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Avant-match Packers-Buccaners
TAMPA, Fla – Tom Brady has scores to settle with Aaron Rodgers, and it has nothing to do with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Green Bay Packers.
The two Super Bowl champion quarterbacks will cross swords for only the third time in their careers on Sunday afternoon (4:25 p.m., RDS and RDS Direct) in Florida. The Packers (4-0) will look to go undefeated this season, while the Buccaneers (3-2) will look to prove they can compete with one of the best teams in the NFL.
The two stars are aware that they will be in the spotlight during the meeting, but they refuse to reduce this game to a head-to-head Brady against Rodgers.
“When you play against another great quarterback, you know the victory will be hard to come by because the other team will be well prepared,” Brady said.
“They are going to play well on offense, and they have a talented defense. You can’t afford to make a lot of mistakes. “
The two quarterbacks were also clear: they will not face each other directly on Sunday.
“I’m not the one who’ll be on the pitch when Aaron gets the ball,” Brady recalled.
“We have a full defensive unit looking after that. My role will be to make sure that we play well on the offensive, to prevent a player like him from having the opportunity to come onto the pitch to score points. “
“You can’t give them too many opportunities, because they will make you pay dearly. “
Rodgers, who completed 13 touchdown passes while suffering no interceptions in four games this season, spoke similarly to his rival.
“I’m not playing against Tom; I’m playing against the Buccaneers’ defense. This is how the game should be analyzed, ”said the Packers quarterback.
“He’s been playing at a high level for so long. There is an icon at this position. He’s someone we’ve all admired for so many years and who stands for excellence, ”Rodgers said.
“He has the respect of a lot of players for the way he plays, especially us – the players who are from the same era as him – and who had the chance to face him. “
Despite the rivalry on the court, Brady’s “friendly grudge” towards Rodgers stems instead from the time they spent together a few years ago in Los Angeles.
The two quarterbacks took the opportunity to discuss the benefits of eating a healthy diet and taking care of your body to extend their careers and have a good quality of life.
And they also played a round of nine holes of golf.
“He put in a putt at the very end for the win, so that annoyed me a bit,” Brady recalled. “Do I still enjoy spending time with him?” but I must take my revenge in golf. “
Brady has followed Rodgers’ journey since the days when the Packers quarterback played at the college level in California.
“He’s always been a great player. Is there something you can’t like about your game? When you’re a quarterback, I believe there is mutual respect because you know how hard it is, ”Brady said.
“When players stay at the top year after year after year after year after year, it says a lot about how they feel about the sport, how they take care of them, how their organization values them and how their teammates appreciate them.” , added Brady.
“What he has achieved is incredible. “
