Joe likes to say rookies play like rookies because they are rookies.

It is part of the learning process of entering the NFL. Rookies often have to learn they are no longer playing the East Cornfield State squads of the world.

And from whom did Bucs rookie receiver Jalen McMillan begin learning how to be a pro? Teammates and his coaches.

McMillan’s touchdown grab yesterday, a sweet toe-tapping catch along the right sideline after adjusting when seeing Baker Mayfield was flushed, gave him seven touchdown catches in his last five games.

The last time a rookie had more consecutive games with touchdown catches was Randy Moss in 1998 — seven games.

Impressive stuff. Even more impressive is McMillan, after catching a touchdown pass in his first NFL game, the season opener against the Commandos, went seven games without a TD.

It was like McMillan, who excelled in training camp and underwear football, went into the witness protection program. Even worse, his slump came when the Bucs needed him most: when Mike Evans and Chris Godwin went down with injuries.

So what turned McMillan around? Joe spoke with the Washington product after Sunday’s win. A confident man, McMillan said he had strong support from his teammates, his position coach Bryan McClendon and Bucs offensive coordinator Liam Coen.

No one gave up on him, McMillan said.

Rather, his teammates and coaches kept pushing him. And the key, McMillan learned, was consistency. If you work consistently, daily, it will pay off.

McMillan said his recent success is a direct reflection of how he learned what it takes to enjoy success on the NFL level.

“It was all with the help of “B-Mac” [McClendon] and Coach Liam [Coen] and everybody around this building,” McMillan said. “They all believed in me. Spoke strength to me. They spoke consistency to me.

“Every day doing the same thing. I kind of did that in college but now, I’m doing it every single day. Just the same thing.

“You know, it gets boring. It gets boring. And I’m slowly realizing that is what it takes to be successful. Waking up and literally doing the same thing every single day.”

McMillan then told Joe that the support and push to raise his game from his teammates and coaches was a big factor.

“This is a testament to everybody [his faith and the team] and a testament to myself,” McMillan said of how he’s blown up lately. “It is a testament to my mentality and my work [habits].”

McMillan isn’t lacking self-confidence. But he also knows that if not for his teammates’ and coaches’ support and drive for him to be his best, he may still be the struggling receiver who was invisible for seven weeks.

This goes back to what Joe has heard Mayfield refer to several times. When he came to the Bucs he was struck by how professional everyone in the building was, and that they knew what it took to win and went about their business accordingly.

That sort of sounds like what McMillan was describing to Joe yesterday. This is how you work in order to succeed and win.