Byron Leftwich: Opponents Gave Bucs Champion Treatment Last Season
September 4th, 2021
Byron Leftwich hugs The Goat.
Sage wisdom here from Bucs offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich.
A common refrain from NFL types and analysts is, ”Oooh, the Bucs will get every team’s very best shot this season after winning the Super Bowl. They better be ready.”
Joe counters with, “Really, what opponent’s defense wasn’t doing everything in its power to punish/stop Tom Brady last season? Every defensive player in the NFL wants a pick or a hit on Brady. And which quarterback wasn’t trying his best to expose the Bucs’ young secondary and put a win against Brady on his resumé?”
The moment the Bucs signed Brady and Rob Gronkowski the team became the most hyped in the NFL and effectively tattooed a target on its back.
Leftwich was asked about being the ultimate hunted team this season, and he responded brilliantly.
“It was here before we won [the Super Bowl], to be honest with you,” Leftwich said. “I believe it started last year. I think we got everybody’s best shot last year before we were able to prove what we were as a team.”
The third-year coordinator noted the Bucs’ big-name additions in 2020 and explained that the Bucs were talked about daily across the media whether they were good or bad last season. And Leftwich said he knows the response that generates in NFL locker rooms.
Might the Bucs get a little more fire from opponents this season? Sure. But it’s not going to be significant, Joe believes, so no huge adjustment required by Bucs players.
September 4th, 2021 at 3:59 pm
This team has an aura now after winning it & bringing everyone back. They earned it & it can only help
September 4th, 2021 at 4:34 pm
That aura you see is side of effect of your meds pete
September 4th, 2021 at 4:59 pm
🙂 🙂 good one.
September 4th, 2021 at 5:27 pm
Pete seeing tracers. Ease up on the meds.
September 4th, 2021 at 5:33 pm
Double rainbows 🌈🌈
September 4th, 2021 at 5:34 pm
BL and Tom looks genuine in just a year working together. Awesome.
September 4th, 2021 at 5:59 pm
Everyone wanted to beat Brady and Brady’s team last year. So in that sense, I think Lefty is right. We did have a target on us. Certainly, the target is bigger this year, I’d think, as the SB champion. But it won’t be as if everyone took Brady and the Bucs for granted, and they weren’t prepared to play us.
September 4th, 2021 at 6:25 pm
I suspect the younger Bucs have gained a huge amount of knowledge from the core group of outstanding vets. This team should be solid across the board and other teams will have to play lights out to beat us. The ball can take funny bounces but the blend of talent, experience and coaching will take the Bucs to the playoffs and SB. Only injuries or illness can derail this team.
September 4th, 2021 at 6:47 pm
If this Defense can come close to the level of the 1999-2002 Defense, and it is possible…wow. Because we already know the Offense is much more talented than any other Bucs offense has ever been.
September 4th, 2021 at 8:59 pm
Well hey, if you’re getting a trick play from the Ain’ts then you’re getting a teams best. The only team that didn’t give their best was Detroit. Tom had to tell them “Do the best of someone better” kinda what he told our last 8 opponents.
September 4th, 2021 at 9:08 pm
Just think if Infamous Jameis was still here most of the teams wouldn’t have been painting targets on us, they’d already been checking boxes, as if they had a good chance at beating us. Except Detroit that is! The difference what that one man Brady did for this team. Not only did he change our culture he changed how teams had to plan for us and to have doubts at least being able to win except maybe Nawleans 😉
September 4th, 2021 at 9:27 pm
All I can say is all 17 of our regular season opponents are seriously sweating those games, -OR- they have already written them off as losses(probably the worst case for us)
Protect TB12! And stay healthy!
I anticipate a little headhunting from opposing teams this year.
Hopefully the refs are ready and willing to flag that chit!
Too little too late but I hope the NFL levies seriously stiff fines as well.
