TAMPA, Fla. — Despite some discomfort in his right shoulder and finger that forced him to miss Wednesday’s practice, quarterback Tom Brady said he will play the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday while the 2-2 Buccaneers try theirs first home win to secure the season.
“It feels great,” Brady said Thursday with a smile. “I’ll be there on Sunday.”
Brady suffered a shoulder injury on a stripsack from cornerback L’Jarius Sneed in the first half of the Bucs’ 41-31 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday night. He didn’t miss a snap that game but seemed uncomfortable, and at one point backup quarterback Blaine Gabbert warmed up on the sidelines.
This Thursday, however, the injury no longer seemed to bother him. During the portion of practice open to the media, Brady went through his usual throwing routine with no issues. And Wednesday has typically been Brady’s day off so far this season, although those rest days were previously preventative and he’d trained that day last week despite dealing with the injury to his right ring finger. He was listed as a full participant on the Buccaneers’ injury report.
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Against the Chiefs, the Bucs looked more like the offensive, averaging 30 points per game this time last year and notching four touchdowns after just three offensive touchdowns in their first three regular-season games this season. That was in large part because Brady had his playmakers back. Brady rarely had all of his top receivers available in training and games this year.
“This is important,” Brady said. “I think we try to have everyone out there so we can build on certain things and I think when you have these guys out there there are obviously great players who are going to make a lot of games. So Mike will make one many plays, Chris will make plays. We just have to keep going. I think 2-2 is not where we want to be. We have to do a lot of things much better.
“The more you work together and work on things and go through the reps and drills and the games and the live competition, the better you get,” Brady said. “I just played with a lot of guys over a long period of time. This is only my third year with Mike [Evans] and Chris [Godwin] especially there are other players who – cam [Brate]Leonard [Fournette]. There’s a lot to learn, you know, it’s a tough sport. There’s a lot of coordination that goes into offense and defense and special teams getting everything right.
Evans was returning from a one-game suspension and had two touchdowns in that game, and Godwin and Julio Jones were both active after missing Weeks 2 and 3 with hamstring and knee injuries. This was only the second time this season Brady got all his receiving arms, though Jones missed the second half after pinching his knee. Godwin’s back stiffened and at one point he was tended to by the training staff on the field.
Godwin and Jones both trained on a limited basis on Wednesday and Thursday. Godwin said his back was “fine,” but after an eight-month recovery from an ACL/MCL tear, he said it’s been a process getting back to full health and maintaining the chemistry as a team.
“I think it’s difficult when you’re trying to put together your offensive game plan when you don’t have everyone out there,” Godwin said. “Then you add that we have some new faces, we have new receivers, a new offensive line. It’s just tough. But… it’s a long season and I think it can be really easy for people to overreact earlier in the year. But I think the biggest thing for us is to keep building all season long – we’ve been doing that for the last couple of years. You know it wasn’t always sunshine, the rainbows, early in the year. We’re slowly getting better and better and better. You can’t just build chemistry in one day or one game. It will take some time.
“It’s people who are absent, not only in training but only at games. We got beat up. Also, we had new people. …You can’t make chemistry. Like the only one you get it by building it day in, day out, by making mistakes… you know, the good times and bad and understanding what Tom wants, what we like, what we’re looking for, and how it’s done works all stitches at the same time. And it will take time and just patience. I say the same to the guys and we all understand that it will take time.
As for this week, Jones’ status is up in the air against the team he played for 10 seasons. Brate, who suffered a concussion against the Chiefs, is still on the concussion record, meaning the Bucs may have to rely on rookie Cade Otton should Brate not be erased. Wide receiver Cole Beasley, who signed with the team in Week 3, announced his decision to retire on Wednesday, meaning there’s still another hole to fill.
“It’s important for us to win a home game against a team that plays good football and has a unique style and they’re a tough, tough team,” Brady said of the Falcons. “We have to play good football. We have to prepare well. 0-2 at home. That sucks. You know, it’s a reality so there are no excuses. We haven’t done the job and it’s a production facility here .”