BSPN Theory: “There Is Real Tension”
November 25th, 2020
“Damnit Tom, I thought Antonio Brown was bringing sweet potato pie. I told you I hate pumpkin pie. So why didn’t you set Antonio straight? You are his caretaker.”
So why isn’t the Bucs offense humming with a virtual all-star team?
Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht gave Bucco Bruce Arians and park-violating, home-invading, NFLPA-ignoring, down-forgetting, jet ski-losing, handshake-stiffing Bucs quarterback Tom Brady damn near everything they could want. Star receivers. Strong offensive linemen. A former first-round draft pick running back.
Yet the Bucs offense isn’t smooth. At times it is dominant. Other times everything seems a struggle.
(Meanwhile, the Bucs are No. 2 in the NFL in points scored — just one point away from leading the NFL — and No. 6 in average points a game. Yes, Joe knows the Bucs have played one more game than most teams.)
Arians has floated the idea that Brady has yet to mesh with his new team. Joe calls that nonsense on the week of Thanksgiving, especially when two rookie quarterbacks (one who wasn’t an opening day starter) are lighting up the league.
Well, Dan Graziano of BSPN thinks he knows why the offense isn’t a well-oiled machine. He floated the balloon that Arians and Brady are not on the same page.
Further, Graziano added helium to that same balloon suggesting “there is real tension” between Arians and Brady.
“There are a lot of theories because this was supposed to work better than it is,” Graziano began. “One of [the theories] is there is real tension, right? I mean like, Bruce Arians and Tom Brady just met, right?
“It is almost like Arians was watching some movie star action hero and when he met him in person said ‘I thought you’d be bigger?'”
Graziano added Brady had/has influence in constructing the roster, which is why you saw the Bucs go get foot-rubbing, car-littering Rob Gronkowski, Shady McCoy, Leonard Fournette and furniture-tossing, bike-throwing Antonio Brown.
And still the offense seems disjointed.
“If you are Arians, you are looking, going, saying [to say to Brady], ‘This is what you wanted. We got you everything you asked for. Why aren’t you delivering?'”
Well, let’s also remember who heavy-panted for Brady last winter. Hint: The guy likes to wear Kangol hats and cruise around practice in a Bucs-red golf cart.
So Arians clearly got what he wanted. He made his bed. Now he has to sleep in it.
Look, if Brady was hitting on, say, 30 percent of his deep throws as opposed to less than six percent, Joe is convinced we would not be hearing any of this stuff about Brady or Arians. Instead, the Bucs would likely be no less than 8-3 and still in the hunt for the NFC South crown.
You can hear Graziano’s full take in the BSPN video below.
.@DanGrazianoESPN is hearing rumors that the tension between Tom Brady and Bruce Arians might be real. pic.twitter.com/vXSAAgA2SA
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) November 25, 2020
November 25th, 2020 at 5:37 pm
It’s all those names joe calls him..lol..
November 25th, 2020 at 5:50 pm
This is just stupid.
November 25th, 2020 at 5:54 pm
I just think that there’s too many ingredients in the soup.
November 25th, 2020 at 5:59 pm
Arians always bashing Brady in the press.
That never happened in his 20 years in New England
November 25th, 2020 at 6:00 pm
Rumors? JHC! Look, the O looks disjointed because it is! Run the damn ball. Throw to Evans and Goodwin off play action. Use Miller at 3. Take the occasional shot downfield, and run the ball some more.
Right now, we are coming off as the big budget film with too many stars in it. You know, history is littered with those films and they suck. Know why? Because they look disjointed. And why do they appear that way? Because the writers and directors are trying too hard to spread the ball around. Too many chiefs and not enough Indians.
Focus. Pound the Rock. Let Tom be Tom. We win 4 of 5 and make the dance at 11-5, with momentum. Stop trying to make this so difficult. It’s not. And finally, force Bowles to watch the Rams and the last Saints game tape and tell him if he runs the same scheme again he can go sit in the corner. Let it eat boys!
November 25th, 2020 at 6:04 pm
Maybe, just maybe, the playbook/calls aren’t playing to Bradys strength’s. Is it me or does it feel like ‘Groundhog Day’ around One Buc Place?
