Tom Brady helped elevate the Bucs from 7-9 to 11-5, and his addition is most apparent in regards to turnovers. In 2019, Tampa Bay turned the ball over a league-high 41 times. With Brady, they got that dialed down to only 17.
That’s the largest single-season turnaround in the last 20 years.
Since 2000, only 23 other teams have reduced their turnovers by at least one per week. With 12 interceptions and 5 fumbles, the Bucs improved by 24 in turnovers. That’s 3 more than any other team.
| IMPROVING BY AT LEAST A TURNOVER PER WEEK | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | Int | Fum | Total | Previous | Diff |
| 2020 | Tampa Bay | 12 | 5 | 17 | 30-11-41 | 24 |
| 2012 | Washington | 8 | 6 | 14 | 24-11-35 | 21 |
| 2008 | NY Giants | 10 | 3 | 13 | 20-14-34 | 21 |
| 2001 | San Diego | 18 | 11 | 29 | 30-20-50 | 21 |
| 2017 | LA Chargers | 11 | 4 | 15 | 21-14-35 | 20 |
| 2006 | New Orleans | 13 | 10 | 23 | 24-19-43 | 20 |
| 2016 | Atlanta | 7 | 4 | 11 | 17-13-30 | 19 |
| 2013 | Kansas City | 8 | 10 | 18 | 20-17-37 | 19 |
| 2008 | Baltimore | 12 | 9 | 21 | 14-26-40 | 19 |
| 2006 | St. Louis | 8 | 10 | 18 | 24-13-37 | 19 |
| 2001 | NY Jets | 14 | 7 | 21 | 29-11-40 | 19 |
| 2016 | Dallas | 6 | 9 | 15 | 22-11-33 | 18 |
| 2013 | Philadelphia | 9 | 10 | 19 | 15-22-37 | 18 |
| 2011 | NY Giants | 16 | 8 | 24 | 25-17-42 | 18 |
| 2002 | Kansas City | 13 | 2 | 15 | 24-9-33 | 18 |
| 2018 | Cleveland | 17 | 7 | 24 | 28-13-41 | 17 |
| 2012 | Tampa Bay | 17 | 6 | 23 | 24-16-40 | 17 |
| 2008 | Tennessee | 9 | 8 | 17 | 17-17-34 | 17 |
| 2003 | Minnesota | 13 | 11 | 24 | 23-18-41 | 17 |
| 2001 | Arizona | 14 | 13 | 27 | 24-20-44 | 17 |
| 2001 | Seattle | 12 | 9 | 21 | 21-17-38 | 17 |
| 2014 | NY Giants | 14 | 14 | 28 | 29-15-44 | 16 |
| 2010 | Detroit | 16 | 9 | 25 | 32-9-41 | 16 |
| 2008 | Miami | 7 | 6 | 13 | 16-13-29 | 16 |
Brady has long been one of the best at handling the ball, and even as he’s gotten older, there’s been no decline in that area. In each of the last two years, he’s lost only 1 fumble. (4 fumbles, with only 1 lost, in each of those seasons).
Brady isn’t as airtight with interceptions. In this offense, with plenty of aggressive throws, he threw 12 picks, which is an average total, and he threw 3 more in the NFC Championship game.
Also, notably, most of Brady’s interceptions came in the big games against quality opposition. He’s had five games with 2-3 interceptions this year, and they’ve all come against good teams – Saints, Saints, Rams, Kansas City and Packers. He’s thrown only 3 interceptions total in his other 13 games combined. (In fairness, Brady didn’t throw any interceptions in his regular-season win over Green Bay, nor in the playoff win at New Orleans.)
In the earlier Kansas City game, Brady threw 2 interceptions and struggled early, with most of his production coming later in this game. The potential for one of those kind of games is increased this week, with the Bucs potentially forced to take more chances if they fall behind or otherwise feel like they need to keep pace with Kansas City’s explosive offense.
—Ian Allan