Why Did Tom Brady Play Checkdown Charlie?
November 14th, 2021
Few longballs.
Dave Moore was wondering what was going on.
The game analyst and former Bucs player heard on the Buccaneers Radio Network, couldn’t believe how the Bucs were loath to test the Washington secondary deep. Bucs quarterback Tom Brady was mostly content targeting running back Leonard Fournette (who led the team with nine targets).
A running back leading the team in targets? And it’s not like Playoff Lenny is Roger Craig.
Moore speculated that Washington was disguising coverages, which may have been fooling Brady, or if Brady was hurt? Several times Moore noted Mike Evans and Cam Brate were open downfield but Brady instead threw short.
Of course, just after Moore spoke about this, Brady connected with Evans on a 40-yard touchdown. But given how rotten WTF’s secondary is, Moore was confused why Brady (or offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich) was not testing Washington deep more often.
Joe would like to know, too. That’s the most Playoff Lenny has been targeted since he joined the Bucs. And only twice since he was drafted by the Jags in 2017 has Playoff Lenny had more targets than today. And it wasn’t like the Jags had Mike Evans and/or Chris Godwin on their roster.
November 14th, 2021 at 5:08 pm
Where are all these idiots that have been saying be have depth.
That our depth is the best. ?
Where are you.
November 14th, 2021 at 5:10 pm
Brady getting blasted by Washington s front all day long. Our oline got handled in a very bad way too. That is Brady’s archilles heal. He was rattled and maybe even concussed after an early first quarter sack.
November 14th, 2021 at 5:10 pm
He’s been playing scared for weeks.
This team is dunzo.
November 14th, 2021 at 5:12 pm
With this L assuming they win their division it’s looking more like the 3rd or 4th seed at best. Too many injuries and this coaching staff is brutal. I can really see them losing next week at home to the giants if they don’t fix their problems.
November 14th, 2021 at 5:14 pm
This should be a wake up call for Arians & Leftwich.
Fournette is not a bad runner, he’s just a rather average NFL starting RB. He does some good things, nothing great. His vision is very limited, he has decent but not outstanding strength, relatively little wiggle, average balance, good at pass blocking, but not so good at catching passes. RBs on teams with good QBs tend to have very good YPC numbers at the teams go light on personnel and play their safeties deep, yet Fournette has very mediocre YPC numbers.
You lean on Fournette late in the game, when you have a lead and want to kill minutes. Do not try making him a focal point.
November 14th, 2021 at 5:17 pm
Maybe you guys were dozing off, but did you notice how long it took Brady to get rid of the ball? The receivers weren’t getting separation, and the Bucs did nothing in their game plan to get them open.
November 14th, 2021 at 5:18 pm
AB and Gronk going down definitely throws wrench In your plans, but you’ve had more than enough time to make adjustments. Brady has been bombing the ball since after the bye last year. I too was wondering why he was throwing dunk and dimes.
NY has a way worse defensive front so hopefully he plays alot more comfortable.
November 14th, 2021 at 5:18 pm
Please don’t lose to the Giants. I hate them almost as bad as Dallas.
November 14th, 2021 at 5:19 pm
could this be the beginning of ” aging” of Brady.. there’s NO spark…
November 14th, 2021 at 5:20 pm
Godwin was playing hurt so Brady’s only deep ball threat was Evans. He’s not comfortable yet with Perriman. Hopefully Scotty is back soon.
November 14th, 2021 at 5:21 pm
Brady had his fastball, we saw it twice today. It isn’t the arm, it’s the unimaginative game planning and play calls.
November 14th, 2021 at 5:22 pm
Brady was dog SH*T today — but we made up for his bad day by not tackling on 3rd down before the sticks and the Redskins didn’t pressure consistently so whatever the game the dumbass above was watching —- Brady was throwing to Lenny with no one around him — this L is on the Goat.
November 14th, 2021 at 5:24 pm
When the bucs go up against a talented line, that’s also well coached, they struggle. I thought y’all lauded the fact that Brady throws deep all the time. His bread and butter has always been the short, quick passing game. I bet they came in with a plan to throw it all over the yard. Brady isn’t infallible, and can get sped up like any other schmo.
November 14th, 2021 at 5:28 pm
No one is fooling Brady. He is seeing ghost pressure.
November 14th, 2021 at 5:29 pm
Because teams are playing them over the top and forcing them to sustain drives and move the ball down the field. Exact same reason Pat Mahomes is struggling this season.
