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Tom Brady is heading again to California
Tom Brady has ticked a whole lot of bins throughout his NFL profession. Taking part in in Los Angeles will not be one among them.
That adjustments on Sunday. The California-born seven-time Tremendous Bowl champion will pitch his movement picture-worthy epic to Hollywood because the Tampa Bay Buccaneers face the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Ought to all go nicely, he would possibly simply take into account reserving a return journey for, say, round February, when the Lombardi Trophy involves city.
The place Bruce Arians and the Bucs brandish their line-getting-over ring provider, the Rams hope they’ve the identical in Matthew Stafford, whose offseason arrival made Sean McVay the happiest man within the league.
To this point so good for the story of two quarterbacks elevating the typical age of the league’s far-too-early MVP candidates. Whereas the NFL has grow to be enthusiastic about Justin Herbert’s arm energy, Kyler Murray’s pyrotechnics, the Josh Allen story, a ‘Hell, yeah!’ Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes’ perpetual genius, Brady and Stafford are again there sporting invisible ‘non-contact’ purple jerseys leaving groups terrified to provide them a yard, figuring out full nicely they will snatch 10.
It is telling that by way of the primary two weeks of the season Brady has been blitzed simply 19 instances (fifteenth) whereas Stafford has been blitzed 16 instances (seventeenth). On the events groups have dared to go away a receiver free, the progressions by way of reads have been too slick and the ball launch too fast.
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Watch Matthew Stafford’s greatest passes in his Rams debut towards the Chicago Bears in Week 1 of the 2021 NFL common season
Brady has solely been pressured on 9 events (thirtieth amongst beginning quarterbacks) and on 10 per cent of drop backs (thirty second), whereas being hurried simply twice (thirty first); Stafford has been pressured seven instances (thirty second) and on 11.9 per cent of drop backs (thirtieth), in addition to being hurried simply as soon as.
The X’s and O’s depend in the direction of loads. However so long as the pocket is clear, Brady and Stafford are bludgeoning defenses.
Sunday’s 48-25 win over the Atlanta Falcons prolonged Tampa’s streak of scoring 30-plus factors to 9 successive video games, breaking a document beforehand held by the New England Patriots behind Brady, whose 9 touchdowns by way of his first two outings are essentially the most in his profession. Having completed twenty fourth in offensive effectivity final season, the Rams presently rank third behind Stafford whereas averaging 30.5 factors per sport (fifth).
A lot is rightly mentioned concerning the consistency of the Bucs go safety that performed a defining function on the street to the Tremendous Bowl, however it helps to have a quarterback who nonetheless manipulates the pocket and recognises when to climb or when to slip nearly as good as anyone within the league.
Such was the character of a COVID-disrupted offseason in 2020, teething issues have been solely pure by way of the opening weeks of the marketing campaign. Brady was at all times going to be extra comfy, extra harmful this yr having had time to correctly personalise and mannequin his offense with Byron Leftwich and Arians.
A star-studded Hollywood solid has cushioned the method, however this Bucs offense is performing on a 44-year-old slinging the ball quicker and additional than biology would possibly often permit a 44-year-old to.
Brady is edging in the direction of the NFL’s all-time passing yards document (AP)
Brady is ranked third within the league in supposed air yards with 771 thus far this season, in keeping with Professional Soccer Reference, thriving within the shot-taking Arians offense that tended to land Jameis Winston in hassle.
He’s six landing passes away from having thrown extra in his forties than Drew Brees (57), Brett Favre (41), Warren Moon (37) and Vinny Testaverde (24) mixed. Brady presently sits on 154 – 13 shy of the 167 he threw throughout his twenties. It is laughably spectacular.
Peyton Manning holds the document for single-season touchdowns with 55. Brady, as early as it might be, is heading in the right direction to obliterate that. The Florida sun-kissed ‘would possibly really play till he is 50’ protagonist may additionally break the NFL document for profession passing yardage in Week 4 towards, you guessed it, the Patriots.
How’s that for Hollywood?
“The man throws it nearly as good as anyone within the league nonetheless,” Stafford advised reporters. “Popping out of the hand, he throws it nice. Mechanically, he is as sound as anyone. He is on time. Nice anticipation, ball placement, obtained a ton of spin, a ton of juice on it nonetheless, can throw it down the sphere.
