---

FOXBORO - No matter how much sense it might make to protect Tom Brady from harm in a game that doesn't count in the standings, a competitor never wants to watch the action from the sidelines.

So the Patriots' quarterback fully expects to see some playing time - probably not a lot - in Sunday night's preseason game at Raymond James Stadium against the 1-0 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8 p.m.; NFL Network, Ch. 4).

In fact, he said Wednesday that he's looking forward to it.

"I am," he said after practice, the first time he's met with the media since the opening week of training camp in July. "The whole team's looking to improve. It'll be nice to be out there and play a little bit, and see if we can make some improvements from last week.

"Coach (Bill Belichick) has been pretty tough on us," he added. "He wants us to make these improvements quickly. Tampa is a great test, too, because they're very, very well-coached. I think they present some different challenges to our team, and we've got our work cut out for us." It's unknown how much time Brady will see, or what challenges he may face not just from the Bucs, but also from his own offensive line. The line is still missing starters Matt Light (unknown reasons) and Stephen Neal (rehabbing knee surgery), which has put backups Billy Yates and Wesley Britt on the hot seat thus far in camp.

But Brady said he has no qualms about stepping behind the substitutes.

"I know the guys who are in there, I've got a lot of confidence in guys that have played," he said. "Billy (Yates) has played, Wes (Britt) has played, (Nick) Kaczur has played yeah, they're going to be fine."

Sunday will also mark the first game-action reunion of Brady with record-breaking receivers Randy Moss and Wes Welker. The quarterback said he was eager to show the world just how far that connection has come since it was first created in last year's training camp.

"In ways, we're very far ahead of where we were last year," Brady said. "We know what we can do; it's not about getting lined up in our formation and run the play. Now it's about getting into a better play if the play we called in the huddle isn't the one we like the best when we get out on the field.

"Those guys can adjust, they know the signals, they know the routes and how we want them run, they know the techniques of the defensive backs, and I feel like from Day One, we were way ahead of last year," he added. "And I hope that shows up when we're playing in the regular season."

It should, he said, because Belichick has been a stickler for situational practice this summer. Brady said the coach has never been as devoted to practicing specific game situations as he has this camp, although situations are a favorite coaching tactic of his.

"Situational football has been important for us this camp," Brady said. "Coach has really been stressing that, out there in every practice. Toward the end of every practice, we're out there working on two-minute drill, four-minute drill, some type of situational plays where we'll really need to be on. So when they come up in a game, it's not the first time they come up.

"Coach has been harping on that, and I think the team's responding to it," he added. "The new guys are picking it up some days are better than others, though. We're still eating that humble pie around here."

To that end, Brady admitted that not all has been perfect between the lines in the past month. His backup quarterbacks struggled in game action last Thursday against Baltimore, and the veteran starter said he has no sympathy for their troubles. "No, I don't feel sympathy at all," he said. "They know what they're doing, and they know they're working extremely hard. You just go out there as a quarterback and you do the best that you can do. That's what they're doing and I'm proud of them for that.

"They've got to have confidence," he said. "Things happen and you have to bounce back and do well on the next play I don't think we've been as efficient as we would have liked. We have high expectations based upon what we accomplished last year. We want to be very efficient, whether we run it or throw it, no matter who's in there."

Brady said efficiency will be a key in a tougher AFC East that now includes former Packers' legend Brett Favre with the Jets.

"The Jets have made a lot of moves, and it's a tough team," Brady said. "Miami's made improvements. Buffalo's made improvements, and any time you add a guy like Brett Favre to a team, it never hurts. We're looking forward to playing Tampa this week, but when the Jets come up, I'm sure they'll present their own challenges. He's a great player."

MARK FARINELLA may be reached at 508-236-0315 or via e-mail at mfarinel@thesunchronicle.com. Read Farinella's blog, "Blogging Fearlessly," at thesunchronicle.com/farinella.