Brady, Grayson Lead Bucs In Thrilling 28-24 Comeback Win vs. Jets
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (12-4) have tied the franchise record for the most wins in the regular season, but it didn't come without one helluva fight.
Not only did the Bucs have to take on an unexpectedly competitive team in the New York Jets (4-12), but the Bucs also had to deal with internal strife when Antonio Brown quit on the team in the third quarter.
The Bucs still managed to win the game despite Brown's actions as Tom Brady and Cyril Grayson Jr. made play after play on the final drive to make sure the Bucs came through with a big win instead of suffering through a big upset.
The Jets won the toss and elected to receive, so their offense hit the field first.
Michael Carter broke off a 55-yard about three plays into the game to set his offense up with a 1st and 10 at the Tampa Bay 12. A nine-yard pass to Braxton Berrios and then a reverse-toss to Berrios off a direct snap to Carter earned the Jets the game's first touchdown. Eddie Piniero's PAT was good and the Jets led, 7-0, with 12:04 to go in the first quarter. The Jets did not have to convert a single third down on the six-play, 72-yard scoring drive.
Tampa Bay quickly faced a 3rd and 2 on its first drive and it was Mike Evans who bailed them out with a three-yard reception to move the chains. The Bucs offense was up against a 3rd and 6 a few plays later past midfield, but this time Le'Veon Bell's 15-yard catch-and-run helped the Bucs move closer to scoring range as they approached the New York 33.
A six-yard run by Ke'Shawn Vaughn pushed the Bucs into the red zone and then a 15-yard facemask call on Ronald Blair gave the Bucs a 1st and goal at the New York 10. The Bucs didn't receive the full 15-yards due to the fact they were in the red zone.
Brady then finished off the drive with a five-yard touchdown pass to Evans on 2nd and goal and Ryan Succop's PAT tied the game up at 7-7 with 5:43 left in the first quarter.
The Jets started their second drive of the game at their own 26. Zach Wilson overcame an early 3rd and 2 by finding Jeff Smith for a 13-yard gain over the middle and then Austin Walter's 14-yard run on the subsequent 1st and 10 moved the ball into Bucs territory.
It took converting a 3rd and 7 before the Jets got into field goal range. Wilson hit Berrios on a slant for nine-yards and the offense was now set up with a 1st and 10 at the Tampa Bay 28. The Jets kept coming, too. The Bucs were able to get them into a 3rd and 10, but Wilson continued to hit tight-window throws as he connected with Kenny Yeboah for 12-yards to the Tampa Bay 15.
It would make complete sense that the Jets scored their second touchdown of the game on their fourth third down conversion of the drive, because that's exactly what they did. Wilson connected with Berrios on the right sideline and he scampered nine-yards down the sideline and dove into the end zone for his second touchdown of the game. Piniero's PAT went through the uprights and the Jets led, 14-7, with 13:43 left in the second quarter.
Tampa Bay's second drive started off quick. Evans hauled in a 31-yard reception on the second play of the drive and then Antonio Brown reeled in a 21-yarder. All of a sudden, the Bucs had a 1st and 10 at the New York 23.
But the drive soon stalled after the Bucs couldn't convert a 3rd and 8. Fortunately, they were still in field goal range and Succop drilled his 39-yard attempt to make it a 14-10 game with 10:50 to go in the first half.
New York's offense continued to have its way with the Bucs defense. It started its next drive off with passes of 24- and 11-yards and the Jets were in Bucs territory after just two plays.
The Bucs defense finally stood tall and forced a stop close to midfield. Braden Mann punted the ball away and the Bucs started their third drive of the game at their own 10.
Brady and Co. relied on the running game to get out from the shadow of their own end zone before Rob Gronkowski busted things open with a 24-yard catch-and-run to midfield. A false start and then a five-yard loss on the next play left the Bucs with a 2nd and 20, but Gronk turned it into a manageable 3rd and 6 with a 14-yard reception.
Gronk's efforts died in vain as Brady was sacked by Michael Carter II on the next play, however. The Bucs punted the ball away and the Jets took over at their own 17 with 2:24 left on the clock.
Ty Johnson broke off a 12-yard run and then Yeboah hauled in a 24-yard reception, which placed the Jets at the Tampa Bay 43. It looked like the Bucs were about to sack Wilson a few plays later on 3rd and 9, but he did a great job of avoiding the sack and allowing the punting unit to pin the Bucs deep. Mann did just that as his punt sailed out of bounds at the Tampa Bay 10.
Gronk continued his big first half with a 24-yard reception after Vaughn's six-yard reception, which gave the Bucs a 1st and 10 at their own 40 with :47 to go. Another Gronk reception -this time a 14-yarder- moved the Bucs into Jets territory to where the offense needed about 15 more yards before Succop could try a field goal to end the first half.
