Is It Tom Brady’s Offense Or Bruce Arians’ Offense (An Updated Look)
September 30th, 2021
Who is copying who?
Bucs Super Bowl-winning coach Bucco Bruce Arians had a smile when he had relayed to him what Tom Brady’s old coach had to say about the Tampa Bay offense.
As Joey Knight of the Tampa Bay Times points out, Patriots coach Bill Belicheat said the Bucs offense that Brady is running is “100 percent” the same offense Brady ran in New England.
Speaking to reporters during his weekly news conference, Brady’s former longtime boss said Tampa Bay’s current offense “totally” bears Brady’s imprint.
“It’s the offense he’s run his whole career,” said Belichick, who coached Brady his first two decades in the NFL.
“Well, I mean, as it evolved here. The running game is the running game. The running game’s different, but the passing game’s the passing game. It’s pretty similar. I mean, you could call almost every play, from the flare control to the protection, similar to the way we do it.”
When Arians heard this, he smiled and seemed to suggest New England’s offense bears a resemblance to what he has run for years in Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, Arizona and Tampa Bay.
So Arians all but said, yeah, both offenses should look similar.
“I think they copied a lot of ours so it’s probably the same,” Arians said with a cat-ate-the-canary smirk.
“Ask them which film they watch every week. They always picked ours up and watched it, so it’s the same stuff.”
Now that’s the way to get people off this Belicheat-Brady storyline rut. Arians just threw gamesmanship in there to spice things up.
Look, Joe doesn’t care what the hell offense Brady is using. Whatever it is, it’s working. The Bucs are tied with Arizona for the highest-scoring offense in the league.
Don’t fix what is not broken.
Bruce Arians was asked about Bill Belichick’s remarks that the Bucs’ offense is the same “offense [Brady’s] run his whole career.”
“I think they copied a lot of ours,” Arians said. pic.twitter.com/6Eb8iRkU3w
— JennaLaineESPN (@JennaLaineESPN) September 29, 2021
September 30th, 2021 at 6:55 am
If we continued to run Arians offense, Brady would’ve gotten killed last season with 7 step drops. Chuck n’ Duck offense smh
September 30th, 2021 at 6:55 am
I love it. Ok so you know what we’re doing, fine now stop us
Go Bucs
September 30th, 2021 at 7:13 am
What Rico210 said.
Can the Patriots stuff our running game so thoroughly that we give up on play-action passes? The Rams managed it.
September 30th, 2021 at 7:17 am
I loved that response from Arians. Perfect!
Gotta say though, this doesn’t look like the same offense to me. Sometimes, you see the Pats Tom show up, but certainly not 100%, Bill is playing head games here with tgem, and Bruce handled it perfectly.
September 30th, 2021 at 7:25 am
Patrianakos, I think it’s more, can we get our run game going. Lots to be desired. Not gonna blame certain players but the offense must get better with running the ball. Play- action will be there though.
Go Bucs
September 30th, 2021 at 7:27 am
If it’s the same offense, why did Brady struggle with it for half of a season last year? Concepts? Deep first in Tampa, take what you are given in new England? It shouldn’t take 10 weeks for a quarterback with Brady’s abilities eight weeks to acclimate to that, should it? Something is not jiving, here.
September 30th, 2021 at 7:30 am
If you listen to the players all the playbooks are almost the same . Only so many ways to call a fade it’s all in how they dress it up
September 30th, 2021 at 7:31 am
It’s not the same offense if Brady isn’t in it……
You get the run game going after you burn them with the pass a few times.
September 30th, 2021 at 7:32 am
Simple minded people all teams run the same plays just different terminology. Some offenses are limited because of personnel for example not having a burner. Or not having a QB who can make certain throws all these things affect play calling.
September 30th, 2021 at 7:34 am
Patrianakos Says:
September 30th, 2021 at 7:13 am
What Rico210 said.
