Matt Cassel believes Tom Brady and the Bucs are Super Bowl contenders
Tom Brady’s first season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers has worked out rather well for the 43-year-old quarterback to this point.
The former Patriot led the Buccaneers to an 11-5 record while throwing for 4,633 yards, 40 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. All of those marks of success are great for anybody, but for a quarterback of Brady’s age, it’s downright remarkable. He’s blown away everyone’s expectations of NFL performance of someone in their 40’s.
Now, his new team is prepared to participate in their first postseason game since 2007. And, while they haven’t been there in some time, former Patriots’ quarterback Matt Cassell believes that the Buccaneers are Super Bowl contenders.
Now an analyst for NBC Sports Boston, Cassell explained just how well Tampa Bay is playing at this point, citing their explosive offense and more-than-capable defense.
“When you’re winning games and playing with confidence,” Cassel wrote. “That’s a dangerous combination in the playoffs.”
Cassell stated that it was understandable how the Buccaneers struggled slightly at the beginning of the season. Even though it was early, people were questioning whether Brady had made the correct decision in signing with Tampa Bay, but those second-guesses were premature.
This was a new experience for Brady. He was in a new system with a new head coach in Bruce Arians and a new offensive coordinator in Byron Leftwich after two decades of stability in New England. Put those factors together with an offseason that limited everyone and it’s tough, Cassell explained.
“With no offseason and going right into camp, he probably wasn’t able to have the same impact of putting his stamp on the offense,” Cassel wrote.
Between Brady’s winning leadership and their cast of incredible offensive weapons, Cassell, like many watching from New England, wasn’t surprised to see the quarterback experience success this season.
However, we’re at a different point now. With the playoffs comes a different version of Brady. He’s experienced this feeling in 18 of his 19 seasons starting more than one game. It’s that experience and that competitive drive that he has inside of him that makes him different than everyone else.
“When the playoffs come around, Brady brings another level of intensity,” Cassel said. “The meetings are a little more intense, because he knows what’s at stake.”
The Buccaneers will travel to Washington this weekend to play the Football Team on Saturday night. Not Cassell, nor anyone will be the least bit surprised when Brady comes out focused and ready to make a run at his seventh Lombardi Trophy.
