When Tom Brady fires a game-winning touchdown pass, it can seem as fated an outcome as there is in football.
But even Brady cannot orchestrate an entire offense by himself against a generation of N.F.L. defenses that grew up dissecting his tendencies. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers rank second in the league in scoring, in large part because Byron Leftwich, their offensive coordinator, adapts the offense to the playmakers who revolve around Brady, their star quarterback.
This season, with Covid-19, injuries and other unusual circumstances threatening Tampa Bay’s season, Leftwich has altered his play calls to get the most out of a Frankenstein’s roster.