Game Observations: Maybe not a classic, but memorable nonetheless - Patriots.com

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – "The Return."

Like so many of the NFL's most historic games – The Immaculate Reception, The Drive, The Snow Bowl, et cetera – this Buccaneers-Patriots meeting will forever be known by a nickname all its own. Unlike those other memorable ones, however, which came to be known by something that occurred on the field during the games, this one earned its sobriquet long before kickoff, gradually coming to be ever since Tom Brady signed with Tampa Bay in 2020.

It's safe to say this was the most anticipated regular season game in league history, and while it may not have lived up to the quality of play of some of those other classic encounters, it was a lot more competitive than many analysts (this author included) predicted in recent days.

When Brady, who helped lead New England to six Super Bowl titles in 20 years, came onto the field before the game, he was greeted warmly by the Gillette Stadium faithful, many of whom were wearing jerseys split down the middle – half Patriots, half Buccaneers – to show their support for the legendary quarterback. Once the game kicked off, though, boos rained down, along with the at-times heavy precipitation itself, when Brady joined the Tampa offense on the field for the first time as an opponent in this stadium.

By night's end, after Brady and the Bucs had barely escaped victorious, the middle of the field took on the resemblance of a receiving line at a wedding reception, as Brady shared hugs, smiles, and pleasantries with one former Patriots teammate, coach, and staff member after another.

Then, following a post-game TV commitment, while almost everyone else on the field had departed, Brady said his final goodbyes, soaking up the adulation of those fans in the stands who remained to see him to the very end. He acknowledged them with vigorous waves of both hands while jogging up the ramp back to the visitors locker room.

Appropriately, in this stadium where Brady led so many comebacks, we were just a few inches to the left of celebrating Patriots rookie QB Mac Jones' first-ever come-from-behind victory as a member of this franchise. Jones' precociously composed performance under such highly scrutinized circumstances should not be overlooked, and should serve the young passer and the rest of his teammates well down the road.

What follows are some of the reasons why, from this person's perspective, the Patriots nearly spoiled Tom Brady's return to Foxborough:

Tampa Bay's opening kickoff sailed out of bounds inside the Patriots' 5-yard line, giving Jones and the New England offense the ball at their own 40 to begin the game. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels tried to take advantage of this gifted field position by calling several no-huddle plays, but the drive quickly stalled after Jones was sacked and threw an incompletion on the next play.

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https://www.patriots.com/news/game-observations-maybe-not-a-classic-but-memorable-nonetheless

2021-10-04 05:07:32Z
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