While everyone is so worked up about Tom Brady and BIll Belichick, most are missing the fact that the opposing quarterback is Mac Jones, who is basically playing replacement-level football as the best (by a small margin) rookie signal caller in 2021. Here are the QBs that have been within a TD of Tampa Bay since the Bucs began their long winning streak last season: Matthew Stafford, Dak Prescott, Aaron Rodgers, Matt Ryan. Whether this is in New England or not, keeping up with Tampa Bay's playmakers is a difficult task -- one the Pats do not appear to be up to from a personnel standpoint. Scheming can only get you so far. Let's not act like Belichick is more prepared for Brady than Brady is for the defenses he faced in practice for two decades.

The Buccaneers had their 10-game winning streak snapped by the Los Angeles Rams last week. Now the ultimate trap setup is in line as Tampa Bay QB Tom Brady faces his former team. Look for the Patriots to have the defense in place in order to limit Brady’s drives from touchdowns to field goals. Furthermore, expect improvement from New England rookie QB Mac Jones in his fourth NFL start. Back the Patriots.

Welcome to Narrative Bowl 2021. Everyone has talked about how the Bucs players will want to win this for Tom Brady, but good luck to any Patriots who make mental mistakes this week. Bill Belichick isn't going to treat this like a regular-season game, and he certainly knows how to exploit Tom Brady's weaknesses better than anyone. And the Rams showed last week you can keep the Bucs from blowing up the scoreboard with the right plan. Don't you trust Belichick to have the right plan? On offense, the Pats will be helped by the Bucs' ailing secondary, giving the New England receivers a rare matchup they can win. Belichick shouldn't be catching a TD at home in primetime against anyone. Not even the GOAT.

Because of the way Tom Brady left New England, he'll want to make a statement Sunday night. Brady knows how Bill Belichick runs New England's defense, and I expect the QB, who has Antonio Brown back for this game, to pick apart the Pats. Lay the points with the reigning Super Bowl champs.

I guess let's do this before it hits 7 and stays there with MASSIVE action on Tampa Bay. Do I think Bill Belichick has some surprises in store defensively for Tom Brady? Sure, and I'd probably take the Pats on the first-half line. However, I don't see how that New England offense is going to do much, especially without stud pass-catching running back James White. The Bucs are last against the pass, but Mac Jones has not shown any ability to throw the ball deep and now Tampa Bay has Richard Sherman in the secondary. TB12, who will get Antonio Brown back, should be able to win his return to Foxboro by a TD. (At +7.5, I'd take the Pats)

If you like the Buccaneers at New England on Sunday night, you better get a bet down ASAP because the spread will only rise to -7, and maybe higher. Sharp bettors will point out the spread should be no higher than -5.5, but the public money accounts for much more action in isolated night games. Try telling any average Joe to bet the Patriots in this spot after rookie QB Mac Jones threw three interceptions in an embarrassing home loss to the Saints, 28-13. Tom Brady will win and Bruce Arians will let him make a statement. All the Bucs players know it and will follow, and Bill Belichick also knows it. Lay the points.

Take away the storyline behind this game. Blur the names, faces and logos and what do you have? A Bucs team that is just simply much better than New England. What exactly do the Patriots excel at? Pass defense you could say, but Tom Brady has practiced against these defensive players for a while, he knows the drill. Couple in that in games like this it's not necessarily the "Brady" who steps up per se, it's his teammates around him...especially coming off a loss. New England has only covered 4 times in its last 14 vs. teams with a winning record and the Bucs are 5-0 ATS in its last five after a loss. Give me Tampa before it crosses 7.