HC Sean McVay: Rams ‘respect,’ don’t ‘fear’ Buccaneers QB Tom Brady

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady is widely viewed as the GOAT, and it’s difficult to argue against. He has seven Super Bowl championships on his Hall of Fame resume and led the NFL in multiple passing categories at the ripe age of 44 years old. 

Brady and company will welcome the Los Angeles Rams to town for Sunday’s playoff showdown, a rematch of a fall encounter. Rams head coach Sean McVay offered high praise for Brady during his most recent media availability. 

“I mean, he’s got so much experience,” McVay said of TB12, per Kevin Patra of the NFL’s website. “He’s so smart. He’s so twitchy in his upper half and can beat it up. He recognizes exactly what’s going on. And so, I think the best way is try to influence and affect — move him off his spot, be able to win with your rushes. Easier said than done. It’s why he’s the most successful quarterback of all time.”

While Brady completed 41-of-55 passes for 432 yards and a touchdown the last time these two sides met in Week 3 back on Sept. 26, it was the Rams that earned a 34-24 victory. McVay made it clear his players will enter this coming weekend confident they can go back-to-back against the living legend.

“I think it’s tremendous respect, but not fear,” McVay said about how the Rams view Brady. “And so, as a competitor, he is a great, phenomenal player. We have tremendous respect for him, but we’re going to have the expectation and anticipation that we’re preparing to try to go win this game. And so, we know what a great challenge it’s going to be. We’ve got to have a great week of work, and then go play to the best of our ability and let the chips fall where they may.”

In a relatively easy win over the Philadelphia Eagles this past Sunday, Brady connected on 29-of-37 passes for 271 yards and two touchdowns. The Rams must make life more difficult for a banged-up Buccaneers offense if they are to advance to the NFC Championship Game.