Patriots vs. Buccaneers: Biggest Storylines to Watch in Preseason Matchup

The New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a lot of things to figure out this preseason, so it is only fitting they would lock horns on Friday night. 

These are two franchises that will have very different seasons. 

The Patriots are one of the favorites to win the AFC and play in yet another Super Bowl. They have been trying to build a defense that can match their offensive firepower. 

The Buccaneers are entering a new era with Greg Schiano taking over as head coach. There is some young talent on the team, but as a whole, they are still building the roster and trying to be consistent contenders. 

It will make for a very interesting dichotomy on the field, so let's look at the biggest storylines to watch for when the Patriots and Buccaneers meet.

No. 1: How will Tampa Bay's starters handle increased workload?

This will be the third preseason game for the Buccaneers. They looked solid in their first game against Miami, though their starters played maybe a handful of series, as everyone does in the preseason opener. 

Their second game against Tennessee was a disaster all around. The offense, in particular, was sluggish, with Josh Freeman unable to hit his receivers and looking rattled during his five series. They had 81 yards of total offense on 50 plays in that game. 

The third game of the preseason is when all the starters play most of the game. The Buccaneers need to see some progress in this game just to get their confidence up. Last season took a physical and mental toll on everyone in the organization. 

They need to find something, anything to build upon before heading into the regular season. A game against the Patriots' defense could be just the thing to kickstart the offense. 

Defensively, they need to hold their own against Tom Brady. Their biggest problem in recent years has been an inability to create pressure on the quarterback with their defensive line. 

If Brady has time to sit in the pocket, he will pick Tampa Bay's defense apart. 

No. 2: Is Brandon Lloyd the downfield threat the Patriots need?

Brandon Lloyd was the prize free-agent acquisition of the offseason for the Patriots. They have great depth at the wide receiver and tight end position, but they have not had someone who can go down the field since Randy Moss was traded. 

Wes Welker is the best possession receiver in the NFL. He can make things happen that other wideouts just can't. That being said, he is limited in what he can do because of the way the Patriots use him. 

Lloyd, on the other hand, is a more traditional NFL receiver. He is 6'0, 200 pounds of muscle, speed and excellent hands. He gives them a deep threat that can really open up their already-impressive offense. 

However, Lloyd has not had a stellar preseason. He played a little in the first game against New Orleans and was targeted one time. He did not play against the Eagles on Monday.

I don't think this is a huge concern because it is preseason, but it will be nice to see him get involved in the offense in the biggest game of the preseason for the starters. 

Lloyd can go from very good to great in this offense. He just has to get acclimated to the system before the season begins to start things out on a positive note. Remember, Brady will look elsewhere if he doesn't trust a receiver. 

No. 3: Will the Patriots' secondary be able to handle Vincent Jackson?

This is the biggest matchup of the game, I believe. 

The Buccaneers acquired Jackson this offseason to make their offense more dynamic and make life a little easier on Josh Freeman, who has never played with a receiver as talented as Jackson. 

The Patriots have built their secondary with small, fast ball-hawks who are quick to go for interceptions but leave a lot to be desired in coverage. They allowed almost 294 pass yards per game in 2011. 

Some will try to tell you it was because they were always ahead, so teams were forced to throw on them and they were giving up a lot of garbage yards. 

There might be some validity to that, though at some point you still have to stop a team from throwing the ball. 

The Patriots did address their secondary in the draft, grabbing Ras-I Dowling and Alfonzo Dennard. They are big, physical players the team needed to put in their secondary. 

Jackson is a great test to see where the Patriots are right now, and where they could be as the regular season moves along. 

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