Can the Patriots stuff our running game so thoroughly that we give up on play-action passes? The Rams managed it.
No the rams didn’t we ran play action all gm. Play action has been proven to work without a run gm old myth.
September 30th, 2021 at 7:40 am
Don’t care who’s offense it is. Just STOP RUNNING IT UP THE GUT on first down 75% of the time. Set up the run with the pass!!!!!!
September 30th, 2021 at 7:42 am
Brady gradually increased his use of the plays he likes–whatever their origin. I think this will continue, as he overcomes, for example, BA’s aversion to Gio.
September 30th, 2021 at 7:47 am
I’ve been a career Brady fan, so after reading all the comments I can assume that our Southern border is closed (sarcasm)! If Tommy Boy is actually running NE’s offense, we could be in for one hell of a fight. Josh is the OC in NE, not Bilichick. Bilichick is a defensive Guru. And a very good one. Can’t wait till Sunday night.
September 30th, 2021 at 7:48 am
Bucs need to abandon the run on most 1st downs. We are a passing offense not a running offense. Save the run game until we are up by 2 touchdowns.
September 30th, 2021 at 7:50 am
No doubt when Brady checks off he goes into subliminal memory mode and runs plays he is most comfortable with. Why else did Bucs pick up Gio. Now who is going to run Pat’s offense better Brady or Jones, easy answer. The biggest issue I see is if Gronk can’t play, not necessarily for receiving but Bucs lose the protection he brings.
September 30th, 2021 at 7:59 am
I think Belicheat dares the Bucs to run, ignores the Play-action and plays coverage. (like they did against the Titans in Brady’s last game as a Pat)
Our D will keep this one close – when you can’t rush the passer or cover anyone…every game we play will be close and high scoring.
Go Bucs!
September 30th, 2021 at 8:37 am
When has anything said by Belichick in a news conference been the whole truth and nothing but the truth. He’s all about chatter and misdirection.
If Tampa’s system was the Patriot system why did it take Brady so long to the 9th game to really start winning.
All teams know each other, but it’s the nuisances in each play that can misguide the opposition team into thinking it’s somethings that it’s not.
It’s all that experience and the Tom Brady’s mental toughness that makes him so great. I would always pick a Tom Brady over any gifted athletes like the Mahomes and Rodgers. It’s that inner never quit mentality of Tom Brady that makes him the GOAT.
September 30th, 2021 at 8:42 am
To some fans, if something does not work in the offense, it is BA or BL’s fault – never Brady or never most of the other players (except OJ).
If it works, it seems like 90 percent of the credit goes to Brady.
I love Brady the most on this team but this absurdity that it is Tom Brady installing the plays and making all the calls is just crazy.
I think as Aaron Rodgers just said, when it gets down to two minute drills maybe the coach is calling a play here or there but it is the quarterback that is taking the controls at that point and making most of the calls.
This high scoring offense is working and I give everyone credit.
September 30th, 2021 at 8:43 am
I think the defense will already have some improvement, just because of sherman’s arrival. And Patriots offense is really bad. With the way TB will want to crush belichick, this should be a blowout
September 30th, 2021 at 8:43 am
Forgot to say that AB will likely want to crush the Patriots too, because of his release…
September 30th, 2021 at 8:46 am
Geno, is the lack of creativity and success in the running game Brady’s doing? I don’t see a lot of play action.
September 30th, 2021 at 8:46 am
It’s hard for me to belive the Bucs offense is 100% identical to the Patriot’s.
There might be similar concepts implemented for Brady but the scheme is BA’s.
September 30th, 2021 at 8:48 am
The patriots will force the run. So run it. Just don’t fumble. Belidope will do anything to keep this low scoring.
September 30th, 2021 at 9:17 am
The giveaway is in what BA said “ask them what plays they’re watching the most every week”. Of course he has first hand knowledge of who the pats study because Brady told him.
