What did Tom Brady have to say about the Bengals’ defense ahead of their NFL Week 15 game?
Never one to shy away from the mental aspect of the game, it seems the Bucs star is intent on stirring things up, before his team hosts last year’s conference champions.
With a cheeky comment about his team’s upcoming opponents, Bucs star Tom Brady may just have given the Bengals something to think about. In fact, we’re almost certain they’re going to have something to say about it.
Tom Brady doesn’t seem to think much of the Bengals
You’d think a blowout 35-7 loss to a Brock Purdy - Mr. Irrelevant - led San Francisco 49ers, would be enough to give Tom Brady pause, but apparently the seven-time Super Bowl winner is already on to thinking his next opponents and quite frankly, he doesn’t think much. Brady and the Bucs will host the defending AFC champions Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday and it should be mentioned, the Bengals are currently on a five-game win streak having dismissed the Browns this past weekend. Tampa Bay on the other hand, is now at 6-7 following their latest loss. At any rate, Brady isn’t fazed and he made that known when speaking about the upcoming game on the latest episode of his Let’s Go! podcast.
“We’re onto Cincinnati,” Brady said. “Great team. Great, young quarterback. Fairly tough defense. Good skill players. They do a lot of things well. We’re going to have to put everything we’ve got into it.” What’s curious here is Brady’s use of the phrase “fairly tough.” Indeed, it seems to suggest that the star signal caller doesn’t rate the Bengals’ defense among the best in the league. To be clear, Cincinnati boasts the 11th ranked defense in scoring and the sixth in red zone efficiency. Whether we’re talking about Sam Hubbard, Trey Hendrickson - currently set to sit out Sunday’s game with a wrist injury - Germaine Pratt, D.J. Reader, or Jessie Bates III, the bottom line is, this is a unit that didn’t concede a second half touchdown until we hit Week 8. “We’re just imposing our will on people,” Bates said following Sunday’s win. “The thing is we’re confident. We’re playing really physical as a defense. All around. Not just with DJ and B.J. (Hill), but all the guys up front and the linebackers are tackling like DBs. It gives our offense confidence. It gives them an opportunity to score points.”
What to expect from Brady, the Bucs & the Bengals?
Not once in his career, has Tom Brady overseen a campaign that ended with a losing record. That’s to say, that following what was clearly his worst game of the season in San Francisco, Brady will be extra motivated to right his recent wrongs. In truth, Sunday’s game is going to be a key examination for both teams. Where the Bengals are concerned, they will be tasked with shutting down the seven-time Super Bowl winner. As for the Bucs, it will all start with said star signal caller being able to replicate the kind of level that got him all those rings in the first place. Mike Evand and Chris Godwin will be key in this contest along with running backs Leonard Fournette and Rachaad White.
“I just think there’s an intense level of urgency that everyone’s gotta feel,” Brady said. “You’ve got four games left in the season and everything’s in front of us. ...We’ve got to have this urgency to come in with a great sense of determination and discipline to get better. ...To make the throws that I’ve got to make. That’s what I’ve to do, and that’s where all my intention is going to be this week.”
Not the Bengals but Burrow for Brady
Though we could have more fun unpacking Brady’s not so subtle swipe at Cincinnati’s defense, it’s interesting to note that he has been very gracious when speaking of the man at the center of its offense, Joe Burrow. Indeed, Brady left no doubt that he’s a fan of the Bengals quarterback when speaking with him on his above-mentioned podcast just before February’s Super Bowl. “You’ve got a great future ahead,” Brady said at the time. “There’s a lot of football games left in your future, as there should be. We all get to watch you for a long time and really enjoy it. I wish you nothing but the best, as you know.” With a 9-4 record on the season and Burrow playing MVP football, not only do we agree with Brady, but we’re wondering whether he might be made to pay for his words.