NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS at TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS *Sunday, August 17, 2008 - 8:00 p.m. EDT
Raymond James Stadium (65,908)*
The Patriots hit the road for the first time this season when they travel to Tampa Bay for a prime-time preseason clash on Sunday, Aug. 17. New England will seek its first victory of the 2008 preseason following a 16-15 defeat to the Baltimore Ravens at Gillette Stadium on Aug. 7. The Patriots will seek to snap a six-game preseason losing streak to Tampa Bay, a string that includes a 13-10 loss at Raymond James Stadium in the 2007 preseason opener last August. The Patriots' game in Tampa will begin a stretch of three games in 12 days as New England finalizes its 53-man roster in preparation for the regular-season opener on Sept. 7. Following the Buccaneers game, the Patriots return to action at Gillette Stadium on Aug. 22 and close out the preseason against the New York Giants on the road on Aug. 28.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TELEVISION:Sunday's game will be broadcast live to a national audience by NFL Network. The game can also be seen in the Boston television market on WBZ-TV Channel 4. Fran Charles will handle play-by-play for the game and will be joined in the booth by Marshall Faulk and Sterling Sharpe. Reporter Adam Schefter will offer updates from the sidelines.
RADIO: WBCN 104.1 FM is the flagship station for the Patriots Rock Radio Network. A complete listing of the network's 36 stations can be found in this press release. Play-by-play broadcaster Gil Santos is in his 32nd season as the voice of the Patriots and will call the action along with Patriots Hall of Famer Gino Cappelletti. Santos and Cappelletti are celebrating their 25th season as a tandem.
SERIES HISTORY
The Patriots and Buccaneers will square off for the eighth time in preseason play and for the second straight year. The Buccaneers hold a 6-1 lead in the preseason series, including six consecutive preseason victories dating back to 1983. The teams have also played six times in the regular season, with the Patriots holding a 4- 2 advantage in those games. Last season, New England opened the preseason in Tampa Bay with the Bucanners coming out with a 13-10 win. The clubs last clashed in the regular season on Dec. 17, 2005, when the Patriots shut out the Buccaneers, 28-0, at Gillette Stadium. With that victory, the Patriots clinched the 2005 AFC East title. This week, the Patriots will make their fourth preseason visit to Raymond James Stadium. New England has never played there in the regular season, but is scheduled to make its regularseason debut there in 2009.
INFREQUENT FOES
The Patriots and Buccaneers have played just six times in the regular season since the series was inaugurated 30 seasons ago (1976). The Patriots' six games against Tampa Bay are the fewest against any team that entered the league prior to the most recent era of expansion, which began in 1995.
CONNECTIONS
- Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and Buccaneers offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Bill Muir were on the same coaching staff with the New York Jets from 1997-1999.
- Buccaneers offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Bill Muir was an offensive line coach for the Patriots from 1982- 84.
- Patriots linebacker Bo Ruud is the younger brother of Buccaneers linebacker Barrett Ruud. The Ruud brothers were teammates at the University of Nebraska from 2003-04.
- Buccaneers defensive back Eugene Wilson played for the Patriots from 2003-07.
- Patriot Randy Moss (Marshall-1997) and Buccaneer Antonio Bryant (Pittsburgh-2000) were the first two sophomores to ever win the Fred Biletnikoff Award, which goes to the top college football receiver.
- Patriots defensive lineman Jarvis Green and Buccaneers wide receiver Michael Clayton were teammates at LSU. The two Tigers helped LSU win the 2001 Southeastern Conference Championship.
- Buccaneers defensive tackle Chris Hovan was a four-year starter at Boston College from 1996-99.
- Patriots defensive lineman Richard Seymour and Buccaneers safety Jermaine Phillips were teammates at Georgia from 1997-2000.
- Patriots wide receiver Jabar Gaffney, Buccaneers running back Earnest Graham and Buccaneers tight end Ben Troupe were teammates at the University of Florida.
- Patriots wide receiver Randy Moss and Buccaneers defensive tackle Chris Hovan played together for four seasons with the Minnesota Vikings from 2000-04.
- Patriots cornerback Mike Richardson and Buccaneers wide receiver Maurice Stovall were teammates at Notre Dame from 2004-05.
- Patriots guard Billy Yates and Buccaneers cornerback Sammy Davis were teammates for three seasons at Texas A&M.
- Patriots linebacker Eric Alexander and Buccaneers wide receiver Michael Clayton were teammates at Louisiana State from 2001-2003 and were part of the 2003 BCS National Championship team.
- Buccaneers head strength & conditioning coach Mike Morris served as speed coach for the Patriots from 1997-98. He served as an assistant strength and conditioning coach in 1999.
