Tom Brady looked very chipper ahead of his Week 13 matchup. Despite the rough year he’s had, the quarterback looked in good spirits while talking to reporters about the Bucs’ upcoming game. Tampa is set to face the New Orleans Saints. The significance of this name is not lost on Brady. The two divisional rivals are both below .500, with records that are nowhere near the front row.

But, because of a poorly performing division, the Bucs have taken the top spot in the NFC South despite not having a season they can be proud of. Brady hasn’t fallen short in recognizing the team’s inability to get results on the field. But, the seven-time Super Bowl champion hasn’t taken the easy road by avoiding the conversation. Brady has been critical of the Bucs all season. While his self-awareness is to be commended, is that enough to pull the Bucs out of a rut?

Tom Brady has the cognizance to match his experience, but will that suffice?

An enthusiastic Brady interacted with the media ahead of his game against the Saints. TB12 answered a slew of questions about the team’s performance and what they can do to get better. One reporter pointed out that the Bucs were at the top spot in the NFC South despite their record and inquired how Brady is going to take on the next few weeks. Brady said “Every team faces different adversities and we’ve faced quite a few in different ways with wins, losses. We’ve had some really great wins, we’ve had some really tough losses.” Indeed, the Bucs have had more than a few ups and downs this season, but sometimes the losses tend to be more prominent.

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With unexpected losses to teams like the Cleveland Browns and Carolina Panthers, there’s a lot weighing on the quarterback’s shoulders. TB12 has been vocal about the inconsistency in the team’s performance. On his podcast, ‘Let’s go!’ the quarterback said that he’s been losing sleep over the Bucs’ losses. He continued, “You know no one like the fact that we’re 5-6, believe me, we’re not celebrating any of that. We’ve not played the way we’re capable of playing.” As a matter of fact, the Bucs are nowhere near the performance marker of their former selves. But should Brady shoulder the burden for his team’s incompetency?

Brady is dealing with adversities from all sides

If his inconsistency on the field wasn’t enough to deal with already, Brady has had to fend off the additional pressure and attention that comes with being a high-profile athlete. While TB12 mentioned adversity on the field, his personal life hasn’t been much of a breeze either. After going through a divorce that caught the world’s attention, the athlete looked more in need of a vacation than to be on the field. If his uncharacteristic outbursts on the field weren’t enough of an indication, the slump in performance pointed out that something was amiss.

While TB12 has seen better days, his statements on his podcast provide the NFL comfort. Brady’s current goals are to be the best father to his children and to win more games. The latter part of that statement is exactly what the Bucs need this season. Even if they manage to scrape their way to a playoff spot, can the Bucs hold their own against better teams? That is something they will hope to do in their next few games.

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