November 25th, 2020 at 6:05 pm
Bigger reasons the offense isn’t humming, besides “tension”:
1) Bad coaching
2) QB who is bad under any kind of pass rush
3) RB’s who can’t catch the ball
4) LT who seems to be uninterested in keeping guys in front of him at times
This wasn’t in any particular order, but it’s obviously more than just “tension”, IMHO.
November 25th, 2020 at 6:10 pm
“Brady has yet to mesh with his new team”
Brady and the Bucs are the polar opposites in the last 15 years. You really cant get a more opposite decade when it comes to winning and having a winning attitude. I think its fair to say in this specific instance, it could take a long time to get those polar opposites together.
November 25th, 2020 at 6:11 pm
87 and Joe in Michigan
I agree.
November 25th, 2020 at 6:25 pm
Can everyone just take a deep breath, look at the record, the current position in the standings, the upcoming favorable schedule, the fact that they were in it to the end on Monday, and just enjoy this?
Is that too much to ask after Raheem, Schiano, Lovie, Koetter, and all the bad Offenses during those times?
Be F’ing thankful. And a little less critical.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
November 25th, 2020 at 6:40 pm
Hahaha haha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If you think it is bad now sheep!!!! Wait until the wheels come of next year!!!!!!!!! This is a one year window with One and done ceiling!!!!!!!!!!!! It was all desperation moves to save the GM and ole stale biscuit’s job!!!!!!!!!!
But the “real” fans told the sheep the “truth” months ago!!!!!!!!!!!!
go bucs!!!!!!!!!
November 25th, 2020 at 6:41 pm
They deserve all the criticism coming their way. After 11 weeks no more consistent than week one and you never know what team will show up week to week. Arians has never let so much pressure and he can’t handle it which is why he’s delegated so much. Dumb because he should be the one calling plays. Leftwich is too timid and too easily outcoached.
What coordinator will be more shell shocked and inexperienced calling plays in the playoffs besides Arizona coach? Green Bay coach has already been to the playoffs. No faith in leftwich and I think he’d get out coaches in the every way while the head coach just sits there in his rocking chair looking spaced out
November 25th, 2020 at 6:45 pm
@ModHairKen,
how can anyone keep calm when the team is having almost the same effin problems as last year? If im not mistaken Winston was 7-4 at one point majority of people wasn’t talking about take a deep breath and look at our record. The problem is that the coaching staff is having the same problems and we have one of the GOATS’s at the QB position. I mean damn, the saints had their 3rd string QB in the game to troll us. #SellTheTeam
November 25th, 2020 at 6:46 pm
I have read many articles suggesting knowledge (who knows if true?) that BA calling out Brady is a “concocted-agreed to ploy” between Tom/BA with pretense of Bucs holding everyone, including the GOAT, accountable. Who knows? Tom does not seem to have an issue with the calling out.
November 25th, 2020 at 6:52 pm
Agree with @Kansas on the fan panic. I am willing to concede probable loss vs Chiefs to be at 7-5 end of Sunday night. But man, the next 4 games should be EASY WINS to land at 11-5. Gimmick Taysom Hill killed Falcons, so 2 wins right there. Lions are a mess and will be tanking for draft when we play them. Vikings – not good when relying on Cousins. My 2 cents.
November 25th, 2020 at 6:56 pm
ModHairKen: Agreed, there is a lot to be thankful for! Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!
November 25th, 2020 at 6:57 pm
Telenovela story-
Did you think Bucs were going to put up 30 points on NFL’s 3rd ranked defense?
November 25th, 2020 at 7:07 pm
We.ll just maybe there was way too much hype over Brady and Gronk joining the team. Brady looks good when the line blocking looks good.. Reality is neither Brady or Gronk are what they once were. Our line does not handle a really strong pass rush and our receivers aren’t getting great separation on their routes. And teams with both a strong pass rush and strong man to man pass coverage is a combination that stifles Brady. And Goff and short Quick cuts made our dbs look confused. Reality is the Bucsmare an above average team that can run up the score on some teams and struggle badly against teams like the Saints and Rams. Good chance we make the first round of wild card playoffs. Slim chance of going on in later rounds.
