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2021 NFL Power Rankings: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Throughout the 2021 NFL season, we will compile a consensus NFL Power Rankings that averages the rankings of all 32 NFL teams.

Here is where the Tampa Bay Buccaneers rank in terms of average, best and worst:

Below you will find a Week 6 roundup for the Bucs in our consensus 2021 NFL Power Rankings.

ESPN -- Rank: 4

Most improved player: QB Tom Brady

How they've improved: This sounds ridiculous, right? What does a seven-time Super Bowl champion QB possibly need to improve on? But if you go back to this time last year, Brady was still learning the playbook and still trying to establish a rapport with his receivers, while offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich was still trying to learn him. Brady's touchdown to interception ratio has gone from 3.0 at this point last year to 7.5. Yards after the catch has also gone up from 542 yards to 850 yards, as has yards per attempt (7.93 yards per attempt versus 7.02, so he's not trying easier throws), suggesting better chemistry overall. -- Jenna Laine

NFL.com -- Rank: 3

The weirdest stat of Week 5: Sunday's 45-17 win over the Dolphins marked the first time Tom Brady threw for more than 400 yards and five touchdowns in a game. This feels impossible, given Brady's unmatched résumé over 22 seasons, but it's true. Not bad production, considering Brady didn't even play the final nine minutes of regulation as Blaine Gabbert closed out an overmatched Miami team. At halftime, newly acquired veteran cornerback Richard Sherman approached teammate Leonard Fournette and shared the eye-opening opinion that he'd never been part of a team with so much talent. The running back's response? "This s***'s different."

CBS Sports -- Rank: 6

The offense came alive in a big way against Miami after two so-so games on the road. Tom Brady got back on track with five touchdown passes.

USA Today -- Rank: 3

Here's a wild stat -- Tampa Bay has scored at least 44 points six times since QB Tom Brady joined the team in 2020 ... matching the franchise's six 44+ point outputs from its first 44 years of existence.

The Athletic -- Rank: 3

Breakout player: It's hard for a young skill-position player to break through on a team as deep and as experienced as the Bucs. But Tyler Johnson is creating a niche as a depth receiver who is more than capable of filling in if any of the Big 3 (Mike Evans, Chris Godwin or Antonio Brown) is out. Johnson, a fifth-round pick out of Minnesota in 2020, is averaging more than 15 yards per catch on his seven receptions while also contributing on special teams as he awaits a bigger role on offense.

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