Pats Preseason Game Two: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

If you’re like me you’re more than ready for the taste of last week’s turdfest of a preseason game to be a distant memory. Last week I mentioned a certain something as my number one key and what happens? Well, let’s just say Tank Williams got put on IR this week.

Tank was kind of like that hot girl you’re talking to at a bar, things are going well, you start imaging how amazing it will be to see her naked then boom, she disappears leaving you with nothing but thoughts of what could’ve been. Oh well. This week I’m not including anything regarding the “I” word in my Keyz.

1. Time to remind the NFL that we still have the best quarterback in the league. Everyone wants to harp on how horrid the backup QBs looked last week. Well guess what? Barring something catastrophic, it doesn’t really matter a whole heck of a lot. Belichick-willing Brady will be taking all the snaps from center in 2008 so everyone needs to relax. The best way to do just that? Watch Brady shred the Buccaneer defense. Once that happens we can all take a deep breath and remember what it’s like to see a quarterback who doesn’t trip over himself.  

1. Get a feel for the 4-3. The Hoodied One is happy to be playing a team like Tampa that runs a defense similar to what future opponents the Colts, Seahawks and Bills play. It’s also worth noting that it was the Giants 4-3 is also the defense that gave the Pats so much trouble in the Super Bowl. I wouldn’t complain if the offensive line actually blocked for Brady this time around. When Cassel comes in, whatever. That leads me to number three…

1. O-line, get it together, man. The Bucs defensive lineman will be attacking, and it will be a good chance to get a sense of whether or not the offensive line will be blocking anyone this season. Wesley Britt and Nick Kaczur flip-flopped tackle spots this week in practice – somehow I don’t think that’s suddenly the answer but we’ll see. I’d like to think of it more as a way to get Kaczur back to his regular spot in anticipation of Matt Light’s return and not just “maybe this will work” maneuver. Regardless, these guys get paid to block, Sunday they need to do just that.

1. Matt Cassell & Chad Jackson: The Redemption (maybe). These two guys aren’t going to get many more chances to show what they got and it’s pretty much coming down to now or never for both. Now it should be about pride. They both were under pressure entering training camp, and they both took a massive dump on the field of Gillette last Thursday night. Out of self-respect alone they should both have improved performances. If not, people will only hate them more, which at this point seems almost impossible.

1. Get a good feel for Raymond James Stadium. If it all goes according to plan the Pats will be back in early February 2009 to reclaim what is theirs.