Buccaneers: Analyzing potential changes in the point spread
By Brian DeFeo
Week Five Thursday Night Football New England Patriots at Tampa Bay Bucs
Vegas Spread: Bucs (+3)
We have another slight surprise here the Super Bowl Champs travel down to Tampa for a prime-time game. On a short week they will have to play in the Bucs face their toughest two-game stretch of the season. Tom Brady has never lost to Tampa but he hasn’t won in Tampa either. In three games against the Patriots, the Bucs have put up ten points. The one game that was supposed to be in Tampa was played in London in 2009.
This offense the Bucs has is very different from the past, it may be their best ever. The defense still has to face the scariest quarterback in the NFL. Until he retires, Brady will be as dangerous as anyone in the league, and he isn’t showing any signs of slowing down. With players like Brandin Cooks at his side, he might have his best supporting cast yet.
Bill Belichick puts fear into the hearts of young teams which the Bucs are. If the Bucs want to make a statement to the rest of the league this is the game to do it. However I don’t think they are ready for this team. The Patriots are going to separate themselves from the rest of the league, and that will reflect in the point spread.