Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tom Brady continues to defy time and logic in latest Thursday night win

Updated Oct. 15, 2021 4:37 p.m. ET

The things Tom Brady is doing at 44 years old are nothing short of fantastical.

Put simply, they're the stuff of legend.

The latest rendition of TB12's sustained reign of terror over the NFL was on display Thursday against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Brady repeatedly clipped the wings of the Birds' secondary, dicing them up to the tune of 297 yards and two TDs and completing 34 of 42 pass attempts (he did toss one interception). The two scores moved him ahead of Patrick Mahomes for the league lead in TD passes (17).

The air show culminated in a 28-22 victory for Tampa Bay, which moved to 5-1 on the season, and the Bucs are squarely ahead of the pack in the NFC South, having won three straight games.

Brady, meanwhile, is among this season's MVP favorites. He currently holds the fifth slot in FOX Sports' MVP Odds Watch, and his Bucs remain heavy favorites to represent their conference in the Super Bowl.

While he didn't think Brady's showing versus Philly was perfect, Skip Bayless was impressed by the QB's overall display, especially after Brady appeared to jack up his thumb on a pass attempt.

"I'm going to give Tom Brady a B for last night," Bayless reflected Friday morning on "Undisputed."

"It was way up, down and, in the end, way back up. When he had to be way back up, it was way back up. There were times when it was bordering on dropping to a C. But the flashpoint for me was when the [injury] started to bother him. He gets the ball back [at the end of the game], and is like, ‘Hell with my thumb, I’ve just got to do this.'"

Bayless also applauded Brady's ever-evolving connection with Antonio Brown, who pulled in nine receptions for 93 yards and a TD.

"[Brady] came into this game saying, 'I'm going to make AB the star tonight.' Look at the targets — he threw him 13 balls! It's crazy. Brady called him a ‘football genius’ the other day. He wants to be on the genius wavelength with AB."

Shannon Sharpe acknowledged the good things the Bucs' offense did Thursday night, but he wasn't as permissive in his evaluation of the game.

"I gave them a C," Sharpe said.

"I don't think the Eagles are very good defensively or offensively. The way the game started off, I tweeted, ‘Brady might throw for eight TDs.' [The Eagles] could get no pressure. It seemed like [the Bucs] just lost focus all of a sudden. Maybe it was because it was so easy. Brady had two TDs in the first two possessions, then it stalled. He had too many turnover-worthy plays. I didn't think he was too spectacular."

As always, Brady is polarizing for the masses, and Friday was no different, considering that Colin Cowherd disagreed entirely with Sharpe and Bayless.

"Brady's so good this year, it's boring," Cowherd said on "The Herd."

"It's pitch and catch. The Buccaneers are now elite because of their offense. They're so deep now. This pivot for Tampa from a losing franchise, a team with no momentum, a head coach that comes out of retirement to winning a Super Bowl, 5-1. Every general manager in the league has to be looking at this and thinking, ‘Let's just make an offer for Aaron Rodgers.' It's so easy for Brady. He said yesterday, ‘I could literally play until I’m 55 if I want to.'"

Colin Cowherd: Tom Brady continues to redefine the quarterback position I THE HERD

Colin Cowherd lauds Tom Brady after the veteran led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to their third consecutive win, defeating the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 6.

Playing football at age 55 would be mind-boggling, as if 44 isn't already. But as of now, it's difficult to argue against the Bucs being the best team in the league. They've won 13 of their past 14 games dating to 2020 and are 10-1 in their past 11 road affairs.

Meanwhile, Brady has completed the most passes he has ever completed through his first six games (183) and is two TDs from the 600 mark. He has thrown two or more TD passes in 15 of his past 17 starts, and he could become the oldest player in league history to lead the league in passing yards.

Maybe playing until 55 isn't such a wild idea after all.

Check out the full "Undisputed" debate below: