Did No Preseason Football Lead To A Sloppy Week One?

For years I've asked the question "Is this the year time catches up with Tom Brady?" So don't let my next question shock you too much. Was the reason guys like Tom Brady had a subpar week one is that there were no preseason games? You can set up as many practices and scrimmages as you want but nothing prepares you for game speed like GAME SPEED.

Brady was 23 - 36 with two touchdowns and two interceptions. The fact that Brady and his receivers consistently looked out of sink could be a reason for hope for Buccaneers fans. Rob Gronkowski caught two of three targets for 11 yards. I have to believe when Gronk is up to game speed he'll be targeted FAR MORE. The fact that Mike Evans who is a top receiver in the NFL caught one of four targets is what really stood out to me. Not only did Tom Brady and Mike Evans never get game reps in the preseason but Evans has been hurt limited practice time.

Before New York Jets fans give up on QB Sam Darnold, give him another week. The Bills defense is stellar and Darnold could improve vastly following game reps. Remember after the "Seeing Ghosts" game? Darnold was destroyed in week seven against the Patriots but then improved almost every week after that.

Phillip Rivers also looked like a guy that doesn't know his team well after joining the Indianapolis Colts this off season. Rivers threw the ball 46 times! That is not the normal plan for the Colts. I expect a lot of carries from rookie Jonathan Taylor next week but I also think Rivers is very interception prone. He's a gunslinger and it looks like age has taken a little arm strength away and the passes are not exactly where he wants them.