In the latest edition of “when trick plays go wrong,” we get Tom Brady falling flat on his ass while running a simple go route. Halfway through the third quarter of Tampa Bay’s game against Seattle in Munich, Germany, Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich decided to run a wildcat-looking play with Brady lined up at wideout. Only this time, instead of the quarterback playing the decoy role, running back Leonard Fournette passed the ball to TB12, who proceeded to slip and fall, allowing Seahawks’ Tariq Woolen to pad his stats with an easy interception.
At this point in the game, the Buccaneers were up 14-3 and just outside the red zone. So, running this play, on first and 10 from the Seahawks’ 22, is probably a decision Leftwich/Brady wish they could take back. Bucs fans probably won’t see that play again in this situation for quite a while.
You’ve got a running back taking the snap in the role of QB, then you line up a senior citizen (in football years) at receiver and ask him to go make a play on the ball. After analyzing this play, there were only two options/reads for Fournette.
- If a running lane is there, Fournette keeps it himself and makes a play.
- Fournette turns and throws to Brady, the only eligible receiver running a route on the play.
Passing the ball 10 yards downfield to one of the most unathletic QBs to ever play is never a good idea. The worst thing that could happen did happen. Tampa turned the ball over and swung the momentum in Seattle’s favor just a little bit. We’re talking about a guy in Brady who once took nearly 30 seconds to run a 40-yard “dash” at the NFL combine. It felt like 30 seconds. And that was over 20 years ago. Brady isn’t the player you throw to more than three yards downfield.
But of course, in typical Brady fashion, he came back and threw a touchdown pass the next time Tampa Bay had possession. And everyone will have a good laugh about Tom’s “slip n fall” this week since the Bucs held on to win, 21-16.
Damn, it was funny watching Tom Terrific go down like that. Get ready for a week of Brady falling memes on the internet.