“I feel again to the playoff sport in Inexperienced Bay, proper earlier than half, the place he hits 10 down the sideline, I imply that is a heave in Lambeau, drops in on ’em. So he can do all of it. From the pocket, that man’s nearly as good because it will get.”
The precision-timing that fuelled Brady’s success in New England is what Stafford and his cannon have been greeted by.
Expectations are heightened, however soccer will likely be far kinder to the 33-year-old in LA.
McVay fairly masterfully accentuated the strengths whereas limiting the constraints of Goff, serving as the right window-dresser whose smoke and mirrors would tee up the crossers, choice routes, fast outs and overs tailor-made to an correct intermediate passer. When it labored, it actually labored.
And credit score the place it is due. When it lands, Goff has a stupendous deep ball in his locker. It is simply inferior to that of Stafford.
Goff had 4 touchdowns and 6 interceptions on deep passes of 20-plus yards in 2020, in comparison with Stafford’s 13 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. That is one, huge, a part of the improve.
Offensive manufacturing from the Detroit Lions would so usually financial institution on Stafford connecting on a deep-shot to maneuver the chains or digging out the side-arm throw or off-platform dagger whereas improvising in a collapsing pocket and with restricted separation forward of him.
The Rams have relaxed that reliance on him to strap an offense to his again and be the ‘hero’, the distinction between Stafford and Jared Goff being that he may, if wanted.
All the things is extra calculated; all the pieces is extra incisive with McVay. And when the protection is sweet or the safety falters, Stafford is considerably higher than Goff at going off-script to barter an emergency.
The downfield bomb has been extra a menace than a promise to this point, the Rams’ second-most 7.5 yards after catch per reception proof of a seamless transition for Stafford. If the quick and candy chain-moving stuff comes up quick, they know the haymaker is there.
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady says he may play till he is 50-years-old because the Tremendous Bowl LV champions put together to face the Atlanta Falcons in week two of the NFL season
Each Brady and Stafford orchestrated near-flawless touchdown-scoring opening drives of their respective wins over the Falcons and Indianapolis Colts on the weekend. It was artwork.
Stafford’s opening throw was a 16-yard connection to Robert Woods, the play-action distraction of Darrell Henderson combining with tight finish Tyler Higbee’s out-route from a half-back place in giving security Khari Willis completely satisfied ft, his eventual chunk leaving Woods with inside leverage for a straightforward catch on the slant.
His second go was an ideal demonstration of him gliding by way of his progressions, Cooper Kupp’s deep nook clearing the center of the sphere for major learn Van Jefferson on an over-route, just for good protection to immediate Stafford to modify his eyes left to a wide-open Henderson within the flat for a 23-yard catch-and-run.
The drive continued with Higbee leaving the sting rusher unblocked to affix Henderson in dragging two linebackers into the flat whereas Kupp’s go route and Woods’ deep out opened up mid-field for Van Jefferson to haul in a 14-yard completion. Simple.
Tampa went down the same unblocking route on their opening landing, Chris Godwin leaving Isaiah Oliver untouched on the blitz whereas trusting Brady to get the ball out and making certain he’s obtainable to drag Deion Jones in beneath to go away Rob Gronkowski with a one-on-one mismatch towards Duron Harmon.
A notable wrinkle to each has been the inventive use of personnel, be it Higbee and Kupp lining up within the backfield for the Rams or a Cameron Brate sneak route as a disguised blocker luring a Foyesade Oluokun side-step marginal sufficient to open the window for a 17-yard go to Antonio Brown.
Amid blistering unbeaten begins, there may be nonetheless room for enchancment. The Bucs have recorded a joint-most 5 turnovers and are tied for a league-most 22 penalties by way of the opening two video games, whereas the Rams have solely transformed 55.56 per cent of purple zone alternatives. Each are sizzling, with out actually hitting full stride but.
Even higher: Brady and Stafford will every discover themselves up towards one of the vital daunting defensive items within the league come Sunday.
It is a quarterback contest befitting of Hollywood.
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