December 2014 The No. 1 express train rolls on. The Bucs continue barreling toward the Mariota and Winston stations, completely unimpeded by winning. They lost again Sunday, 20-3 to the Green Bay Packers. Make it 2-13. A loss next week to New Orleans and the Bucs are king of the mountain, or at least atop a steaming pile of a season that might guarantee the top pick. Hey, see where Jameis Winston was cleared of violating Florida State’s student code of conduct? I’m just saying ... Sunday wasn’t without anxious moments. You can blame that on the Bucs defense, which had some nerve, keeping the Bucs in the game for a long while, including a goal-line stand. Against Aaron Rodgers! Have no fear. The Bucs offense, Old Unreliable, saved the day, with a season-low three points in its worst performance of 2014, one of the worst in Bucs history: zero yards of offense late in the first half, 109 yards all afternoon, six first downs. The No. 1 pick wasn’t going to slip through the Bucs’ hands, not on their watch. All that’s left is to lock it up against New Orleans next Sunday. Start Garrett Gilkey at left tackle. That ought to do it. With 16 yards of rushing, with Josh McCown playing his way out of town, and that laughable offensive line, the Bucs kept grinding toward No. 1 with numbing efficiency. There was a “Draft Jameis” sign above the player tunnel after the game. Can “Make It Marcus” banners be far behind? For good measure this week, and another kick in the butt to the Bucs, we have the conclusion (we think) of the strange case of faint-hearted former Bucs offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford, who never even called a play here, but just took a job as head coach of the CFL’s B.C. Lions and then proclaimed he was “good to go” a few months ago. Don’t think Lovie and first-year Bucs GM Jason Licht won’t plead that case to the Glazers over the 2014 autopsy table. It does seem like Tedford played the Bucs here during his recovery. Maybe he got spooked by his first time in the NFL and all. I’m scared. Pretend coordinator Marcus Arroyo is the student-driver who keeps his foot on the brake the whole time. Arroyo can’t even see over the wheel. But you can’t lay all of this rotten season on Tedford. Tedford didn’t overhaul the offensive line, only to make it worse. Smith and first-year GM Licht did. McCown was Smith’s guy. And it wasn’t Tedford who choose Michael Johnson as the pass rush specialist. Meanwhile, Lovie didn’t turn to Mike Glennon on Sunday. Getting killed really hurts a guy’s trade value. I can’t see Radio Free Glennon being back. And it’s nearly impossible to justify McCown’s return, even to keep the seat warm for No. 1. If Lovie brought both McCown and Glennon back, he better go and sign some Bucs fans in free agency, because otherwise there won’t be any. One more loss. That’s all it will take. It won’t be easy. The Saints come to town, but they were eliminated from even NFC South playoff contention Sunday when they lost to the Falcons and the Panthers won. Carolina plays at Atlanta next weekend for all the marble. You get one marble for winning this division. Will the Saints bother showing up? Will Drew Brees start? Maybe it will be Brees’ backup who goes — Luke McCown against his older brother Josh. The McCown Bowl. There’s still a real chance that the Bucs could blow the No. 1 next Sunday in classic fashion — and win. Drop to No. 4. Lovie on draft day: “We couldn’t get the quarterback, so we took the best available center.” It’s up to the offense to not come through. Maybe the Bucs should be thanking Jeff Tedford.