September 4th, 2021 at 9:52 pm
We may have a target on our backs but we’re still not getting much respect from the omnipotent writers.
What a bunch of BS.
Brian Baldinger:
Chiefs over Buccaneers. With the sting of last year’s Super Bowl loss still weighing heavy, Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes and Co. are on a mission. They blaze through the postseason and exact revenge on Tom Brady’s Bucs on the game’s biggest stage. This time, the Chiefs’ overhauled offensive line proves to be the difference.
Judy Battista: Chiefs over Packers. Aaron Rodgers finally gets back to the Super Bowl, but in a high-scoring game, the Packers can’t overcome a rebuilt offensive line protecting Patrick Mahomes.
Jeremy Bergman: Chiefs over Packers. This Super Bowl I rematch (same teams, same locale) will rival Eagles-Patriots for highest-scoring title game, with Patrick Mahomes running to the end zone — not for his life — capturing his second Lombardi in three tries.
Gil Brandt: Chiefs over Buccaneers. Unlike last year, Patrick Mahomes will be fully healthy and well protected. With an improved defense, too, the Chiefs avenge their Super Bowl LV loss to the Bucs.
Chase Goodbread: Chiefs over Rams. In his third straight trip to the big one, Patrick Mahomes gets the pass protection he didn’t get against the Bucs last year. It’ll take a shootout to beat Matt Stafford.
DeAngelo Hall: Chiefs over Buccaneers. We get a repeat of the league’s top two teams. This time, Patrick Mahomes takes down the G.O.A.T. behind a revamped offensive line, avenging last year’s Super Bowl loss.
Dan Hanzus: Chiefs over Rams. The pairing of Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford proves to be a smashing success, but even an excellent Rams defense cannot figure out Patrick Mahomes, who follows up his second NFL MVP award with another Super Bowl MVP.
Shaun O’Hara: Chiefs over Packers. Mahomes torches the AFC once again and gets a better performance from his offensive line to steal another Lombardi from Titletown, while Rodgers has another stellar postseason only to see his defense fail him again. His future is in Jeopardy!
Scott Pioli: Chiefs over Buccaneers. The Chiefs are still the most talented and fastest team in the league. They won’t allow the Bucs to get the best of them two years in a row.
Chad Reuter: Chiefs over Packers. This is a rematch of Super Bowl I, which was also played in Los Angeles. Both teams will “matriculate the ball down the field” to honor the late Hank Stram, but this time, the Chiefs come out on top.
Marc Ross: Chiefs over Buccaneers. The Chiefs and Bucs become only the second pairing in NFL history to face off in back-to-back Super Bowls, joining the Cowboys and Bills (Super Bowls XXVII and XXVIII). Behind his revamped and rejuvenated offensive line, Mahomes adds to his résumé and takes top-dog status from TB12.
September 4th, 2021 at 10:50 pm
Byron Leftwich: Opponents Gave Bucs Champion Treatment Last Season……
This statement by BL is the “Elephant in the room” that the media chooses not to look at.
The Bucs are scary good.
GO BIG BAD AZZ WORLD CHAMPION BUCS!!!!!!!
September 5th, 2021 at 6:50 am
Nice job Doosh!
September 5th, 2021 at 6:56 am
We still have to earn it ….
We gotta be hungary….
We gotta want it more than they do….
September 5th, 2021 at 8:40 am
I love being targeted. Just bring’s out the best in me. Embrace it and kick butt. GO BUCS!
September 5th, 2021 at 9:30 am
They all sound just like they did last year which sucks but it’s fine. The Bucs will never be the darlings of the NFL even with the greatest farm animal that ever lived. I hope that come Super Bowl time the Bucs are riding a 27 game win streak coming fresh off a bye and them clowns are still picking the Chiefs and their vaunted improved line so they can choke on their own words.
September 5th, 2021 at 9:43 am
It’s going to be a GREAT YEAR!!!! Let the CANNON FIRE begin!!!!