TAMPA, Florida – Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are heating up on time. It is not surprising when it comes to Brady.
The six-time Super Bowl champion threw 399 yards and four touchdowns on Sunday, helping Bucs win the fifth division in the NFC with a 44-27 victory at the end of the regular season over the Atlanta Falcons.
But the team’s fourth consecutive victory, meaning the Bucs (11-5) will face the NFC East champion, Washington or the New York Giants, on the road in the club’s first post-season game in 13 years, may have cost a high cost.
Receiver Mike Evans was taken to the locker room with a left knee injury at the end of the first quarter and did not return. Evans was injured in a move after a 20-yard reception made him the first player in NFL history to begin a career with seven consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. He fell trying to get a reception in the final zone and was taken to the locker room after trying to leave with the help of a coach.
“It meant a lot to him to get that record and then have an easy touchdown,” said Bucs coach Bruce Arians. “The lawn was really slippery in the end zone. It was a strange thing. Knock on the wood, we don’t think there is any serious damage, but we’ll know more in the next 24 hours. “
Brady launched Chris Godwin’s 29- and 4-yard touchdown passes. The 43-year-old quarterback also joined Antonio Brown in 25- and 30-yard plays to end a franchise record of 40 in his first season with the Bucs.
Brady joined Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning and Dan Marino as the only players with multiple seasons of at least 40 TD passes. Rodgers did this three times, the other two times.
Now we go to the playoffs, where Tampa Bay has not appeared since 2007.
“It’s about a football game, which plays well, which runs when the pressure is high,” said Brady, who has made at least two touchdowns in seven consecutive games.
He ignored the question of whether he imagined he could do 40 touchdowns in his first season with a new team, especially considering the absence of a normal off-season due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Whatever happens to me as a defender reflects what we do as an offensive,” said Brady. “I love playing with the guys I play with. We have a great group of receivers, a great group of tight ends, very altruistic. The backs have done an incredible job and the offensive line is playing very well.”
Matt Ryan completed 29 of 44 passes for 265 yards and two touchdowns for the Falcons (4-12), which ended a harrowing season that required the jobs of former coach Dan Quinn and general manager Thomas Dimitroff after a 0-5 start.
Ryan scored on a 1-yard getaway and also launched 19-yard scoring passes to Russell Gage and 1-yard passes to Hayden Hurst. The latter reduced Atlanta’s deficit to 30-27, before Brady ended the game with two late attempts.
Interim coach Raheem Morris took charge on October 12 and made it 4-7. He was interviewed for the full-time position last Friday and would like to return.
“I love this football team. I love this city. I love this organization, I love the owner and I love the players, ”said Morris. “These guys are not far. They have a chance. … they are so close. We need to find a way to bridge the chasm. “
Some players are hoping it will come back.
“He’s a great coach,” said running back Brian Hill. “Obviously he had nothing to do with personnel this year. He just worked with what we had and did a great job. “