"Certainly overcame our fair share of adversity" - Tom Brady rallies Buccaneers for crunch playoff tie against Eagles
Tom Brady and Tampa Bay are gearing up for their second consecutive playoff run. After finishing the regular season 13-4, the Bucs clinched the No. 2 seed and will now face the Philadelphia Eagles in the first round of the playoffs.
As he does every week, the seven-time Super Bowl champion took to his Twitter account and posted a message to fans, stating that it has been a huge season and that he hopes to see all Bucs fans at the game on Sunday.
“Thank you guys for your amazing support this year," Brady said. "What a year it has been, 13 and 4 we certainly overcame our fair share of adversity and built some mental toughness which is always what it takes this time of year so we got a big one at home against Philly coming up, it’s gonna be a tough game but expect to see you all there Sunday at 1, let's go!"
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Tom Brady aiming for back-to-back Super Bowls
The Buccaneers have faced their fair share of road blocks this season, particularly towards the back end of the campaign. The game against New Orleans, where the Bucs were shut out in a 9-0 loss, was a double-edged sword. Not only did Tampa lose the game, but they also lost several key players like Chris Godwin and Leonard Fournette to injury.
Godwin tore his ACL and is out for the season while Fournette has missed the last three weeks after he suffered a hamstring injury during the loss to the Saints. Fournette is expected to be back for this weekend's game against the Eagles but will be short on match fitness, so he may be on a pitch count.
Then there was the Antonio Brown situation. After throwing his pads and helmet onto the sideline bench against the Jets, Brown was ultimately released, leaving the Bucs down two receivers as they chase another Super Bowl.
The oldest player in NFL history to pass for more than 5,000 yards in season 👏
@Buccaneers QB @TomBrady is the 2021 passing leader! https://t.co/QbYM4PjtL5
The likes of Tyler Johnson, Breshad Perriman and Scotty Miller will be called upon to help ease the load on Mike Evans and Rob Gronkowski. Certainly not at full strength, the Buccaneers are going to have to rely on their offensive players to deliver another Lombardi Trophy.
The next stage of their season now begins with the Eagles on Sunday in a win-or-go home game. Being at home, the Buccaneers will be expected to progress at the expense of Philadelphia, but as the saying goes: "The best team doesn't always win, you just have to be the best team on the day" — Tampa will simply have to be at their best to avoid an embarrassing loss.
Also check out: San Francisco 49ers Playoff History, Appearances, Wins and more