Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady gave a shout-out to the team’s certified ballhawk, safety Mike Edward, in his regular postgame victory video.
“Mike, two pick-sixes,” Brady exclaimed. “Defense played great.”
Edwards returned two interceptions for touchdowns in the Bucs’ 48-25 win on Sunday and earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors. He also tallied three pass deflections and four tackles in addition to the pick-sixes.
With the big game, Edwards earned the title “ballhawk” from head coach Bruce Arians and Bucs players alike.
“He’s just a ballhawk,” Arians said following Sunday’s game. “He always has been since he’s been here. And if he finds the ball, guys are hollering to him, ‘get outside, get outside.’ He suckered them (the Falcons) right into it. He knew exactly what he was doing.”
Brady concurred.
“I think that there’s certain people that have been around in my career that just find a way to get the ball in their hands and make plays with it,” Brady said on Sunday. “Mike obviously comes up with a lot of those at the end of the game and during the game, too. He just gets good jumps on the quarterback. He’s in good position to make the plays, and he makes them.”
Mike Edwards pick-6 Matt Ryan, Ryan’s second INT of the game.
Gene Deckerhoff calls Mike Edwards’ SECOND PICK SIX #GoBucs
Bucs cornerback Carlton Davis III was still talking up Edwards days after and claims the veteran safety doesn’t get the accolades he deserves.
“It was cool,” Davis said in Wednesday’s press conference. “He’s a ballhawk. He’s definitely underrated in that sense. He’s always been that way. He just has a knack for the ball, and he’s always around it. It was cool to see him shine when he needed to and we needed him to.”
Edwards Reacts to Taunting Penalty
As Edwards took a second interception to the house, Edwards’ turning around and backing into the end zone drew a taunting penalty flag.
Injured Bucs cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting came to Edwards defense on social media.
“Are taunting penalties directed more toward defensive players,” Murphy-Bunting wrote. “Asking for a friend.”
“Seems that way,” Edwards replied in his retweet.
Seems that way..
The NFL’s new taunting rule has come under fire of late, but the league office confirmed on Wednesday that it won’t loosen the rule according to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio.
Edwards on Ballhawk Skills
Amid receiving Sunday’s game ball from Arians, Edwards told his team he “couldn’t have done it without you all” in producing two pick-sixes.
While Edwards deflected the credit, he told the media on Sunday that he’s always prided himself on being aware of where the ball is at any given moment.
“Ever since I was growing up, people always looked at me as a ballhawk,” Edwards said. “I’ve always been around the ball, try and make plays, (and) create turnovers. That’s what I try to do when I came here from day one.”
Brady, Edwards California Dreaming
Brady, wearing a California T-shirt in his video, quickly turned the page to Sunday’s road game with the Los Angeles Rams. Edwards likewise has his eyes on where Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford will throw the ball on Sunday.
“We know he likes to take shots,” Edwards said of Stafford on Wednesday. “We gotta definitely be ready for that and … keep everything in front of us and limit the explosive plays.”
Brady conversely wants the Bucs offense to keep up its high-octane pace.
“Gotta keep the foot on the gas pedal,” Brady said in his video.
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Tom Brady Sends Message to Mike Edwards