Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians took a new turn for the new year in commenting on quarterback Tom Brady’s first season with the team.
“Totally exceeded (my expectations),” Arians said in Friday’s press conference regarding Brady. “With having such a limited practice, we went to New Orleans (in Week 1) still learning words.”
Brady, who came to the Bucs via free agency in March after 20 successful years with the New England Patriots, threw two interceptions against the Saints in the Bucs’ season-opening loss. Arians’ criticism of Brady began per Ben Volin of the Boston Globe via Twitter.
Bruce Arians on Brady’s pick-six: Brady threw the outlet pass instead of a screen. “Bad decision.”
Arians shed more light on the bigger picture in Friday’s press conference, looking at the whole season where Brady led the Bucs to a 10-5 mark thus far and the franchise’s first playoff appearance in 13 years.
“When the quarterback calls a play, he should have a picture in his head,” Arians said in the press conference. “I don’t think that happened until November – just continuing to learn what words meant and what concepts meant, and then adjusting concepts as we went along. A guy might have a three or four-way go on a route (but now) we eliminated it to two. Things like that as we just kept evolving.”
Pewter Progressions
Issues on Brady’s deep-ball throws surfaced in the middle of the season, and Arians didn’t hesitate to mention Brady missing open guys in postgame press conferences. Brady finally found his stride in December with touchdowns passes of 30 or more yards in each of the past three games.
“I think right now when he calls a play, the picture is in his head and he’s really, really playing well,” Arians said in the press conference.
At record pace, actually. Brady threw the most touchdown passes ever for the Bucs in one season with 36 and counting. In his last game at Detroit, he posted the most passing yards in the first half ever in his career per Jenna Laine of ESPN. Brady surged in his last four quarters of play — at Atlanta and Detroit — by leading 10 scoring drives with six touchdowns from his arm and no interceptions along the way.
Brady dominated Decembers in New England over the years, and the Bucs looked for that in him per FOX 13. Arians, who has coached against Brady in the past, knew of Brady’s leadership skills and wanted that in Tampa.
“His leadership is beyond anything I’ve ever seen,” Arians said in Friday’s press conference. “Peyton Manning is the only thing close.”
Arians coached Manning in Indianapolis from 1998 to 2000 as a quarterbacks coach.
Making the Grade
Brady owns the edge on time, for now, showing little sign of slowing down at age 43.
He graded out as the second-best quarterback in the league per Pro Football Focus on Twitter.
🥇 Aaron Rodgers
🥈 Deshaun Watson
🥈 Tom Brady
PFF’s highest-graded QBs of 2020 🏆
PFF grades quarterbacks based on each passing play according to PFF’s Steve Palazzolo. Brady also graded out well on his second-half performances per PFF’s Twitter.
Highest-graded 2nd half QBs:
1. Aaron Rodgers – 93.5
2. Patrick Mahomes – 90.6
3. Kirk Cousins – 89.3
4. Tom Brady – 88.1
Brady also grades high in third-down production per PFF’s Twitter despite the Bucs’ season-long struggle with slow starts.
Highest-graded QBs on 3rd down:
1. Aaron Rodgers – 91.6
2. Derek Carr – 87.0
3. Patrick Mahomes – 85.7
4. Tom Brady – 81.6
Falling behind 17-0 against Atlanta the first time around in Week 15 didn’t help that grade for Brady. He will look to keep the Bucs on schedule early in their rematch with the Falcons on Sunday.
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Bruce Arians Sends Tom Brady Strong Message on Bucs’ Season