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By Michael Hurley, CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) – Tom Brady really wanted to be teammate with Antonio Brown again. Their reunion in Tampa was not particularly sweet.
The wide receiver made his return to the NFL on Sunday night for the Buccaneers, his first NFL game since September 15 of last year. After serving his eight-game suspension for several violations of NFL personal conduct policy, Brown was active for his first game of eligibility in 2020.
The Bucs would lose, 38-3. The bond between Brady and Brown was a complete non-factor.
Brady initially targeted Brown at the end of the first quarter on a deep ball, but the ball was under-thrown, forcing Brown to turn into a defensive back to break up a potential interception by Janoris Jenkins.
Antonio Brown, Janoris Jenkins (Photo by Mike Ehrmann / Getty Images)
Brady’s second look at Brown was a success, as the receiver ran in a right-to-left pre-snap motion on a third and a 3 before running an out route and making a 6 yard gain to move the chains.
The two connected a second time at the end of the second quarter, this time for 10 yards. But two games after that completion, Brown did not follow the route Brady expected him to perform, which led to Brady throwing his second interception of the night.
Brady returned to Brown at the end of the third quarter, with the receiver showing that although he hasn’t played regularly since the end of the 2018 season, he still has world-class hands:
Antonio Brown capture (GIF from NFL.com/GamePass)
This capture lasted 15 meters. Brown decided to celebrate the occasion.
Bucs loses 31-0.
About 4:15 to play in the third quarter.Antonio Brown: pic.twitter.com/R9ReGRvI6S
– Randy Scott (@RandyScottESPN) November 9, 2020
That record ended in an interception – Brady’s third of the night – essentially ending a game that really was over by the middle of the second quarter.
Brown ended up with three receptions (on five targets) for 31 yards, with one of those missed targets resulting in a pick. It was not enough the spark that Brady and Brown showed during their brief job together last year, when they connected four times for 56 yards and one touchdown in their only Patriots game together.
Antonio Brown leaves the field after the Saints beat the Bucs 38-3. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann / Getty Images)
Considering the explosive nature of the game, Brown’s performance wouldn’t have stood out one way or another. Still, the Buccaneers probably weren’t expecting to have their worst offensive game of the year after bringing Brown on board, so attention is sure to increase as early as next week, when the Buccaneers visit the Panthers.
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