The NFL Isn't Dead, Saints-Bucs Crush it in National Ratings

It was the match-up we had been anticipating for such a very long time basically since Tom Brady signed with the Tampa Bay Bucs and we knew the schedule you circled both of these games on the calendar.

The first meeting didn't go quite how we all expected it to, a lot of people or "experts" were thinking this game would be a bit of a shootout but it really turned into a defensive battle one in which the Saints won. The New Orleans defense picked off Brady twice, one of which was a pick-six by Janoris 'Jackrabbit' Jenkins and there was a special teams blunder that gave the Saints great field position.

This wasn't totally unexpected and those who are trashing or underestimating Tom Brady after one game with the Bucs should be cautious in doing so, as they say never underestimate a wounded animal. Brady and the Bucs didn't have OTA's, mini camps, and zero preseason games.

With all that being said the game did monster ratings for Fox on Sunday and it was the highest rated game in four years on opening day according to Fox Sports PR on Twitter:

These numbers are no surprise when you pit two 40+ year old first ballot Hall of Famers against one another. As good as round one was, I expect round two November 8th on Sunday Night Football in Tampa Bay to be even better because the Bucs should have better footing by that point.