“Most Of His Teammates Won’t Know What To Expect”

June 11th, 2020

Remember when the Bucs won four consecutive games last season?

It was fun and relieving, but they didn’t beat a team with a winning record in that stretch.

The Bucs were eliminated from the postseason with three games to play and were an afterthought NFL team nearly all year. That’s what happens when you haven’t been in the playoffs in over a decade and you open your season 2-6.

Bill Belicheat and Tom Brady operate in a very different universe. Brady hasn’t lost less than 10 games as a starting quarterback — ever.

Former Belicheat advisor (2014-2016) and ex-Browns GM Michael Lombard detailed for the struggling TheAthletic.com that Brady’s new teammates have no idea what’s in store for them as a “hunted” club, this year’s hype darling every opponent will get up to play.

He explained that Brady has lived that nearly his entire career but most of his new Bucs brethren are entering unfamiliar and more difficult territory.

…  Brady has been the “hunted one” for most of his career. He loves the challenge; he relishes the role. However, most of his teammates won’t know what to expect. Playing the Lions in Week 15 on the road last year was no big deal — now every game is a big deal. The games are much different — more physical, more competitive and having a greater sense of urgency. When playing on a team that is “hunted,” each player must bring his A-game or they won’t last. Brady needs to trust his teammates’ preparation. He will need to trust their ability to mature and take every game with great seriousness, not just the ones on national television. He will need to trust they can raise their level of play if they want to win more than seven games. That’s going to be hard for him. Trust is not easy for him to give away, especially without many practice days.

On the trust front, Lombardi explained Brady is obsessed with it, which could shape the Bucs’ roster.

Meanwhile, Brady would pass on the biscuit. He is risk-averse. Brady hates being sacked or giving away yards as a result of holding the ball. He wouldn’t go for the green in two on a par 5 unless the odds were entirely in his favor. That does not make him wrong or inferior; it’s part of why Brady has been incredibly successful. Brady is not a risk-seeker with the ball. He is surgical, precise and deliberate. Brady is meticulous with his methods, and he relies on trusting the players he is playing with to know exactly where to be at all times. Route location, route running and route perfection are critical, and trust is essential to Brady and hard to earn. If Brady lacks trust in a player, there is a good chance that player won’t get the ball — even if he is open. Brady needs trust and precision to be at his best. He counts on everyone knowing their assignments and doing their jobs.

What a great opportunity for some young Bucs pass catchers. If Brady likes and trusts you, then you will play. Period. If not, expect to be traded. There won’t be time for games or nonsense when the Bucs finally return to work. Heck, Justin Watson could catch 55 balls this year.

As for the Bucs needing to raise their collective play because every snap will be bigger this season, Joe agrees with Lombardi.

Are they up for it?

22 Responses to ““Most Of His Teammates Won’t Know What To Expect””

  1. TheBucsAnthem Says:

    ……….well atleast he won’t be giving away the biscuit like Jameis Winston did for the past five years 🙁

  2. El Buco Realisto Says:

    The supposively of the defense “turning the corner” is being exposed!!!!!!!!! Now that some are just now starting to look closer at the soft schedule and backup qb’s that the Bucs played at the end of the season!!!!!!!!!!! Though, they could have known months ago, if they chose to pay attention!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Its time for the “Realist Repost”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    El Buco Realisto Says:
    January 30th, 2020 at 2:40 pm
    It’s funny to see the sheep think that it all came together and will build till next year!!!!!! Some need To go back and see who they actually beat!!!!!!!!! One win, and one loss against Matt Ryan and three wins against back up QB’s, is what all their false optimism is built on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    The truth will be exposed!!!!!!!! But the “real” fans already know and will not buy tickets to witness the losses!!!!!!!!!!

    How long does it take for the “win now” coach to start winning????????

  3. TheBucsAnthem Says:

    @ El Buco Realisto

    eh?

    Is that english you just posted above???? ^^^^^^^^^^^

  4. Blogtalkfootball.com Says:

    TheBucsAnthem,
    Supposively, it is English.

  5. Leighroy Says:

    How long does it take the El wacko to find his own posts?

  6. DBS Says:

    What makes him think anyone wants to see them anyway?

  7. El Buco Realisto Says:

    @thebucsanthem

    No, its not!!!!!!! It is something you will never understand!!!!!!!!!! Its called the Truth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Its 9:33 am TheBucsAnthem!!!!!!!! That means I just told you what time it is, for the second time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    go bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  8. geno711 Says:

    Good to see less of the haters on this site.
    There seems to be one left. He has posted 5,000 to 20,000 comments and I don’t know if over half or right or half or wrong.

    It is just absurd that we have to be put through another 20,000 comments about sheep. Here is hoping that hater will leave as well.

  9. Jason Says:

    Ok Realisto. That last one was actually funny. Fact of the matter is, just like Kobe Faker you actually make some very valid points.

  10. Va buc Says:

    Lombardi is a joke always has been always will be.

  11. TOM Says:

    As Brady goes so goes the Bucs. I think if anything happened to Brady (God forbid) I would rather see Ryan #2.

  12. Hawk Says:

    I don’t see a way to send you a correction privately, so…
    ” Brady hasn’t lost less than 10 games as a starting quarterback — ever.”
    We don’t want this Brady. We want to other one. lol

  13. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    I suspect the big difference between Winston & Brady will be the decision making on the field….
    If a deep pass was called…..Winston apparently was intent on carrying it out….holding the ball and eventually either getting sacked or winging it…..open receiver or not.

    With Brady, I suspect he will consider the pass very briefly and then immediately go to the open receiver thus abandoning the playcall….

    But the net effect should be fewer turnovers…..shorter but more completions.

  14. Jim Says:

    “Brady hasn’t lost less than 10 games as a starting quarterback — ever.” ????

  15. Ship Thief Says:

    But he makes INvalid exclamation points…

  16. stpetebucsfan Says:

    If you play or watch tennis you can see that some guys love winning with a power game others with a finesse placement game and of course the superstars can do both.

    I think in his day Brady could do both, thankfully at 43 he won’t need to be a superhero for this team. He simply needs to be the surgeon. He won’t be bludgeoning opponents he’ll be carving them into little pieces.

    JW could bludgeon with the best of them.as a surgeon he was guilty of malpractice.

  17. Jean Lafitte Says:

    That was a right on assessment of Brady. He’s is the poster child for methodical consistency. He takes what the defense gives him, whether it’s 5 yards at a time or 15 yards at a time but he keeps the chains moving without risking taking to many body hits.

  18. Jean Lafitte Says:

    SPBF, you nailed it brother!

  19. Craig Says:

    His team mates will not know what to expect? They play football, how could they not know what to expect?

    The main point is that none of them will want to be the first to let Brady down. They will all bring their A game.

    If it starts slow, that is what Gronk and Evans are for. By week three Godwin on a slant will go all day.

    Week 4 might be crossing patterns with Godwin and Miller, or Godwin and Johnson, or Miller and Johnson.

    The permutations of what this offense can do are mind boggling.

  20. Knuckle Sandwich Delivery Service Says:

    Lost less than ten games….

    Yeah that line sucked out loud. Proofreading is your friend Joe.

  21. Knuckle Sandwich Delivery Service Says:

    Jerry Jones ran off all of the haters with one string of posts and a challenge in front of Ray Jay. To think we had to suffer that aggravation when all we needed was Jerry Jones to go public.

    Thank you Jerry.

  22. Crack3rK Says:

    @Joe writes: Brady hasn’t lost less than 10 games as a starting quarterback — ever.

    lost = won?