Wow, just total domination. Hard to single out players.
QB - Brady was in midseason form. Really working the ball to Ochocinco, and hitting #81 again consistently down the field. Oh, that's Hernandez now?
RB - Ridley looks like a feature back. Catches the ball, can pick up a block, runs inside, turns the corner, can convert a fourth and one, and a little shake.
WR - Really deep. This was a game to get Ochocinco involved. Even Slater, and I've not been a fan, looks like a WR, and I'd still considered him a safety until this preseason. Welker got some play. Nothing from Branch yet.
TE - Dominating. Lots of three-TE sets, and the Pats can stack it or go wide. Someone is in a mismatch. Tampa sure didn't know how to cover that formation. Hernandez catches everything, and held on tonight. Gronk features the Wham blocks Graham used to offer. It's like they open a hole in the middle of the line to encourage a LB in, then Wham.
OL - Solder looked pretty good. He gave up one sack on an outside-in move, but otherwise played well, and is surprisingly good as a run blocker. Clearly a superior run blocker so far. Koppen had a hold. Just terrific blocking from the first line.
DL - Tremendous depth. Carter was a missile. They couldn't block him. The line disrupted the run all first quarter, and harassed the QB. Some problems with a rushing QB that can elude four rushers that break free, but that can be gameplanned. Warren looked good. Pryor was constantly four yards deep. Wilfork was in on third down. Someone has to be cut, and could start elsewhere. Just constant pressure, aggressive, deep. Held TB to one-for-eight on third downs in the first half, and generated more penalty yardage from Tampa than they gave up in yards from scrimmage.
LB - This defense allows Mayo to utilize his athleticism. Ninkovich looked quicker. Pretty good tackling.
CB - Arrington playing with the one's. The rush is causing so many poor throws the first string secondary didn't have a ton to do.
S - Brown looked good in his looks.
At least three more helmet-to-helmet hits on Patriots players. Ochocinco was leveled going across the middle, and Woodhead was blindside crushed on a kick return. We might not see Woodhead the next two games. He stood up, but was veering back down in a circle when his teammates grabbed him.
