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Tom Brady’s career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers isn’t off to a great start. Tampa Bay lost to New Orleans by a score of 34-23, leaving the franchise at 0-1.
One loss doesn’t define a season and there’s optimism that things will turn around for Bucs. Brady has lost Week 1 as a starter on three other occasions in his career; each time, he went on to play in the Super Bowl that season.
Brady’s three Week 1 losses came in 2003 (Bills), 2014 (Dolphins), and 2017 (Chiefs). Brady’s Patriots went 2-for-3 in Super Bowls, losing at the end of the 2017 season to the Eagles in the big game.
Buccaneers Expect to Rebound
Coach Bruce Arians expects his team to rebound, citing Brady’s performance in practice leading up to the Saints game as a major reason for optimism.
“He looked like Tom Brady in practice all the time, so it’s kind of unusual to see that in a ball game because they didn’t do things that we didn’t get ready for. Everything they did, we thought we were ready for,” Arians said (via Jenna Laine of ESPN). “Some wide receivers have to do a better job of winning one-on-one when he decides to go their way. He put us in the right run checks a couple times. It was a learning experience that way.”
Arians added that he expects Brady to have a “little more grit” and a “little more determination” ahead of next week’s game against the Panthers.
“It’s a situation where all that verbiage, when you’re under the gun, is different, and now you’re getting hit for the first time, too. It’s all different,” Arians said. “He’s had it before. He knows how to bounce back. He knew he didn’t play very well. It’s not what he expects from himself, nor do we expect. I would anticipate him to have a little more grit, a little more determination this week.”
Should the Buccaneers Trade for Odell Beckham?
The Buccaneers are stacked in regards to pass-catchers but in this passing league, teams can never have enough weapons.
There are mixed reports of the Browns shopping Odell Beckham Jr., as Pro Football Action relays. Odell would give the Bucs another weapon and perhaps they should consider calling the Ohio franchise. Swapping either Chris Godwin, who is without a long-term deal, or Mike Evans, who was seen arguing with Brady during the Bucs’ opener, may be a feasible play.
Beckham netted just 22 yards on three catches in Cleveland’s loss to Baltimore (hit first target didn’t come until the second quarter).
In 2019, Beckham caught 74 passes for 1,035 yards, adding four touchdowns while he dealt with various injuries. Perhaps it’s Odell who has a lost a step; perhaps it’s Baker Mayfield and the franchise that can’t get the most out of the wideout. Either way, a change of scenery may be the formula for success.
Trading away either Evans or Godwin comes with risk. Brady hasn’t spent long with either one but he did commit to getting on the same page with them this offseason while he conducting non-team workouts. If Brady and his wide receivers don’t find a way to get more in-sync than they were in the opener, then the franchise has a lot more to evaluate than originally anticipated.
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