Tom Brady-led Offense or Buccaneers Defense – What Will be Key for Tampa Bay in 2021?

Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers started the 2020 NFL season as outside contenders to make the NFL Playoffs. After a mixed start to his life in Florida, not many experts believed that Brady could lead a team of young and motivated players to Super Bowl glory.

But the additions of Antonio Brown and Leonard Fournette midway through the season proved to be a masterstroke by coach Bruce Arians and GM Jason Licht. After scraping through to post-season, the Buccaneers made their way to the Super Bowl LV with some eye-catching displays.

Tom Brady threw for 1,000+ yards with 10 passing TDs against just 3 interceptions in the NFL Playoffs. But it was the Buccaneers defense that drew plaudits for their performance in Super Bowl LV against defending champions, Kansas City Chiefs.

So one can’t help but wonder if it’s going be an offensive blitzkrieg or defensive dominance that will help the Bucs successfully defend their championship title.

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Tom Brady faces another tough season with Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021

Without a doubt, Tom Brady was one of the top five quarterbacks in the NFL last season. He ended the regular season with an 11-5 record as the Bucs finished second in the NFC South. The 43-year old threw for 5,600+ yards with 50+ passing TDs in 2020 (including playoffs).

He was backed by a solid display from a star-studded supporting cast involving Antonio Brown, Rob Gronkowski, Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Scott Miller, and Leonard Fournette. But it was Todd Bowles-coached Buccaneers defense featuring the likes of Shaquil Barrett, Lavonte David, Devin White, and Ndamukong Suh, that grabbed headlines when the season came to an end on February 7, 2020.

The Bucs defense will be crucial to their 2021 title defense for sure. They’ve already extended the contracts of OLB Shaquil Barrett and ILB Lavonte David. It’s unclear if the Bucs will re-sign 34-year old veteran Ndamukong Suh. Since they’re working on limited cap space, they might look for cheaper options.

But once again the onus will be on Brady and the offense to put up a strong showing once the season starts in September. They’ve franchise-tagged Chris Godwin ahead of 2021. But they’re looking to strengthen in the coming weeks.

Championship ring number 8 is in sight for Tom Brady and Co. but can they repeat their fairytale display once again? One thing we learned from 2020 is that betting against TB12 is never a smart choice. Expect the unexpected.

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