No one can say that Tom Brady isn’t one of the best football players of all times. He has six Super Bowl rings, is a four-time Super Bowl MVP, four-time NFL passing touchdown leader, three-time passing yards leader (about to be four after this season) and plenty more accolades on his resumé. However, after 20 years in the league, some are beginning to wonder if his memory is starting to go. He may have shown a hint of that yesterday as his Tampa Bay Buccaneers took on the LA Rams, or, maybe, he knew exactly what he was doing and thought he could get away with a little in-pocket trickery. Either way, Brady will always be the GOAT, even if the Bucs couldn’t fight back to defeat the Rams yesterday.
The first half of Monday Night Football’s game saw both teams waging offensive and defensive wars that kept the score equal on both sides. The second half, however, found them running a little more sluggish and making unforced errors that cost valuable position on the field. Interceptions on both sides, missed field goals, sacks and more were the norm as the game wore on. In the midst of all that, Brady managed to throw two forward passes on a single play – one failed, but the other connected. Unfortunately for him, that’s not how football is played and, even though he got the ball to wide receiver Mike Evans, the play was called dead.
That happened in the fourth quarter when the Bucs were desperately looking for ways to overcome a Rams defense that had kept them on their heels since the beginning of the second half. Brady threw the ball on a third-and-ten, but it was stopped by the Rams defense. However, that block returned the ball to Brady’s hands and he quickly threw a second pass to Evans. Whether he forgot the rules of football – no two forward passes allowed on a single play – or thought he could get away with it, we may never know. Several weeks ago, Brady allegedly forgot that it was fourth down on a crucial play against the Chicago Bears, and some began to question whether his mind is still as strong as his throwing arm.
Jared Goff was on fire for the Rams last night, completing 39 of 51 attempts for a total of 376 yards. However, his two interceptions thrown were a huge blight on an otherwise awesome game. He routinely connected with receivers Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods, who picked up a combined 175 yards across 23 receptions. Big offensive plays throughout the game, coupled with the second-best defense in the league, are what kept the Rams going as they took a 27-24 lead with only minutes left in the game.