A wrap from Tampa

It's gonna be a long long season. Ugh! I saw nothing tonight that would indicate we've enhanced the team. Nothing. Wait 'til Brady gets behind that line. Open season comes to mind.

Maroney? He's not our savior at running. Not by a long shot. He still likes to bob and weave, but where you can't to bob and weave. Just punch it. He doesn't have the punch it part. No power at all.

I miss Dillon. I'm not looking forward to this season.

If you watched the game on the NFL network, like I did, you were about to stab Sterling Sharpe and the crew in the head with scissors.

They harped on the Patriots not having a "seasoned" (as opposed to unseasoned, which is the way I like my steaks) back-up. And they harped on it. And they harped on it. And they harped on it. For god's sake, speaking of steaks, I cooked an entire steak, brought it in, cut it, served it, and started to eat it, and my fiance said "Are they still talking about the same thing?" Yep. God almighty.

Sigh. 1) If the Patriots lose Brady, it's over anyway. Tom Brady isn't going to walk through the door and save the Patriots the way Tom Brady did in 2001 if Tom Brady gets hurt because HE IS Tom Brady. Everyone got that? If they lose Brady, it's over. 2) If the BACK UP IS SO GOOD ON ANY TEAM-WHY IS HE THE BACK UP!!???? Ugh.

hi Mike -

do me a favor when you post your winners and losers entry. this week I think you should break it down into 3 segments instead of two. Lets call it " The Good (should be pretty brief), The Bad and The Ugly.

Well THAT was ugly...cut Cassell now and get Vinny on the phone. The injuries are a cause for concern, and I was not pleased with the lackluster effort. Belichick must be furious. Maroney has his dancing shoes on once again, and the D-line just let itself get pushed around...then laughed about it afterwards.

There were a few bright spots: O'Connell showed he has the tools, Mayo continues to shine, Grable made some plays. The rookies actually look decent. Now if the veterans

Unless we are witnessing Belichick's version of Rope-A-Dope this team is in a world of hurt, literally and figuratively.

The only thing worse than the Patriots were those announcers. Their Patriot hate was obvious from the first Bucs series and they never let up dissing them. It was a sad display. They must have been schooled at the Tim McCarver School of Idiot Broadcasting.

Mike,

Did the running game dissappoint or did the offensive line fail to open any holes? There always seemed to be a defender in the back field or there wasn't any hole at all!

Dave

Trixstal,
Maybe you need to be involved in the Pats personnel decisions or maybe you should be a coach since you have all the answers. Now that you're off the bandwagon don't come back. Seriously though, Steve DeOssie made a good point last nght on sportsfinal after the game. He said the Pats play their worst preseason game the 2nd game every preseason. He believes it's because it is around the time camp breaks and feels that the team may temporarily lose focus. He wasn't concerned about the loss. I'd also like to add that the 2nd preseason game seems to be on the road, For ex, In 2004 the Pats stunk up the joint at Cinci and I recall the starters re-enteting the game in the 4th qtr. The Pats lost 31-3. Some other results from that pre-season, in which the Pats went 1-3, while they finished that season 14-2 and won another SB.

August 28, 2004 Carolina Panthers L 17-20 1-2 record on the road @ Bank of America Stadium
September 2, 2004 Jacksonville Jaguars L 0-31 1-3 record, game was @ Gillette

Relax people it's preseason, please don't break any ankles jumping off the bandwagon in mid-August. This is the time to evaluate individual talent, it's not a time to evaluate the team as a whole.

Hey Mike,

Before we get bummed out about last nights game, remember 4 or 5 years ago
when the PATS lost their opening game to Buffalo 31-0? I think they won the
Super Bowl that year. The only BIG thing I'm concerned about right now is injuries
to key players. PATS fans should ask themselves is: Would you pick any other
NFL team to finish ahead of the PATS? Presently my biggest concerns would be
O line & secondary & of course backup QB. I think Cassel is gone.

wow way to be pretty reactionary to preseason football guys.

ITS WEEK TWO OF THE PRESEASON. What do you expect? The Pats were only in Tampa because the NFL forces them to go.

idiots.

That was bad, really bad. I think the heat played a major role in this because I've seen the Pats get pushed around before like this down in Miami, but that's a poor excuse. They were beaten at all the fundamentals of football. The Pats are not doing anything to help me their Superbowl loss.

That was bad, really bad. I think the heat played a major role in this because I've seen the Pats get pushed around before like this down in Miami, but that's a poor excuse. They were beaten at all the fundamentals of football. The Pats are not doing anything to help me their Superbowl loss.

Everyone relax.
I know that the team did not look “seasoned”, but it is still pre-season. The run defense was terrible, but I refuse to believe that it will look that was on opening day. Coach Bill will address the issues. I’d be more concerned about the injuries at safety. If Meriweather misses time, it would force some aging veterans to get more playing time, and although I am confident they will do a good job, it is a huge risk.

I know it’s hard to look at the bright side, but I am disappointed that no one is talking about how great the young linebackers played for the second game in a row. Mayo with 7 tackles, I hope that this is a sign of things to come. He read the plays well, got his nose in there and filled the gaps. Crable is looking like a physical specimen out there, with some good experience, he will be a great asset off the blitz and he seems to have the flats very well covered forcing the runners to cut in towards the interior and not sweeping out towards the CB’s.

All in all, things will get corrected, Tom Brady will play and play well, and coach Bill will fix the little problems. I suggest you guys enjoy your steaks as JJ has while you still have the opportunity, and by the time the leaves will start piling, so will the wins.

