When Bucs Need Tom Brady The Most, He’s Cracking

December 21st, 2022

Rough stretch for No. 12.

Is it age, a hidden injury, or struggles to play in this new world of Todd Bowles/Byron Leftwich football?

Or a combination of all of the above?

Tom Brady has had a rough last few weeks. It’s very uncharacteristic of him. And former quarterback David Carr, now of NFL.com, believes no offensive star has slipped in recent weeks as much as Brady.

… with Brady committing five of his seven INTs this season over the last three games. Now, he hasn’t had any help from the Bucs’ league-worst run game and the defense has battled the injury bug, but that’s why it’s even more crucial for Brady to protect the ball. He is on pace to have more than 750 pass attempts in 2022 — feels like a questionable recipe for success — and needs some help from his supporting cast. He’s pressing too often when trying to cover up issues along a struggling offensive line, and he’s rushing through his reads and missing throws that are normally routine from the pocket.

Carr makes an excellent point. In the past three weeks, the Bucs really could have put distance between themselves and the rest of the NFC South dregs with a couple of wins, thereby taking a commanding lead in the division or sealing it.

Instead, Brady is playing more like Jameis Winston than Jameis Winston.

Is it possible the current roster makeup is not the type of players to succeed in the reworked Bucs offensive philosophy? Joe believes that is more than a fair take.

It sure seems like Bowles is trying to turn the no-risk-it; no-biscuit offense into Father Dungy’s prehistoric power running attack.

The problem? The Bucs aren’t built for a power-run attack and Mike Alstott is retired and 49 today.

Happy birthday, Mike!

37 Responses to “When Bucs Need Tom Brady The Most, He’s Cracking”

  1. uhmmm Says:

    Brady = Garappolo this year

  2. BucU Says:

    The whole team has mailed it in. They’re weak minded and brittle. Blow the whole thing up and start over.
    Only 2 players are untouchable if I’m the GM.
    Chris Godwin and Tristan Wirfs. Everybody else better not be in the market for a new home in Tampa in 2023.

  3. King Brutus Says:

    I don’t know about Brady cracking, but I saw the oline give up immense pressure on his two ints and fumble. Cam Brate was so late on that pick unfortunately he can’t even beat a washed Tray Waynes to the ball. Why the hell Otton isn’t getting more snaps than Brate is mind boggling.

  4. Marine Buc Says:

    It all starts in the trenches… And it ends with wide receivers who can’t get any separation and drop way too many passes that hit them in the hands.

  5. John Sinclear Says:

    Brady’s head is not into football, regardless of what he says. He lost his wife and family through divorce, and now lost maybe millions on the fraudulent
    cripto-money scam, which he endorsed.

    The time is now, with the season lost, to sit him and put Kyle Trask in for the rest of the season. Let’s see what he’s got, before the draft and free agency rolls around. Plans have to be made. Sorry Joe, you don’t like it, but reality is fact, not fiction.

  6. tampabuscsbro Says:

    Yeah true it’s on the best QB we have ever had that is still currently playing at a high level.

    A bad game true but normally our QBs have 4-7 games like that a year.

  7. Buc4evr Says:

    Agreed, he has some major personal problems that could be affecting his play, but he is also in decline and a bad O line with no running game just exacerbates the situation. I would expect him to retire or move on after the season as the Offense and Defense are playing bad with no light at the end of the tunnel. Back to the lost decade …..

  8. adam from ny Says:

    tommy b could be entering a “get right” window, right before the playoffs…

    a lot of pundits and rich eisen seem to think, beware of the bucs if they get to the playoffs…

    eisen said no one wants to face brady…and i agree, if the team makes it in, gets rejuvenated, and tommy b gets cracking…

    #TommyGetsCrunk

  9. BrianBucs Says:

    When your offensive line isn’t protecting well and your receivers aren’t getting open then a QB will start to press and that’s usually bad

  10. adam from ny Says:

    the dumbest thing on this entire site repeated over and over by fools is to pull brady for trask…

    110% you simply can’t do that for what amounts to a laundry list of reasons…

    you people who think that’s a rational move need to get your heads right…for real…geez

    #TomGravyIsUnbenchable

  11. Lamarcus Says:

    Jameis is better than Brady right now and he’s on the bench. Jameis actually made everyone better around him even guys who didn’t belong in NFL look decent. Adam Humphries, Brate, Peyton Barber,etc all got better and Mike Evans, OJ, Brate all were better around JW. With Brady, everyone regressing and he’s the Goat. This is worse look than any of the bad 10 years

