Backhanded Criticism Of Tom Brady?
August 3rd, 2023
For those who didn’t read it or didn’t pay attention, Mike Evans dropped quite a nugget during his private sitdown with Ira Kaufman earlier this week.
The Sage of Tampa Bay Sports and JoeBucsFan.com columnist served up this quote from Evans.
“Yeah, it was definitely frustrating,” Evans said of his 11-game touchdown drought last season. “We were losing and we weren’t scoring points. We just played bad ball all year, really. We got to the playoffs and thought we could just flip the switch. It doesn’t work like that.”
Ira clarified to Joe that Evans was referring to the Bucs offense when he talked about playing “bad ball all year.”
That statement sparks a lot of questions.
If the offense was playing bad all year (almost obvious with an 18-points-per-game average), then how much will the Bucs really miss Tom Brady? Heck, a team can find crappy quarterbacks to average 20 points per game. Clubs playing backups last season — Cleveland, Carolina, Arizona and New Orleans — all averaged between 19.2 points and 21.4 points per game.
And if the Bucs thought they could flip a switch in the playoffs, who or what led them to think they could? Was it tied to resting starters in Week 18 or an overall weak mentality within the team?
Whatever happened to the Bucs last season, it too often felt like a Tampa Bay team without Tom Brady at quarterback. So perhaps that’s why the 2023 transition has players thinking the loss of Brady is not devastating.
August 3rd, 2023 at 10:07 am
Tom Brady didn’t impact Evans dropping that 80 yard would be-TD bomb in Carolina last year. I love ME13, but I’m sure his own plays like that are on his mind more so than throwing shade at the goat. You notice they did make that connection for the home game however.
August 3rd, 2023 at 10:08 am
I am pretty sure there were a lot of distractions, that included TB’s absence attending the Krafty wedding, the hiatus during training camp, the retirement, the sudden coaching change, etc…, all the distractions that go with TB12, but we take it because we got a ring out of it. But this team will be different without having to placate to Lenny’s ego if he doesn’t start or get the ball. Also, this team also missed AB and Gronk, whether they want to admit it or not
August 3rd, 2023 at 10:17 am
Key word in the Evans quote and it showed up more than once.
‘We’
At least in this quote (I haven’t seen the interview) it doesn’t sound like Mike is making excuses or throwing shade at any individual player.
August 3rd, 2023 at 10:18 am
45 year old QB with one foot in the grave, offensive line in shambles, out of shape running back in self-preservation mode after the first game of the year, simpleton offensive coordinator.
Evans should have been frustrated. He should be getting 10 targets a game at the minimum, and at least 1-2 targets every time inside the redzone.
August 3rd, 2023 at 10:20 am
“We got to the playoffs and thought we could just flip the switch.”
That comes from Tom Brady’s lesson in preseason, that he could miss practices and preseason games to go sun in the Bahamas and just “flip the switch” when he returns. Didn’t work for him or the team.
August 3rd, 2023 at 10:24 am
Brady is the best QB to ever play football. That said, other than a couple of moments in the 4th quarter of several games, his play was a SH&T show! He refused to stand in the pocket and deliver passes, overthrew wide open receivers, and had no chemistry with his WRs due to lack of offseason practice time! You combine that with an abysmal OC and shoddy OL play that led to no running game and its amazing the team avg 18 pts a game. Even mediocre QB play this year with better OC, running game and healthier Wrs should get you more than 20 pts a game! Easier schedule also means this team should not win any less than 8 games with a ceiling of around 10 wins.
August 3rd, 2023 at 10:25 am
Wildcard ain’t the Playoffs
August 3rd, 2023 at 10:29 am
Again, Brady wasn’t all of the problem, but he was definitely part of the problem. His focus was not totally on football. Happy he was here. Glad he is gone. Not sure he did Trask any favors. That was never his reputation.
August 3rd, 2023 at 10:30 am
SB-LV…… it in fact, is.
August 3rd, 2023 at 10:35 am
“We got to the playoffs and thought we could just flip the switch.”
Translation-
It doesnt get any better when you have no running game, a cobbled together offensive line, and a shellshocked old man that gets rid of the ball in 2.2 seconds.
August 3rd, 2023 at 10:43 am
More Br**y crap. Who cares… He’s gone. We’ve moved on. The players want to move on. The sane fans want to move on. It’s only the media and the mentally ill faction of fans that wanna keep churning over the former, now retired, QB.
August 3rd, 2023 at 10:48 am
Brady is very, very old news…..he is gone!!!
