So the waiting is almost over!! Its Friday UK fans, two days before the Tampa Bay Buccaneers come over to these shores and make Wembley their home for the visit of the New England Patriots. I don't know about you, but it seems an awefully long time since we witnessed that great shootout last year, and I can't wait any longer!!
The Buccs arrive on these shores after a horriable 0 - 6 start to the season. There losses include games against Buffalo, Washington and Carolina, who have been far from powerhouse franchises this year. That has to be worrying to the Buccaneer faithful as their 4 - 2 opponent Patriots have beaten teams like Atlanta and Baltimore, not to mention the 59 - 0 drubbing of the Titans last week. So the game, it has to be said, looks slightly one-sided. The Buccs are 27th in points scored this year (14.8), and 29th in points conceded (28.0). Not excellent, going against Brady and co who are 7th in points scored (27.2) and 3rd in points conceded (15.2). One bright spot for the Buccs is that the Pats are definatly a pass first team, and the Buccs best phase of the game is pass defence, but i may be cluching at straws.
The mighty Tom Brady is certainly going to be one of the highlights of the weekend for the Wembley crowd. Coming off last season, where he got injured in the opener, it was a worry how he would return. But Brady has answered all of his critics this season, especially last week (although against the Titans), by throwing for 287.3 yrds/game and 12 tds.
The Buccs are less than sure about the play of their QB. Josh Johnson is likely to get the start at Wembley on Sunday. Unlike Brady he has thrown more interceptions than tds (5 and 3) and only 105.8 yrds/gm. I aren't making this out to be much of a contest am I!!!
Sadly that is what I believe, I believe the Patriots are going to win this one and win it big. Bill Belichick doesn't often show any oppenent mercy and I can see them running up the score
Lees Prediction Buccs 10 Pats 38
First of all - great prediction!
ReplyDeleteIt was good to see some of the best players to grace the NFL on view at Wembley. The game, inevitably, was a blow out but we saw plenty of points which is always good! The league can never be sure of the strength of the teams the following season.
The day itself was good. I got to the tailgate around 1pm and didn't spend long there. This for me, and my friends, was the most dissapointing aspect of the day. There wasn't the amount of activities there we were lead to believe (the EA tent was so small the three of us would have struggled to fit in it!) and I still think there is a degree of patronisation surrounding the percieved level of knowledge of UK NFL fans. I have been a JETS fan for 15 years and remember the likes of Steve Young and Deion Sanders winning Superbowl 29 for the 49ers and the JETS going 1-15 in 1995! Those that have found the sport in the last few years are quick learners too!
The game itself was fantastic. Credit to the Bucs for giving it a good go but they're in transition and were never going to threaten the well oiled machine that is the Pats offense. I wasn't dissapointed by any aspect in the stadium, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience again (I have been to all 3 games). If I was to be hyper critical I think £10 is a little steep for a programme but once again the NFL has not dissapointed.
Here's to 2 games in the UK in 2010