Coming off a disappointing performance by Tom Brady in Week 5 against the Chicago Bears, can the Tampa Bay Buccaneers still win a Super Bowl with their defense struggling and the Hall of Fame quarterback battling inconsistency?
Between blowing up at teammates and an uncharacteristic mental gaffe on fourth down, Tom Brady didn’t look right on Thursday Night Football against Chicago. Signed to a lucrative contract this offseason, the future Hall of Famer was inconsistent once again and made the kinds of mistakes we see from players on the decline.
Coming off a disappointing performance, with some inconsistent outings this season, things don’t look great right now for Tampa Bay. With the schedule about to get even tougher, are the Tom Brady-led Buccaneers still a Super Bowl contender?
Since taking the field for the Buccaneers, Brady has shown a frustrating amount of inconsistency. At times, he looks like an elite quarterback capable of competing for another NFL MVP award. He’ll also go through stretches, especially when pressured, where throws outside the numbers are late and he makes poor decisions.
Overall, it’s been an up-and-down season for Brady and the Buccaneers’ offense. He hasn’t quite lived up to the expectations some had for him entering the year. But this is the reality for a 43-year-old quarterback, even an all-time great.
As Philadelphia Eagles legend Brian Westbrook brings up, inconsistent performances are inevitable. But while Father Time has diminished some of Brady’s skills, leading to deterioration and even a few mental mistakes.
There’s still reason for optimism. Brady joined the Buccaneers for a few reasons, with the supporting cast and coaching staff playing a pivotal role in the decision. Arians has one of the best offensive minds of his generation and a healthy receiving duo of Evans and Chris Godwin is exceptional.
While Brady’s days as a top-four quarterback are over, he remains a top-10 quarterback and can even play above that level. The numbers coming into Week 5 showed that, when given time, he can still execute this offense and put up a lot of points with protection and a reliable receiving corps.
Given the Buccaneers dominated at the line of scrimmage before Week 5, we’d expect the protection issues aren’t a long-term concern. Even better news, Godwin has a great chance of returning in Week 6 and Evans will only get better as his injured ankle heals.
One thing is for certain, Brady needs to eliminate some of the mistakes and missed throws. Set to face a grueling stretch on the schedule, the blame will fall on Brady’s shoulders if the Buccaneers can’t deliver.
Assuming the Buccaneers avoid a COVID-19 outbreak, far from a guarantee, the team faces a difficult stretch through November. With Tampa Bay not scheduled to have time off until their Week 13 bye, these next seven games are pivotal.
Tampa Bay will be without defensive tackle Vita Vea for the rest of the season, a massive blow for their defense. The timing couldn’t be worse with the secondary struggling and matchups against Aaron Rodgers, Derek Carr, Drew Brees and Patrick Mahomes looming. On top of that, the Packers, Raiders, Saints, Rams and Chiefs should easily be able to run on the Buccaneers.
Sitting at two losses already, the Buccaneers could easily drop four of their next seven games. Frankly, only the Week 8 matchup against the Giants looks like a certain victory.
With Vea and O.J. Howard sidelined for the year, the Buccaneers can’t afford additional season-ending injuries. There will be more pressure on Brady to perform and less wiggle room for him to make mental mistakes or deliver inconsistent performances.
There’s still a chance the Buccaneers could host Super Bowl LV in their own stadium, but this doesn’t look like a championship-contending team right now.