“Strategically Two To Three Steps Ahead Of Everybody Else”
February 3rd, 2022
A reasoned and seasoned former Tom Brady Buccaneers teammate reflected on his time with The Goat this week.
It’s the offseason, which means Joe listens to sports radio all day, and that’s where Joe found Drew Stanton chatting on Arizona sports radio. The former backup quarterback to Carson Palmer, Andrew Luck and Matthew Stafford spent six weeks with the Bucs last season as their emergency COVID quarterback.
And in those six weeks, Stanton was blown away by Brady.
“Most guys that are legends that are quarterbacks are usually one step ahead of everybody else. But when I got down there and saw that Tom was strategically two to three steps ahead of everybody else, it made me realize, you know, just how good he was at doing his job of getting everything set up the way he wanted,” Stanton said.
“And it wasn’t just on the field, it was in the locker room, it was dealing with the media, it was gathering the troops and the preparation. … And then when we got to that final two-week stretch … to get ready for the Super Bowl. It was as if he even took it to another level … and just said, ‘Hey guys, follow me and we’ll get it done.’ And sure enough we did.”
Stanton marveled at how Brady “didn’t let things slip through the cracks” and never got distracted. He also talked about how Brady’s freedom within the offense was a key to success, so he could use his vast knowledge and react to pre-snap looks from defenses.
Yeah, Joe will get over the Brady retirement eventually. But hearing comments like this really make Joe wonder how the Bucs will come close to replacing everything that Brady was and meant next season.
February 3rd, 2022 at 12:55 pm
We will not come close to replacing what Beady meant. We will need to become a more complete team, run the ball better and play better defense and special teams.
February 3rd, 2022 at 12:57 pm
I thought it would last forever but he is gone.
February 3rd, 2022 at 1:01 pm
No need to wonder that Joe. You cant replace Brady and everything that he brought to the team. You cant. Different team next year in many ways. The last 2 years was fun for us Bucs fans, we needed them no doubt. But Brady will be missed for what he meant on and off the field.
February 3rd, 2022 at 1:05 pm
Please, enough with the hero worship. He didn’t look very good against the Rams and now he’s gone. Let’s move forward.
February 3rd, 2022 at 1:07 pm
The worst part will be when they realize how much Brady covered up for bruce arians shortcomings. The coaches will be exposed for how sloppy they are, and how they do not put in the work.
February 3rd, 2022 at 1:08 pm
Proud Bucs Fan Says:
February 3rd, 2022 at 1:07 pm
Arians has been a winning HC without Brady, so this is nonsense.
February 3rd, 2022 at 1:14 pm
Hey Jon, are you in some way saying the loss to the Rams was Brady’s fault? He didn’t look good his last game in NE either. It was a reflection of what was around him. If Todd bowles knew how to gameplan and adjust, the outcome would’ve been much different. It was incredibly stupid to continue to blitz a QB who is torching you against the blitz. It made Brady job nearly impossible. Even the greats need good coaching. To suggest he got that in Tampa is laughable.
February 3rd, 2022 at 1:16 pm
From The GOAT to the Old Goat BA. Our Bizkits are at risk.
February 3rd, 2022 at 1:16 pm
What’s between the ears is more important than how gifted you are as an athlete.
Look at so many gifted athletes there are in just the NFL and yet TB outshines
them all.
February 3rd, 2022 at 1:18 pm
sasquatch, are you serious? You’re really defending ole ammonia brain?
February 3rd, 2022 at 1:21 pm
There is a reason why he went to 10 SB and won 7.
February 3rd, 2022 at 1:25 pm
I wonder what Tom said to Todd’s Bowels after he wrecked the Bucs comeback and pushed Brady into retirement?
February 3rd, 2022 at 1:29 pm
@sasquatch
And what year was that winning season without Brady again? It was sooooo long ago! 2015?
February 3rd, 2022 at 1:35 pm
‘Hearing comments like this really make Joe wonder how the Bucs will come close to replacing everything that Brady was and meant next season.’