  12. BrianBucs Says:

    “Instead, Brady is playing more like Jameis Winston than Jameis Winston”
    Joe, you should have your keyboard taken away

  13. BrianBucs Says:

    Lamarcus-
    Spoken like a true soccer fan

  14. SOEbuc Says:

    Everyone wants to blame the oline, but Brady has had many point’s with much time and he completely overthrows, underthrows, or can’t put it on the mark. If we had average/above average receivers, no doubt worst team in the league with the GOAT. And you hear these analysts that know truly d!ck about the Bucs except for Brady highlights. Like Romo said JTS is going to be very special after he got a sack last week. Not saying he can’t be or I don’t have faith, but he has not shown up to make that kinda statement this year.

  15. Kentucky Buc Says:

    Jameis is on the bench because he’s not very good. He’s the same guy he was in college except guys aren’t running 10 yards open anymore. He doesn’t process. Never has never will. How many years does it take to see it. Piss poor decision to draft him by the Bucs. The signs were there in college. I said it back then also never saw what people saw in Darnold. Both are the same guys they were.

  16. Simeon97 Says:

    Bowles is an idiot and swung momentum in the game with the fake punt. Bernard shouldn’t have to answer for that play. He should just said “who calls a fake punt from your own 23, I thought it was a joke”

  17. Tee Says:

    @SoeBuck well said. Definitely appreciate Brady. His head doesn’t seem to be in it right now. But it’s times when the O line protects decent and he just ain’t connecting. Hoping for the best.

  18. Buc1987 Says:

    Can the people who keeping talking about putting Trask in for the rest of the season just stop with such foolish talk?

    Last I checked the Bucs are still in the hunt to win the NFC South.

    Why the F would they put Trask in?

  19. KingLDavid54 Says:

    First off, Happy Birthday to Mike Alstott!

    Second, I think someone needs to call for a wellness check on Joe, as his takes this morning are the product of pure insanity!!!

  20. Mike Johnson Says:

    Its not his fault. Its called, Buc Greed. You should have moved on from him last year. He gave you 2 great seasons. Thats all there is. He is starting to look like Matt Ryan out there. Stumbling, bumbling and fumbling. I just hope the poor guy come to his senses after this year and drives off into the sunset with his body intact.

  21. JimmyfromNY Says:

    Jamis is better than Brady right now!! Ha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. Thank you grandma Winston!! If he was on this team right now you’re looking at 15 td and 25 turnovers. Mahomes and Alan have substantially more turnovers than TB and they are on stacked teams with top 5 O lines!! you seriously can’t make up the stuff from some of you. You’ve been tormented by him for so long

  22. tbbucs3 Says:

    The 2 dumbest running opinions on this site right now
    1) Brady should be benched for Trask
    2) The Bucs would be better off not making the playoffs for a slightly better draft pick.

    A close 3rd is that a 45 year old Brady hasn’t declined

  23. JimmyfromNY Says:

    Declined? he’s no longer the best quarterback in football. He’s in the top five or six. The only difference is, he can’t elevate every scrub slot receiver anymore. Surround him with just an average O line , 15-20th ranked RB and a few receivers that can generate separation withhout scheme and he is a top 3 QB and will get u to the final 4 if not final 2. He’s done it for 23 years.

  24. NEfan Says:

    SOE, so Brady is the reason Bucs can’t run??? There are some really stupid people on this site.

  25. Vadertime Says:

    Brady looked old and broken on Sunday even with the late 4th quarter drive for a touchdown – where was that for the previous 25 minutes of the 2nd half. Of course, the offensive line was very little help, allowing defenders to break through and harass and sack Brady. There is no running game. This left the defense out on the field for way too long and they ran out of gas, unable to stop the Bengals. I just understand how Tampa allowed a 17-0 half time lead slip away, field goal by the Bengals before the half not withstanding. This Tampa team is a bad team. It is riddled with injuries and overpaid players that are not producing and this includes Godwin, Evans and Fournette. Let’s get this season done with and begin rebuilding next year with a new Head Coach. Go Bucs.

  26. tbbucs3 Says:

    Brady is absolutely not a “top 5 or 6” QB this year….not even close….top 5 QBs don’t lead bottom 5 offenses regardless of who’s around them.

