Winner: Tom Brady
September 20th, 2022
Oops, he did it again.
Finding a way to win. That’s all that matters and thank goodness the Bucs have a quarterback who is unmatched at doing that.
In breaking down the winners and losers from the past weekend’s games, Will Brinson of CBS Sports chose — who else? — Tom Brady.
Winner: Tom Brady. Sure, Brady broke a tablet on the sideline in frustration, and yes, a huge brawl broke out late in the game, but none of that matters now because Brady was finally able to beat the Saints. Since signing in Tampa Bay, the Buccaneers QB had been 0-4 in regular-season games against New Orleans, but that’s no longer the case following Sunday’s 20-10 win. It’s about time something went right for this guy.
Joe wrote this last week but it was even more apparent this week: Give Brady the ball and he will find a way to win.
And the defense did just that. They gave Brady the ball back five times — FIVE! — including three extra times in the fourth quarter on takeaways (the fourth takeaway in the fourth quarter was a pick-six.)
Man, you give Brady the ball three extra times in the fourth quarter, you are playing with fire. That’s all there is to it.
September 20th, 2022 at 3:03 pm
Bucs Defense > Bucs Offense
September 20th, 2022 at 3:14 pm
It’s a team thing …..fundamentally football is a team thing! With out a very good defensive effort we lose, no matter what T12BRADY does!!
September 20th, 2022 at 3:16 pm
Shannon Sharpe is race baiting again. He’s saying Brady wouldn’t stick up for his black teammates like Evans stood up for him. i HATE Shannon with a passion. The guy is a Brady hater and will find a way to inject race in every situation The funny thing is Brady was on the show like four years ago, and Shannon said nothing to his face like he always does on the show. He just smiled and laughed and called him the GOAT.
Joe is spot on. That’ the difference between Brady and Winston. Brady will find a way to make you pay for mistakes. The D believes in him and know that he if they can make a play and give Brady the ball he will deliver. They never had that confidence in Winston. Look at the Divisional round against the Rams. He took advantage of the turnovers, and his most epic comeback against the Falcons in the SB. To this day, that is still the most remarkable comeback i’ve seen.
September 20th, 2022 at 3:17 pm
Defense wins championships and boy do we have one heck of a defense… I am really loving our scheme TB is using with our DBs. Being able to use Winnfield as a nickel corner along with L. Ryan and Mike Edwards at Safety has allowed us to disguise our coverage type and is creating a ton of confusion for opposing QBs.
13 points in two games in the NFL… That is impressive.
September 20th, 2022 at 3:20 pm
The Defense won this game …PERIOD!!
September 20th, 2022 at 3:30 pm
Defense is strong – including the bench. As someone said earlier, they can underlie the wins until our elite WR group gets fully healthy. And that should happen pretty soon. Surprisingly (to me) the O line (subs) have been pretty solid. Good team outlook. Get and stay healthy is the main thing. The D couching is better this year too. Outstanding so far.
September 20th, 2022 at 3:33 pm
You know when you wake up in the morning next to your significant other and wonder how the hell you got lucky enough to have them fall madly in love with you? For me, it’s a very fleeting thought, because all that matters is that they did. That’s how I feel about Brady every game that he plays for us and I hope that he comes back next year.
September 20th, 2022 at 3:34 pm
And let’s be honest, that touchdown scored was in garbage time, after we had the game wrapped up!
September 20th, 2022 at 3:35 pm
It’s great to have a QB that helps gives you a chance to win every game.
September 20th, 2022 at 3:35 pm
Exactly. Until the offense gets healthy, play defense, run the ball, take your shots when they are available. Get people healthy then this offense will be a nightmare for opposing DC’s.
September 20th, 2022 at 3:35 pm
We have a good but injured team.. lets get healthy and worry about keeping 12 upright.
September 20th, 2022 at 3:36 pm
I don´t have a problem when the so called experts talk and talk about the Saint owning the Bucs lately, because is true, but is also incomplete not to say than the Bucs won the most important game on 2020 playoffs…and that also is true
Its really important to tell the full story……Makes me sick!!!
And all of the geniuses around, the florio´s the Simms, The Peter King´s and many more, they were all wrong, liked it or not we Kick their a**…..
