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New England Patriots at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
NFL Preseason Week 2
Bucs Coverage: Bucsnation.com
Notes from the first quarter of the Patriots vs. Buccaneers preseason game:
- Jerod Mayo gets pressure from the outside backer spot on the first play, forcing Josh Freeman to throw the ball away. On the second play, Dane Fletcher knifed through the defensive line and stuffed LaGarrette Blount. The defense forced the three and out due to a pressure-hit from Kyle Love and excellent coverage by Jerod Mayo.
- The Patriots starting defense was Eric Moore, Kyle Love, Vince Wilfork, and Andre Carter along the defensive line. The linebackers were Gary Guyton and Jerod Mayo on the outside, with Dane Fletcher playing middle. The secondary included Devin McCourty, Leigh Bodden, Brandon Meriweather, and Pat Chung.
- On offense, the Patriots got things started quick with a Tom Brady to Wes Welker 8 yard completion. Two plays later, Danny Woodhead ripped off a terrific 29 yard run. He started to the right, broke a tackle, and reversed field to the left. Two plays after that, Brady found Aaron Hernandez on a 16 yard throw to the end zone, out of a 3-tight end formation. You couldn't really ask for a better start from the offense.
- When the Bucs took back over, Gerard warren and Myron Pryor burst through the line and stuffed Blount for a loss. The next down, Freeman dropped back and was met by Andre Carter off the right side. Freeman avoided the sack, but had to throw the ball away with Eric Moore coming at him. After a third and long stop, the Patriots forced their second three and out to start the game.
- After an unnecessary roughness called on Mason Foster, who hit a defenseless Chad Ochocinco, Tom Brady had back-to-back completions to Will Yeatman and Aaron Hernandez. On a third and ten, Brady kept the drive alive with a sideline throw to Aaron Hernandez. Nate Solder looked solid in protection, and the Brady-to-Hernandez connection really seems to be going. A couple of plays later in another three tight end set, the Patriots ran a play action, with Brady finding a wide open Chad Ochocinco in the back of the endzone. 14-0 Patriots.
- On the Bucs' next drive, Jerod Mayo used a delayed blitz to get a straight line at the quarterback. Freeman didn't go down initially, but then Eric Moore came in and helped finish him off for the first snap. After a strong bull rush from Andre Carter on third and 31, Josh Freeman and the Bucs offense once again had to punt. The Buccaneers had a total of three penalties on the drive.
- To close out the first quarter, the Patriots put up another touchdown. Tom Brady had a couple of completions, even Brian Hoyer came in from a couple of snaps. However, the drive was fueled by solid runs from BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead. Green-Ellis had one particularly impressive 16 yard run, that was aided due to a nice seal block from Will Yeatman. Green-Ellis then capped off the drive with a one yard touchdown run.