NFC Notes: Tom Brady, Buccaneers, Panthers, Saints, Sean Payton

Buccaneers

Buccaneers QB coach Clyde Christensen has been working with QB Tom Brady for the past three seasons and says that the veteran has every belief that the team can capture another Super Bowl victory this season.

“If you talk about running a marathon and everything is right, it’s a hard race,” Christensen said, via the Tampa Bay Times. “Now you start putting on a weight belt, then you add a couple of weights to the belt and the next thing you know, those 26 miles are not just a tough race, they’re brutal. Playing quarterback in the NFL, and especially if you’re Tom Brady, it’s … a tough, tough, long race and now you wear a weight vest and a weight belt and some weighted shoes. At the 15-mile mark, somebody says, ‘Hey, carry this.’ That’s how I would describe it. He’s not your average guy. When he goes out there, everyone expects him to play well, week in and week out. It was an unbelievable strain and accomplishment to win the division this year with all that took place.”

“All of a sudden, you have that, you lose your center on the (second) practice of the season,” Christensen added. “You proceed to have people in and out of the lineup. I do think it’s a unique (season) and we just never overly played well, which always falls on the quarterback. … I don’t think anyone will understand the strain it is for the quarterback or the face of the franchise to fight through all that stuff.”

“I’d have to punch out anyone who said he looked scared in the pocket,” Christensen continued. “I know people have said, ‘Yeah, he looks scared or his age showed because he threw the ball so quick.’ No! Because there were probably 45 sacks he avoided. If you’re an inexperienced quarterback, you take the sacks and the drives are over. If you think anything different, you don’t know football. I think one of the more impressive things I’ve seen in the years I’ve known him is the final game at Atlanta. He’s mad because anybody would think he wouldn’t play and he’s mad they pull him out early and he’s mad other guys don’t want to play. That’s him in a nutshell.”

• Buccaneers C Ryan Jensen had multiple partially torn ligaments in his knee, including his ACL, at the start of training camp. (Carmen Vitali)

Panthers

• Former Saints HC Sean Payton said he is interviewing with Broncos, Texans, and Panthers this week and believes that the potential compensation in exchange for his services will be a mid to late first-round pick. (Mike Nabors)

Saints

• Former Saints HC Sean Payton said he has spoken to Saints GM Mickey Loomis and that trade compensation for his services will probably be a mid-to-late first-round pick: “Look I think each team would be a little different. Mickey Loomis and I have talked already about it. I think ultimately the compensation for the Saints would be a mid or later first-round pick.” (Troy Renck)
• Payton is interviewing with the Broncos, Texans, Panthers and Cardinals. 
• Saints DE Marcus Davenport was fined $10,972 for an unnecessary roughness penalty in the Week 18 game against the Panthers that led to an ejection. (Ian Rapoport)