November 14th, 2021 at 5:29 pm
19 plays over 10 minutes, the final drive that shoved the ball
down the Todd Bowles defenses’ throat to close the game out is what y’all ought to be focused on. Brady had 2 picks in the first 10 minutes. Of course he wasn’t gonna go out there slinging it all over the field like normal. 3 hall of famers sitting at home for most of the year. Wildcard at best
November 14th, 2021 at 5:30 pm
Perhaps the deterioration of 12 is underway? Two terrible weeks in a row.
November 14th, 2021 at 5:35 pm
Agree completely with so many that have said he is seeing ghosts – he also had several good throws plainly dropped starting with Lenny – Tyler dropped a huge third down throw – the fumble by the rookie – that was NOT a pick
Just an ugly, penalty filled, turnover losing mid season when do AB and GRonk come back Sunday
November 14th, 2021 at 5:40 pm
Teams don’t have to play them over the top, Waterboy. The only real threat this week was Evans, defenses can use bracket coverage to take him out. WFT knew Perriman would only serve as a decoy, he hasn’t had time to establish chemistry with Brady. The rest of the receivers are guys who get open and look good when AB, Gronk and Godwin are all at full strength.
Again, Brady can dump off the ball in less than 2.5 seconds on a check down, but that wasn’t happening. All to often he waited with the ball, keeping his vision downfield, then being forced into a short pass when the pass protection began to collapse. That’s on the receivers.
November 14th, 2021 at 5:41 pm
I don’t have a problem with Brady in short passing mode. That is how he played frequently, if not on most Sundays, with NE. The difference is he had good coaches to make it work, and reliable slot WRs and pass catching backs specifically for that style.
He doesn’t have that now, plus the injuries, no Gronk, no AB, and what appear to be an attitude problem team-wide, including 12 himself. Whatever is up with that had better be fixed. He’s not physically done at all. He was looking like MVP two weeks ago, so it’s something else.
November 14th, 2021 at 5:42 pm
For those that think disguised coverages are the problem…..are you seriously suggesting that no defensive coordinator in this league has tried to disguise a coverage against Tom Brady for 22 years?
If this was a younger QB, maybe you can make the case that he’s confused by coverages. But a guy who was played for 22 years and won 7 Super Bowls? Sorry. But don’t buy that excuse. It’s something else.
November 14th, 2021 at 5:53 pm
Wait! Jack Del Rio disguised coverages that confused the greatest QB of all time…
But our guy can’t dial up a blitz or scheme up a coverage to confuse Taylor Heineke?
November 14th, 2021 at 5:57 pm
I think this is all in BL’s poor game planning and play calling. I rememeber when Brady only has Edelman as his only reliable receiver in NE they still beat good teams. Edelaman can still get open with 3 defenders riding his back. BL has no match compared to Josh McDaniels play calling ability. Look at the Patriots right now.
November 14th, 2021 at 6:02 pm
The person that wrote bracket coverage knows football, he or she is 100% correct. Brady held the ball longer because he was looking downfield. Evan’s was bracketed and the other wr are green. Brady is probably helpless without quality receivers. Obviously Godwin was impared.
November 14th, 2021 at 6:21 pm
Black Mike Shula sucked as bad as White Mike Shula.
November 14th, 2021 at 9:13 pm
tom sacked just once and played scared all tru out the game.
worst game of the season
November 14th, 2021 at 10:01 pm
I think Brady is hurt. He has not been the same since he hurt his thumb against Miami. I think the injury is worse than has been reported and he is trying to play through it.
November 14th, 2021 at 10:49 pm
Our stale predictable offense wants to throw deep every play, do we run any quick man beaters? No, do we run cruising routes? Not after Evans couldn’t be bothered to look for the ball. Does anyone sit down in soft zones? No. We rely on Gronk and AB to run the real routes that makes this offense go. Evans is a go route at this point in this offense, they only use Godwin on screens and slants, and nobody else is really part of the game plan. So what’s left when they cover the slant and go route. Drop it off to the RB. I haven’t seen any of the plays other teams destroy us with that scheme players open. I watched Heinike go what was it 23-26 and maybe throw 3 contested passes all game, which also says something about it defense. Fact is Washington will likely get rolled but 2 touchdowns next week and I don’t even know who they are playing. That is not a good team we lost to. I could live with the Rams loss and the saints always give us trouble, but coming off a bye and we just sh@t the bed on this one to a team that likely has a top 10 pick next year.