I know it is supposed to be ugly, it's pre-season after all. But man that was really ugly. Althrough I tried not to jump on the cut Cassel loose bandwagon, those thoughts are hard to avoid.

Just one thing about defense - Can someone PLEASE bring SEAU back.

Please

That was bad, really bad. I think the heat played a major role in this because I've seen the Pats get pushed around before like this down in Miami, but that's a poor excuse. They were beaten at all the fundamentals of football. The Pats are not doing anything to help me their Superbowl loss.

...and by the way does anybody think that as only Cassel and o'Donnell played the back up race is between the two of them?

I know who'd I put my money on....

There was repeated comments by the NFL Network commentators questioning how good the Patriots would be if they were Bradyless.
Well how good would the Colts be for that matter if they were without Manning?
Or the Cowboys without Romo?
Any good QB in this league isn't going to be content to play back up.
That's why you have the Matt Cassells of the world.
Tampa Bay have a situation where any of 3 quarterbacks could start. What does that tell you about Tampa Bay's QB positon.
It tells me they are all not very good QB's.
I would rather have a Brady and take my chances at him being healthy than have QB by committee.

I'm a little surprised at all the patriot hostility. They were 0-2 last year and look what they did. There are a lot of number 2 QB's out there and the patriots will most certainly pick one up by the regular season opener. Adam V and Doug F are examples of how they will get this done once a good deal comes available.
The Patriots are trying new schemes out and they will improve. it's going to be a great year!! Please, have some pride people!

Let me start by saying I think we have seen enough of Matt Cassel. They gave him every chance including two series to start the third. With that said, I think Kevin O'Connell has some potential for the future. I also think Gutz has some potential. Its only pre season & I would rather these games happen now than go thru the pre season looking great to getting a slap in the face against the Chiefs or worse the Jests. Lets see how they play against the Eagles before throwing in the towel. This team has too much talent to continue with this flat play.

Let me start by saying I think we have seen enough of Matt Cassel. They gave him every chance including two series to start the third. With that said, I think Kevin O'Connell has some potential for the future. I also think Gutz has some potential. Its only pre season & I would rather these games happen now than go thru the pre season looking great to getting a slap in the face against the Chiefs or worse the Jests. Lets see how they play against the Eagles before throwing in the towel. This team has too much talent to continue with this flat play.

The worst commentating I have heard in a long time.

After listening to Marshall Faulk and Sterling Sharpe I am wondering if the Pats are going to win any games this year !

No scheming what - so - ever and why do they play the Bucs almost every year in the preseason and always in Tampa ? Why fly that far for a meaningless game ?

NFL Network pumps the game up for weeks and Brady stays home !

i guess its time to cut Cassell and trade for Simms.

I know the Bucs OL was big and healthy but no way they should be mauling our starting front 7 that easily.

jjstokes , you're kidding yourself, right? You say that you'd rather not be in Tampa's situation where any of 3 quarterbacks you saw could start. You go on to say that that tells you that they are all not very good QB's? LOL.

I hope you realize that the Buc's have already picked their starting QB, Jeff Garcia, but he, too, hasn't played yet due to a calf injury. So what you saw out on the Raymond James field in Tampa, what you saw that ran over the Patriot's defense, was the battle for the BACK-UP QB.

I'd rather have Tampa's Buc's backup QB situation anyday over what the Patriots tried to display last night. In fact, I'm sure the Patriots are just waiting to pick up the scraps from the Buc's once the Buc's make their backup QB decision.

Good luck with you plan of just taking your chances on trying to keep Brady healthy this year. Don't worry - be happy.

The worst comment I thought from last night's broadcast was when Marshall Faulk was commenting on whether the Patriots can avoid the SuperBowl hangover effect. He went as far as saying that the Rams had a tough time getting over their SuperBowl loss, and that "WE WILL FIND OUT WHAT KIND OF COACH BILL BELICHICK REALLY IS THIS YEAR." Really Marshall??? We found out what kind of coach he was when he shutdown the "greatest show on turf" right? And the reason you had a tough time getting over that SB loss to the Pats is because your coached by Mike Martz, not Belichick. IDIOT

Was at that game and Cassel was awful. He was so predictable trying to throw to Moss. While I know it is preseason, Cassel has to play better than that. I think that was the last straw for him. Either way, I wouldn't worry. Belichick really doesn't care about the preseason anyway, he's sizing up the pieces and not showing the opposition. The Bucs are decent, but have a nutjob of a coach, good chance the Pats will be here Feb 1st.

I thought commentators were supposed to be neutral ??? These moron ex Jock commentators are the worst biased, commentators I ever heard in my life...They are so obvious in their jealousy and hatred of the Patriots its a joke ! Mumbles
"no neck " Faulk and Shannon Sharpe were so obvious they're an embarrasment
to broadcasting !!! One question are there any white ex-jocks in the country ??
Who is the President of N.F.L.. broadcasting and E.S.P.N .......Al Sharpton ???
This broadcast recruiting is a joke !!!

Maybe it is not so much the Pats but the Bucs. They were clicking and it showed. Now that G Davin Joseph will be out with a broke foot, we'll see if the depth is there to keep it going. The Tampa Bay Rays played spring training like their lives depended on it, and look where they are now. Maybe the Bucs are taking notes.

As a displaced Massachusen living outside of Tampa, you had some good sports years Boston, but all things must pass.