Brady, Buccaneers are looking to get past drama of offseason
Tom Brady's 11-day absence from training camp following a 40-day retirement earlier this year has some people doubting the seventime Super Bowl champion's focus entering his 23rd season in the NFL.
The 45-year-old Brady didn't come back to be mediocre.
After leading the NFL in yards passing and touchdowns last season, Brady returned to chase “unfinished business.” His goal is an eighth ring and second in three years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“I've always been very confident in our team, from the day that I got here,” Brady said. “That hasn't changed at all. We've still got to go do it. It doesn't matter. You've still got to go out there and execute under pressure, which is when the fans are watching and the TV is turned on. You've got to go out there and do a great job.”
First up for Brady and the Bucs are the Cowboys.
Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott has a lot of offensive weapons at his disposal, from a dual backfield of Ezekiel Elliot and Tony Pollard to the newly promoted No. 1 receiver CeeDee Lamb. Prescott will need every option against the Bucs' defense, which led the NFL in blitzes last year.
The Buccaneers fell short in the playoffs against the eventual Super Bowl champion Rams last season. They lost Rob Gronkowski to retirement — for now — and added wide receivers Julio Jones and Russell Gage. Losing Pro Bowl center Ryan Jensen to a knee injury and Pro Bowl left guard Ali Marpet to retirement is a big obstacle they must overcome.
“In our offensive line, you protect the quarterback no matter who it is,” left tackle Donovan Smith said. “When you've got the GOAT back there, you have got to do a little better. So, we're going to go out there ... and do what we're supposed to do. It's just one of those things that we get paid to do. We're out there to protect and have fun.”
For Brady, anything less than a boat parade in February isn't a success. He has hoisted the Vince Lombardi trophy every other season since 2016.
RAIDERS AT CHARGERS
The last meeting between these teams, in the final game of the 2021 regular season, was easily the best game of the season. The Raiders, won 35-32, with a last-second field goal in overtime, denying the Chargers a spot in the playoffs. This week's contest between the AFC West rivals should have all the fireworks of a grudge match. Justin Herbert is expected to have a big year for the Chargers, building on last season's 5,014passing yards. Raiders quarterback Derek Carr is also known to throw the ball deep, and this season he adds his former Fresno State teammate Davante Adams to his wide receiver corps. The bets have been evenly split on these two teams, but 70% of the money is on the Raiders, indicating some sharp action on that side.
PACKERS AT VIKINGS
The Packers are favored to win in 15 of their 17 games, including this one. The spread is only 2 points, presaging a continuation of Minnesota's streak of nail-biters and heartbreakers. Last season, 14of the Vikings' games came down to one possession, and they won only six of them. One of those wins, however, was against Green Bay. Kirk Cousins is no Aaron Rodgers, but he's throwing to arguably the best receiver in the league in Justin Jefferson.
49ERS AT BEARS
The 49ers made it to the NFC championship Game last season with Jimmy Garoppolo starting at quarterback, but during the offseason they decided to start the second-year quarterback Trey Lance. Lance could not have asked for a better venue and matchup to start the new era. The Bears had one of the worst defenses in the league last season. Still, with the Bears starting Justin Fields, both teams' quarterbacks are inexperienced and there are a lot of unknowns around how well either will execute.
BROWNS AT PANTHERS
The Browns dealt their quarterback, Baker Mayfield, to the Panthers in the offseason after trading for Deshaun Watson and then signing him to a five-year contract. Watson was suspended for 11 games after more than two dozen women accused him of sexual misconduct, leaving Jacoby Brissett starting at quarterback in an offense that is banking on Watson's eventual arrival. Cleveland is 0-16-1 in the past 17season openers and Mayfield has a chip on his shoulder.
SAINTS AT FALCONS
New Orleans missed the playoffs last season for the first time since the 2016 season, a finish that likely still smarts. Atlanta did not cover the spread in seven of its eight home games last season. The Falcons are expected to be one of the NFL's worst teams this season, and are playing this one in Atlanta. The Saints are the better team, but these two division rivals really, really dislike each other and always play close.
STEELERS AT BENGALS
Cincinnati won both meetings last season, blowing out Pittsburgh, 41-10, in their second meeting during Week 12. The Steelers have had offensive line issues in the preseason, but the Bengals have only one of their offensive line starters returning from last season. In a battle of defenses, the Steelers should have an advantage in 2021's defensive player of the year, T.J. Watt.
EAGLES AT LIONS
The Lions had one of the worst defenses in the NFL last season but upgraded that unit with the No. 2 overall draft pick, which they used on the University of Michigan folk hero and defensive end Aidan Hutchinson. Detroit finished a terrible 2021 season with a 3-13-1 record, but the team was surprisingly one of the best against the spread at 11-6. Not against the Eagles, however, which beat the brakes off the Lions, 44-6, in Week 8.
PATRIOTS AT DOLPHINS
The Dolphins are favored against the Patriots for the first time since 2013. A big factor: Miami's expectations for Tyreek Hill, whom the team added this offseason in a deal that made him the NFL's highest-paid receiver.
RAVENS AT JETS
Last year, the Ravens endured a Job-like season of setbacks and injuries. This year, the team and its quarterback, Lamar Jackson, in a contract year, have a lot to prove. The Jets' defense made some upgrades, including by adding the fourth overall 2022 draft pick, Sauce Gardner at cornerback. Quarterback Zach Wilson won't play, so the Jets will turn to Joe Flacco, who looked awful in the preseason. Flacco's former team should win, but the Ravens are laying a touchdown to a home team looking to stunt.
JAGUARS AT COMMANDERS
The Jaguars had a miserable 2021 season, finishing 3-14 despite having the highly regarded No. 1 pick, Trevor Lawrence, at quarterback. After firing Urban Meyer as coach before he completed one full season, the Jags made a huge upgrade by giving the job to Doug Pederson. That and other big offseason moves have generated a lot of market excitement about Jacksonville.
COLTS AT TEXANS
This is the largest spread on the card this weekend, with the dreadful Houston Texans getting 8points at home. The Texans were 4-13last season, but 8-9against the spread. This line has been at 8 since it opened months ago and hasn't moved.
GIANTS AT TITANS
Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill's receiver options are almost all new this year, now that A.J. Brown is gone, so there may be a learning curve to hammer out this week. Running back Derrick Henry will likely get a lot of carries against a Giants defense that is weak against the run.
CHIEFS AT CARDINALS
Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes has never lost in a Week 1game in his five-year NFL career. These are both high-scoring teams that like to throw the ball, but Mahomes is throwing to mostly new receivers. He may lean more on running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, especially against Arizona's weak run defense. Kansas City isn't great against the run, either, and Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray is always a running threat. Unlike Mahomes, Murray has three of his four receivers back this year, although he'll be without his No. 1 wideout, DeAndre Hopkins, who is serving a six-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs. Mahomes without Tyreek Hill and Murray without Hopkins? This one should be close.