My first three thoughts on the Patriots preseason schedule

1. Twice in one year: The Patriots will host the Buccaneers in the second preseason game, but they will also host them later on in the regular season. This is the first time the Patriots have played a team (other than the Giants) in both the preseason and regular season since the Saints in 2005. New England ended up winning that game against the Saints in Foxborough 24-17. However, the last time they faced a team in preseason and saw them later on it was the Giants in 2011, they lost to New York obviously both in the regular season and the Super Bowl.

2. Tradition continues: The Patriots and Giants have played each other in Week 4 of the preseason every year since 2005. This is likely for the sole reason that they are within the closest vicinity of one another. The Pats haven't won that game since 2009, though in the fourth game of the preseason it's not like anyone is placing that much emphasis on it.

This will also be the third year in a row the team will play the Buccaneers, whom they were embarassed by in preseason last year.

3. Joint practices?: When the Patriots visited Tampa last preseason, they held a joint practice together. Mainly because of coach Greg Schiano's close relationship with Bill Belichick. With the Bucs traveling up to Foxborough this year, you might think that the possibility remains to repeat that. After all, they've held joint practices with the Saints in preseason every opportunity they've gotten.

Another possibility for that is with the Eagles and coach Chip Kelly. We heard from Greg Bedard earlier in the year that Kelly met with Belichick and the coaching staff before to discuss the one word no huddle. With both teams likely wanting to practice at a fast pace, it might help to practice against eachother.