Chances are we won’t come close next season to replacing what Brady meant to this team. How do you replace ‘THE GOAT’? You don’t; New England didn’t. But that doesn’t mean we have to roll over & play dead either.
Even IF we had Brady for 2022, we know that we won’t be the same team. Coaching staff looks to be intact, but we have too many holes to fill & there’s a good chance our starters & key rotational players won’t be as talented (we could likely lose several future Hall of Famers). And purportedly the Bucs have a much tougher schedule this year. Put it all together, and even with Tom Brady we’d probably be fortunate to go 10-7 to 11-6. PROBABLY good enough to win the NFC South & make the playoffs, but questionable how deep we’d go.
In any event, let’s let things play out & see what we end up with. We’ll probably have a number of players who MIGHT very well surprise everyone. Kind of an exciting time actually … time to reinvent ourself as needed.
February 3rd, 2022 at 1:40 pm
Brady was two steps ahead when he questioned HC interviews when coordinators should be preparing to win a playoff game. Team was built to this year! Injuries aside, we had a fighting chance. Rams game now getting me angrier. We got outcoached again.
February 3rd, 2022 at 1:43 pm
Swampbuc … ‘I wonder what Tom said to Todd’s Bowels after he wrecked the Bucs comeback and pushed Brady into retirement?’
You keep pushing that same tired whiny line for some reason. Give it a rest. Nobody ‘pushed’ Tom Brady into retirement; not Todd Bowles, not even Giselle. Sorry you seem to be so butt-hurt about HIS decision to move on with HIS life, but next time we’ll ask Tom to check with you first. I’m sure that he’ll oblige.
February 3rd, 2022 at 1:54 pm
BA’s a 2 time coach of the year.
February 3rd, 2022 at 1:55 pm
We will now find out the shortcomings of Lefty. not BA. I wonder if TB would ever consider being a coach or GM? Maybe he could come back part time as an advisor for Trask or any other of our QB’s?
February 3rd, 2022 at 1:57 pm
Brady was two steps ahead when he questioned HC interviews when coordinators should be preparing to win a playoff game. Team was built to this year! Injuries aside, we had a fighting chance. Rams game now getting me angrier. We got outcoached again.
February 3rd, 2022 at 1:58 pm
Bqen green Says:
February 3rd, 2022 at 1:18 pm
Yes. I don’t really understand the BA haters.
February 3rd, 2022 at 2:04 pm
I knew he was gone after the last game. Spitting blood and cursing at refs. He went out with fire.
What more could he give. Thanks TB!!!
back to the dumpster fire. He made this team and coaching staff, I would be surprised if BA does not retire as well.
TB and BL should be begging for head coaching and or other gigs, cause they will never look any better. I say TB as well because how’s he gonna blitz that much and win w/o TB there to always put up points. This whole squad will implode.
February 3rd, 2022 at 2:14 pm
Everyone is replaceable.
We will be in playoff next year.
February 3rd, 2022 at 2:21 pm
Well we are many who don´t understand BA haters…..even more…I don´t undr¡erstan Bowes haters….I know he mad a very bad call last play on LA´s game……but we need to look deeper than that….We´ve been a great defense since he got here….we were on top of may defensive stats…..
Some players became better players since Bowles coached them, that tells a lot…..
February 3rd, 2022 at 2:28 pm
Jon Jugrendooshbag sounds like a jealous loser with a tiny dick.
February 3rd, 2022 at 2:35 pm
Rams scored on 4 of their 1st 1/2 possessions and if Cam Akers doesn’t fumble at end of half it would’ve been 5 of 6 possessions Rams score – that’s terrible, unprepared Defense.
Bowles is a good coach but his interview distractions rendered the Bucs D pathetically unready for this game.
February 3rd, 2022 at 2:36 pm
Jimmy g will have alot of interest from bucs licht.
If licht can get godwin. Fournette. Cappa. Gio or rojo. And retool defense with draft ,We can be back to nfc champ…
February 3rd, 2022 at 2:36 pm
With jimmy g.
