Davy Jones’ Locker: Buccaneers vs Patriots Q&A with Pats Pulpit

The Buccaneers are back from their bye week and things are looking good as they currently sit at 6-2 on the season after a convincing win against the Saints in week eight. Now though they have a tough part of their schedule as their next three games are all against teams with records well above .500.

First up are the 7-2 New England Patriots, who have won six straight. To get a better read on this matchup, we spoke with Taylor Kyles of Pats Pulpit to give us an inside scoop on how New England has been doing this year.

1. With the Patriots sitting at 7-2 and winners of six straight, it has been an impressive one-year turnaround. What would you say is the biggest reason for this quick of an improvement?

“I’d say the trifecta of Mike Vrabel, Drake Maye, and Josh McDaniels deserves the most credit. Vrabel has brought a level of credibility, attention to detail, and organizational vision that was much needed after last season. He also did a great job filling the staff with both old and new faces this offseason. Drake Maye proved to be a fast learner and rare playmaker as a rookie, but he’s turned better coaching and a more competent supporting cast into an MVP campaign. While ball security and unnecessarily long dropbacks remain significant areas for improvement, Maye is well ahead of schedule, and his offensive coordinator is a big reason why. McDaniels may not be head coach material, but he’s one of the league’s best play-designers, game-planners, and play-callers. The Patriots’ offense is maximizing talent and operating at a respectable level for the first time since he left after the 2021 season, which has contributed to breakout seasons for Kayshon Boutte and DeMario Douglas, as well as a resurgence for Stefon Diggs.”

2. Drake Maye is playing like an MVP candidate right now. What has made him really stand out this season?

“Maye’s gotten better protection and trusts his receivers this season, allowing him to show off his rare arm talent more consistently. He’s on a historic pace on deep passes, and he’s much more consistently accurate overall than most expected when he was coming out of UNC. Maye has also been one of the league’s most dangerous scramblers since last season, and while it can be a crutch at times, it’s something defenses must be wary of, or he’ll rip off explosive gains. Outside of the physical talent, Maye’s ability to process coverages and decipher disguises has been incredible to watch for a 23-year-old. He isn’t afraid to test the honey hole in Cover 2, which could present some interesting matchups given how competitive Tampa’s corners have been on the outside.”

3. Who is one underrated player on the Patriots that Bucs fans should keep an eye on that could have a big impact on the game?

“DeMario Douglas has been miscast as a shifty underneath target for most of his career, but the reality...