Tom Brady's much-heralded return to the NFL has taken a turn for the worse, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback experiencing a three-game losing streak for the first time in two decades. The 45-year-old, who reversed his retirement decision after just 40 days, now holds a 3-5 record this season following defeats to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Carolina Panthers, and Baltimore Ravens.
In Thursday night's 27-22 loss to the Ravens, Brady completed only 59.1% of his passes and threw just one touchdown. This marks the first time in his storied career that he has been under .500 for two consecutive games. The Bucs' offensive line, depleted by injuries and departures, has struggled to protect him, contributing to Brady becoming the most-sacked quarterback in NFL history with 555 sacks.
Brady acknowledged the team's struggles, saying, 'We’ve struggled pretty much at everything. Red area. Third down. Run game. Two point plays. Backed up. Start of (the) third quarter. Just didn't play well enough to win.' The Buccaneers also lost linebacker Shaquil Barrett to a suspected season-ending Achilles injury during the game.
The Bucs led 10-3 at halftime but were outscored 14-0 in the third quarter. They now sit second in the NFC South and face a crucial Week 9 clash against the defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams.
