State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, is the location of certainly one of Tom Brady’s biggest comebacks. Super Bowl XLIX in opposition to the Seattle Seahawks, maybe most well-known because the “Malcolm Butler game.”
While Sunday evening’s tilt in opposition to the Arizona Cardinals was not a Super Bowl, and it didn’t come in opposition to the Legion of Boom, it’s one other merchandise on the lengthy checklist of the quarterback’s comeback efforts.
And it may need gone a good distance in the direction of retaining any Super Bowl aspirations alive.
After Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers fell behind Trace McSorley and the Cardinals by a rating of 16-6 within the fourth quarter, Tampa Bay discovered a option to get the sport tied, and after their protection pressured a punt from Arizona at first of additional time, Brady and the offense have been in a position to pull out the win in OT by a remaining rating of 19-16.
For the primary three quarters of the sport, Brady appeared misplaced, and the jokes have been flying on social media. The veteran QB threw a pair of interceptions, with Marco Wilson choosing his pocket on each performs, and the Buccaneers offense was struggling to get something going. In case you have been questioning, the working title for this piece was “Tom Brady came back to lose to Trace McSorley? Really?”
But earlier than we may refine that headline within the SB Nation slack, every thing modified.
Facing the ten-point deficit, the Buccaneers went into hurry-up mode, and abruptly their offense confirmed indicators of life. Tampa Bay put collectively a seven-play drive that culminated of their first landing of the evening, a brief throw from Brady to rookie operating again Rachaad White:
The large play on the drive, nonetheless, was the primary play. On this designed swing display to Leonard Fournette, the operating again picks up a three-man convoy and rips off a 44-yard achieve, getting Tampa Bay deep into Cardinals’ territory:
Keep this design at the back of your thoughts…
The White landing solely minimize Arizona’s result in 16-13, and that gave McSorley and the Cardinals likelihood to maybe ice the sport with a textbook four-minute drive on offense. But with Arizona dealing with a third and 1, the Tampa Bay protection took benefit of an offensive miscue, getting Brady the soccer again:
McSorley pitches the ball to Keaontay Ingram, however the ball hits the turf at State Farm Stadium. William Gholston pounces on the unfastened ball, giving Brady and the offense nice beginning place for his or her ensuing possession. Unfortunately for Tampa Bay, their subsequent drive sputtered simply exterior the purple zone. Ryan Succop managed to transform from 42 yards out to knot the sport at 16, however there was time left for Arizona to maybe pull out the win within the closing minutes.
Tampa Bay’s protection stood tall once more, forcing a three-and-out on the subsequent Cardinals possession. The stage was set for an additional Brady game-winning comeback.
Tampa Bay took over on the 34-yard line after the Arizona punt, and after an incompletion, Brady related with rookie tight finish Cade Otton on an out route for a even-yard achieve. That arrange a crucial third and three. With maybe the best quarterback in NFL historical past on the helm, the Buccaneers…handed the ball to Fournette.
Who was stopped wanting the first-down marker.
Arizona took their remaining timeout with 55 seconds left, giving themselves one more likelihood to steal the win ultimately. A completion to James Conner — that includes a formidable run after the catch from the RB — bought the Cardinals in place for a a Hail Mary, however McSorley’s desperation heave was intercepted, and the groups headed to additional time.
Arizona received the toss, and elected to obtain. McSorley opened the additional body seeking to throw off of a boot-action design, however his try was practically intercepted. A loss on second down pushed the Cardinals into a third and lengthy.
Brady may need began to get able to take the sphere, however he could be drive to take a seat again down for a minute. McSorley related with Marquise Brown to maneuver the chains. McSorley’s throw was low, however Brown was in a position to put it in whereas diving to the turf, and the Cardinals had a contemporary set of downs.
Forcing Brady again into spectator mode.
However, that solitary first down is all of the Cardinals may handle on offense. Arizona ultimately punted, and the Buccaneers took over on their very own 12-yard line, needing only a Succop subject objective to tug out the win. The Buccaneers picked up a primary down, and that’s when Byron Leftwich dialed up the large shot play.
Remember that swing display to Fournette from the fourth quarter?
Brady pumps on the pretend swing display to Fournette — displaying Arizona the large play from earlier within the sport — earlier than trying deep. The receivers launch slowly off the road, as if they will block as they did earlier within the sport, however then break vertically. The QB appears to be like to Russell Gage and places the throw on the cash, and Gage hangs on by means of contact for the large achieve.
That was not the one large play from Brady and the offense. A couple of performs later the veteran quarterback put one other throw on the cash, this time to Mike Evans on a deep out route alongside the fitting sideline:
Brady and Gage would join once more, on a fast display, to get the ball down into the purple zone. A penalty and two runs put the soccer in the course of the sphere, and Todd Bowles despatched Succop onto the sphere for a 40-yard subject objective.
Succop break up the uprights.
The win put the Buccaneers in place to win the NFC South by defeating the Carolina Panthers subsequent week, clinching a playoff spot. It was under no circumstances fairly, and the Buccaneers have some flaws, however they discovered a option to win.
The victory mirrors two earlier wins from the Buccaneers this season, victories over the Los Angeles Rams and the New Orleans Saints. On each events, as with tonight, the Buccaneers appeared mortal — at greatest — for an enormous portion of the sport. But when trailing, the offense shifted into hurry-up mode, and abruptly began clicking.
Now, the reply to all their woes on offense can not merely be “just run without a huddle,” however there are actually three video games of proof pointing to that philosophy as one thing that may work in spurts for the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay has struggled all through this season to seek out any consistency on offense, and appear to maneuver the ball extra effectively when working with out a huddle.
Doing it on Christmas evening put them in place to not simply win a sport, however clinch the division subsequent week with a win over the Panthers.
And it added one other merchandise on Brady’s checklist of comeback victories.