Atlanta Falcons interim head coach Raheem Morris said he won’t provide the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a bulletin board material ahead of their Sunday’s crucial showdown. “You won’t get the quote out of me saying Tom Brady doesn’t look like Tom Brady,” Morris said, per a report by Jason Butt of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Morris called Brady as one of the greatest players to play our game, “if not the greatest quarterback of our game” and “certainly the winningest.” Morris said they have witnessed Brady play several times in a “nightmare-ish fashion” and they expect the same intensity from the six-time Super Bowl champion when they collide on Sunday.
The Buccaneers hold an 8-5 record and are currently in sixth lace in the NFC while the Falcons are out of it all with a 4-9 mark.
Morris, Falcons have yet to win over Brady
Morris has a 4-3 record since taking over the coaching reins from the fired Dan Quinn, but he still has yet to win against Brady in his coaching career, which included three years as head coach of the Buccaneers. Morris recalled that he was an assistant defensive backs coach with the Buccaneers in 2005 when they played Brady and the New England Patriots, who prevailed, 28-0 behind the veteran quarterback’s three touchdown passes. In 2009, Morris was the Buccaneers head coach when they faced Brady anew but it was the same old story as the Patriots prevailed, 35-7.
Morris faced Brady two more times when he was receivers coach for the Falcons and the results were the same, including the Patriots’ famous comeback from a 28-3 deficit en route to a 34-28 overtime win in Super Bowl LI. In his career, the 43-year-old Brady is 6-0 against the Falcons. However, Brady said it would be hard to sweep a division opponent like the Falcons, especially when they are playing twice in a three-week span.
“We’re going to be faced with that, and it’s going to take our best football,” Brady said.
Buccaneers favorite over Falcons
The Buccaneers have entered the week as a four-point favorite over the Falcons by virtue of their 26-14 win over the Minnesota Vikings. In that game, Brady threw for 196 yards and touchdown passes to wide receiver Scotty Miller and tight end Rob Gronkowski.
The Falcons, for their part, are still reeling from a 20-17 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 14. Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan threw for 224 yards and a score but he also had three interceptions that doomed their chances. According to Ken Pomponio of USA Today, the Buccaneers are -4 against the spread, meaning a $110 bet would win $100. In terms of money line, the Buccaneers are -225, or a bettor must bet $225 to win $100. The Falcons are +180 or a $100 bet would win $180.
