Why Tom Brady is struggling in the Buccaneers’ broken passing game

The Buccaneers have a serious problem with the Bruce Arians-Tom Brady marriage. Here’s how they can fix it.

On its face, the pairing of Bruce Arians and Tom Brady seems like a match made in heaven: The greatest quarterback in NFL history aligned with the “Quarterback Whisperer,” who has earned the title over the years. But so far, the marriage has been quixotic at best, and rocky at worst. Brady, who came off a 2019 season in New England in which he threw 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions in the regular season and no touchdowns and a game-clinching (for the Titans) interception in the postseason, has already matched that nine-pick total through 11 games. This includes two games against the Saints — Tampa Bay’s primary NFC South opponent — in which he’s completed just 60.8% of his passes for 6.05 yards per attempt, two touchdowns, and five interceptions.

In Monday night’s 27-24 loss to the Rams, Brady completed just 62.5% of his passes for 4.5 yards per attempt, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. After the game, Brady was quite candid about the second interception, which came with 1:57 left in the game on a deep pass to tight end Cameron Brate.

“Just a bad read,” he said. “Cam was running up a seam and at the last second I saw the safety coming over and just popped it over Cam’s head. Just a bad read, a bad throw, decision – everything. Can’t happen.”

It can’t, but it is, and there are multiple reasons for it. Right now, Brady is not on point with his new team. The “whys” are certainly intriguing.