Bucs at Falcons: Tampa Bay Coach Fires Back at Critics of Tom Brady Offense

"When you really listen to people talk about us, it's emotions talking. That's not really people that are watching us, watching us get better every week.'' - Bucs coach Byron Leftwich, readying for the Falcons.

The Atlanta Falcons, in the end, struggled too much in every phase, certainly on offense, to remain in the NFC South playoff race.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, on the other hand, have struggled on offense this season as well ...

Unless you listen to the snap-back from Bucs offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich.

"When you really listen to people talk about us, it's emotions talking,'' Leftwich said. "That's not really people that are watching us, watching us get better every week.''

In theory, the Bucs might be "getting better every week.'' That doesn't change the fact that at 8-8 with one game to go (Atlanta is 6-10) they are presently something less than world-beaters.

But beyond "theory''? QB Tom Brady's Bucs have managed to score more than 23 points only twice in 16 games. Included in that run, of course, is the mid-October meeting between Atlanta and Tampa, when a controversial call contributed greatly to the Bucs' win ...

A Bucs' win by a score of 21-15.

Again, offensively, something short of world-beating.

Maybe Brady can key a fix to all this when the games take on added meaning - in other words, next week, when Tampa is likely to play host to the Dallas Cowboys to open the NFL playoffs.

But as it stands? The Bucs' most recent game on Jan. 1 against the Carolina Panthers marks the first time they scored more than 23 points since Oct. 2, when they managed to score 31 against the Kansas City Chiefs.

While there are franchise-helping reasons for Falcons fans to accept the idea of a loss in the season-finale, the team itself obviously wishes to close with a win. And if the Bucs can't figure out a way to score more than 23? Maybe the team will get its wish.

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