Bucs quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick shocked the world last Sunday when he threw four touchdown passes and posted a near-perfect passer rating (156.3) in a thrilling 48-40 win over the Saints.
It wasn’t a huge surprise that Fitzpatrick was able to take care of the football, and that he did not turn the football over, but no one expected him to complete as many deep passes as he did. The Bucs’ vertical passing game was explosive, moreso than the Saints’ downfield passing, and that’s not something that happens all that often when Drew Brees is under center at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
Fitzpatrick — who is now playing for his seventh NFL team — looked extremely confident on the field, which was clear in his mannerisms and delivery. He even went on to say that he’s playing the best football that he ever has during his 14-year tenure in the NFL, in speaking with JoeBucsFan.com on Thursday.
“You know I’m better right now than I’ve been at any point in my career and lot of that is mentally and whatever else,” Fitzpatrick said. “But there’s a lot of different throws and things that are so much ingrained in you, so much muscle memory from working and doing it for a long time. Truly I feel like the older I’ve gotten the better I’ve become.”
Fitzpatrick must be like a fine wine, then, getting better with age. Few quarterbacks that are 35 years of age or older not named Tom Brady or Eli Manning have the talent to go into New Orleans and defeat Drew Brees, but Fitzpatrick was able to do it. If he continues to play like he did in Week 1, we too will believe that he’s playing the best football of his career thus far.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
