The Buccaneers entered this season hoping for smooth sailing into another division crown and a playoff run.

• Instead, their pirate ship is rapidly taking on water.

Why it matters: A spate of costly injuries had already put the Bucs' postseason plans in doubt, but last weekend's defeat by the lowly New Orleans Saints (3-10) has fans fuming.

State of play: The latest loss — on the Bucs' home field — dropped Tampa Bay into a tie atop the AFC South with the Carolina Panthers.

• The divisional foes play each other twice in the season's final three weeks, which could decide which team makes the playoffs.

State of vibes: Simmering disappointment over a lackluster season has now boiled over, with head coach Todd Bowles facing pointed criticism.

• The Tampa Bay Times headlined a Saints game reaction column "Stink, stank, stunk." A follow-up from columnist John Romano: "If things don't change, judgment day may be coming for Todd Bowles, Bucs."
• "The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in full-blown disaster mode," writes A to Z Sports. "Embarrassing," says Sports Illustrated.

How it happened: Injuries to big names like tackle Tristan Wirfs and receivers Chris Godwin and Mike Evans only tell part of the story.

• After a red-hot start, rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka has struggled in recent weeks, including a crucial drop on what could have been a touchdown catch against the Saints.
• Whether due to receiver absences or his own hurt shoulder, Mayfield's stats are down this season and especially recently. He's completing about 10% fewer of his passes compared to last season.

The intrigue: Hoping (or perhaps desperate) to boost a defense that has struggled to pressure opposing quarterbacks, the Bucs this week signed veteran edge rusher Jason Pierre-Paul.

• Reasons for optimism: A former All-Pro, Pierre-Paul played for Tampa Bay from 2018 to 2021 and won a Super Bowl with the 2020 squad.
• Cause for concern: He's 36 and last played an NFL game in 2023.

What's next: The Bucs face another divisional foe, the Atlanta Falcons, at home on Thursday night, airing at 8:15pm on Prime Video.

• They visit the Panthers in Charlotte on Dec. 21, then host them to end the season. A date for the latter game hasn't been set.

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Stephen Colbert said he was shocked the viral Virginia raccoon liquor store break-in didn't happen in Florida.

Why it matters: Turns out, it kinda did.

Flashback: In 2017, the day after Thanksgiving, an opossum broke into a Fort Walton Beach liquor store and downed a bottle of bourbon, the Northwest Florida Daily News reported at the time.

• Or, as liquor store owner Cash Moore put it to the newspaper: "She came in from the outside and was up in the rafters, and when she came through she knocked a bottle of liquor off the shelf," Moore said.
• "When she got down on the floor, she drank the whole damn bottle," he said. Poetry.

A Fort Walton Beach police officer brought her to Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge, where a health technician noticed she was disoriented, excessively salivating and pale. We've all been there, girl.

• The rescue gave her fluids and a few days to sober up before releasing her.

Driving the news: Shoutout to Florida columnist and author Craig Pittman for reminding us of this iconic moment.

• "I am SO sick of hearing about that dadgum raccoon that got drunk in a Virginia liquor store last week," he wrote Sunday on Facebook.
• "Doesn't anyone remember that a Florida possum did THE EXACT SAME THING in 2017?"

What they're saying: At least some folks remember.

• Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge executive director Pascal Robin told Axios the raccoon story "has been sent to us many, many times this past week."

The bottom line: As is often the case with bizarre news stories, Florida did it first.

Tell a marsupial

🧬 St. Petersburg City Council members voted to sell the shuttered Science Center in the Tyrone area to a group with plans to rehabilitate it. (Tampa Bay Times)

• A $25 million project will revamp the planetarium and add features like a rooftop garden, event space and an artificial intelligence village for kids.

⚖️ A court in the Dominican Republic ordered a new trial for Wander Franco, the Tampa Bay Rays shortstop who was convicted of sexually abusing a minor. (WUSF)

Gov. Ron DeSantis designated the Council on American-Islamic Relations and the Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist organizations. (Axios)

• CAIR, the nation's largest Muslim civil rights group, called the action "defamatory and unconstitutional" and vowed to sue.

Country Thunder Florida has unveiled the lineup for its upcoming festival in St. Pete Beach.

Why it matters: The nation's largest country music festival is bringing major stars like Zach Top, Gavin Adcock and Kane Brown to Tampa Bay.

• It's Country Thunder's first beachfront festival.

Driving the news: Country Thunder Florida will feature performances by Shaboozey, Randy Houser, Max McNown and Dasha, as well as Gretchen Wilson, Braxton Keith and Cole Goodwin, to name a few.

• Elizabeth Nichols, Solon Holt and Jay Webb are also slated to perform.
• Fans have a menu of ticket options, with general admission priced at $355 and a "platinum experience" that includes access to a private lounge for $880. Financing is also available with a $20 down payment.

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A norovirus that causes extreme vomiting is on the rise again.

Why it matters: Nicknamed the "winter vomiting disease," the highly contagious norovirus has arrived weeks ahead of expectations, per the CDC.

• It's surging as cases of whooping cough, or pertussis, are spiking and the dangers of COVID and the flu loom.
• The sickness could require medical attention or even hospitalization for immunocompromised people, the elderly and little kids, the CDC says.

By the numbers: Cases of norovirus have doubled over the last few weeks, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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