November 25th, 2020 at 7:12 pm
On looking at Tom Brady’s performances during his 6 winning SB years, I’ve come to the conclusion that Brady isn’t who we think he is, at all. If Licht, Arians & Leftwich had paid closer attention, my gut feel is that they wouldn’t have signed Brady. There was no way that marriage was gonna run nice & smoothly … past the honeymoon at least.
The Pats succeeded in those 6 SB years largely because of (1) defense; and (2) the running game. Their average defensive ranking (Points Allowed) in those 6 SB years was #4 (ranged from #1 to #8). Their average run-pass ratio was 45.7% (and obviously that doesn’t include all the short passes to the RBs that Brady was so fond of). Tom was more a game manager than most QBs. His average completion percentage was 63.7% during those 6 SB years. Based on the high RB use (and relatively low sacks), a very good OLine can be assumed.
New England’s defense during all his years there was almost always in the Top-10 (they missed a handful of years). That’s a HUGE benefit to any QB. He’s always had very good OLines protecting him AND very good OCs to work with (and especially ones who understood the notion of employing a BALANCED ATTACK). Brady’s lifetime completion percentage (63.9%) is almost exactly what Jameis Winston’s was during his last 2 years here (64.2%) BEFORE the QB Whisperer got ahold of him … and Brady did a LOT more short passing than Jameis ever did.
The only way Tom Brady will ever feel CONSISTENTLY comfortable running this offense IMO is if we run the ball a he11uva lot more than we have been. Through 11 games, the Bucs’ braintrust has run the ball on a mere 37% of our plays. That’s WAAAY behind the percentage that the Pats ran the ball (45%) when Brady was there. He NEEDS an effective running game for his short passing game to really work, as well as a stout OLine to keep him upright (he’s never been a very mobile QB). And as much as anything, Tom Brady NEEDS a strong defense to support him (as in at least a Top-10 defense). We’ve got a lot of work to do before worrying about the playoffs.
November 25th, 2020 at 7:14 pm
@Bill – right on. Too early to throw dirt on a winning season. Likely playoff game with early exit since better teams will be in playoffs, with exception of NFC East winner. At least Bucs are trending up vs lost decade. We got that going for us.
November 25th, 2020 at 7:20 pm
@DR – kinda described the 2002 Bucs team….and we had a middling QB in Brad Johnson.
November 25th, 2020 at 7:30 pm
We are 7-4 with a new quarterback. I think us bucs fans along with joe are conditioned to be gloom and doom. We have a soft schedule coming and 11 wins isn’t wishful thinking. So if Tom Brady takes us to 11-5 his first year under a new system and we get even one playoff game I am a happy man. The one thing I can say that I see as a die hard watched every snap since 99. Is the coaching is what is holding us back. It seems no matter the coach and we have had a lot. We have a game plan and stick to it. No halftime adjustments. A couple of games it has worked out. I really think are biggest problem is runningback. We have no true third down back. A guy who will catch the ball consistently and keep positive plays rolling. I now see why fournette was released by the jaguars. He is just going through the motions. He has been a highly touted spoiled athlete since middle school. How or anyone else just go look at his rookie highlites and compare that to him now. He was a lot faster and shiftier and quicker. It seems he quit putting in the work and now is just relying on his talent. There is no way he shouldn’t be a pro bowl runningback with the receivers we have. He just doesn’t have the want to. I think Vaughn should start getting a lot more playing time because we know he will bring his a game max effort every week. As soon as we signed fournette I looked at rookie and last year highlites and it’s night and day. He was taking plays to the house now he is lucky to take plays to a 2 yard gain.
November 25th, 2020 at 7:34 pm
Holy crap.. El jerko just jumped out of Winston’s laundry basket..missing for several weeks and now he decides to flap his gums.
November 25th, 2020 at 7:43 pm
@Jeff – good post – but 2020 was supposed to be “All-In” to win the SB and why we signed GOAT short-term and satisfied all his wishes for players (Gronk/AB)
November 25th, 2020 at 7:45 pm
Take the night games out and the Bucs have one loss, on opening day.
