The preseason is over. For the Buccaneers, the regular season starts in 11 days — three days sooner than it does for every other team except the Cowboys, Tampa’s opponent on opening night.
“I love that sooner game, that means we did something good,” quarterback Tom Brady told reporters after Saturday night’s preseason win over the Texans. “It’s good to start the season against a good team. Dallas has a lot of firepower, a lot of draft picks. They got some new things we’re gonna have to prepare for. And, you know, you gotta start the season the right way. And I think we had a decent training camp. Now we make final cuts. And it’s always a tough time for all the players and the coaches. Nobody like this time of year for those reasons. But as soon as that happens the team’s gotta come together quickly and get prepared to play our first biggest game of the year. There’s a lot of big games, but the first biggest game of the year is Thursday night.”
Indeed it is. Last year, the Buccaneers lost their first biggest game of the year, at New Orleans. And the Bucs lost five of their first 12 games. But they finished with eight straight wins. With all starters back and Brady healthy and more comfortable in the offense, the Buccaneers could be even better in 2021.
They definitely could be the first team since Brady’s 2003-04 Patriots to win the Super Bowl in consecutive years.
Tom Brady pivots to preparing for “our first biggest game of the year” originally appeared on Pro Football Talk