Tom Brady Has A Harder Road to the Playoffs in Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans couldn’t be happier. They acquired six-time Super Bowl quarterback Tom Brady. Then, to not rest on their laurels, they went out and got his favorite bailout buddy, tight end Rob Gronkowski. But before fans start crowning the Bucs the next champs, you have to consider Brady won’t have as easy of a cakewalk in his division.

And it won’t just be the division that’s more of a challenge, the whole NFC is going to be a challenge. Yes, the Bucs are loaded up on offense with enough weapons to be a top offense in the league.

But this is the NFC. Brady isn’t going to throw his weight around with mediocre rivals anymore. He won’t be playing against journeyman quarterbacks struggling to find footing with the team after team. Gone are the days of the J.P. Lossmans and Mark Sanchezes. Brady will now have to compete with division rival quarterbacks Drew Brees and Matt Ryan. Despite the Panthers moving on from Cam Newton, even Teddy Bridgewater is going to challenge Tom Brady’s comfort.

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That’s just in his division alone. Then, of course, there’s Russel Wilson with the Seahawks, Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay, and who can’t wait for him to face his former backup in San Fran. Toss in the rebounding LA Rams, and Eagles who should bounce back. The Cowboys may one day get their act together and the Vikings aren’t far removed from a deep playoff run.

This isn’t just a list of teams who are expected to be good or fan favorites. These are teams that are all consistently in the mix for the playoffs. Unlike the AFC who any team can roll the dice and back into a playoff spot. The NFC typically has to consistently win 10+ games to make the playoffs.

Tom Brady is no stranger to winning ten games, and Tampa Bay wasn’t too far off with seven last season. But this is a new year, in a new division, with a new coach, and no chemistry other than Gronk. Top that off with the fact that the Bucs were one of the top offenses last year, and the only thing they upgraded is their clout. They still need to fix their offensive line, upgrade their defense, and overcome a very tough division just to get into the playoffs.

There’s no guarantee that Tom Brady brings the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a championship, but at least they have braggin’ rights in the offseason.