Why does Tom Brady struggle against the New Orleans Saints' defense?
One of the biggest rivalries in the NFL in recent seasons has been between Tom Brady and the New Orleans Saints. Since Brady moved on to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he owns a 1-4 record against the Saints, including the playoffs. Should the Bucs lose, it will be their fourth regular-season loss in a row to the Saints. That is surprising, considering that Brady is pretty unstoppable.
However, there is a strong reason behind why Brady isn't that great against the Saints. Their defensive front is one of the best in the entire league, and it has been proven that a strong defensive front that can rattle Brady is a surefire way to make him commit mistakes.
What will the Saints have to do to beat Brady and the Buccaneers?
The first time the Brady-led Buccaneers faced off against the Saints, they had Drew Brees, who is arguably leaps and bounds better than Taysom Hill. Still, it wasn't Brees's own doing that unraveled Brady and company. The Saints defense was in his face the entire game.
That game took place on September 12, 2020. Brady would end up throwing two interceptions that day, and that was due to that defensive front constantly pressuring Brady. On top of the two interceptions, the Saints defense accounted for three sacks on the day. One of which caused a Brady fumble.
The same situation happened on November 8, 2020. The Saints won in a lopsided 38-3 game which saw Brady throw three interceptions and be sacked another three times. The same formula worked in the same light as it did earlier in the same season.
The Saints' 2021 defense is more of the same. They are ranked as the #2 best defense in the NFL. They own the #3 ranked run defense in the entire league, which can help against the power runner that Leonard Fournette is. With run plays being silenced, the Saints can focus on their secondary efforts, hoping this will cause more Brady interceptions. The Saints defense is also #1 in stopping teams in the red zone. Brady excels at red-zone offense, so that is another level of his game that they can control. The Saints currently average two sacks per game, and that is a lot, considering how effective they are against Brady.
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The Saints are a strong defensive team that can control the flow of Brady's offense. This is how they have been so successful and how they will continue to be successful. Their defense currently has 14 interceptions, which is tied for fifth place in the league. With the ability to create turnovers and generate sacks, the Saints defense is a nightmare for most quarterbacks.
The Saints have just found the formula to rattle Tom Brady at every turn of his game.
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