This week was a tale of two stories. On one hand, Garret Gilbert and the Cowboys came extremely close to pulling off an upset against the Steelers. On the other hand, the Buccaneers looked more like the 1976 Bucs than the 2020 Bucs after getting blown out by the Saints, despite having Antonio Brown.
Was Week 1 a fluke for Drew Brees?
Answer: YES. Brees lit it up against the Bucs with 4 touchdown passes. Brees spread the football around, with 6 receivers having more than 20 yards. The return of star receivers Michael Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders has certainly helped Brees prove that he is still a dominant force in the NFL. The Buccaneers defense which was supposed to be one of the best defenses in the NFL could not force a single takeaway or sack against the Saints offense, which shows just how good Brees and Co. really are.
Will Antonio Brown be a help or a hindrance for Tom Brady?
Answer: Neither. AB did not have the super game that many were expecting. This is probably partly due to the fact that the entire Buccaneers offense was off point. Also, Brady seems to still be favoring his other stars in Evans, Goodwin and even Lennard Fournette. If Brown wants to keep his spot, he needs to be in the same form as he was back with the Steelers. If not, his second shot at the NFL could come to an early end.
Can Robert Spillane keep his starting spot?
Answer: Maybe. Spillane had a decent game against the Dallas Cowboys but wasn’t anything too spectacular. However, his case will be helped by the fact that Vince Williams was placed on the COVID/Reserve list after being in close contact with Vance McDonald who tested positive. If Williams is unable to play, then Spillane should still be a starter even if the Steelers believe that newly acquired linebacker, Avery Williamson, is ready to go. If Williams tests negative and exhibits no symptoms till Saturday, he will be eligible to play. This would lead to a three-way race between Williams, Spillane, and Williamson, in which case there is no clear answer as to who will not start. To complicate matters further, the Steelers signed Tegray Scales to their practice squad. While he is not expected to be activated immediately, a few good practices could mean that he could compete for a roster spot.
That’s it for this article. Check back before Sunday’s game to know all that you need to watch for in the Week 10 matchups.
