Bruce Arians' Public Criticism of Tom Brady Reportedly 'Not Going Unnoticed'

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians hasn't been shy about criticizing veteran quarterback Tom Brady, but sources say the words are "clearly not going unnoticed," according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports.

Brady has as good a resume as anyone in NFL history but Arians was harsh in his assessment after Monday's 27-24 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. 

"We've got the guys open. We've just missed 'em," the coach told reporters Tuesday. "...Other than the deep ball, I think he's getting confused a few times with coverage that might be causing some inaccurate balls."

However, some believe the public criticism should go the other way.

"It's a great way to deflect blame from Arians," a source close to Brady told La Canfora. "Keep everybody asking about the quarterback so they don't focus on the limitations of the scheme or the lack of adjustments being made."

It's been an up-and-down season for the Buccaneers, which enter Sunday second in the NFC South with a 7-4 record. Dominant wins over the Green Bay Packers and Las Vegas Raiders had some talking Super Bowl, while two double-digit losses to the New Orleans Saints created more question marks.

Brady is in his first year with the team after winning six championships with the New England Patriots, but he has not been blameless during the squad's struggles.

After the 38-3 loss to the Saints in Week 9, Arians complained about Brady missing an "open" Mike Evans, while the coach noted a "poor throw" on an interception.

Though Brady hasn't responded publicly, the comments could be getting to the 43-year-old.

Meanwhile, Arians hasn't made many adjustments to his offense to accommodate the new quarterback.

"This is BA's offense and it will always be BA's offense," a longtime NFL assistant said. "He is who he is, and they do what they do. No risk it, no biscuit. Drop it back and let it go. At this stage of his career, I don't see that changing for anyone—not even Tom Brady."

The 68-year-old has been in the NFL since 1989 and is in his 16th season running an offense as a head coach or coordinator.