So now aknowledge that your were wrong and deal with it.
September 20th, 2022 at 3:36 pm
Ballin’ like it’s 1999.
September 20th, 2022 at 3:39 pm
The best part of having Brady as our QB is that in a situation where he absolutely HAS to make a play, he more often does than not. With the majority of previous Bucs QB’s, we hoped for the best but expected the worst. Now we EXPECT him to come through in the clutch. It’s been fun having the luxury of consistent QB play. I for one will be a bit melancholy when he leaves due to that aspect.
September 20th, 2022 at 3:40 pm
There are only two games for reference, so we do need some patience.
This is a very different team than last year’s, and the Bucs aren’t, yet, an offensive juggernaut.
It might be later, but they are the walking wounded right now.
It will take a stronger offense to hold up the defense a few times, same as the defense will have to hold up the offense.
It takes balance to win championships and right now there is little balance.
September 20th, 2022 at 3:44 pm
Lets hold off on the great defense talk until after the Rams game, and see if our team has any adjustments for what they did twice to us last year.
September 20th, 2022 at 3:47 pm
This is from Tim Riske an analysts from PFF:
1st & 10 Run% is 14% over expectation.
2nd &1-6 yards: Run % is 15 % over expectation.
2nd & 7: Pass% is 17% over expectation.
We are basically running on first down , hoping for 4 yards, then run again. If not, let’s have our QB bail us out on third and long with a patchwork OL and second string receivers. We are predictable was hell. You boxscore watching fans need to dig deeper.
Where are our TEs. i think thats another reason Brady wanted Beasley. He’s a chain mover like Gronk.
September 20th, 2022 at 3:47 pm
It seems like you can run on that defense for a little while, and then you can’t. Can’t pass on them either.
September 20th, 2022 at 3:51 pm
Buc Defense – injuries > Bucs Offense + injuries. If the Bucs can sneak by GB and have a somewhat decent offense by KC game they have a chance. Bucs aren’t going to beat KC without scoring points.
September 20th, 2022 at 3:59 pm
I wonder if the defense kills the offense in practice
September 20th, 2022 at 4:04 pm
You really don’t think of Tom Brady as a “game manager” QB……but that’s what he’s been the last couple of weeks……strong defense…..kept his team in the game and Tom did his thing……OK by me.
September 20th, 2022 at 4:05 pm
Too much up the gut is gonna bite us in de butt.
September 20th, 2022 at 4:07 pm
@List, last time we played KC they only scored 9. I’m not even trying to say that we can hold them to that again. But, our D matches up REALLY well against KC, especially without T. Hill.
Regardless, like you, I’d feel a whole lot better if our offense was healthier by the KC game. At least let’s get D. White and Godwin back by then. Maybe sprinkle in a not dinged up Fournette if the football gods are feeling generous.
BUT…if the injuries are still there, I’m not giving up hope that 20 points would be good enough for us to escape with the W, and at this time if you’re giving me the over/under on 20 for KC I’d bet a beer on the under.
September 20th, 2022 at 4:19 pm
Game manager isn’t a swear word. It’s been bastardized by the media. Brady is quite simply the best game manager in NFL history. If they need to rely on the defense until they figure it out so be it.
September 20th, 2022 at 4:25 pm
Need to keep those first 2 games in perspective.
o Dallas only ran on 18 plays (for 71 yds & a 3.9 YPC average). That equates to a 28.1% run-pass ratio. Cowboys committed 1 Turnover.
o New Orleans only ran on 20 plays (for 102 yds & a 5.1 YPC average). That equates to a 30.3% run-pass ratio. Saints committed 5 Turnovers.
So in those 2 games, our opponents have run on 38 plays (for 173 yds & a 4.6 YPC average) and a 29.2% run-pass average. They’ve committed 6 Turnovers total in 2 games.
In those 2 games, the Bucs have run on 63 plays (for 224 yds & a 3.6 YPC average). That equates to a 49.6% run-pass ratio. Bucs have committed 2 Turnovers total in 2 games.
Our next opponent, the Packers, more closely mirror the Bucs this year offensively. In their 2 games, they’ve run on 56 plays (for 314 yds & a 5.6 YPC average). They’re sporting a 44.1% run-pass ratio, and have committed 3 Turnovers in 2 games.