But the Bucs never got that chance. Brady underthrew Evans deep down the left sideline and was picked off by Brandin Echols. Echols added insult to injury as he also returned the interception 30-yards to the New York 48.
The return yardage gave the Jets an opportunity to add more points on the board before halftime. Johnson's 19-yard catch-and-run was enough to set up a 51-yard Piniero attempt with :06 left and Piniero connected to make it a 17-10 game at halftime.
Tampa Bay received the ball to start the second half.
Grayson finally made his presence felt as he picked up nine-yards on 3rd and 7 to move the chains. The Bucs made it to their own 42 before an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Ryan Jensen nuked the drive. Sterling Hofrichter punted the ball away and the Jets took over at their own 34.
Johnson's 23-yard catch-and-run set the Jets up with a 1st and 10 at the Bucs' 23. Wilson kept his hot streak with two very accurate throws of 11- and 21-yards to Berrios and Keelan Cole Sr. and the Jets were just one yard away from taking a two-touchdown lead.
The Bucs held strong on 1st and goal, but Johnson was able to punch it in from one-yard out on the next play. Piniero's PAT was good and the Jets now led, 24-10, with 6:56 left in the third quarter.
Tampa Bay was literally a 3rd and 20 from going three-and-out, but Grayson Jr. came through with another big catch for a first down, as he hauled in a pass on the right sideline that was right at the first down marker.
Gronkowski got the Bucs to midfield a little bit after with another 14-yard reception and then Breshad Perriman showed up with a 32-yard catch that set the Bucs up with a 1st and goal at the New York 7.
A weird moment happened when cameras showed a shirtless Brown running off the field and into the locker room. Fox Sport's Jen Hale reported that it was due to Brown being unhappy with either how the game was going, but it wasn't entirely clear at the time.
Back to the game. The Bucs soon faced a 4th and goal from the New York 4. Brady hit Cameron Brate in the end zone for the touchdown and Succop's PAT went through the uprights to make it a 24-17 game with :29 left in the third quarter.
Now, it was up to the defense to get a stop.
The Jets started their drive at their own 30, but it ended at their own 20 after Anthony Nelson sacked Wilson for a 10-yard loss on 3rd down. The Jets punted the ball away and the Bucs started at their own 37 after Kenjon Barner's three-yard return.
The Bucs eventually moved into Jets territory, but the drive stalled out around the 39. Hofrichter punted the ball and the Jets took over at their own 9 with 12:05 left in the game.
Tampa Bay's defense came through again with another three-and-out and the bad field position turned into good field position for the Bucs after Mann's punt went out of bounds at the New York 47.
Gronkowski started the drive off with a 21-yard reception that immediately put the Bucs in field goal range. Tampa Bay converted a crucial 3rd and 7 a few plays later when Bell took a Brady dump-off 12-yards to the New York 11. Tyler Johnson couldn't haul in a low pass from Brady on 3rd and 8, which led to a 27-yard field goal by Succop. The Jets now led, 24-20, with 7:36 left in the game.
The Jets gained 25 yards on their first three plays and cracked midfield a couple of plays later. The Bucs had a chance to stop them on 3rd and 1 from their own 41, but Walter gained four-yards and gave the offense a new set of downs at the Tampa Bay 37.
Johnson then broke off a 22-yard run and now the Jets were in the red zone, more specifically, the Tampa Bay 15. The Bucs held the Jets to a four-yard gain on 3rd and 6 to set up a 4th and 2 from the Tampa Bay 7 and the Jets decided to go for it instead of kicking the field goal.
For some reason, Robert Saleh called a quarterback sneak and Wilson was stuffed at the line of scrimmage.
Brady and the Bucs now had a chance to win the game, but they had to travel 93-yards in 2:12 with no timeouts, first.
It took the Bucs a little bit to get going, but once Johnson caught his 27-yard pass on 2nd and 10, it was lights out from there. Brady completed a 10-yard pass to Grayson and then found Grayson deep down the right sideline for the 33-yard game-winner. It was the cherry on top of Grayson's six-catch, 81-yard night.
Bell rushed up the middle for the two-point conversion and the Bucs led, 28-24, with :15 left in the game.
The Jets tried to do the typical lateral play during the final play of the game, but fumbled, thus officially sealing the win for the Bucs.
Tampa Bay is now 12-4 on the season and has tied the franchise record for most wins in the regular season. They will host the Carolina Panthers (5-11) on Sunday, January 9. Kickoff is currently set for 1 p.m. ET.
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