The weekend is upon us, and as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers travel to face the New Orleans Saints, it is time to make some Tom Brady Week 2 predictions. The Buccaneers opened their season with a strong defensive performance against the Dallas Cowboys. While the offense was not as sharp as usual, the 19-3 win was enough to built some confidence on the team.
Brady finished the game completing 18 of his 27 pass attempts for 212 yards with one touchdown and an interception. For his first official game after being a brief retirement, the quarterback showed he can still make great throws and find the best play.
However, Sunday's matchup in New Orleans should be a tougher challenge for Brady and company. In recent years, the Saints have been a headache to Tampa Bay, so the team needs to step up for that to change.
With that being said, here are three bold predictions for Tom Brady in Week 2 versus the Saints.
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Tom Brady Week 2 Predictions
3. Brady throws for 300+ yards, two touchdowns
Even though the Buccaneers came out with a win on Week 1, Tom Brady was relatively quiet to his standards. For the second game of the season, he should be up and running.
Since he missed some time in preseason due to an excused absence, this might mean Brady needs some extra weeks to find his best form. Against the Saints, fans should see why he was voted No. 1 in the NFL Top 100 Players of 2022.
It is worth noting that wide receiver Chris Godwin is still questionable for Sunday's game. The 2019 Pro Bowler returned to action following a torn ACL but suffered a strained hamstring against the Cowboys. Still, Brady has a good arsenal to help in a possible Godwin's absence. Mike Evans is fresh off his fourth Pro Bowl season and caught the first touchdown pass from Brady in 2022. Plus, Julio Jones had flashes of his former self in his Tampa Bay debut, which included a 48-yard big reception.
With Evans, Jones and the supporting cast, Brady can have his first big game of the season. If the receivers are on a good day, expect the star quarterback to throw for at least 300 yards and two touchdowns.
2. He will score a rushing touchdown
Tom Brady is an elite passer, and things have not been slowing down in recent years. In 2021, he led the league in pass attempts, completions, yards and touchdowns. But there was one thing that some people failed to notice from his big season.
Brady rushed for 81 yards on 28 attempts for two touchdowns. That yardage was the best mark of his career since 2011 and his 2.9 yards-per-carry average was the second-best of his career. He was never known for his legs, but it is still impressive that he had one of his best years on the ground at age 44.
That does not mean Brady will start running like Lamar Jackson or Marcus Mariota. It just shows that he is still able to find open spaces to run when needed. Facing the Saints, it might be a bit difficult with their defense, which means they can make big stops in the red zone. Here is where Brady enters.
The seven-time champion is perhaps one of the best at quarterback sneaks the league as ever seen. All his rushing touchdowns with the Buccaneers came in situations like that. Should New Orleans stop Tampa Bay short of the goal line, expect Brady to do one of the things he does best: scramble in the middle for a yard or two for a touchdown.
1. Brady finally gets first regular season win versus Saints as a Buccaneer
Saying a team with Tom Brady under center will win a game is not a bold prediction. However, against the Saints, he is far from having a guaranteed victory.
Since joining the Buccaneers, Brady lost all four of games versus New Orleans in the regular season. The only time he won was in the Divisional Round of the Bucs' Super Bowl campaign. Although they won when it mattered the most, Tampa Bay and Brady probably have a chip on their shoulders from all those losses.
In the five contests between the teams, regular season and playoffs, Brady has completed 117 of his 195 pass attempts, a 60% completion rate. He threw for eight touchdowns but also had eight picks. Those matchups included perhaps two of Brady's worst games of his career.
In Week 9 of the 2020 season, the quarterback had 209 yards for no touchdowns and three interceptions. The Buccaneers lost 38-3. Last season, in a rare shutdown, Brady finished with 214 yards and a pick in a 9-0 loss at home.
As competitive as Brady is, he likely has this game marked on his calendar. Expect him to go for a big afternoon and do whatever it takes to come out with a win.
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