Brady said he goes to bed at 9:15 every night. You can’t change that after 2 or 3 practices at night. His 43 year old body wants his beddie bye time.
November 25th, 2020 at 7:55 pm
I like Brate – but there is a trend starting last year that key plays targeting Brate that have disastrous outcomes (last year – dropped key 4th down pass vs Texans from JW, and INT vs. Birds) and this year – (Chicago and Rams) with Brady. Maybe Brate should be a decoy vs target going forward.
November 25th, 2020 at 7:56 pm
Maybe ole Glazer can bribe the schedule makers to put the Bucs in the early window games if we somehow make the playoffs. Then he can petition to have the SB start at 4. Any late game and we are screwed!
November 25th, 2020 at 8:01 pm
Coaching and offensive coordinator are the main problem
November 25th, 2020 at 8:05 pm
Too many big names that don’t play big. In the end they better make a deep playoff run or this experiment may end.
November 25th, 2020 at 8:18 pm
Doug
Bowles ain’t all that either…
November 25th, 2020 at 8:25 pm
The offensive minds on this staff is not innovative enough to scheme all these weapons.
November 25th, 2020 at 8:33 pm
@Bucs81 and @Doug Agree – But Brady’s salary is GUARANTEED at $50M for 2 yrs. 2021 Cap reduction, except Brady, will require veteran talent being released. Lot of 1 yr signees so easy peasy there.
But more pressing – with Bucs All-Star roster NOW, the discussion around gelling and needing time is ridiculous. Coaching issue is right on – plug and play, with veteran guys! Give this roster to Andy Reid, Sean McVay, or Kyle Shanny, and watch out. The season is not over, just not what we expected. SB talk should be shushed.
November 25th, 2020 at 8:35 pm
@Defense Rules-
👏👏👏👏👏
Thank you. I tired to tell people back when it was just a rumor that Brady wouldn’t be any good here unless the offense changed drastically to the points you alluded to, AND our defense had to improve greatly.
Brady’s long balls were are far between most his career, though they also used to be perfectly placed.
Right now he’s throwing further away than Jameis did.
And BTW, isn’t it funny how needing a strong running game and good defense we’re never considers valid things for Winston? In case anyone forgot, we had a bottom 3 run game very year except his rookie season, and a bottom-10 defense every single year.
November 25th, 2020 at 8:36 pm
*few and far between
*were never considered
*bottom 3 run game every year
Damn autocorrect.
November 25th, 2020 at 8:43 pm
Brady has lost a little but if run the offense in the style that he has been successful in: run the ball, an outlet on deep patterns, multiple crossing routes.
If BA wasn’t going to do that, why bring Brady in at all?
Right now, we don’t have an offensive identity or any consistency whatsoever.
Its not too late to change, if we dont its on BA & BL
November 25th, 2020 at 8:50 pm
@unbelievable — Imagine Brady at the helm with last year’s D and Peyton Barber as RB in the first 8 games of 2019? YIKES!!!! We would see Brady’s neck veins explode!!
Moving on – 2020 is so perplexing. Brady seemed JACKED to have a new playbook that did not prohibit him with short passes and have real WR weapons. Got what he asked for…..BA offense is just not a fit for Brady. Something has to give in the ego war.
November 25th, 2020 at 8:52 pm
Unbelievable
Brady has had 2 bad games and his long ball sucks.
But:
He’s thrown for almost 3k yards
25 TD
9 int
Our record is 7-4
But yeah man….. you called it.
Brady won’t be any good here.
November 25th, 2020 at 8:53 pm
We are about to celebrate Thanksgiving & our Bucs are relevant & have a good shot at the playoffs…..how long has it been?……need I say more?
November 25th, 2020 at 8:54 pm
I call BS on Groziano. Arians put up with Winstons crap all last year and you want me to believe that the guy Arians wanted is now on the bad side of Arians. No way. The only frustration would be Brady not being on the same page as all the receivers. They’ve been hurt or hasn’t had enough time with Brown since he took Miller’s spot. More talking points to get ratings nothing at all what they’re talking about.
