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BY IRA KAUFMAN

Two games cost Jameis Winston millions of dollars and the right to remain Tampa Bay’s quarterback in 2020.

Two measly games.

But when Winston tossed those six interceptions at home against the Texans and Falcons, the Bucs were done at 7-9 instead of finishing 9-7 with a 6-game winning streak. Less than three months later, Tom Brady sauntered down from Door No. 2 and into the hearts of Buc Nation.

The Replacement

If the Bucs had won those two matchups, Winston would still be a starter in Tampa instead of a backup in New Orleans. It wasn’t easy for Bruce Arians to move on from Winston, but he had seen enough to know a change was needed.

He wasn’t sure Brady would ultimately choose One Buc Place as his next work destination, but Arians had come to a somber conclusion: Winston had lost the confidence of some of his teammates.

And why not?

The 2019 Bucs proved once again that football is a game of mistakes by leading the league in penalties and giveaways. An offense that averaged a whopping 398 yards per game — 50 more than the league average — couldn’t overcome a torrent of errors, both physical and mental.

So here comes Mr. Brady, the master of ball security. He’s here because Arians vowed recently, “If we don’t beat ourselves, I like our chances.”

Unforgivable Sins

For two decades with Brady leading the way, the Patriots rarely beat themselves. The more you look at Brady’s career arc, the more impressed you are with his aversion to interceptions.

For instance, a deep dive reveals that Brady has now gone 159 consecutive games without throwing more than two picks. Winston had issues going 159 snaps without being picked off four times.

The last time a Brady opponent walked away with at least three thefts came on Sept. 25, 2011, when the Patriots dropped a 34-31 decision at Buffalo. The Bills registered four interceptions against Brady that day, although he also threw four TD passes and New England couldn’t hold a 21-0 lead.

The Replaced

How long ago was that?

That was before Greg Schiano came to town, adjusting the thermostat at One Buc Place. Lavonte David was still leveling ball carriers at Nebraska and Arians was coaching up Ben Roethlisberger as offensive coordinator of the Steelers.

Arians can’t wait to see what might happen if the Bucs finish with a positive turnover ratio. That’s an exciting scenario to consider, given that NFL players voted four Bucs into the NFL’s Top 100, not including Rob Gronkowski and Jason Pierre-Paul.

Yes, a lot of talent was wasted in 2019 — and that’s an unforgivable sin.

Like Clint Eastwood in “Magnum Force,” Brady believes that “a man’s got to know his limitations.”

Confidence is a wonderful trait in sports, but common sense is even better. While Winston’s penchant for forced passes often led to turnovers, Brady plays the percentages. He’s not much of a risk-taker, unless you consider the cajones it takes for a 43-year-old man to face down pass rushers half his age.

There’s a reason Brady stands No. 4 on the all-time list of quarterbacks with the lowest interception rate. In case you were wondering, Winston holds down spot No. 89.

When the Bucs travel to New Orleans for the opener, Brady will be working on a streak of 18 consecutive games with one or zero interceptions. Under pressure, he’ll dump the ball off to a back or throw it away. He hates sacks … but he abhors interceptions.

With less than a month remaining before the season opener, he’s already thinking about ways to carve up a solid Saints defense. He’s also thinking about giving the Bucs a commodity they didn’t have for much of last season.

A fighting chance.

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Ira Kaufman’s column is presented by Bill Currie Ford. Click on Ira to visit BillCurrieFord.com.