“Like watching LeBron James miss a layup” – Tom Brady struggling against out-of-contention Cardinals leaves Cris Collinsworth baffled
Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers faced the Arizona Cardinals in Week 16 on Sunday Night Football. While the Buccaneers won the game 19 -16 in overtime, NBC analyst Cris Collingsworth made an interesting comparison. In the second quarter of the game, Brady threw an incomplete pass to wide receiver Russell Gage. Collinsworth was left speechless after that play, comparing Brady to Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James.
Collinsworth said:
"I got nothing. I mean, this is a layup. This is like watching LeBron James miss a layup right here...I don't know what I'm watching."
The seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback has struggled with the Buccaneers' offense all season. Brady had a quarterback rating of 71.6, the second-lowest such rating in a game this season. He also threw two interceptions versus the Cardinals in Week 16, his third game with two interceptions this season. The quarterback also threw for 281 yards and a touchdown in the Buccaneers' victory.
One of Brady's biggest frustrations is the team's lack of a run game all season. The team ran for over 100 yards in a game for just the third time this season with 115 yards against the Cardinals. Overall, this season has been one of the worst of his 23 in the NFL.
Is Tom Brady beginning to show his age this season?
At 45 years old, the 2022 - 2023 season has not been kind to Tom Brady on many fronts. For starters, he's on pace to throw for under 30 touchdowns for the first time since the 2019 - 2020 season. That was his last season with the New England Patriots, where he had 24 touchdowns. He's also in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time since the 2008 - 2009 season.
In all, the three-time NFL MVP has made the postseason 19 times in his illustrious career. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers must win their remaining two games to claim the NFC South title for the third straight season. We will see if Tom Brady will be playing in the postseason for the 20th time as the campaign draws to a close.