After another excellent performance in their 33-27 overtime win over the Buffalo Bills, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady has strengthened his grip on the Most Valuable Player award. The odds for the 44-year-old to win his fourth MVP trophy have been beefed up after he completed 31 of 46 passes for 363 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning scoring strike to Breshad Perriman in overtime. According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Brady’s odds went up from +175 last week to -170, per PointsBet, getting a huge lead over Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (+550) and Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (+900).
Also on the top five are Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (+1200) and Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (+1500). But Florio said the Buccaneers should finish with the No. 1 seed in the NFC for Brady to clinch the MVP award. Currently, the Buccaneers are third seed in the NFC behind the Cardinals and the Packers. In their win over the Bills, Brady clinched the all-time record for completions and became the first player in NFL history to throw 700 touchdown passes. Brady currently leads the league in touchdown passes (36), passing yards (4,134) and completions (378). At the rate he’s going, Brady is on pace to accomplish his second 5,000-yard season.
Brady on pace to break franchise mark
According to Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com, Brady is expected to break the Buccaneers’ franchise record for passing yards in a season, currently owned by Jameis Winston. Brady and Winston are the only quarterback in Buccaneers’ history to record multiple 4,000-yard seasons. Brady’s current total is good for fourth in franchise history, but he still has four games to play so he’s expected to break Winston's franchise record of 5,109 yards.
This is also the 13th time in Brady’s 22 years in the NFL that he has topped 4,000 passing yards, second only to Peyton Manning. Brady is also expected to break his record for most touchdown passes in a season in Buccaneers’ history. In his first season with the Buccaneers, Brady threw 40 touchdown passes, surpassing the earlier record of 33 set by Winston.
Brady currently leads Matthew Stafford of the Los Angeles Rams and Herbert in terms of touchdown passes this season. Stafford and Herbert have 30 apiece while Bills quarterback Josh Allen has 28.
Bucs haven’t decided on Brown’s fate
Wide receiver Antonio Brown is currently in the second week of the three-game suspension imposed by the NFL for falsifying his vaccine information. Last week, head coach Bruce Arians said there’s no decision yet on Brown’s fate. When the subject was raised on Monday, Arians reiterated his earlier statement, saying hasn’t changed. “I haven’t made that determination yet, but we’ll see how it goes,” Arians said. Brown is eligible to return on Dec. 26 when the Buccaneers take on the Carolina Panthers.
