TAMPA, Fla. — The Buccaneers overcame a 14-0 first-quarter deficit to defeat the Carolina Panthers 30-24 Sunday to clinch the NFC South for the second straight year, punching 45-year-old Tom Brady’s ticket to the playoffs for his 14th consecutive season.
In a season marred by slow starts and lack of a vertical passing game, the Bucs hadn’t come back from a 14-point or more deficit all season until Sunday and Brady and Mike Evans‘ drought of games without a touchdown had grown to 11 — the longest of the Bucs’ franchise receiving leader’s career.
But three touchdown passes from Brady to Evans changed everything.
The first was a 63-yarder air-mailed to Evans — which gave him 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, with the Bucs cutting the Panthers’ lead to 14-10 with a 22-yard field goal by kicker Ryan Succop. Cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting then intercepted Darnold at the Tampa Bay 2 in the third quarter, but a 26-yard field goal attempt by Succop was blocked by CJ Henderson with 3:37 to go in the third quarter.
The Bucs slipped into a 10-point deficit with a Darnold touchdown strike to Shi Smith to open the fourth quarter, but Brady responded immediately with a 57-yard heave to Evans — the first time since 2016 that Brady’s thrown two 50-yard touchdowns in the same game. That score was followed by a failed two-point conversion to make it 21-16 Panthers with 13:49 to go.
Brady wasn’t done finding his top receiver, connecting with Evans on a third touchdown, this one 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.
Following another Darnold fumble and after a Leonard Fournette score was taken off the board following a review, Brady punched in a quarterback sneak from the goal line. The touchdown resulted in chants of “Brady! Brady! Brady!” as the Bucs extended their lead to 30-21 with 2:00 to go followed by another Succop miss.
Carolina added a field goal to make it 30-24.
Sunday’s game marked the first time the Bucs beat a team despite surrendering 20 points, they had been 0-7 prior to Sunday.
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 their division, they will host the first round of the playoffs. Tampa Bay will play either the Philadelphia Eagles or the Dallas Cowboys in the first round.