Where do the Bucs rank among Brady's 10 Super Bowl teams?
No other team in the NFL was as active as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last offseason, and their investments paid off. The Bucs not only managed to land Tom Brady in free agency, but they also surrounded the legendary quarterback with a roster filled with talent on both sides of the ball.
How do the 2020 Buccaneers measure up to Brady's other nine Super Bowl teams? Let's examine:
10. 2018 Patriots
Defeated Rams 13-3 in Super Bowl LIII
Regular-season record: 11-5
Offensive rank: 4th
Defensive rank: 7th
| Skill Cast | Defensive Standouts | Key Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|
| WR Julian Edelman | CB Stephon Gilmore* | Lack of offensive firepower |
| WR Josh Gordon | S Devin McCourty | Pass-rush |
| WR Chris Hogan | ||
| WR Phillip Dorsett | ||
| TE Rob Gronkowski | ||
| RB Sony Michel | ||
| RB James White | ||
| RB Rex Burkhead |
*Pro Bowl selection
The 2018 Patriots were more offensively challenged than their No. 4 scoring rank would suggest. A declining group of receivers forced Brady to lean on James White in the passing game more than in previous seasons, and it got thinner before the playoffs when Josh Gordon landed on the suspended list. While Phillip Dorsett and Rob Gronkowski provided some big catches in the postseason, these Patriots needed their defense - which ranked 21st in yards and 31st in sacks during the regular season - to pitch a near shutout in order to beat the Los Angeles Rams in the lowest-scoring Super Bowl of all time.
9. 2011 Patriots
Lost 21-17 to Giants in Super Bowl XLVI
Regular-season record: 13-3
Offensive rank: 3rd
Defensive rank: 15th
| Skill Cast | Defensive Standouts | Key Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|
| WR Wes Welker* | LB Jerod Mayo | Secondary |
| WR Deion Branch | DE Andre Carter* | Rush defense |
| WR Chad Johnson | DT Vince Wilfork* | Rush offense |
| TE Rob Gronkowski* | ||
| TE Aaron Hernandez | ||
| RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis | ||
| RB Stevan Ridley | ||
| RB Danny Woodhead |
*Pro Bowl selection
The Patriots were an offensive juggernaut in 2011. Wes Welker was in his prime while Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez were rapidly ascending. But they neglected their ground attack - BenJarvus Green-Ellis was their leading rusher with 667 yards - along with their defense, which ranked 31st in yards allowed. By the time they reached the championship round, it was clear the Patriots were a one-dimensional operation. The New York Giants exposed their flaws in the Super Bowl, upsetting Brady and Co. for the second time in four years.
8. 2001 Patriots
Defeated Rams 20-17 in Super Bowl XXXVI
Regular-season record: 11-5
Offensive rank: 6th
Defensive rank: 6th
| Skill Cast | Defensive Standouts | Key Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|
| WR Troy Brown* | CB Ty Law* | Offensive line |
| WR David Patten | S Lawyer Milloy* | Lack of offensive firepower |
| WR Charles Johnson | LB Tedy Bruschi | |
| TE Jermaine Wiggins | ||
| RB Antowain Smith | ||
| RB Kevin Faulk | ||
| RB J.R. Redmond |
*Pro Bowl selection
Nobody picked the Patriots to win the Super Bowl before the 2001 season, and for good reason: New England went 5-11 the year prior, used free agency to acquire a bunch of unheralded castoffs like Antowain Smith, David Patten, Roman Phifer, and Mike Vrabel, and had top receiver Terry Glenn embroiled in legal issues. Glenn was absent when Brady took over for an injured Drew Bledsoe in Week 2 and only played in four games the whole year. The Patriots weren't great in yardage categories - they ranked 19th in offense and 24th in defense - but somehow ranked sixth in both scoring categories. In the playoffs, New England benefited from the tuck rule in the divisional round and Bledsoe's relief effort in the conference title game before they took down the Greatest Show on Turf in the Super Bowl.
