“Sh*tty Week of Practice”: Tom Brady Almost Exposes Bad Blood in Buccaneers Camp After Loss to Bengals

The Tom Brady-Joe Burrow Week 15 matchup went exactly how most experts and fans anticipated it. 45-year-old TB12 could not pull off an incredible comeback as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost 34-23 to Burrow’s formidable Bengals side. And this loss is exposing a few cracks in the Buccaneers’ wall that are becoming all too clear, off late.

In the past few weeks, rumors of a strategic clash between Brady and his coaching staff made a few rounds before Tom squashed the reports in a press conference. However, Brady himself may have let the smell of tension in the Bucs camp leak on his own podcast. The seven-time Super Bowl champion clarified his stance after the gut-wrenching 8th loss this regular season, the most in Brady’s career.

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Tom Brady spoke about the enormous challenge at hand and condemned the blame game routine that the media accuses the Buccaneers of. “When you point the finger at yourself, that’s the only way to get better. I know my teammates feel the same way,” Brady said on the Let’s Go Podcast with Jim Gray and Larry Fitzgerald. “It’s been very difficult dealing with the losses. And at the same time, does that attack your confidence? Is that gonna lead to a shitty week of practice and a lack of preparation for a game we need to win,” he added.

Tom Brady could be subtly referring to the rumored clashes with OC Byron Leftwich

In the past few weeks, troubling reports emerged from the Buccaneers’ camp. Insiders claimed that Tom Brady was holding separate offensive meetings unbeknownst to head coach Todd Bowles and offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich. And that Bowles and Leftwich only discovered the revised Brady plays on the day of the game once they were on the field. Both Brady and Byron Leftwich have denied these ludicrous allegations. “No, no. I’m aware of everything,” Leftwich answered reporters while Tom Brady didn’t even dignify his question with a response.

The Tampa Bay rushing offense ranks dead last in the league and played like one on Sunday. RB Leonard Fournette and Rachaad White could not put in 100 yards combined. Wideouts Chris Godwin and Russell Gage caught Brady’s 3 touchdowns in the game. However, the former New England Patriots signal-caller also threw 3 costly interceptions and was outplayed by Joe Burrow‘s more efficient 200-yard 4 TD game.

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All of a sudden, the almost-dead NFC South has heated up. After the Cardinals this week, Brady and Co will decide their playoff fortune in divisional clashes with the Panthers and the Atlanta Falcons. And Tampa Tom and his OC are on the same page, hunting that 8th ring for TB12.