NFL Week 3, Buccaneers vs. Patriots 2013: Tom Brady, New England cruise over winless Tampa

New England has taken some heat early in the season, but each week it takes care of business and now has an undefeated record. Understandably, Patriots fans are content with the way the team is performing.

Greg Knopping of Pats Pulpit credits the defense for the early season success:

Scoring was quiet in the second half, although Brady threw a rare interception in the red zone.

Thompkins rewarded patient fantasy owners with the two touchdowns and finished with three catches for 41 yards. Julian Edelman had a typical PPR statline: seven catches for 44 yards.

The Buccaneers currently trail the Patriots, 20-3, in the fourth quarter.

Jackson has 12 catches for 231 yards this season already. He had 72 catches for 1,384 yards and a league-leading 19.2 yards per catch with the Bucs last season, his first in Tampa Bay. Jackson has managed to stay relatively healthy in his career, having started 34 straight games since missing eight during the 2010 season.

Tom Brady doesn’t throw red zone interceptions a lot. In fact, when Mark Barron intercepted one of Brady’s throws in the end zone, it was his first regular season red zone pick since Week 14 of the 2011 season. This did not please Tom Brady.

He should chill out: the Patriots are wrecking the Bucs 20-3.

Gronkowski was upgraded to questionable this past week after being listed as limited in practice, yet continues to be unable to play because of back and forearm injuries. The fourth-year veteran has yet to play in 2013, and appeared in just 11 games in 2012 while amassing 790 yards receiving and 11 touchdowns and 14.4 yards per catch.

The Patriots and Buccaneers kick off at 1 p.m ET.

The Pats are big favorites to win -- the spread is nine points according to Odds Shark -- and it’s not too difficult to understand why. The Buccaneers will stay within shouting distance if the Patriots’ offense stalls again, however, setting up another potentially ugly, tight-knit affair for both teams.

Sunday, Sept. 22, 1 p.m. ET

If Tom Brady is successful, then the Patriots will be successful. This is how it’s been since Brady took over as the New England quarterback and this is how it will be until he retires. That said, Brady isn’t having a stereotypical “Brady” year thus far. The team is 2-0, but he’s only completed 52.7 percent of his passes for 473 yards. He does have three touchdowns against just one interception, however.

It’s enough to get the Patriots wins, but Brady has never posted a sub-60 percent completion percentage over the course of a season in his career. Obviously, we can expect him to get better as the season goes provided he’s healthy, but the early numbers are worth noting.

Out

WR Matthew Slater (wrist)