The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will try to become the first team since the 2003-04 New England Patriots to win back-to-back Super Bowl titles in the upcoming season. Critics, as usual, expect 44-year-old quarterback Tom Brady to fail and won’t be able to repeat his performance last season where he threw for 4,633 yards and 40 touchdowns with 12 interceptions in the regular season and delivered 10 more touchdown passes in the playoffs. Former NFL head coach and now football analyst for Fox Sports Eric Mangini has a reminder for this kind of people during an episode of First Things First on Fox Sports where they discussed Brady’s No. 7 ranking in the NFL Top 100 players for 2021.
Mangini believes that Brady was clearly the best player last season based on impact that he had in his first year with the Buccaneers, where he signed a two-year deal worth $50 million in the offseason after a 20-year stint with the Patriots. “When you look at the impact that Tom had at a new organization and was able to do in that context, it’s undeniable that he was the best player,” Mangini said. The former NFL head coach then addressed the view of Brady’s critics who are saying he cannot do it again because of his age. “Maybe in this coming year, you’re saying well he’s almost 100 years old, how could he possibly do it again. But we’ve learned year in and year out, don’t bet against Tom Brady,” Mangini said, per transcription of the show’s YouTube video.
Bucs raring to end Saints’ reign in NFC South
Before Brady arrived, the Buccaneers had four last-place finishes in the NFC South and wide receiver Mike Evans was there when that happened, per Charles Odum of the Associated Press. When the Buccaneers signed Brady last season, everything turned around for the team as it won its first Super Bowl title since 2002 with a masterful 31-9 victory over the then-defending champions Kansas City Chiefs.
Aside from defending the Super Bowl title, Evans and the Buccaneers have another mission, which is to end the domination of the New Orleans Saints in the NFC South. The Saints clinched the division title last season with a 12-4 mark while the Buccaneers clinched a Wild Card after an 11-5 finish in the regular season. The Saints defeated the Buccaneers twice in the regular season, but Tampa Bay clinched the game that mattered most as they beat New Orleans in the divisional round.
Cuts loom as Bucs try to trim roster to 53
Per Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com, the Buccaneers, like all NFL teams, will have until 4 p.m. on Tuesday to trim their roster to 53 players. After players pass through waivers, the Buccaneers can now form their 16-man practice squad. The team will then meet again on Thursday and Friday for a pair of "bonus" practices before getting one more day off. Then they would practice on Sunday as they prepare for their Sunday’s season-opening game against the Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 9 at Raymond James Stadium.
