Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New England Patriots: Three Keys to the Game
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers travel Sunday night to New England in what will be quarterback Tom Brady's first game against the Patriots since leaving the organization as a free agent over a year ago.
The Patriots will trot out rookie quarterback Mac Jones in hopes of delivering the Bucs their second straight loss. The age gap between the two quarterbacks is the largest of any QB matchup in NFL history according to NFL Network.
Here are three things the Bucs must do to avoid back-to-back losses on the road and return to Florida with a W in their back pocket:
1. Make Mac Jones Uncomfortable in Passing Game
Speaking of the rookie quarterback, he is coming off a poor performance. Jones was inaccurate when making throws deep down the field and ended up throwing three interceptions last week against the New Orleans Saints.
He finished 3-of-19 with a touchdown and two interceptions on throws at least 15 yards down the field, according to ESPN Stats & Information, which ties for the second-most deep incompletions (16) by a quarterback in any game over the past 15 seasons.
If Tampa Bay's defense can apply pressure to Jones and force him to make inaccurate throws, this could bode well for the Bucs. Defensive coordinator Todd Bowles needs to take advantage of the fact that Jone is a rookie quarterback and the Patriots aren't asking him to do much in the passing game.
Should the Bucs make Jones uncomfortable throwing, this could be a confidence booster for a Tampa Bay secondary that needs one three weeks into the season.
2. Incorporate Fournette, Jones into the gameplan
Three weeks into the season, the Bucs have the second-to-worst rush offense in the league averaging 56.3 yards on the ground. That's only three yards more per game than the team in last place, the Pittsburgh Steelers.
If there's ever a good time to begin to rely on the run game, now is a great opportunity for the Bucs. Why is that?
The Patriots rank 24th in the league stopping the run. New England is allowing about 123 yards a game so far this season. Compare that to the pass defense, which is 2nd in the league, it's clear the Bucs should work Leonard Fournette and Ronald Jones II into the game plan on Sunday night.
Besides if there's any opposing head coach who knows the ins and outs of Brady and his tendencies while throwing the ball, it's Bill Belichick.
3. The Bucs must be more disciplined and avoid penalties
Tampa Bay head coach Bruce Arians said this week the number of penalties his team has committed so far this season is "very" disappointing.
And he's right. The Bucs average nine penalties per game, which is the second-most in the league behind only the Eagles, who average 11.7 penalties. In terms of total yardage, Tampa Bay averages 76.7 penalty yards, which can have a big impact on both offense and defensive success.
"When you get 30 guys back and you've already corrected it for one year, you would anticipate for it to be corrected the second year, but it hasn't," Arians said. "One of the things we really talked about a lot in our team meetings is why, and we've got to get it stopped."
When facing a team like the Patriots that features a strong defense paired with a rookie quarterback, handing over free penalty yards can play a large role in the game. The Bucs must be more disciplined moving forward and it needs to start this week.
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