ATLANTA- The time to start stacking wins is now for any NFL team that’s currently in the postseason hunt and it’s coming at the right moment for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
After dropping three of four games during a brutal four-game stretch just three weeks ago, it looks like the Buccaneers have righted the course in the past two weeks. Tampa Bay racked up win No. 9 on the season, second in a row after receiving a 390-yard passing day from quarterback Tom Brady en route to a 31-27 victory over the Atlanta Falcons Sunday afternoon.
It was another Brady comeback over the Falcons, which brought up bad memories for an Atlanta fan base that this has become all too familiar for. Brady was the one who orchestrated the historic 28-3 comeback victory in Super Bowl LI over the Falcons, with the New England Patriots being victorious 34-28.
Though this game didn’t have the Lombardi Trophy on the line, what did hang in the balance was solidifying the Buccaneers’ playoff chances that much more. Down 17-0 after the first half, it looked like Atlanta had put together the perfect formula in slowing down Tampa Bay’s high-powered offensive attack. The Buccaneers at halftime had only racked up less than 170 yards off offense and nothing seemed to be working.
Brady and crew went right to work in the second half, as the Bucs scored on their first drive coming out of intermission to make it 17-7. In the second half, Atlanta put together a response ending in a touchdown and giving the Falcons (4-10) a seemingly commanding lead back at 24-7.
This is when the Buccaneers’ defense and offense came in sync and started to click on all cylinders. Brady hit Chris Godwin on a short touchdown pass to make it 24-14 and then not too long later it would be running back Leonard Forunette, filling in for Ronald Jones, scoring from a yard to cut the game to 24-21. Tampa Bay (9-5) ended up tying things at 24-24 all on a Ryan Succop field goal but Atlanta was able to retake the lead on a long Younghoe Koo kick to put the Falcons up 27-24.
The scene was all too similar for Brady (31-of-45, 390 yards), though, as he led the game-winning touchdown drive and ended up connecting with Antonio Brown on a 46-yard touchdown pass to put Tampa Bay up 31-27 for good. Brown scored his first touchdown of the season and had his best output as a Buccaneer, with 95 yards receiving. Now the Buccaneers will have a somewhat quick turnaround and play on Saturday against the Detroit Lions (5-9). Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. at Ford Field.
Andy Villamarzo can be reached at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @avillamarzo
