Buccaneers risked it; now they want the biscuit
TAMPA, Fla. - It's almost been a year since Bruce Arians first mentioned that that one player he'd first make a call to if available would be Tom Brady. When Arians got the chance, he stuck with his philosophy: No risk it, no biscuit.
"Do you sit and live in a closet trying to be safe? Or are you going to have some damn fun," said Arians.
"I’d like to think that I wasn’t that much of a chance after a lot of years," laughed Brady. "Becoming a free agent and then having the opportunity to continue my playing career, I love the opportunity that presented itself here, which is ultimately why I chose here. I really love the coaching staff; I loved the players that they had. I looked at those players and thought, ‘Wow, these are really great players. This would be a good opportunity for me.’"
Tom Brady and Bruce Arians chat before practice, 10 days before the Super Bowl.
The marriage has been a perfect fit.
"It just ended up being a great fit and as it’s played out, I’ve just thought, ‘Wow, this has really been a magical year,’" said Brady.
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There has been a dramatic change since the Bucs and Chiefs last met. Since losing to Kansas City on November 29, the third loss in four games, the Bucs have been undefeated. That's seven straight wins, including three straight playoff wins on the road.
So what has clicked for Tom Brady and the Bucs offense?
What changed was the passing attack. Tom Brady went from missing on 23 straight passes of over 20 yards to leading the NFL in long-ball attempts, completions, yards and touchdowns since losing to the Chiefs.
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"Just kept working on it," said Arians. "Continuity with the guys [as well]. Chris [Godwin] had been hurt, Mike [Evans] had been hurt, Scotty [Miller] had been out, A.B. (Antonio Brown) was just getting into it. I think we were starting to gel a little bit going into that bye week and then working on it during the bye week. Just continued to throw more of them."
Now, the two are one win away from the biscuit.
"Hopefully we can go finish the job – that would be the best part about the season," said Brady. "It’s always been a goal to win the last game of the year. We’ve got an opportunity to do it. It’s certainly not going to be easy."