Opinion: Antonio Brown's latest drama can't derail Bucs or Tom Brady's MVP vibes

ATLANTA – Antonio who?

With Tom Brady slinging the rock like a man on an MVP mission, with Chris Godwin’s hot hands setting a franchise record and Rob Gronkowski feeling like he was back in his prime, Sunday was not the day for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to fret the absence of you-know-who.

The Bucs didn’t need Antonio Brown to rack up a 30-17 victory against the Falcons, but next week might be a different story.

If you heard Brady in the bowels of Mercedes-Benz Stadium after he threw 51 times for 368 yards, with four TDs, you could sense the anticipation for what comes next. He called next Sunday’s matchup against the Buffalo Bills the “biggest game of our year.”

Brady, given his maturity and championship resume, generally is not one for hyperbole. But he had no problem giving the next game a special status with one of the AFC’s top contenders coming to town. At least until the next one.

“Obviously, our biggest football games are ahead of us,” Brady said. “But we’re in decent position at 9-3. And going home for the biggest game of our year against the Bills.”

When it came to Brown, who was suspended three games on Friday for playing funny with a COVID-19 vaccination card, Brady served up no such context. Asked how he’s processing Brown’s latest setback, he seemed to tap his inner Bill Belichick.

ANGRY ARIANS: Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians says Antonio Brown "pisses me off"

You’d think that Brady, who in recent years has gone to bat privately and publicly for his friend (and ultra-talented receiver), might be furious that Brown has added another case to his collection of destructive incidents that too often overshadow his greatness as a football player.

Yet Brady gave no hint that he is ready to throw Brown under the bus.

He’ll presumably be playing with Brown again in a matter of weeks, and if the Bucs are going to run this thing back for a repeat championship, they could use Brown’s talent and even his swag ... if that comes without another incident.

“I’m thinking about what I’ve got to do to help the team win,” Brady said when asked about Brown’s matter. “Different guys go down from injuries and so forth. Whether guys are there or not, I’ve got to do the best I can do. So that’s what I’m going to do. Try to be the best quarterback I can be.”

Brady was certainly all of that in carving up the Falcons (5-7), demonstrating why he, too, should be back in the mix for MVP honors – while having so many capable weapons to make up for Brown’s absence. Brady opened the game by throwing 13 consecutive passes to work up the first touchdown. And when it was over, he had thrown the second-most passes (51) in a game this season.

He padded his league-leading total of touchdown passes to 34, passed Las Vegas’ Derek Carr to take the lead for passing yardage (3,771 yards) and after not getting sacked, served up a Pro Bowl shout-out for his offensive line.

As Brady noted, the Bucs have passed more than any team in the league (508) but have allowed the fewest sacks (14).

Then there were the milestones. Godwin set a franchise record with 15 catches for 143 yards – the reception total also the highest in a single game in the entire league this season.

“I think he deserves a veteran's day off this week,” suggested Gronkowski, noting that in addition to the hits that he takes after catching passes, Godwin is a physical blocker in the run game.

As Gronkowski put it, “Chris is a beast.”

Gronkowski would know. In talking about what makes Gronkowski special, Brady began by describing his efforts in the trenches as a blocker matched in the running game against powerful defensive ends.

The marquee value, though, comes with what happened again Sunday when Gronkowski caught two more touchdown passes from Brady. The second one marked the 90th TD connection between the pair, surpassing the Philip Rivers-Antonio Gates tandem as the second-most prolific in NFL history. Only Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison have connected on more TD passes (112).

Gronkowski said the milestone catch, which came on an 11-yard fade route when Gronkowski turned and reached over the defender to snag the high pass, was a bit nostalgic.

“We go back, way back, to the heyday with that connection,” Gronkowski said. “We’ve been working on that since 2010 together. It definitely paid off there.”

Gronkowski said the score came off an audible – like old times.

Brady chuckled when told of Gronkowski’s “heyday” remark, but he also added some context, considering the five games that his tight end missed this season while healing fractured ribs.

“He was out quite awhile this year, you know,” Brady said. “Just to see him back is great.”

Someone asked Brady if he can envision throwing 22 more TD passes to Gronkowski, which is what it would take to match the Manning-Harrison measure.

“I hope so,” Brady said. “Obviously, I’m looking for him down there.”

Gronkowski, though, won’t allow himself to look too far ahead.

“I’ve learned you don’t really count catches, count touchdowns,” he said. Then he remembered what Tom Moore, the guru of an offensive consultant on Bruce Arians’ staff, told him at the start of the season.

“He goes, ‘Gronk, I’m just going to keep counting. You keep playing.’ I said that’s a good idea.”

And not just for Gronk.

Follow USA TODAY Sports' Jarrett Bell on Twitter @JarrettBell.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Antonio Brown's latest drama can't derail Tom Brady or Bucs