#Bruce Arians can’t wrap his head around ‘unusual’ Tom Brady dud

The Buccaneers head coach didn’t shy away from pinning blame on Tom Brady after his new quarterback threw two interceptions in Tampa Bay’s Week 1 loss to the Saints on Sunday. Arians continued to pile on the criticism in his press conference on Monday.

“He looked like Tom Brady in practice all the time, so it’s kind of unusual to see that in a ballgame because they didn’t do things that we didn’t get ready for. Everything they did, we thought we were ready for,” Arians told reporters Monday. “Some wide receivers have to do a better job of winning one-on-one when he decides to go their way. He put us in the right run checks a couple times. It was a learning experience that way.

“You can’t say that we weren’t in sync because we started out as good as you can start out, going right down the field. Then we don’t get any more chunk plays other than pass-interference penalties. I think it’s a great learning experience. It’s just Round 1 of a 16-round fight. And we’ll learn from it.”

Brady spearheaded the Bucs’ nine-play, 85-yard march on the opening drive, scoring on a two-yard QB keeper to take a 7-0 lead. However, Tampa Bay’s luck ended there as Brady went on to throw two interceptions, including one for a pick-six, on the way to a 34-23 loss.

The pick-six came when Brady attempted to hit Justin Watson as he and Rob Gronkowski each conducted speed outs from the right side of the formation. Former Giants cornerback Janoris Jenkins, who joined the Saints in 2019, jumped in front and returned it 36 yards for a touchdown.

“It speaks for itself. If you’re throwing an out route and you throw it low and inside — that hasn’t been the case up until that one,” Arians said of the pick-six. “He was a little bit late on it. And probably a better decision to go somewhere else with the ball.”

The 43-year-old Brady acknowledged prior to Week 1 that he was still thinking too much in Arians’ offense after two decades with the Patriots. But Bradsaid he was eager to line up against a real opponent after all preseason games were cancelled.

“He’s had it before. He knows how to bounce back,” Arians said of Brady. “He knew he didn’t play very well. It’s not what he expects from himself, nor do we expect. I would anticipate him to have a little more grit, a little more determination this week.”