I choose to remember the good Brady….the one who won us a SB in his first year and almost took us there in year two.
There is no question there was a dropoff in performance in 2022…..sure there were things that weren’t Brady’s fault…..but he had a hand in our poor performance.
Let sleeping GOATs lie.
August 3rd, 2023 at 10:51 am
Poor OC play calling had players doubting the play calls + TB marital problems + injuries = a downward spiral effect for the entire team.
August 3rd, 2023 at 10:55 am
Joe’s point is the Bucs won the division only scoring 18 points a game. We shouldn’t be so obsessed with the QB because that’s a difficult number to beat in today’s game.
That said, TB12 didn’t turn the ball over. Ball security should be top of mind with these QBs.
August 3rd, 2023 at 10:56 am
Although they appreciate his greatness, It’s quite possible that the player are relieved that Brady is not here. Last year, from the time he left training camp, the vibe of the team was off. Then, after he returned his play was subpar. Adding to that, everyone on the team knew that he had a hand, probably a controlling hand, in the inept offensive game plann and play calling. I would say that as much as his presence was welcomed in the first two years his absence is welcomed even more this year.
August 3rd, 2023 at 11:00 am
Last year Brady had 13 turnovers. 9 interceptions and 4 fumbles
August 3rd, 2023 at 11:03 am
^^^ The Bucs lost games as a team ….Brady was a part of said team ….so yea he was part of the problem …it had zero (0) to do with play calling …absolutely nothing …execution was the problem!
August 3rd, 2023 at 11:05 am
No disrespect for Brady, but he stayed a year too long.
That last season looked more like a guy using football to wash away his personal problems, not a guy who played for the love of the game.
He had no patience for the development of a play and dumped the ball whenever he wanted to.
But today those troubles of his are still there. Bitcoin owners are lining up so suck at his money and trading Giselle and his kids for Kim Kardashian looks like a loser.
August 3rd, 2023 at 11:15 am
Brady apathy, fear, and old age + Flat Brim incompetence = pi$$-poor offense.
It is not so hard to figure out.
August 3rd, 2023 at 11:23 am
Joe does.
August 3rd, 2023 at 11:27 am
No Gronk or AB plus Leftwit’s playcalling.
August 3rd, 2023 at 11:30 am
There is alot of blame to go around from last season. To see you clowns bashing Brady is just typical Tampa fan behavior. How about our brillant GM thinking 2 rookies could replace 2 probowl OL?? Or our HC not having the sack to get rid Lefty??? Sure, Brady wasnt himself but he put Tampa back on the map!!
Hope you enjoy Baker or Trask this year… Maybe Mauch can play in the secondary…
August 3rd, 2023 at 11:35 am
Living in the past, dredging up old news. Nope.
August 3rd, 2023 at 11:37 am
Where’s the Backhanded Criticism? This team sucked and the protection, play calling, run defense I mean you name it and it went wrong. Is Brady supposed to fix the weak minded teammates as well? He’s the goat for a reason. Teammates should have his back when they realize he’s losing a step to compensate like he did for them
August 3rd, 2023 at 11:54 am
don’t forget about the OC who was no longer having his hand held by the head coach. Brady didn’t tank it alone
August 3rd, 2023 at 12:04 pm
d-vorce. a soul killer
August 3rd, 2023 at 12:27 pm
How is that backhanded criticism? He used the word “we.” The whole offense was embarrassing. Brady would readily admit that he didn’t play his best.
August 3rd, 2023 at 12:35 pm
Our Oline was not good plain and simple if play better this yr we will be better its simple.
August 3rd, 2023 at 12:36 pm
He knows he got Leftwich fired. That’s why he retired.
August 3rd, 2023 at 12:36 pm
…one of the reasons he retired
August 3rd, 2023 at 1:06 pm
Hard to get a lot of touchdowns when the QB throws to the first person he sees after 0.18 seconds of panicking.
August 3rd, 2023 at 1:50 pm
Losing Ryan Jensen & Aaron Stinnie to injury and Ali Marpet & Gronk to retirement all played a large role in why the Bucs scored 18 points per game last season.
There’s a “next man up” mentality in the NFL with those further down the depth chart expected to step in as a starter with no dropoff. But Marpet, Jensen, & Gronk were all great players. To lose them and not expect a significant adverse impact on the offense, especially on a 45-year-old QB and the RBs is just delusional.
Evans didn’t and wouldn’t direct backhanded criticism towards only Brady, Ot was the entire offense. And while he won’t say it I’m sure it was directed towards the coaches as well, especially the OC.
