How the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Are Succeeding Without Tom Brady
It may be early in the season, but in the NFL, every game matters.
Like a lot.
It's a big reason why the NFL continues to draw massive ratings compared to its counterparts in each of the other major professional sports.
Each regular season game in the NFL holds serious weight.
There are not 162 regular season games like MLB. There are not 82 games like the NBA and NHL. There's no 'load management' in the NFL. In this league, each team has just 17 chances to determine whether or not they belong in the postseason.
And let's be real, for the most part — due to divisional winners receiving an automatic playoff birth — a team's destiny is often determined much earlier than that.
Which is why the Tampa Bay Buccaneers being at the top of the NFC South Division, having already secured a road victory vs. the New Orleans Saints, in the midst of a bye week, represents a tremendous start for a team that was all but written off — at least by the national media — before the season even began.
READ MORE: Buccaneers' Fans Aren't Happy With Baker Mayfield's Quarterback Ranking
When seemingly everyone outside of Tampa projected the Buccaneers to finish the season as a bottom-feeder, it wasn't actually all that surprising. Even to the outliers — which was primarily the local fanbase — who disagreed with the majority.
So why did so many people assume the 2023 Tampa Bay Buccaneers would be terrible? And why didn't it surprise the fans who did believe?
Two words: Tom Brady.
When Brady retired, that was all that fair-weather fans, former players/coaches, and analysts needed to justify their belief that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would immediately revert back to 'where they belong' — the dungeon of the NFC South.
Sure, it's easy to say in hindsight. But the fact is, that assumption was lazy.
But let's not dwell on what's already done... because in the modern age of sports fandom, receipts aren't hard to find. And the receipts that exist regarding the individuals who doubted the Bucs coming into this season have already started to emerge.
Instead, even though it's early in the season, let's focus on HOW the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have managed to succeed despite the departure of the greatest quarterback in the history of the sport.
1. DEPTH OF TALENT
People who weren't familiar with the [other] players on the Buccaneers roster are likely the same ones who assumed the team would crumble without Tom Brady under center.
For those who were well versed on the quality of players that remained on the roster — I'm talking about guys like: Vita Vea, Shaquil Barrett, Lavonte David, Devin White, Carlton Davis, Jamel Dean, Antoine Winfield Jr., Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Tristan Wirfs — expectations may have been tempered, but they still existed.
For the record, I just listed ten Tampa Bay Buccaneers who returned from last year's team, each of whom are established Pro-Bowl caliber players at their respective positions.
Even with plenty of (very justified) questions about the quarterback position coming into 2023, the Bucs still had a roster loaded with intelligent, experienced, high-quality football players. Not to mention, each of those guys also have continuity working in their favor. Not just within their position groups, but also with the head coach and defensive coordinator, Todd Bowles.
The depth of talent on the Bucs roster is a major testament to Tampa Bay's front office. Especially GM, Jason Licht, who's been incredibly consistent when it comes to acquiring and retaining talent over the years.
READ MORE: Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield 'Confused' About Awkward End of Browns Tenure
Need proof? The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have the most total snaps, and most games started by a team's own 1st-5th round draft picks since 2014 by a significant margin.
2. GOOD COACHING
No matter what your buddy at the barber shop says about him, Todd Bowles remains one of the better defensive coaches in the league. Bowles' defensive system, when combined with experienced leaders at every level — which he has — operates like a well-oiled machine.
The talent and continuity that already exists, in addition to some enticing young pieces like Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, Calijah Kancey, Christian Izien, and Ryan Neal, has provided him with the foundation he needs to run a relatively complex and aggressive defensive scheme. There's no question that Todd Bowles is the right coach to lead the Buccaneers' defense, and so far this season, he's done just that.
On offense, the Buccaneers were stagnant, traditional, and extremely predictable last season. Even with Tom Brady.
Enter: Dave Canales.
READ MORE: Buccaneers GM Jason Licht, 'I Hate' the New Orleans Saints
Simply put, the Bucs' new (and first-time) offensive coordinator has injected life into an offense that was dying a slow and painful death in 2022. By simplifying route concepts, utilizing pre-snap motion, and using a lot of play action — in other words, everything that Byron Leftwich refused to do — Canales has made the Bucs' offense far more functional, and a lot more fun to watch.
Not only does his approach allow the Bucs' best playmakers to do what they do best, but it also makes life a lot easier on the quarterback.
Furthermore, Canales has already shown a willingness to adapt and learn from his mistakes. I don't mean to pile on Byron Leftwich here, but his inability to make adjustments based on his team's personnel is what led to the 2022 Bucs' — and ultimately his own — downfall.
It's not like the 2023 Buccaneers' offense has lit the world on fire under Dave Canales, but they've shown a marked improvement from last season. Which is all the more impressive when you consider the players have just four games running this new system.
If these first four weeks are any indication, it appears as though the Bucs offense is in good hands with Dave Canales running the show.
READ MORE: Buccaneers Offensive Coordinator Named Candidate to Chicago Bears Head Coaching Job
3. QUALITY QUARTERBACK PLAY
It would be malpractice to write an article about how the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have managed to succeed without Tom Brady, without also acknowledging the performance of his successor.
Through four games, Baker Mayfield has excelled as the starting quarterback for the Buccaneers.
He's played under control, and showed incredible poise and escapability in the pocket, all the while displaying great chemistry with his receivers. Baker's ability to pick up Canales' offense, make all his reads — even under pressure — before making all the throws — with great anticipation — has been spectacular.
Mayfield has also been one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL when it comes to limiting turnovers, while at the same time, playing with the highest level of efficiency when his team needs it the most.
On 3rd and 4th downs exclusively, Mayfield is 25/32, with 3 TDs, a 129.4 passer rating, with 0 turnover-worthy plays.
Mayfield's signature grit and toughness have been on full display as well. Again, we're just four weeks into the season, but there have been countless scenarios where he's been under heavy duress, yet somehow found a way to escape incoming defenders, and turn a should-be sack into a positive play for his team.
When plays collapse, and no receivers are open, Mayfield's willingness to run for first downs has also been a breath of fresh air for Bucs' fans, who likely forgot that option even existed after watching Tom Brady for the past three seasons.
Of all the positive attributes Baker Mayfield has brought to the Buccaneers, the most important ones might just be character-based. Baker has clearly matured a great deal since he first entered the league. And the trials and tribulations he experienced early on in his career seem to have provided him with some valuable perspective.
Not only has Mayfield embraced this latest opportunity, but he's also developed into a high-character leader. One who continues to lead both vocally, and by example, while simultaneously endearing himself to his teammates, coaches, and fans in Tampa Bay.
Although they're just a quarter of the way through the NFL season, the Buccaneers' impressive performance thus far is worthy of acknowledgment. Especially when you consider just how low mainstream expectations were for this group.
With a depth of talent, good coaching, and quality quarterback play, over-achieving early expectations may just be the beginning for the 2023 Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
You can follow Collin Haalboom on X.
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