Tom Brady Throws 5 TDs as Buccaneers Pull Away from Matt Ryan, Falcons in Week 2

A pair of touchdown passes by Matt Ryan in the third quarter had some Falcons fans thinking a comeback was in store. But Brady found Chris Godwin for a one-yard touchdown pass before Mike Edwards’ pick-six served as a knockout blow for the Falcons.

Edwards got a second pick-six for good measure later in the fourth quarter.

Notable Performers

Tom Brady, QB, Buccaneers: 24-of-36, 276 yards, five touchdowns

Mike Evans, WR, Buccaneers: five receptions, 75 yards, two touchdowns

Rob Gronkowski, TE, Buccaneers: four receptions, 39 yards, two touchdowns

Matt Ryan, QB, Falcons: 35-of-46, 300 yards, two touchdowns, three interceptions

Cordarrelle Patterson, RB, Falcons: seven carries, 11 yards, one touchdown; five receptions, 58 yards, one touchdown

Calvin Ridley, WR, Falcons: seven receptions, 63 yards, one touchdown

Brady, Bucs Offense Keep Their Foot on the Gas

Any notion that Father Time was finally going to catch Brady was quickly put to bed in Week 1 as the 44-year-old threw for 379 yards and two touchdowns against the Dallas Cowboys.

Considering Brady has a full year with the team under his belt and had a normal preseason to prepare, the Bucs offense might be even more dangerous than it was in the second half of 2020.

Inside the red zone, opponents really have to pick their poison. Even if they have Evans and Godwin covered on the outside or load up the box to stop the run, Brady can call upon one of the greatest tight ends ever.

As much as Tampa Bay’s offense is picking up from where it left off in 2020, the same can’t be said of the defense.

The Bucs allowed 327.1 yards per game last year, sixth-lowest in the NFL. The Cowboys soared well past that number (451 yards), and the champs surrendered 348 yards to a Falcons squad that mustered six points and 260 yards in Week 1.

It’s far too early to start reaching for the panic button, but Todd Bowles’ unit merits some close examination over the next few games.

Ryan Shows out in Losing Effort

Multiple quarterbacks changed teams this offseason, and the Falcons were seemingly embarking on a rebuild—or at the very least a transition—with a new head coach and general manager.

It’s tough to blame Ryan too much for his three interceptions considering the state of the Falcons running game. Mike Davis and Cordarrelle Patterson combined for 49 yards on 16 carries.

In order to have a chance, Atlanta’s requires a lot of its starting quarterback, and he’ll inevitably throw himself into a mistake or two when the team is down by multiple scores late in a game.

That the Falcons lost despite Ryan’s 300-yard day will inevitably lead some to wonder whether both parties would nonetheless benefit from a separation. Whatever he delivers on the field isn’t enough to overcome the franchise’s glaring flaws.

A midseason trade doesn’t make much sense because Atlanta is without a clear successor. Josh Rosen or Feleipe Franks isn’t the solution.

If Ryan can keep this up, then the team is at least in a strong position at the negotiating table in the offseason.

What’s Next?

The Falcons will look for their first win Sept. 26 against the New York Giants, with kickoff scheduled for 1 p.m. ET. The Bucs hit the road for a difficult matchup with the Los Angeles Rams at 4:25 p.m. ET.