TAMPA, Fla. — The Buccaneers overcame two double-digit deficits to defeat the Carolina Panthers 30-24 Sunday to clinch the NFC South for the second straight year, punching Tom Brady’s ticket to the playoffs for a 14th consecutive season.
The Bucs had not come back from a deficit of 14 points or more throughout a season marred by slow starts and a nonexistent vertical passing game. Meanwhile, Brady and Mike Evans‘ streak of games without a touchdown had grown to 11 — the longest in the career for the Bucs’ franchise receiving leader.
But after falling behind 14-0 on Sunday, three touchdown passes from Brady to Evans changed everything.
The first was a 63-yarder airmailed to Evans. The score gave Evans 1,000 receiving yards for the ninth consecutive season, tied for second most in NFL history with Tim Brown and behind only Jerry Rice. That touchdown changed the momentum completely with 2:18 to go in the first half.
Outside linebacker Devin White recovered a Sam Darnold fumble at the Carolina 17-yard line moments later, and the Bucs cut the Panthers’ lead to 14-10 with a 22-yard field goal from Ryan Succop.
Cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting intercepted Darnold at the Tampa Bay 2 on the Panthers’ first drive of the second half, but on the Bucs’ ensuing drive, a 26-yard field goal attempt by Succop was blocked by CJ Henderson.
The Bucs slipped into an 21-10 deficit after Darnold threw a touchdown strike to Shi Smith to open the fourth quarter. But Brady responded immediately with a 57-yard heave to Evans — marking the first time since 2016 that the 45-year-old QB has thrown two 50-yard touchdowns in the same game. The score was followed by a failed two-point conversion, cutting the Panthers’ lead to 21-16 with 13:49 to go.
Brady still wasn’t done finding his top receiver, as he connected with Evans for a third touchdown for 30 yards to give the Bucs the lead with 6:47 remaining. A successful two-point conversion pass to Chris Godwin put Tampa Bay up 24-21.
After another Darnold fumble, followed by a Leonard Fournette score that was taken off the board following a review, Brady punched in a quarterback sneak from the goal line with two minutes left, prompting “Brady! Brady! Brady!” chants from the crowd.
Carolina added a field goal with 59 seconds left to make it 30-24.
Sunday marked the first win for the Bucs in the eight games this season in which they have surrendered 20 or more points to the opposition.
Brady and the Bucs still have one game remaining at the Atlanta Falcons next week, but their playoff position is solidified no matter what. By winning the division, they will host the first round of the playoffs, against either the Philadelphia Eagles or the Dallas Cowboys.
Source : ESPN