February 3rd, 2022 at 2:37 pm
Reading that makes me think we will be in better shape than the Patriots.
That puts us un the top half of the league.
Belicheat had Brady for 20 years, the entire system was built on Brady.
The Bucs system is based on an accurate passer, but not entirely on Brady.
On top of that Trask out-played Mac Jones the only time they played. The Gators lost because their team was way inferior to Bama’s. One more weapon, a better defense, and Trask would have buried the Tide.
February 3rd, 2022 at 2:43 pm
“Bqen green Says:
Hey Jon, are you in some way saying the loss to the Rams was Brady’s fault? He didn’t look good his last game in NE either.”
Hey Bqen. No, I’m just saying he didn’t look good, and maybe he did the smart thing and moved on. We should too, and stop with these hero worship articles focused on the past.
February 3rd, 2022 at 2:43 pm
If he’s so far ahead of everyone else, why didn’t he wait until after Feb 4th to get his FREE $15-million ‘signing bonus’, as reported by USA Today… LOL!
February 3rd, 2022 at 2:53 pm
the Bucs cannot replace Brady. If they go back to the ” NO Brains=No Biscuit” with Any QB–we will be lucky to win 7 games
February 3rd, 2022 at 2:58 pm
Nobody else has a Brady either. So calm down and turn your attention to other aspects of the game and with the Buccaneers moves should be. The sky is not falling.
February 3rd, 2022 at 2:59 pm
New England, in 2 years, are doing better than what most people expected. Mac Jones is no Brady, but you don’t have to be when Flacco and Dilfer have rings. There are other ways to win the Super Bowl. For most, it’s through defense. That should be our focus this offseason. Without that, Godwin, Jensen, and whoever is at QB won’t matter. With Brady, we had a balanced team. Most likely we’ll have to rely on the defense more post-Brady.
February 3rd, 2022 at 3:01 pm
He already earned that 15 million it didnt matter if he waited or not it wqs moved to this year to provide cap space for the 2021 season will be renegotiated again to provide even more cap space now that he has retired it’s silly for people to talk about cap a d bonuses when they have no idea how it works and how it maybe shifted as it is through out the league
February 3rd, 2022 at 3:04 pm
Let’s see……………….I’ve got 42 seconds to overtime, provided the Rams don’t score. How do I keep them from scoring? I KNOW!!!
I’ll leave Cooper Kupp with single coverage, first from my CB who has been playing poorly all game, then I’ll put a safety on him but won’t give him any help at all. Let Cooper Kupp run wide open!!!!!!!!! YEAH! That will do it.
February 3rd, 2022 at 3:12 pm
“What more do you have to prove?” He couldn’t answer this question. If AB didn’t go nuts, we would be taking on the Bengals. Going for two in a row. Instead, we need to revamp our team to be more defensive, better running, and more balanced. The GOAT covered up a a lot of sins even with the Patriots. This what the greats do! Let’s see if Licht can work some magic and get us great defensive players to help Shaq and the gang hunt. Jimmy GQ is not the answer. It would be nice if Luck came out of retirement or even kick the tires on Phillip Rivers. QB play is so bad in college is so bad, older QBs could extend their careers.
February 3rd, 2022 at 3:16 pm
Arians had 2 post season runs in Arizona without Brady. He had 1 sub 500 season with them. He has the highest win % of any buccaneers coach. 2 NFL coach of the year awards. He’s got to be doing something right!
February 3rd, 2022 at 3:19 pm
Jimmy g doesn’t fit our offense. He can’t push the ball down the field. Give Trask a chance or bring back Winston. We aren’t getting Russell or Rodgers
February 3rd, 2022 at 3:32 pm
@”..I would be surprised if BA does not retire as well…”
—————
He will not; why, cause he thinks (delusional), that he can do it without Tom; cause he want to pass his put out/extinguish torch to one of his WORTHLESS coordinators.
