"Tom Brady is above this team" - Ryan Clark claims that unlike when he was with Patriots, QB can do whatever he pleases in Tampa
Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers suffered a humiliating 20-18 loss against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. The defeat was embarrassing for Brady and his team for a few reasons. The Steelers were without the majority of their starters in the secondary and also lost quarterback Kenny Pickett midway through the game due to an injury.
During the game, Brady was spotted yelling at the Buccaneers' offensive line, demanding they up their game and screaming:
"We are so much better than the way we are f**king playing!"
Fans and analysts on social media came to the O-line's defense. They pointed to the fact that Brady missed the team's walkthrough on Saturday night. Brady went to New York to attend New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft's surprise wedding ceremony.
Former Pittsburgh safety Ryan chimed in on the situation surrounding Brady's absence from Saturday's walkthrough and his outburst on Sunday. He claimed Brady could not hold the offensive line accountable as he decided to prioritize Kraft's wedding party over game preparation:
"One thing we said about Tom Brady was team is always the priority. Right? Team has been priority to a fault over his family sometimes and he's actually said that out loud. And so now all of a sudden, we're a team. You are so driven about championships. You were so driven about winning. That team was over your blood. They aren't over at Robert Kraft wedding? They're not over going to a reception?"
Clark added:
"Bill Belichick treated Tom Brady like he treated everybody else. You hear that down to a man in New England. He talked to Tom Brady like he talked to the practice squad guy. Tom Brady was part of the team. That was the Patriot Way. Tom Brady ain't a part of this team. Tom Brady is above this team."
Clark concluded his point by saying that the Buccaneers cannot fix the situation because Brady has too much power, which he has earned on merit, but doesn't benefit the team.
Are Tom Brady and the Buccaneers much better than they are playing?
With Tom Brady's sweary video going viral, the question remains as to whether the Buccaneers are much better than they are playing. The Buccaneers are 3-3 and in many ways lucky to be so.
This is in stark contrast to their high-powered 2021 campaign. They have struggled with injuries to multiple receivers, but they have enough quality for a quarterback like Brady to work with. Running back Leonard Fournette started the season poorly, but has rallied nicely in recent weeks. Let's look at their results this season.
Other than their 19-3 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1, Tampa Bay haven't looked dominant. Week 2 saw them struggle mightily against the New Orleans Saints. They overcame them (20-10) in the fourth quarter after Marshon Lattimore was ejected alongside Buccaneers receiver Mike Evans.
Week 3 saw them lose 14-12 to the Green Bay Packers in a poor display from both franchises. Week 4 saw them lose 41-31 to the Kansas City Chiefs in a game they were always chasing.
Tom Brady with some words to his offensive line. https://t.co/qBqjD7vfKg
In Week 5 Tampa Bay barely escaped an Atlanta Falcons comeback, which was due to a highly controversial roughing the passer call. If that flag hadn't been thrown, the Falcons would have had a shot at a game-winning drive. The Buccaneers managed to win 21-15. With their 20-18 defeat in Week 6, Tampa Bay really aren't looking good on offense.
Patriots’ owner Robert Kraft married Dana Blumberg last night at Hall des Lumières in lower Manhattan. Guests included Tom Brady, Roger Goodell, Adam Silver, Randy Moss, Vince Wilfork and Jon Bon Jovi.
Elton John, Ed Sheeran and Meek Mill all performed at the wedding. https://t.co/sz93QmpUja
It is fair to say that the Buccaneers are not playing to their ability, especially on offense. Their defense keeps the majority of teams to relatively low point totals, but their offense isn't winning them games. Tampa Bay will travel to the Carolina Panthers in Week 7 for a game they are expected to dominate.
We will see if Tom Brady can silence his critics in that matchup.