Brady’s Return to NE Lived Up to the Hype
Any time a player returns to where he accomplished greatness is a spectacle. This week, Tom Brady played in Gillette Stadium for the first time since he became a Tampa Bay Buccaneer. Brady was Brady, leading a game-winning drive that would ultimately be the final score after New England Kicker Nick Folk missed a long 56-yard field goal on a 4th and short with about a minute and timeout left. Mac Jones was a standout in the game, completing short and intermediate passes while the Patriots' run game dwindled. All in all, it was a competitive game that had a little bit of everything.
The drama around Tom Brady was centerfold around the storylines, as he played against the team where he accomplished 6 Super Bowls and a system of AFC East dominance. Brady himself wasn’t perfect; the Buccaneers consistently had passes incomplete. The Patriots' defense held up for most of the game and did not allow a touchdown, most likely due to Rob Gronkowski’s injury that prevented him from seeing the field. In total, Matt Judon was a standout and consistently pressured Brady all game, even though there weren’t any high-profile players to make a difference on defense.
Trent Brown needs to return ASAP to fix the Pats O-line.
Mac Jones was reminiscent of a young Brady and put points on the board. Jones may have said there were 'no moral victories,' but there’s a lot to like from his performance. Meanwhile, the running game for the Patriots was blatantly non-existent, rushing for -1 yards. Offensive line issues, especially at Right Tackle and Left Guard, may have been contributing factors. Don’t forget that Tampa Bay also has a standout defense against the run game and proved that this Sunday. Trent Brown needs to be healthy as soon as possible because swingman Justin Herron isn't getting the job done. Left Guard Michael Onwenu struggled and had multiple holding penalties that negated gains. Fixing the offensive line should elevate their run game and allow Jones to get comfortable in the pocket.
The Patriots have the Houston Texans this week: a bottom-level team in the league. Deshaun Watson is not playing, and Tyrod Taylor will most likely miss the game due to injury, so rookie Quarterback Davis Mills will get the start. Mills has been ineffective all season; there’s no reason why that shouldn’t continue this Sunday. The defense should stifle the Houston offense, and the Patriots should move the ball downfield, but football is unpredictable.
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