  27. ClwJB Says:

    This goes right in line with that joke article about the OLine getting a B/C grade

    Hahahahahaha

    Brady is heaving it faster than ever so he doesn’t get his teeth knocked out

    Throws in the dirt, fastballs with no chance of being caught because he doesn’t have time to throw, deep balls almost non existent because we can’t protect a 7 step drop without play action and we can’t run the ball!!!

    Yeah, it’s Brady

    Like against the Rams and Saints

    We knew what we were getting into investing in a 46 y/o player – he MUST have a clean pocket to succeed

  28. JimmyfromNY Says:

    Again another clueles take , give Brady, Kansas City’s offensive line and weapons, and he be the best quarterback in football .Anyone who knows anything about football and not a troll knows he’s completely hamstrung with the play calling , the office of line , receive it they can’t get open and one of the worst running games of all time. And he still tops in league lead in yards tight window throws . Are you watching every game? Other than maybe three or four passes, every ball is contested. You Brady trolls are absolutely out of your mind. Mahomes and Alan, and just about every other quarterback in football turn the ball over more than Brady. No, other quarterback in football is winning more than four games with this Bucs team

  29. Buddylove Says:

    There is as slew of reasons why the bucs are where they are and mostly falls on the offense. TD’s not FG’s win games. If guys are hurt, including Tom, play to your strengths. Adjust. Adapt. you have to from game to game AND in game. I haven’t seen that this year, nor the killer instinct from the offense since Jensen went down, THAT is a tone setter and has been. Bad plays, bad calls, not smart football from the top down. But I do agree that getting into the playoffs and having some momentom is big, that why I think we need to win these last games and start steamrolling, you just HAVE to. The injuries can start to turn for us and that will be a big deal, IF we get there.

  30. Anonymous Says:

    Oh and catch the stinking ball helps

  31. tbbucs3 Says:

    “No, other quarterback in football is winning more than four games with this Bucs team”

    Absolutely delusional, go back to your basement, DummyfromNY

  32. The Anomaly Says:

    Who thought he was going to play forever?

    LOL. Come on…smdh.

    Dude is DONE

  33. Defense Rules Says:

    Don’t know if anyone else is having the same issue on JBF, but lately quite a few of my comments have simply disappeared after hitting the ‘Submit Comment’ button. No bad words or anything, but I’m seeing a recurring theme in what disappears. Apparently it’s important to not rock the boat too much or you’ll get thrown out. Welcome to 1984.

  34. The Anomaly Says:

    @DR absolutely it has been happening. Certain words for sure

  35. Deuce Goose Says:

    Ehhhh…, average bucs fan here.
    It has been difficult to watch them play this year.
    Watch 30 mins of the game, then change the channel.

    Not that it would happen in a million years, and at this point in the year…, well lets just say it’s pretty much over…., but let’s do a San Fran Purdy experiment.

    Bring in Trask for the remainder of the season.

    He can run a lot better than brady to get 1st downs, and let’s see if we are getting the same results from trask as brady under leftwich.

    Then we will know it’s leftwich that needs to be replaced…., which it is.

    Also…Leftwich was traded from Jax back in the day, not because he still didn’t have a little in the tank left…,
    it was because of his piss poor attitude, and ability to pout, and not be a team player.

  36. LastDance Says:

    Like it or not…

    JimmyfromNY is right. All the QBs ya’ll say are so good right now compared to Brady have massively better Olines and running games AND a lot more INTs than Brady. This goes to show… Bucs fans are so used to losing they will attack their own if they show any flaw. You do know Brady throws MORE THAN ANY QB IN THE LEAGUE. Do you really expect him to be perfect for 44+ passes a game with NO RUNNING GAME and p!ss poor OLine play… Delusional at best.

  37. JimmyfromNY Says:

    Tbucs!! You’re about as delusional as it gets. Mahomes and Alan with no offense of line and no separation running around throwing the ball sideways in this offense ? Yes, get some highlight reel touchdowns but you’ll also get a bunch of more turnovers in those quarterbacks not survive in two weeks running around for their lives. Herbert , Cousins etc turnover after turnover with light years better set up with actual WR that get open. You guys calling for Kyle Trask? You can’t make this stuff up , you’re most likely going to be in the playoffs with Tom Brady a quarterback and you’re calling for Kyle Trask!! Lol Have you guys watched the past 20 years , you guys are clueless!!