Sunday, Oct 3, 2021. 11:37 PM
(Update : Sunday, Oct 3, 2021. 7:30 PM)
Tom Brady must have breathed a sigh of relief after Nick Folk’s failed kick that ensured the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ victory by a score of 19 to 17 on his return to Foxborough in front of the New England Patriots.
Everything was in place for Brady’s big comeback to the Patriots’ home where he has been so successful in his career. The quarterback took the opportunity to make history in the first quarter by passing Drew Brees’ 80,358-yard mark for the most passing yards in NFL history. He set the record after a pass grabbed by receiver Mike Evans.
Who said a showdown against the Pats, also said a showdown with Bill Belichick for Brady and the quarterback struggled to win against the defense of his former head coach.
“It was very ‘cool’. It has been my home for 20 years. It is a very beautiful city and a very beautiful region. I love being here. It wasn’t just a question from one player. It was a question of an entire team arriving abroad and beating a good opponent, ”said the Bucs quarterback.
“Tom the ultimate competitor. He is a real winner and a real leader. We knew what this game meant for him and it was good to come with him here and leave with the win, ”said Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Brown, who caught seven balls for 63 yards.
Brady, who became the fourth quarterback in NFL history to beat all 32 league teams, completed 22 of his 43 passes for overhead gains of 263 yards. It was the first time since November 9, 2020 that he hadn’t thrown a touchdown pass in a game.
Patriots rookie quarterback Mac Jones made his eyes widen during this clash. He saw 31 of his 40 passes taken for gains of 275 yards. Jones threw two touchdowns and one interception, standing up to one who many consider to be the best quarterback in history.
The Patriots lost their first three home outings in a single season for the first time since 1993.
It was not the start of the game for the two teams, who took a little time to establish their rhythm. The Buccaneers took the lead with a 29-yard field goal from Ryan Succop.
Jones wanted to help the Patriots respond, but his long pass to Nelson Agholor, who was covered by two players, was eventually intercepted by Antoine Winfield Jr..
The Buccaneers orchestrated a 10-play, 43-yard attacking streak in almost four minutes and positioned themselves to attempt a 36-yard field goal. Succop, however, sent the ball outside the posts.
The Patriots were on the scoreboard from their first possession in the second quarter. In the 11th game of the streak, Jones threw a touchdown pass to Hunter Henry to put the finishing touches on a 74-yard walk.
The Florida team closed the lead to 7-6 before the end of the half, following a 44-yard field goal from Succop. She regained the lead in the third quarter, when Ronald Jones ran eight yards to cross the goal line.
The Patriots’ reply came less than four minutes later. Jones completed seven passes, the last of which was a yardage into the hands of Jonnu Smith, for a major.
In the fourth quarter, the kickers made the difference by trading placements. Succop increased the score to 16-14, but Folk gave the Patriots a 17-16 lead with a 27-yard precision punt. Succop finally confirmed the mark with a field goal from 48 yards.
Jones came back up the field to lead the Pats into Buccaneers territory. Instead of sticking with the offense on the pitch when there was just under a minute to go in the game, on a fourth down and three yards, Belichick turned to his kicker for a field goal. 56 yards. The distance was good on Nick Folk’s kick, but the ball hit the post to the left which confirmed the Bucs’ victory.
“Obviously, we are disappointed to have come up short tonight,” said Belichick. We had our opportunities and there were some things we could have done better. We can’t change the result, but our team had prepared well this week and we have to do it every week. We need to be able to win these close matches. “
During the warm-up, “Brady, Brady, Brady” chants rang out around the stadium and Brady responded with his traditional punching movement after running along the sideline into the end zone.
Brady hugged Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, but Belichick stayed at bay.
Ahead of the game, Brady was greeted warmly by Patriots owner Robert Kraft outside the visitors’ locker room.
Brady, who has won the Super Bowl on six occasions with the Patriots, left New England in 2020, signing a contract with the Buccaneers. In his first campaign with the Tampa Bay troupe, he got a seventh Super Bowl ring.
