Well that was a waste of pounds

In my semester in London during college, I never recall a single day that was totally boring. I'm just glad between all the pub and booze-filled nights that I didn't have the chance to waste my money on a shitty NFL game like the one yesterday at Wembley Stadium. The Patriots beat the Bucs 35-7 in a game that wasn't half as close as the blowout score indicates.

It was the second straight week that New England (5-2) faced one of the sisters of the poor in the NFL, of which there are many this season, and they made quick work of wretched Tampa Bay (0-7).

On the first drive of the game, Bucs quarterback Josh Johnson threw a pick-six to Brandon Meriweather (his first of two interceptions), who returned it 39 yards.

Later in the quarter, the Pats went up 14-0 on a typical Wes Welker (10 catches, 107 yards) 14-yard catch and run. When Sam Aiken went the distance on a 54-yard catch early in the second quarter, this game lost all competitiveness.

Sure Tom Brady was picked off twice, but he still had 308 yards and three touchdowns.

Antonio Bryant had the Bucs' only offensive highlight on the day with a 33-yard touchdown catch from Johnson with 1:14 left in the half.

The second half had the feel of a preseason game as the crowd was completely disinterested (besides cheering for the Bucs smokeshow cheerleaders) and backups littered the field.

Brady hooked up with Ben Watson (who's always good for one nice catch) on a 35-yard touchdown in the third quarter. In his first start as the feature back, Laurence Maroney (13 carries, 43 yards) was up to his old dancing with the stars ways. He had a completely meaningless 1-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter that nobody but him will ever remember.

Both teams get now get a bye week since they had to deal with the travel and time change with going to the UK. The hapless Bucs surrendered a home game just to go to London and get embarassed. Good times.

Things figure to get much harder for New England in November with a brutal five game stretch: vs. Dolphins, at Colts, vs. Jets, at Saints and at Dolphins. After a couple of those games we might be able to start to figure out what this team is all about. Right now, it's like a top college team in the beginning of the year after they play a couple of joke schools.