The Patriots are back: CBS is sending its A-team for Pats-Bucs
The Patriots are getting the star treatment by the CBS broadcast crews when they head to Tampa Bay to take on the Bucs.
Here's the surest sign yet that the New England Patriots are back to being an upper-echelon NFL team.
For the first time in almost two full seasons, the Patriots television broadcast will be called by CBS’ lead team of Jim Nantz and Tony Romo. As confirmed by sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson, the crew will get their first look ever at Pats quarterback Drake Maye for their Week 10 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Granted, the performance of the first-place Bucs (6-2) has a little something to do with CBS' decision as well. But the mere presence of Nantz and Romo is a clear indication that it's a matchup of two good teams.
Not that long ago, when the Patriots had Tom Brady and essentially ran the league, Nantz and Romo would call several Patriots games in a season. From 2017-2021 alone, the pair called 24 Pats games. Since then, Patriots fans are more likely to hear Spero Dedes or Andrew Catalon. The team of Catalon, Charles Davis, and Jason McCourty will call this Sunday's Patriots game against the Atlanta Falcons. Nantz, Romo, and Tracy Wolfson last saw the Patriots when they played the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 6 of the 2023 season, on Oct. 15 of that year.
It was a rough day for both teams the last time the Pats played in front of Nantz and Romo, with the Raiders coming out on top. Mac Jones and Jimmy Garoppolo faced off in a post-Brady matchup of what was against what could have been. Jones threw for 200 yards and an interception in the game. The Patriots did get a chance late in the fourth quarter, as Rhamondre Stevenson scored with 3:30 left in the game to bring the Pats within two points. The defense forced the Raiders to punt, and Jones would get the ball back with a chance to drive the length of the field and win the game. Ultimately, Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby made short work of a Mike Gesicki/Vederian Lowe double-team and sacked Mac in the end zone for a safety, ultimately icing a 21-17 win for Las Vegas.
The Patriots continued to toil through the 2024 season, which prompted the organization to clean house on the coaching staff and bring in Mike Vrabel, who then filled the staff with mostly his own trusted assistants. They've rapidly improved since then, powered by Maye's MVP-caliber performance and the work of Vrabel and his experienced staff.
And now, Nantz and Romo are setting up shop for the Pats in the broadcast booth. Just like old times.
