New Orleans Saints vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers Preview: Drew Brees & Tom Brady Take on Each Other in First Ever Playoff Matchup

Tom Brady and Drew Brees have played each other before in the NFL. They’ve done it 7 times; twice this very season. And now they are slated to butt heads on Sunday yet again.

This time, with the stakes as high as ever. Sunday’s game will be the first-ever meeting between the two legends in the Playoffs. And both have a lot riding on it. 

Tom Brady determined to prove a point

Ever since he parted ways with the New England Patriots, Tom Brady has been on a mission. A mission to prove that the GOAT can win it all, regardless of which team he’s on and who’s coaching him. 

And so far, Brady’s right on track. Following a slow start, Brady seems to have found that confidence again to throw for over 350 yards a game.

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Going 11-5 to guide the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to their first postseason appearance in 13 years, Brady eased past Washington’s defense to get his side into the Divisional Round.

And now he faces the only side to have done the double on him this season. The New Orleans Saints. The Week 9, 38-3 drubbing to the Saints was a particularly low point this season for Brady. 

With 205 yards, Brady ended the night with 0 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. But Brady seems to have moved on from the ghosts of the past.

Over the last 4 games (including the playoff win against Washington), the quarterback has consistently breached the 350-yard-mark. With 12 touchdowns in that spell, the QB enters the matchup averaging 3 TDs a game.

Drew Brees looking to bow out on a high

The rumors surrounding Drew Brees’ retirement have been doing the rounds for quite some time now. And many believe that this could be the swansong for the Super Bowl-winning quarterback.

But if that is indeed the case, then Brees will surely wish to leave the biggest stage with a bang. 

When it comes to going head-to-head with Tom Brady, the league’s all-time passing leader holds a significant edge. Brees is 5-2 against Brady. And as mentioned before, 2-0 this season.

Brees and the Saints have done what many teams have struggled to do over the course of the regular season. Beat the Buccaneers. But they’ve not only done it once, but twice. 

This surely will give the side a psychological edge heading into this playoff game. An added bonus for the side is the return of star offensive behemoths Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara. 

For either side, shutting out the quarterbacks will be the key to getting this one in the bag. Keeping them off the pitch for as long as possible will be essential to getting a shot at the Conference title. Thus whichever side ends up extending its plays should end up clinching the tie. 

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