7. 2003 Patriots
Defeated Panthers 32-29 in Super Bowl XXXVIII
Regular-season record: 14-2
Offensive rank: 12th
Defensive rank: 1st
| Skill Cast | Defensive Standouts | Key Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|
| WR Deion Branch | CB Ty Law* | Lack of offensive firepower |
| WR David Givens | S Rodney Harrison | Rush offense |
| WR Troy Brown | LB Tedy Bruschi | |
| WR Bethel Johnson | LB Mike Vrabel | |
| TE Daniel Graham | DE Willie McGinest* | |
| TE Christian Fauria | DT Richard Seymour* | |
| RB Antowain Smith | ||
| RB Kevin Faulk |
*Pro Bowl selection
The Patriots turned out to be a dominant team in 2003, but they didn't initially look like one on paper. Youngsters Deion Branch and David Givens headlined a transitioning receiving corps, as Patten landed on injured reserve early while the aging Brown settled into a reduced role. Branch and Givens both flashed promise, but neither looked like a legitimate No. 1 option. Smith and Kevin Faulk struggled on the ground, averaging 3.5 and 3.6 yards per carry, respectively, while rushing for three touchdowns. The defense, though, was among the league's best. In particular, it was buoyed by the addition of Rodney Harrison and the growth of Richard Seymour.
6. 2017 Patriots
Lost 41-33 to Eagles in Super Bowl LII
Regular-season record: 13-3
Offensive rank: 2nd
Defensive rank: 5th
| Skill Cast | Defensive Standouts | Key Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|
| WR Brandin Cooks | CB Stephon Gilmore | Pass-rush |
| WR Danny Amendola | S Devin McCourty | Secondary |
| WR Chris Hogan | Rush defense | |
| WR Phillip Dorsett | ||
| TE Rob Gronkowski* | ||
| RB Dion Lewis | ||
| RB James White | ||
| RB Rex Burkhead |
*Pro Bowl selection
Brady lost his top receiver, Julian Edelman, to a torn ACL in the preseason, but the Patriots' offense wasn't their downfall in 2017. Danny Amendola picked up the slack in the slot while Gronkowski and offseason acquisition Brandin Cooks both posted 1,000-yard campaigns. Rather, New England's issues came on defense, where Malcolm Butler was stuck in a down year, the pass-rush couldn't hit home without a blitz, and the unit as a whole struggled to get third-down stops. Despite a 500-yard passing performance against the Philadelphia Eagles, Brady and the Patriots faltered in the second-highest-scoring Super Bowl ever.
5. 2016 Patriots
Defeated Falcons 34-28 in Super Bowl LI
Regular-season record: 14-2
Offensive rank: 3rd
Defensive rank: 1st
| Skill Cast | Defensive Standouts | Key Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|
| WR Julian Edelman | S Devin McCourty* | Lack of offensive firepower |
| WR Chris Hogan | CB Malcolm Butler | Pass-rush |
| WR Malcolm Mitchell | LB Dont'a Hightower* | |
| WR Danny Amendola | DE Trey Flowers | |
| TE Rob Gronkowski | ||
| TE Martellus Bennett | ||
| RB LeGarrette Blount | ||
| RB Dion Lewis | ||
| RB James White |
*Pro Bowl selection
The 2016 Patriots weren't explosive offensively, but wideouts Edelman, Amendola, Chris Hogan, and Malcolm Mitchell each shined at various points of the season. Gronkowski was having a banner year until a herniated disk forced him to undergo season-ending back surgery in early December, but Martellus Bennett - a former Pro Bowler in his own right - helped fill the void. Bennett wound up drawing the pass interference penalty that set up the game-winning touchdown in the Super Bowl. Meanwhile, LeGarrette Blount ran for a career-best 1,161 yards and led the league with 18 rushing scores. The defense was solid all year, with Butler and Logan Ryan working in tandem to counteract the various skill sets of opposing receivers.
4. 2004 Patriots
Defeated Eagles 24-21 in Super Bowl XXXIX
Regular-season record: 14-2
Offensive rank: 4th
Defensive rank: 2nd
| Skill Cast | Defensive Standouts | Key Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|
| WR David Givens | CB Ty Law | Lack of offensive firepower |
| WR David Patten | S Rodney Harrison | |
| WR Deion Branch | DT Richard Seymour* | |
| WR Troy Brown | LB Willie McGinest | |
| TE Daniel Graham | LB Tedy Bruschi* | |
| TE Christian Fauria | ||
| RB Corey Dillon* | ||
| RB Kevin Faulk |
*Pro Bowl selection
With two titles in three years, the 2004 Patriots carried an aura that intimidated many of their opponents before any ball was placed on the tee for kickoff. They were a well-rounded bunch, featuring many of the same faces from the previous few seasons. Branch and Givens continued their ascent while Patten returned from injury to have one of his most productive campaigns. Newcomer Corey Dillon rushed for over 1,600 yards, reigniting a ground attack that had dried up the year prior. The defense was once again elite despite losing Ty Law to a foot injury and being forced to deploy Brown at corner - the veteran wideout notched three interceptions.