- Patriots linebacker Mike Vrabel and Buccaneers wide receiver Joey Galloway were teammates at Ohio State in 1994.
- Patriots wide receiver Chris Dunlap and Buccaneers long snapper Andrew Economos were teammates at Georgia Tech from 2003-2004.
- Patriots guard Logan Mankins and safety James Sanders were teammates with Buccaneers tackle Chris Denman at Fresno State from 2003-2004.
- Patriots tackle Ryan O'Callaghan and Buccaneers fullback Byron Storer were teammates at California from 2003-2005.
- Patriots tight end Benjamin Watson and Buccaneers tackle Dennis Roland were teammates at Georgia in 2002.
- Patriots defensive lineman Le Kevin Smith and Buccaneers tight end Matt Herian were teammates at Nebraska from 2003-2005.
- Patriots offensive lineman Wesley Britt and Buccaneers running back Kenneth Darby were teammates at the University of Alabama from 2002-04.
- Patriots cornerback Jonathan Wilhite and Buccaneers fullback Carl Stewart were teammates at the University of Auburn from 2004-06. Buccaneers running back Carnell Williams played for Auburn from 2001-04.
- Patriots coaching assistant Brian Flores and Buccaneers offensive tackle Jeremy Trueblood were teammates at Boston College from 2002-03.
- Patriots offensive tackle Ryan O'Callaghan and Buccaneers fullback Byron Storer were teammates at the University of California from 2002-05.
- Patriots tight end Stephen Spach and center Ryan Wendell were teammates with Ravens tackle Chris Denma and running back Clifton Smith at Fresno State.
- Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork and Buccaneers cornerback Phllip Buchanon were teammates at the University of Miami in 2001, the year the Hurricanes won the BCS National Championship.
- Patriots linebacker Victor Hobson was teammates with Buccaneers linebacker Cato June and fullback B.J. Askew were teammates at the University of Michigan.
- Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo and Buccaneers guard Arron Sears were teammates at the University of Tennessee.
- Patriots nose tackle Steve Fifita and Buccaneers wide receiver Paris Warren were teammates at the University of Utah.
- Patriots tight end Jonathan Stupar and Buccaneers cornerback Marcus Hamilton were teammates at Virginia.
- Patriots Linebacker Victor Hobson and running back Lamont Jordan were teammates with Buccaneers fullback B.J. Askew on the New York Jets.
- Patriots wide receiver Randy Moss and Buccaneers running back Michael Bennett were teammates on the Minnesota Vikings for from 2001-04.
- Patriots offensive lineman Barry Stokes and Buccaneers punter Josh Bidwell were teammates on the Green Bay Packers from 2000-01.
- Patriots safety Tank Williams and Buccaneers defensive end/tackle Kevin Carter were teammates on the Tennessee Titans from 2002-04. Buccaneers tight end Ben Troupe was a Titan in 2004.
- Patriots linebacker Adalius Thomas and Buccaneers defensive end Marques Douglas were teammates on the Baltimore Ravens from 2000-04.
- Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker and Buccaneers cornerback Sammy Davis were teammates on the San Diego Chargers in 2004.
- Patriots cornerback Jason Webster and Buccaneers running back Warrick Dunn were teammates on the Atlanta Falcons from 2004-06.
- Patriots cornerback Jason Webster and Buccaneers quarterback Jeff Garcia were teammates on the San Francisco 49ers from 2000-03.
- Patriots cornerback Lewis Sanders and Buccaneers quarterbacks Jeff Garcia and Luke McCown were teammates on the Cleveland Browns in 2004.
- Patriots cornerback Fernando Bryant and tight end Marcus Pollard and Buccaneers quarterback Jeff Garcia and linebacker Teddy Lehman were teammates on the Detroit Lions in 2005.
- Patriots punter Chris Hanson was teammates with Buccaneers wide receiver Cortez Hankton for the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2003-06. Patriots cornerback Fernando Bryant was on the Lions in 2003.
- Patriots tight end Marcus Pollard was teammates with Buccaneers linebacker Cato June on the Indianapolis Colts from 2003-05.
- Patriots fullback Heath Evans was teammates with Buccaneers tight end Jerramy Stevens on the Seattle Seahawks from 2002-04.
PATRIOTS IN THE PRESEASON
New England has split its last six preseason road games dating back to 2005 and is 8-8 in preseason road contests since Bill Belichick became head coach in 2000. Since Bill Belichick became the head coach, the Patriots hold an overall mark of 20- 14 (.588) in the preseason. Overall, New England is 36-57 in road preseason games and is 67-65 in preseason games against NFC clubs.
