Tom Brady Returns to New England

This Sunday Night, October 3rd, Tom Brady and his Tampa Bay Buccaneers will make their return to Gillette Stadium in Foxboro to take on Bill Belichick and the struggling New England Patriots, in what can only be called one of the most anticipated regular season games in recent memory. 

While the Bucs have an edge at almost every position heading into this matchup, the Patriots will look to spoil Brady’s return to New England where he spent the first 20 years of his NFL career. Not as often talked about, but equally important, Rob Gronkowski will also be making his return to the fans and stadium where he made a name for himself and where he set a whole host of records at the TE position. While both left under less than ideal circumstances, expect a huge pop from the fans at Gillette, not only as a thank you for the years of service and numerous Super Bowl wins (and losses), but as a sign of respect for two of the best to ever play at their given positions. If I hear any booing on Sunday I will be deeply ashamed of the fans in attendance. 

Brady will also have the opportunity to join a very short list of players to beat every NFL team (Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Brett Favre) if he can pull off the win against a reeling New England team that was just embarrassed by the New Orleans Saints in Week 3. 

At every position, the Bucs seem to outclass the Pats. Brady beats Mac Jones. Godwin, Evans, AB, Tyler Johnson far surpass Nelson Agholor, Kendrick Bourne, Jakobi Meyers. Gronk, OJ Howard, Cameron Brate get the edge over Jonnu Smith, Hunter Henry, and oft injured Devin Asiasi. Their OL seems to afford Brady some time to throw, while the Pats OL hasn’t given Mac Jones more than 2.5 seconds seemingly all year. The Bucs front 7 is among the elite groups in the league, while the Pats are lucky to stop someone after they’ve already picked up 7 yards on the ground. The secondary may be the one area in which New England has an advantage on paper, but that’s mostly due to the injuries TB has already sustained at DB this season. And even that being said, the NE secondary just got exposed by Jameis Winston….what Tom Brady is about to do should scare everyone. 

At the end of the day, we are all just hoping for a good Sunday Night Primetime game we can enjoy, but things are shaping up to be a bloodbath of epic proportions. This is like if Julius Caesar left Rome, went to Egypt, joined up with the Last Cleopatra, and came back to conquer his homeland. It just doesn’t feel right! 

Bill Belichick will have a long week ahead of him as he tries to get his team ready to take on the defending Super Bowl champs, as he is not one to roll over and submit without a fight. But a team committing uncharacteristic penalties (highlighted by the second straight week with a kickoff landing out of bounds), keeping drives alive for New Orleans with unnecessary pass interference and holding calls, or just plain handing the game away on some easy passes being volleyball bumped into the air for the NO defense to pick off a run back…. is not what we are used to seeing out of the notoriously detail oriented coach’s teams. 

Sunday will be a huge test for the Patriots one way or another, and simultaneously it will be a massive notch on Brady’s belt if he can come away with the win. Not to mention, he is coming off a thorough dismantling courtesy of the LA Rams, and Brady coming off a loss currently sits at 44-12… he doesn’t lose back to back very often. While this game is appointment television for the return alone, it could also end up being a record setting night with a weak Pats defense and a pissed off Tom Brady. All I can say is this; There will be fireworks in Foxboro come Sunday night, better get the popcorn ready!