At the Half, the Patriots trail the Buccaneers, 20-7
Some quick thoughts from the first half:
Pass Rush
The Patriots’ pass rush has been a mixed bag of eye candy
this preseason – a year in which nearly every player has played a vital role in
doing their job and being in position to make a play. It’s safe to say this
will be the new status quo in New England, as the defense has seemed to turn a
corner this offseason.
The Good, the Bad,
the Ridley
RB Stevan Ridley has proven his explosiveness as a runner,
but also raises some concern with blocking. On multiple occasions during the
first half, Ridley botched his assignments on passing plays, causing a few
errant throws. It’s a must for Ridley to understand the NFL’s sophisticated
blocking schemes to earn a full-time spot in the NFL.
Pass Blocking
Speaking of pass-blocking, this line needs to step up and
protect Brady and they needed it yesterday. The offense simply cannot afford to
have Brady hit in open space. As the second quarter progressed, we saw Brady
rushing his throws and, really, knocking the offense out of it’s rhythm. This
is a need that must be addressed before the season begins.
Translation: The Bucs fed it to Brady! Yeah, I know it was preseason and in the end it is meaningless, but after the last 12 months, I think we in Tampa needed to see this to build confidence. Your offensive line made our front seven look damn good... and that is hard to do!
ReplyDeleteI'll give it to you - Tampa has had a great offseason and is in a prime position to contend for the division title this year with the Saints having such a tumultuous offseason. Provided they can stay healthy, the Bucs should make the playoffs. It's a good feeling, isn't it?
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