Unfortunately, their rushing attack (with Jones & Dillon) seems to have been quite a bit more effective than ours has been. Making the Packers 1-dimensional will be very very difficult. Bucs’ defense will have its best test thus far this Sunday, especially if Akiem Hicks can’t go. Might be a good time to think about boosting our DLine DEPTH, especially if it’s with someone who knows Todd Bowles defensive system intimately. Sure do wish there was someone still available who filled that NEED.
September 20th, 2022 at 4:57 pm
It helped a lot that the Saints are starting Jameis at QB.
September 20th, 2022 at 5:04 pm
Brady has played well both games this year. Getting the most he can out of the teammates in order to win. Also not mentioned two road wins in a row in domes .
September 20th, 2022 at 5:07 pm
Brady has no right to skip Spring practice, and two weeks of trainlng camp, and practice, and….
And will show up on Sundays …and win. What the hell can you say?
September 20th, 2022 at 5:21 pm
Defense alone can’t win in any sports, it’s always a combination of good defense and good offense….Thank you!
September 20th, 2022 at 5:29 pm
I enjoyed the article and the righteous optimistic tone.
As for injuries, it seemed to me that almost every single player that we have acquired on the team had some history of injuries. It seemed odd to me at the time that injury-prone players would stay healthy, and I wonder(ed) what the Bucs were thinking.
September 20th, 2022 at 6:16 pm
DR – combined stats can be misleading. Basically the Bucs run game against the Cows was a weapon, Lenny with 6ypc.
Against the Aints it was a clock eater and Brady punishment avoider. The Aints had to stay prepared to stop it even if we only got 2.7 upcoming or so.
With a healthy Vaughn joining the fray who has explosivity, I expect the Bucs to successfully run on Sunday. Maybe not as good as game one but at least closer to that.
I share concern about the run defense. Aints were running it up our azz on the drive that Logan Ryan forced the fumble recovered by Nassib.
Suh.
September 20th, 2022 at 6:43 pm
@ Redeemer. I agree. Game manager has been turned into a slur by people who have an agenda to push. Being a good manager is a very important trait for any QB. It’s not Tom’s only great trait, but he’s one of the best at it ever. I would say Montana was the best game manager in the game. Rodgers is very physically gifted, but he’s also a great manager. He won’t throw picks and lose you a game. Manning was also a great game manger. He was in total control the whole game. Josh Allen has made massive improvements because he has learned better to manage the game.
I think some fans get triggered when people use game manger because it is used to discredit his accomplishments. He was not a passenger in those Championship teams with the Patriots. In 2002, He led the league in passing in his first full year as starter with the team. That’s why i don’t engage in GOAT conversations. Most people use disingenuous and inconsistent arguments when debating.I just have favorites, and Joe Montana is my favorite QB of all time. lol
September 20th, 2022 at 7:16 pm
“Give Brady the ball and he will find a way to win.”
—-
Yet the idiots in the comment section think you win by running it up the middle on every play.
September 20th, 2022 at 7:50 pm
Qsqueelwryall must be sobbing in her blanky after her fantasy got abused by the Bucs defense. That was such a beautiful sight. Apparently the Aints can’t develop a QB either.
September 20th, 2022 at 8:21 pm
Anonymous, KC had a beat up oline, the tables have turned.
September 21st, 2022 at 12:20 am
To those who dont get it. There is an old saying in football. Defense wins games offense scores the points!!! This team is playing according to how the coaching staff and Brady said they wanted to play before the season started. Heavy run, heavy Defense, and throw the ball when needed. The offense has had some issues, but injuries has had a part in it. But the team is still finding ways to win and out of brady’s 7 superbowl wins this is very similar to those teams! The offense will become more proficient as it gets healthy. The league should be very nervous about that. If not I am happy about rhat, because tge league wont know what will hit them.
September 21st, 2022 at 12:34 am
Our D-fense has scored as many Tuddies as it has given up!!! Go BUCS!
September 21st, 2022 at 10:38 am
The red zone has been outstanding, let’s hope they can stop Jones & Co. This is where Neil should shine.