Bengals' Players Take Shots at Tom Brady After Beating Bucs

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were handed a tough loss by the Cincinnati Bengals this past Sunday as they lost 34-23. The score doesn't encapsulate how bad the actually was, however. The Bucs played perhaps their best half of the season in the first half as they went into halftime up 17-3 but completely folded over in the second half as they committed multiple turnovers and were flagged for numerous penalties that allowed the Bengals to easily get back into the game, ultimately resulting in their win in Raymond James.

Prior to the Bucs' horrific showing on Sunday evening, Brady spoke with reporters about Cincinnati's defense, which may have unsuspectingly given the Bengals some bulletin board material heading into the game. Per his Let's Go! podcast, Brady stated that the Bengals had a "fairly tough defense". It doesn't necessarily seem like Brady was intentionally taking a shot at the Bengals defense, but that's how the Bengals' defense took it, and boy did they run with it.

Following their win over the Bucs in Tampa Bay, Bengals' Eli Apple and BJ Hill had a couple of messages for Tom Brady acknowledging that they didn't forget the quarterback's words prior to their matchup.

Eli Apple and BJ Hill with a couple messages for Tom Brady. Hill obviously heard the “fairly tough” comment this week. pic.twitter.com/6CGe9FbZ6L
— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) December 19, 2022

As the two were coming off the field following their win, Apple can be heard saying, "the future is now, old man.", and shortly following Apple BJ Hill took it a step further making it known they didn't forget Brady's words prior to the matchup stating, "we're fairly tough on defense, remember that."

You never want to give the opposing team bulletin board material even if you didn't mean to. They will take it and use it as motivation to play their best against you and then rub it in your face afterward. Brady hasn't been one to give that type of material unless it is by mistake. This time he was on the wrong end and had to eat his words after the Bengals' defense was able to turn the Bucs and Brady over four times.

Brady can eat crow, but if he hopes to make the playoffs with the Bucs this season he will have to let this one go and focus on what is in front of him with just three games left in the regular season.

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