Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians has criticized Tom Brady publicly on multiple occasions this season, but many feel the quarterback is not the one to blame. Some NFL executives and scouts reportedly believe Arians has not done enough to cater to Brady’s strengths.
Many who have scouted the Bucs feel the offensive system has been the primary reason for Brady’s struggles as of late, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. Those scouts and executives have noticed a reliance on the vertical passing game, which has not been Brady’s strong suit for years. That is the style of offense for which Arians has become known, but it’s not hard to believe that a 43-year-old quarterback who has thrived in the short-to-intermediate passing game would not excel in it.
“They want to get their best players on the field as much as they can and try to throw it deep and beat you that way,” one executive told La Canfora. “There’s kind of one way of doing things and if it works, it works. And if it doesn’t, then you’re (screwed). They aren’t willing to try to reinvent themselves to win that particular game.”
Arians has placed blame on Brady multiple time following losses this season, most recently when he said Brady misread coverages in his two-interception performance against the Los Angeles Rams. Brady has chosen not to respond when asked about the remarks, though sources close to him told La Canfora the criticisms have “clearly not gone unnoticed.”
Brady has nine interceptions this season and five in Tampa Bay’s last three games. If you want to know how he has fared in the deep passing game, look no further than these stats.
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