London Calling
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Never has there ever been a game that was so easily predicted. Almost every expert was calling a 35-10, 20+ point win for the Pats, including myself (34-10). But we can gloat later!
Image courtesy of Boston.com
This thing was a show from the beginning. The fans didn’t seem to know who to cheer for throughout the entire game. There were “boo”s and “hooray”s and “cheery-oh”s on each end of the ball and we even saw fans wearing cheese heads as if you can just wear any team’s paraphernalia just because it’s the same sport. I wouldn’t wear a Renaldo jersey to just any soccer game…
Anyway.
Right off the bat, 2:34 into the game, Brandon Meriweather was showing off his speed with a lightning quick interception for the first touchdown of the game, he would end up with a second pick as well totalling 70 yards on the day. It was quickly being figured out by the Bucs fans in the stadium that their attempt to pick the underdog team when at the NFL Shop before the game was not going to end up getting them some at the end of the night. But your eye patch and bandanna ARE bloody cool!
The offense never really seemed to “push it” in this game. They just never seemed like they were trying as hard as they could, almost taking a lax approach to it knowing that they could coast into the bye week but then again, they did put up 28 offensive points. But in all honesty, it seemed to come to them fairly easily throughout the game.
Image courtesy of Boston.com
Brady hit Welker on a 14 yard pass late in the first quarter to score the first offensive TD on one of Welker’s ten receptions on the day totalling 107 yards and 12 broken ankles by the Bucs defense. (That dude can move!) In a surprising moment of awe, Sam Aiken looked like a Pro-Bowl candidate breaking free on a short pass and running it out for a 54 yard TD in the 2nd quarter (he would have one other catch on the day for 12 yards). The third TD reception was by Ben Watson straight down the middle reminiscent of what we saw at the end of the game in Week 1. Watson has been moving well this year but this 35 yard TD pass was his only reception of the game.
Tommy would finish the game before the end of the 4th with his 23-32 for 308 yard, 3 TDs and 2 INTs. These numbers brought him startlingly close to my prediction of 320 yards for TDs and 1 INT. My L-Mo prediction wasn’t nearly as accurate with him rushing for 43 yards on 13 carries for 43 yard and a TD where I had him for 93 yards and a TD. Good thing Marty left that almanac behind!
Image provided by Boston.com
Brady and Co. were setting even more records still into this game when they scored 90 straight points between TN and TB before allowing an opponent to score. Also, Brady was able to hit some marks as he did give up 2 INTs but went 183 passes without one – a franchise record. He also tied Bledsoe’s team record with his 26th 300+ yard game.
This was the Patriots’ first road win on the year which is funny because it’s also the farthest they have had to travel for one by no comparison. Boston.com had this quote from Adalius Thomas about that: ““Yeah, come to London to get a road win. We couldn’t get it in the US, so we had to come to London to get it… It’s always good to get a win, and going into the bye makes it a lot sweeter when you’re 5-2 vs. 4-3.’’
Well Adalius, it is Bye time and now the Patriots can have 2 weeks to gear up for the tough road ahead after the bye with a big five week stretch starting with the Dolphins (currently 2-4 but playing like they are 5-1) in Foxboro, @ the Colts (6-0), home against NYJ (4-3), @ the Saints(6-0), and @ Miami. Thankfully they finish out the year against teams like Carolina, Buffalo, Jacksonville, and Houston.
This bye week will allow us some time to scout those teams a little bit, having only played the Jets already this year and it will allow us to focus this week on the NBA tip off on Tuesday with the Celtics in Cleveland.
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