September 30th, 2021 at 9:23 am
Its leftwich offense.. hes calling the plays for the stud receivers that brady is blessed to have…
Patriots offense sux cuz its McDitz.. who is kinda slow getting guys to develop in his system.
Result this week is gonna be more about the defense.. and the “intel” , as to whether it pays off schemewise .. or do the players just dictate who the playoff team is …
September 30th, 2021 at 9:27 am
The bucs do not run it up the middle on 75% of 1st downs. Just because you say something over and over and over again does not make it true especially when the FACTS state something totally different. But I know, we live in an era where corona virus is a hoax and the election was stolen while the FACTS state other wise.
September 30th, 2021 at 10:31 am
I can’t understand the reluctance to give credit where it’s due. Aside from the fact that a slant is a slant whether in TB or NE, this is as much “Tom Brady’s offense” as it is BA’s or BL’s.
Fans blame BL when it doesn’t work and heap praise on Brady when it does. It goes both ways.
It’s the “Tampa Bay” offense! There, I fixed it!
September 30th, 2021 at 11:30 am
Ben’s sources paint a different picture. Y’all think Brady and BA have this love affair. It couldn’t be further from the truth. Ben was told the first two series are BA, then Brady takes over everything. It maybe the reason y’all are seeing two offenses. The relationship isn’t great from what I’m told. Brady doesn’t respect Arians the way he did Bill. Instead of a help, I think BA is actually hindering a Superbowl team. Think about it, penalties, lack of effort, guys out of position. That’s all coaching
September 30th, 2021 at 11:33 am
Anything Brady says in support of Arians, is just another way of needling Bill. Brady thinks he’s a boob
September 30th, 2021 at 11:46 am
So what is the factual % of runs up the middle webster?
75% seems pretty close.
September 30th, 2021 at 12:26 pm
As i said Doosh just because you say something over and over again does not make it true. And just because you think something “seem” some way definitely does not make it true. The bucs had a total of 36 1st down plays against the rams and ran it on first down 6 times. Against the falcons, the bucs had a total of 29 1st down plays and ran it 9 times on first down. Mind you, as the play by play log pointed out some of theses runs were off tackle which is “not up the middle” but I will give you the benefit of the doubt and say all the 1st down runs were up the middle. That still does not equate to the lies you idiots spew. 36 first downs and you only run 6 times is not 75% or even seems like it. 29 first downs and you only run 9 times is not 75% or even seems like it. I didnt do the dallas games because it would just be repetitive at this point. BL calling 75% up the middle running plays on 1st down is a hoax!!!!
September 30th, 2021 at 12:43 pm
Why not. In Dallas, the bucs had 34 1st down plays and ran the ball 11 times on 1st down. Let me remind you some of these runs were off tackle according to the play by play log but I will give you the benefit of the doubt and say every 1st down run was up the middle. So for the uneducated, the bucs have had 100 first down plays in three games and have ran the ball on first down 26 times. That is 26%. Thats a far cry from 75%, seems like it, and “all the time.” Stop the BS narrative and educate yourself.
September 30th, 2021 at 12:48 pm
The 75% you clowns are talking about is the fact the bucs throw 75% on first down. You had your 75% figure wrong or should I say alternative facts.
September 30th, 2021 at 5:23 pm
I bet they all sorta look like John Elway’s Team Quarterback from the 1980’s.
September 30th, 2021 at 8:13 pm
Appreciate all your hard work webster, but I’m doubting your numbers.
NFL.com states the Bucs have had 72 first downs.
Please educate us idiots.
October 1st, 2021 at 10:08 am
AlabamaBucsFan Says:
September 30th, 2021 at 7:48 am
Bucs need to abandon the run on most 1st downs. We are a passing offense not a running offense. Save the run game until we are up by 2 touchdowns.
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We won eight straight down the stretch last season doing exactly the opposite and went 7-5 in the first 12 doing what you said. You obviously don’t know football at all.