NFL | It gets even more complicated for Brady and Rodgers

What’s going on with Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? Not much and that’s the problem.

Miguel Bujold
The Press

It would be wrong to say that Brady has been bad since the start of the season. Without playing big football, his efficiency coefficient of 92.8 is acceptable and fairly representative of his season.

In contrast, Brady threw just 8 touchdown passes in 7 games, which would give him a full season total of 19. That would be less than half of his totals in his first two seasons in Tampa Bay (40 in 2020 and 43 in 2021).

The Bucs were shut out in the first three quarters of their 21-3 loss to Carolina on Sunday. Mike Evans dropped a long pass that probably would have resulted in a touchdown, but still. Three points against a team that has already essentially put an end to its season, that’s worrying.

The Bucs have lost three of their last four games and Rex Ryan pretty much summed it up on ESPN when he said they were old and slow. They are certainly very lucky to share their division with the Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints and Panthers.

Had it not been for the bad decision of the referees (another…) who penalized Grady Jarrett for having managed a sack at the expense of Brady a few weeks ago, nothing more, the Falcons (3-4) would perhaps be ahead of the Bucs (3-4) in the South of the National. And it would perhaps be four defeats in a row that the Buccaneers would have suffered.

The Buccaneers have not played with any sense of urgency for a month and it makes you wonder if Brady’s absences for personal reasons have not undermined the team spirit. If they don’t play with more intensity on Thursday night, when the Baltimore Ravens will be in Tampa, we will certainly no longer be able to consider them as one of the leading teams in the National.

The Bucs will have a good test on Thursday night, but a home game against the Ravens is doable. It will be a lot tougher for the Green Bay Packers who will be in Buffalo to face the irresistible Bills on Sunday night. Bills who will return from their spring break in addition.

Aaron Rodgers said after his team’s 23-21 loss on Sunday in Washington that it might be the perfect cure to go up against the Bills. That no one would give them a chance to win. On this last point, he is absolutely right…

How do you expect the Packers to hold up against Josh Allen and the Bills with the current state of their aerial game? When it’s your running back, in this case Aaron Jones, who is the best receiver in your club as was the case against the Commanders, it says a lot.

We thought the defense would carry the Packers this season, but the unit is disappointing. Excellent against the pass, she still allowed reserve quarterback Taylor Heinicke and the Commanders to score 20 points from the middle of the second quarter. Linebacker De’Vondre Campbell scored 63 yards on an interception to make it 14-3, but the Packers defense was unable to finish the job. She will absolutely have to raise her level of play at a time when the Packers’ attack is looking for solutions.

And unlike Brady and the Bucs, Rodgers and the Packers aren’t lucky enough to be in a division without a quality opponent. The Minnesota Vikings are currently 5-1, while the Packers will be 3-5 unless they surprise the Bills at Orchard Park.

Successful return for Dak and Tua

Dak Prescott played for the first time since Opening Week Sunday at Dallas and did well (19 for 25 for 207 yards and 1 touchdown) in the Cowboys’ 24-6 win over the Detroit Lions.

Prescott no longer has to carry the Cowboys on his shoulders. Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard totaled 140 rushing yards and had their best runs when the time was right, while the defense had five sacks and two interceptions off Jared Goff.

The NFC East run promises in the second half of the season as the Cowboys have five wins and the Philadelphia Eagles and surprising New York Giants have six.

In Miami, Tua Tagovailoa started the game strong in his first start since his concussion. The Pittsburgh Steelers defense made adjustments starting in the second quarter, but the Dolphins still prevailed, 16-10. Must say that Tagovailoa (21 in 35 for 261 yards and 1 touchdown) played luck as the Steelers dropped four interceptions, a high in the NFL this season.

The Dolphins seized their opportunities by intercepting three passes from Kenny Pickett, including two late in the game. The Steelers rookie has completed 68.5% of his passes this season, but will need to protect the ball better (seven interceptions).