Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers wrapped up the NFC South title and a home playoff game with last week’s 30-24 come from behind win over the Panthers. The win makes this week’s season finale at the Atlanta Falcons meaningless, and in most cases, coaches would rest their starters in an effort to have them ready for the wild card round of the playoffs the following week.
Will Tom Brady Play In Season Finale Against Falcons?
But Brady wants to play and says he doesn’t see any game as “meaningless.”
He also said it would “bother him” by not playing.
“This is football season,” Brady said. “We’re football players. It’s what we do. We play football.”
Brady’s comments come after hearing head coach Todd Bowles tell reporters, “We’ll see how the injury situation looks, and we’ll get together as a staff and talk this week,” as it pertains to veteran players participating in the season finale.
That’s the smart thing to do, but Brady is a perfectionist, and as much as the offense has struggled this season, they seemed to have found their footing the last couple weeks. Just in the nick of time for the postseason. And when you’ve played 23 seasons in the NFL and have seven Super Bowl rings, you are very aware of a thing called momentum. And that’s what Brady is looking to keep going, considering the struggle it’s been on that side of the football this season.
BRADY DEEP TO EVANS. NOW THEY HAVE THE BALL BACK. THE BUCCANEERS ARE ALIVE. 😅
(🎥: @NFL)pic.twitter.com/qc8jSrfRiC
— theScore (@theScore) January 1, 2023
Tom Brady Fears Week Off Will Hurt Momentum
In Sunday’s 30-24 comeback win over the Panthers, Brady had by far his best game of the season going 34-45 for 432 yards and three touchdowns. The guy is 45 and performing at that level, which is unheard of. Being a creature of habit, you know Brady wants to stay in the zone. He seems to feel a week off could thwart their offense again.
Star wideout Mike Evans, who has struggled all season to find a consistent chemistry with Brady, had his breakout performance. The former Texas A&M star had 10 receptions for 207 yards and all three of Brady’s touchdowns tosses. He also eclipsed the 1,000-yard receiving plateau again for the ninth time in his nine-year career, solidifying himself as one of the game’s best pass catchers.
Brady to Evans AGAIN ☄️pic.twitter.com/sX7aT4rZUI
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) January 1, 2023
Can Bucs Beat Dallas Cowboys In Wild Card Playoffs?
If seeding holds through Sunday, it’s highly plausible the Buccaneers will host the Dallas Cowboys in what would be the most anticipated playoff matchup during wild card weekend. Brady has never suffered a loss to the Cowboys going 7-0, including 2-0 since he arrived in Tampa in 2020. The Buccaneers have defeated the Cowboys on opening night the last two seasons, and despite their struggles would be a tough out for a 12-win Cowboys team.
Tom Brady is now 7-0 straight up in his career against the Dallas Cowboys pic.twitter.com/eRTt2U19qB
— Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) September 12, 2022
In the meantime, Brady has one more opportunity to throw another 50 times and put some distance between himself and the rest of the pack in the record books as his career winds down. How can he give up an opportunity like that?