August 3rd, 2023 at 1:59 pm
What Usmcbuc said 💯💯💯
August 3rd, 2023 at 2:00 pm
One foot in the grave? Are you effing kidding us?
Tom Brady was the fourth ranked passer in the entire league, he lit it up with a crap load of yards and completions. But he could not pass down the field because our offensive line was one of the worst in the league, after losing all of our starters from the prior two seasons for either all or a large part of the season, including our two best O linemen – Jensen out for the season, and Wirfs forced to play hurt and still missed 1/4 of the games. Smith was out a bunch and was ineffective when he was in, with the most penalties of any player in the entire league, and gave up more sacks than any other starting left tackle in the league.
And that’s Brady’s fault?
Knucklehead
August 3rd, 2023 at 2:02 pm
Yes 96. Also to the best of my recollection, a nfl qb never completed a pass laying on his back! Brady had no time to throw the ball last year.
August 3rd, 2023 at 2:44 pm
That’s what the patriots said about brady while pushing him out the door…because I am sure the offense had nothing to do with horrible run game and playcalling ….or the horrendous injuries to offense and offensive line..or the mentality of not playing to lose instead of playing to win…but that’s OK bucs used brady and now they are throwing him under the bus…WELCOME TO THE OLD BUCS….I do believe the curse that when brady leaves team go to hell I
August 3rd, 2023 at 4:30 pm
Tampa fans on this site saying anything even approaching critique of Tom are laughable delusional nfl fans. Enjoy the stellar qb play next 20 years. Ungrateful barnicles.
August 3rd, 2023 at 5:05 pm
Look Brady played bad last year because he was old it’s ok it happens to every hall of famer . It don’t take away from his legacy and it don’t take away from what he did in the past. It’s time for this fan base to move on from Brady why keep bringing him up ? Oh I know why because the young quarterback that sat behind Brady the same guy who was supposed to be a bad quarterback and he couldn’t beat out Gabbert is playing well so far. The same guy that didn’t have a chance because he sucks and Baker Mayfield was our best option and he’s out playing Baker Mayfield now. That’s why they want to keep throwing Brady in our faces.
August 3rd, 2023 at 5:49 pm
Tom Brady under-threw so many passes last year it was a standing joke. Many times he was under pressure but that doesn’t excuse shorting open receivers only 15-20 yards away. It stopped many drives and cost games. I think Brady had problems with his throwing arm all season long. Hiding injury to help the team may have hurt them more. My opinion only from observing every play of every game like every one of you diehards. Who missed a game? Get him outta here? 😂
August 3rd, 2023 at 5:50 pm
It was 90% Leftwich. All of these guys know it. We the fans know it. Read whatever you want into an innocuous statement but Evans didn’t point any fingers
August 3rd, 2023 at 7:47 pm
75% Brady. You can’t blame Leftwich for Brady constantly audibling into smoke screens and checking down when he actually ran the play. All you can blame Leftwich for is not being able to threaten Brady be benched when he refused to run-the plays as called.
August 4th, 2023 at 1:32 am
The argument that the loss of Tom Brady has no effect based on a bad season by Brady and the team is funny. Without Tom Brady, this team never gets their 2nd Super Bowl. Are we now going to measure Tom Brady to his worst season based on wins? Because his personal stats were still above average: 4,694 yards, 25 TDs, and only 9 INTs. Name one backup you would rather have?
Was he dialed in last year? No. But, if the team showed some grit and heart, that season could have been a little better even with all the injuries. Does Tom Brady have to do everything? Nobody else could have demanded more effort from the team? This includes coaches and teammates. Everyone, including Tom, played disinterested after a few injuries. I can bet you, Belicheat would have taken our team and won more games. Without Tom, we would have lost a few more games last year.
It sure sounds like the Bucs players are trying to convince themselves and the fans that they’re in a better situation this year. I don’t think so. There are too many new faces that will be starting in key positions.
August 4th, 2023 at 1:37 am
Yet, I believe it is time to move on from Tom Brady. If only we would have had him a few years earlier. We would have had 2 SBs out of him if not for the dumbest defensive call that typifies what a bungling organization we have been for most of our existence.
August 4th, 2023 at 5:23 am
Wow that is really stretching an unrelated question. Frustration to criticism?
Mike was for sure frustrated at times last year. We all were. Mike is a competitor just like Brady. Although it did appear to me as if Brady was not looking for Mike often enough in the red zone.
I think his answer speaks more to the teams lack of effort and to be honest Bowles and Leftnuts lack of getting on some peoples behinds.
Go Bucs!