He is going to learn in hard way the his time is gone, was gone since they fail JW.
The worst part is that Bucs, and their fans are going to pay for it.
So SAD.
February 3rd, 2022 at 3:32 pm
Easy Joe, they don’t because whomever is the Bucs QB is not Tom Brady. There is only one Brady and unless something miraculous happens he isn’t coming back to play with the Bucs. So, back to .500 or sub .500 football.
February 3rd, 2022 at 3:41 pm
I just feel differently and think all Bucs fans should than patriots fans when he left for free agency or retired. We had a nice two year run, it’s over and I’m ready to move on. If it was all Brady and the weapons we have him didn’t matter then we’d be playing in the Super Bowl again
I’m ready for this team to draft a quarterback who matters in the nfl and I want to find out if that can be trask or are we going another decade without being relevant
February 3rd, 2022 at 3:57 pm
Depressing. We went from penthouse back to the hood.
February 3rd, 2022 at 4:06 pm
2-3 steps ahead of everyone else, except Adam Schefter
February 3rd, 2022 at 4:18 pm
Swampbuc … For heaven’s sake, PLEEEASE give it a rest. Grab a beer (or a glass of whine) & pretend you’re back rooting for the Bucs in the good old days of Raheem or Schiano or Lovie or Dirk. Then have a 2nd beer, and a 3rd. Hey with enough beers in you, maybe you’ll even start appreciating what this team DID ACCOMPLISH in these last 2 years.
Architek … Sorry you’re ‘depressed’; maybe you & Swampbuc could drink your depression away together. You can go ‘back to the hood’ if you wish, but most others (even the Joes) are quite ready to move on, one way or another, and see what lies ahead. It MAY turn out to be ugly, or it MAY turn out to be a fantastic ride. Who knows? Hmmm, maybe that’s why they call it ‘The Future’.
February 3rd, 2022 at 4:40 pm
Simple answer: They won’t.
Sorry but it’s true.
February 3rd, 2022 at 5:18 pm
Did Arians win a SB as a HC without Brady? Next question, did Stanton mention that Brady worked on his preparation with any of the coaching staff? Did he mention coaches at all? No, why? They didn’t do shat. Brady took 2020 by the horns and turned a very talented team into SB winners and BA went for the ride. Brady didn’t have the energy to do BA’s job in 2021. I don’t believe Brady retired because of Jets firing, blitz happy, playoff game losing Bowles but I do believe if he had any doubt of coming back Bowles and BA’s lack of preparation to detail and laziness secured the deal. What I don’t want to read any longer are posts about letting Bowles off the hook for his failure as a HC while at the Jets, he more than proved why he was fired.
February 3rd, 2022 at 5:37 pm
I don’t get the BA hate
February 3rd, 2022 at 5:46 pm
Beeej, you’ll get it next season if Wilson doesn’t walk in the door.
February 3rd, 2022 at 6:39 pm
“….how the Bucs will come close to replacing everything that Brady was and meant next season”.
TB taught the entire organization how to win, so it’s pretty hard for me to believe they will fall back into how they were the 10-years before. It’s too bad he’s got so many other business interests, he would probably make one heck of an team CEO or President too.
February 3rd, 2022 at 6:44 pm
Bucci will try his best to show us he can get Bucs to playoffs without Brady..
But reality “his best ” just will not cut it !!!!!
February 4th, 2022 at 1:19 am
Two or three steps ahead — Brady.
42 steps behind and playing football with a tennis racket — Todd’s Bowels.
February 4th, 2022 at 2:33 am
Maybe this coming season without Brady, those who got to play with him in the past 2 years will have to step-up and be the players Brady believe them to be. This is a very talented team with really good leaders on both sides. They need to stay playing as a team and play for each other. They couldn’t just rely on their individual skills. That’s not going to give them much Ws. The defense had the tendency to do that, which actually caused a few of their injuries. I hope they will learn to be aware of what their teammates are doing. Maybe then, they will stay as strong contenders in the coming seasons