FOXBOROUGH, MASS. —
Tom Brady introduced 20 years of landing passes, victories and championships to New England.
He returned and reminded his former group what they’re lacking.
Brady rallied the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a 19-17 victory over the Patriots on a wet Sunday night time, with Ryan Succop hitting the successful 48-yard area objective late within the fourth quarter.
Brady was 22 of 43 for 269 yards with no touchdowns, however engineered the fourth-quarter drive to beat the group he led to 6 Lombardi trophies. Ronald Jones added an 8-yard scoring run for defending Tremendous Bowl champion Tampa Bay (3-1).
Brady mentioned the Patriots made them earn the win on an emotional night time for him.
“It is not that I’d predict what would occur,” Brady mentioned. “There have been a number of emotional moments occupied with the those who meant a lot in my life. My soccer journey took me someplace else.”
Brady broke Drew Brees’ NFL profession passing yardage file and have become the fourth quarterback with victories towards all 32 NFL groups, becoming a member of Brees, Brett Favre and Peyton Manning.
“In crunch time after we wanted a area objective, he acquired us down the sphere,” Bucs coach Bruce Arians mentioned. “He wasn’t going to make any errors that price us the sport.”
New England had an opportunity to win, however Nick Folks’s 56-yard field-goal strive hit the left upright with lower than a minute to play. The Patriots are 1-3 for the primary time since 2001. Invoice Belichick dropped to 8-12 since Brady left New England.
“The Bucs received this recreation,” Arians mentioned. “Everybody needed to make this Brady versus Belichick. I do not suppose Invoice took a snap.”
Belichick mentioned nothing Brady did shocked them.
“We went towards Tom Brady daily, daily in observe defensively,” Belichick mentioned. “So it isn’t like we have by no means seen Tom Brady earlier than.”
Patriots rookie Mac Jones completed 31 of 40 for 275 yards and two touchdowns.
“I’ve an extended option to go, and I simply attempt to put my finest foot ahead daily, and all of us need to win,” Jones mentioned.
The Buccaneers had been harm by a number of errors on protection and spotty particular groups play – marked by poor punts, a missed early area objective and dear penalties.
However Tampa was in a position to provide you with well timed performs to remain within the recreation, together with Antoine Winfield Jr. forcing a fumble by J.J. Taylor that was recovered by Richard Sherman – enjoying his first recreation since signing a one-year deal final week – to thwart a promising drive early within the third quarter.
Down 17-16, Brady and the Buccaneers took over on their very own 25 and wanted simply seven performs drive to the Patriots 30. After Antonio Brown failed to hold onto a move in the long run zone Succop calmly related on a 48-yarder with 2:02 left.
Main 7-6, the Patriots punted and Matt Slater appeared to get well a fumble by Jaydon Mickens. However an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Slater negated the play.
The Bucs took over and completed an eight-play, 52-yard drive with an 8-yard scoring run by Ronald Jones.
The Patriots responded on their subsequent possession, utilizing six straight completions by Jones to drive to the Bucs 1. Jones then discovered Jonnu Smith in again of the top zone for to place the Patriots again in entrance 14-13.
Tampa marched to the Patriots 8 on their ensuing drive earlier than being compelled to accept Succop’s third area objective to make it 16-14.
New England took again over with 7:58 left within the recreation and rapidly moved down the sphere, stepping into the crimson zone on a trick play that ended with receiver Jakobi Meyers throwing a 30-yard move to Nelson Agholor. The drive stalled there and the Patriots nudged again in entrance 17-16 on Nick Folks’s 27-yard area objective.
Brady was welcomed with cheers through the pregame earlier than taking the sphere to a stream of boos on the Buccaneers’ first drive of the night time.
Some cheers returned on their second offensive collection of the night time when he accomplished a 28-yard move to Mike Evans to surpass Brees’s mark of 80,358 yards to develop into the NFL’s profession passing chief within the common season.
The move helped arrange a 29-yard area objective to place the Bucs in entrance 3-0.
Tampa Bay’s protection dialed up the stress on Jones on the Patriots’ subsequent drive. Linebacker Devin White acquired a free run at Jones up the center, forcing him to rush a move that was tipped by Ross Cockrell and intercepted by Winfield.
The Patriots made the error moot, stopping the Buccaneers on third down simply contained in the crimson zone. The Buccaneers tried one other area objective, however this time Succop was vast proper from 36 yards.
INJURIES
Buccaneers: Davis III was helped off the sphere within the second quarter with a quad damage and didn’t return. … Winfield went into the locker room within the fourth quarter to be evaluated for a concussion.
Patriots: DE Henry Anderson left the sport within the second quarter with a chest damage and didn’t return. … RB Damien Harris was shaken up after successful within the second quarter however was in a position to return. … DB Cody Davis left the sport within the third quarter with a knee damage. … Jonathan Jones left the sport late within the fourth quarter.
UP NEXT
Buccaneers: Host Dolphins on Sunday.
Patriots: At Texans on Sunday.