November 25th, 2020 at 9:00 pm
We are 7-4, these are 1st world problems compared to the last 10+ years.
November 25th, 2020 at 9:05 pm
@Miller – We have two/three Pro Bowl veteran WR’s and the GOAT at QB. Justin Herbert did not get first team reps all pre-season, got called up to start his first game minutes before the first game, and is connecting with his WR’s. And almost delivered a win vs Brady. Yes, the Chargers are overall a bad team and have a losing record, and Bucs are 7-4. Going forward, ME13, Godwin, AB, Gronk, Brate…..are healthy. Time for GOAT to deliver to our guys.
November 25th, 2020 at 9:13 pm
Unbelievable … Whoa big fella. In the games this season where Brady has been allowed to play ‘his game’ AND when we ran the ball AND when our defense stood tall the Bucs cruised. Packers game (38-10 win) was a great example of that, even though we started in a 10-0 hole by the end of the 1st qtr. Defense shut them down the rest of the way AND kicked in 2 takeaways AND scored 7 pts PLUS gave the offense the ball on the 2 yd line.
That lit the fire under the offense apparently … who then proceeded to score 24 more unanswered pts rather quickly. Bucs run-pass ratio was 55.6% in that game; Brady went 17-for-28 (60.7%) on the night for only 166 passing yds BUT even then he was only 3-for-7 deep for 74 yds (means he was 14-for-21 (66.7%) short for 92 yds). Again though, THAT’S HIS GAME. Now will someone please ell BA & BL that?
November 25th, 2020 at 9:33 pm
Again the fake news ‘deep throw’ stat, which is nonsense. How many of those deep passes have ended up as pass interference calls? On Monday night at least 2 of those 20+ yard passes were PI calls. We were not getting those calls in the past, be it the Brady effect or if there was literally just not reason for the calls, those calls move the ball just like a complete pass would. When you factor in that we’re getting 1 or 2 of those a game, it changes that nonsense stat line.
November 25th, 2020 at 10:00 pm
Funny their statements are just talking heads thoughts of what he thinks is going on. No inside information from anyone. Should just put Guliani on the cast if we wanted made up conspiracy
November 25th, 2020 at 10:11 pm
Brady spent all that time developing a chemistry with scotty miller in the offseason to piss it away they were on fire
November 25th, 2020 at 10:13 pm
Why do you even bother to write this stuff other than try to grasp at something that is not there. No team sources just another fake news story. Stick to the facts other the Graziano hearing rumors, from who? Team source? League source, player ? Coach or perhaps one of those agents that always tell the truth. Joe Bucs fan needs to stop writing stuff like this without any true fact check. You guys are better then this crap.
November 25th, 2020 at 10:34 pm
looking to Sunday – Pat M is a freak of nature who throws a football like a baseball shortstop, and can scramble/run. Great checkpoint game to see where we are, as a D team and how Brady/BA/BL can scheme a win for us.
Discard last week. New game! Any Given Sunday!
November 25th, 2020 at 10:59 pm
Every time Brady loses a game the media says he’s too old. Theyve been saying it for the last 5 years and Brady has lead the Bucs to the #2 offence in points and #6 in points per game. Everything is fine. The bucs are a good team and will probably make the playoffs.
November 25th, 2020 at 11:00 pm
Every time Brady loses a game the media says he’s too old. Theyve been saying it for the last 5 years and Brady has lead the Bucs to the #2 offence in points and #6 in points per game. Everything is fine. The bucs are a good team and will probably make the playoffs.
November 25th, 2020 at 11:33 pm
gotcha @colin. Playoffs w Brady is expected. 2020 “ALL-IN” is about winning a SB.
November 26th, 2020 at 8:05 am
The recent offenses of patriots with Brady did rely heavily on the run but I’ve seen Brady throw multiple times in succession to his running back. Too many drops from our RB’s,play the rookie. He is supposed to be a good pass catcher.
Rams defense really slowed our running attack, but with only 17 touches split between ROJO and Fournette coaching staff did not show much confidence in it.
November 26th, 2020 at 11:25 am
The greatest of all time walks into an organization that has been worst or near worst the last 15 years.. do the math