Buccaneers
Buccaneers QB Tom Brady was asked about his sideline behavior during his appearance on the Let’s Go! Podcast on SiriusXM.
“I don’t know if it’s motivation, but I do think that it’s a bad day when there’s more F-bombs than touchdowns,” Brady said, via NFL.com. “So, that was not one of my better days. But F-bombs, they used to kind of keep from showing you in those moments, but now it’s kind of for the world to see. So that’s just the way it is.”
“It’s all good. You know, I think I have a great rapport with all my teammates and they know that the only reason why I’m doing it is to try to motivate ’em and try to get us to a higher level,” Brady added. “It’s nothing that I don’t say, you know, if I don’t feel like we’re living up to the expectations and playing up to the expectations that we’re capable of then that’s my job. I’m a quarterback? I’m not expecting the right tackle to do it. I’m not expecting the running back to do it. I’m not expecting the receiver to do it. I’m expecting myself to do it. I’m the one out there speaking in the huddle, calling the plays. That’s what my job is to try to get us going and to try to rally us. And there are a lot of ways to do it. And sometimes it’s some positive encouragement, which you do a lot. Sometimes it’s, you know, getting on people and trying to raise the level, the sense of urgency, and raising my voice and trying to create a different vibration for the whole offense. And that’s ultimately what you’re trying to do.”
Falcons
Falcons HC Arthur Smith has railed multiple times against the perception of this season being a tank year in Atlanta. The results on the field are starting to prove him out, as the Falcons moved to 3-3 with an impressive win against the 49ers in Week 6.
“I think we’ve got some really good young players, and they’re selfless,” he said via Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. “I think the easy thing to do would be to rationalize and try to stat-grab and just feed Kyle [Pitts] and Drake [London] and talk about next year and the future. But we’re trying to win, and so it’s hard. There’s good teams, and the Niners are a good team.”
Smith went on to say he feels like he owes it to this team and some of the young players to coach as hard as he can and not give a fruit about draft positioning. He mentioned guys like RB Caleb Huntley, fifth-round RB Tyler Allgeier, C Drew Dalman, G Elijah Wilkinson, TE Parker Hesse and WR Jared Bernhardt who are turning into potential contributors for the future.
“We believe in those guys,” Smith said. “Huntley is a guy that we had in our program, was on the practice squad and liked him coming out of Ball State. A lot of these guys, it’s a big transition from different programs, and I love the fact that guys that can be on our practice squad. Or you have guys like Tyler Allgeier. I loved his tape at BYU; I thought he was a really efficient player who kind of just fits our culture. …
“You talk about Bernhardt, the lacrosse player. You got Hesse, who was a D-end at Iowa, team captain for Phil Parker, who’s worked his way into a solid blocking tight end and just a really smart, instinctive player. So just a bunch of guys. Elijah Wilkinson is playing good football for us. Drew Dalman is starting to really grow into that center role.”
Panthers
- Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson says a few teams have inquired with the Panthers about RB Christian McCaffrey but no one is pushing hard for a trade yet.
- Robinson characterized the Bills’ interest as “call us” mode. They did check in about McCaffrey this offseason but nothing materialized with that. Robinson adds the interested teams are either a running back away from being “complete” or contending for a Super Bowl.
- As far as compensation, Robinson doesn’t think the multiple firsts are realistic and that’s probably more of owner Dave Tepper‘s wishful scenario. But it wouldn’t be too farfetched for a team to give up a first and another pick/asset.
- Robinson points out the Panthers are fine keeping McCaffrey for a new coach and potentially a young quarterback. He wouldn’t be shocked if this lasted right up until the trade deadline in two weeks.
- Panthers interim HC Steve Wilks‘ hope is QB Sam Darnold is able to return from injured reserve this week. Wilks was non-committal on Darnold being able to play against Tampa Bay because he hasn’t seen him, however. (Joe Person)
- Wilks did not commit to QB Baker Mayfield being the starter when he returns from injury. (Person)
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