How Tom Brady and the Buccaneers fit the fictional hero journey arc

The Ordeal for the Buccaneers

First boss

Our hero and his crew of rowdy Buccaneers were about to face their biggest tests next. Now in the tournament, they would have to face the Washington Football Team in the first battle. The Football Team was the weakest of all division champs and sported a sub-500 record at 7-9.

But they battled like they deserved to be in the tournament, and gave our hero and his cohort a bit of a scare. But the Bucs had learned their lessons well and managed to eke out the victory and move on to the next boss. The Washington Football team in turn went home to the couch and the TV controller to watch the next games.

Second Boss

And who was this Boss? None other than the same Saints that set the Bucs down two times in the regular season.  They had appeared to have matters in hand, and behind their own hero, former Super Bowl MVP himself, Drew Brees. The challenge was laid down.

Needless to say, as we know, the Bucs and their Hero managed to prevail. The defense seemed to come alive, and they pressured Brees and ultimately sent him to his last NFL shower.

Third Boss

The next step was deemed even more difficult. They would face the Packers again, and the Packers were still outraged at how this upstart team had handled them in the regular season. They felt, for sure, that behind their own League MVP and former Super Bowl MVP, they would have the upper hand.

But again, they seemed to forget about the defense. Outside linebackers, Shaquil Barrett and Jason Pierre Paul managed to get to the quarterback a grand total of five times. The defense managed to grab a few errant throws, and in the end, our hero prevailed, yet again.