Week 4: Patriots vs. Bucs
New England welcomes back Lord Voldemort
It's week 4 and our boys are 1-2 with the only win being against the Jets (who might just pull off their first win, today). Now, we have the Golden Boy, TMFB, coming home for the first time since leaving for "greener pastures" in 2020. Since then he's won another Super Bowl and looks primed to keep winning for the foreseeable future. Father time hasn't won, yet.
We've got a tough task ahead of us.
I'll be curious to see how Belichick calls this game. He generally takes away your best player, but the Bucs just have far too many playmakers. We all know the recipe to beat a Brady-led offense is to generate pressure up the middle. Do we have the front to do that? On offense, I hope McDaniels can find ways to expose Tampa's 32nd ranked pass defense. I hope we get Trent Brown back and I hope the OL plays their best game of the season. This could get ugly.
Unfortunately, I think the Bucs are too much for us, right now.
Bucs win 34-20
Bold Prediction: Tom throws 2 interceptions but our offense cannot capitlize on them
Thoughts from the board
Opinion Slayer
Pats Secondary won't be able to handle Brady's offense and he will be relentless until they send in the backup to finish the game. The pressure will be too much for Mac and he will turn the ball over. The crowd will Chant Brady's name.
Bold Prediction: Gronk will have 2 TD's 7 catches and 96 yds.
Hugo
Beyond the general conditions of the two franchises right now, the Bucs O size up front makes them a difficult matchup for the Pats D, which has had success in the recent past against smaller high-powered offenses. The Pats score 10 points through three and get their last TD in garbage time. Lots of ink is spilled afterwards.
Bold Prediction: I'd predict a big game for Bucs WR Tyler Johnson. 100 yards and a team-leading total in catches.
Mark
O line shows up. The defense after hearing all week of how Brady will come in and tear them apart shows up and shut Brady and Tampa down. The offense because the have no rb who can block plays wide open with 4 and 5 receivers on the field and a high number of 5 out. Bourne thrives because of it. Henry and Smith play the spot of the rb with short pass plays
Bold Prediction: Bourne get over 100 yards. Hunter Henry gets a TD. The defense looks for Brady after the game with grins on their faces but Brady has ran off to the locker room to sulk Jones looks to shake Bradys hand with that constpiated look on his face but out of the corner of his eye sees Brady running off the filed in a hurry so Jones and Belichick run off the field together laughing it up after the still proud Patriots defeat Tampa Bay.
Jdog
I don't really think the Pats will win or this will be the score but throwing it on the wall and hoping it sticks -- trying to speak life! Basis for the prediction is that Brady will keep having to settle for FGs in the red zone.
Bold Prediction: Bolden gets a TD and Jonnu gets a TD. It's hard typing this with a straight face.
Rking
Pats defense will have a hell of a time slowing down the Bucs offense, and even if they are able to do that, I think the bucs will still put up points because they just have so many options. On the other side, I think this could be an opportunity for Mac and the offense to actually get some flow because the Bucs secondary is definitely beatable, and running on them is a bit of a lost cause. For the pats to be anywhere close to competitive in this game, they'll need to have zero turnovers, great penalty discipline, and the O-line will have to play its best game of the season.
Bold Prediction: Tom and Bill hug postgame on the field. The media world spends the next month dissecting and analyzing the length and tone of the hug
Dnom
As promised, I am making this pick to spite that one YouTube commenter.
Zoo Notes: Dnom is talking about picking the Pats to win
Bold Prediction: Get Meyers a TD or I actually riot.
dp73
The Patriots can't run the ball and keep giving the ball back to Tampa Bay
Bold Prediction: Someone predicts 73-0 Bucs
The Original MAC
There's a matchup? Really?? This game is the equivalent of being taken to the slaughter.
Bold Prediction: Trying to decide when the Boo-birds come out ater watching Brady dissect this team and wonder what if Tom stayed.
Dino
Brady wants to rub Belichick's nose in the mud he has created in Foxboro; the Bucs D-line is better than the Pats O-line and the Bucs O-line is better than the Pats D-line; people talk about how weak the Bucs secondary is ...have you watched the Pats secondary?
Bold Prediction: Robert Kraft will offer $2.5 Billion and the Patriots franchise to buy the Buccaneers on Monday.
Blight
Oline needs to click, and this offense should be efficient. Bucs defense is a sieve right now, and can be taken advantage of. Really interested to see how the crowd reacts to Brady tossing darts-- boos? Cheers? who knows.
Bold Prediction: Mac Jones with three tuddies
Dyims
If the oline shits to bed again ala last week Jones may end up heading to the IR(and maybe the ER)after getting pounded relentlessly by the Bucs Dline. Bolden needs not run the ball ever again. McD needs to come up with a different and more efficient game plane. The D needs to be resolute in their quest to pummel Brady as often as possible. If they can't harrass Brady on just about every play this game may be over by the second quarter. I'm hoping and praying that my score and winner prediction is wrong(at least in the score not being so lopsided).
Bold Prediction: Jonnu actually holds onto the ball this game. Everybody runs the correct routes and hopefully Stevenson can punish the Bucs D.
AdAstra
Bucs held to 17 points. hopefully that's not their first quarter tally. Defense score a TD on a fumble. ST punt return for a TD.
Bold Prediction: Brady asks Belichick to join him in Tampa Bay and Belichick says yes. Entire NE area riots and burns Boston down.
Bones
Pats' OL caves again, Bucs with four sacks. A FG fest for the Pats. Brady held to under 250 yards.
Bold Prediction: McCourty drops two INTs. Belichick and Brady hug at some point.
Oscar
Really not a whole lot to analyze here. Tampa is better than New England at nearly every position. Take Brady, take the over, take the Bucs to cover.
Bold Prediction: First live action of the season for Blaine Gabbert.
Score Predictions
Zoo - Bucs win 34-20
Opinion Slayer - Bucs win 44-17
Hugo - Bucs win 38-17
Mark - Pats win 20-13
Jdog - Pats win 20-19
RKing - Bucs win 35-24
DNOM - Pats win 33-25
dp73 - Bucs win 48-16
The Original MAC - Bucs win 41-17
Dino - Bucs win 55-17
Blight - Pats win 33-21
Dyims - Bucs win 54-10
AdAstra - Pats win 21-17
Bones - Bucs win 42-12
Oscar - Bucs win 38-16