3. 2020 Buccaneers
TBD vs. Chiefs in Super Bowl LV
Regular-season record: 11-5
Offensive rank: 3rd
Defensive rank: 8th
| Skill Cast | Defensive Standouts | Key Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|
| WR Mike Evans | LB Jason Pierre-Paul* | Secondary |
| WR Chris Godwin | LB Shaquil Barrett | |
| WR Antonio Brown | LB Devin White | |
| WR Scotty Miller | LB Lavonte David | |
| TE Rob Gronkowski | ||
| TE Cameron Brate | ||
| RB Ronald Jones | ||
| RB Leonard Fournette |
*Pro Bowl selection
The Buccaneers did the unthinkable in 2020, assembling a cast of four former 1,000-yard receivers in Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Antonio Brown, and Gronkowski. Tampa Bay lost O.J. Howard to a torn Achilles early in the season, but used its enviable tight end depth to compensate. Ronald Jones had a breakout season, while power back Leonard Fournette showed he could turn the momentum of games with his physicality. The Buccaneers posted the NFL's No. 1 rush defense and featured two marquee pass-rushers on the edges, leaving the secondary as their only significant concern.
2. 2014 Patriots
Defeated Seahawks 28-24 in Super Bowl XLIX
Regular-season record: 12-4
Offensive rank: 4th
Defensive rank: 8th
| Skill Cast | Defensive Standouts | Key Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|
| WR Julian Edelman | CB Darrelle Revis* | Lack of deep threats |
| WR Brandon LaFell | S Devin McCourty | Rush offense |
| WR Danny Amendola | DE Chandler Jones | Propency for penalties |
| TE Rob Gronkowski* | LB Jamie Collins | |
| TE Tim Wright | LB Dont'a Hightower | |
| RB LeGarrette Blount | ||
| RB Shane Vereen | ||
| RB Jonas Gray |
*Pro Bowl selection
Gronkowski and Edelman were the stars of the Patriots' offense in 2014, but Brandon LaFell complemented them with a career-high 953 yards. Amendola missed most of the season with injury and was labeled a free-agent bust before grabbing three touchdowns in the playoffs. The Patriots didn't have a single runner top 500 rushing yards, but late-season acquisition Blount was a difference-maker down the stretch and in the postseason. Nearly every starter on this team was in their prime, including Darrelle Revis, who was an All-Pro in his lone campaign with the Pats. He was part of a secondary that was so deep, eventual Super Bowl hero Butler was the No. 5 corner.
1. 2007 Patriots
Lost 17-14 to Giants in Super Bowl XLII
Regular-season record: 16-0
Offensive rank: 1st
Defensive rank: 4th
| Skill Cast | Defensive Standouts | Key Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|
| WR Randy Moss* | CB Asante Samuel* | Offensive imbalance |
| WR Wes Welker | S Rodney Harrison | |
| WR Donte' Stallworth | LB Tedy Bruschi | |
| WR Jabar Gaffney | LB Mike Vrabel* | |
| TE Ben Watson | DE Richard Seymour | |
| RB Laurence Maroney | DT Vince Wilfork* | |
| RB Kevin Faulk |
*Pro Bowl selection
Aided by incoming receivers Randy Moss, Welker, and Donte Stallworth, Brady and the Patriots smashed numerous offensive records in 2007 while morphing into a pass-heavy unit. Though their aerial assault drew all the national headlines, the Patriots still had Laurence Maroney and Kevin Faulk combine for 1,100 rushing yards and 4.45 yards per carry, showing an ability to run the ball when necessary. New England also owned one of the top defenses in the league, as the unit surrendered more than 20 points only five times all season. Even though the Patriots didn't win Super Bowl XLII, their 2007 roster stands as the best one to ever surround Brady.