INSIDER
Brady, Bucs beat Seahawks 21-16 in historic Germany game
Read full article: Brady, Bucs beat Seahawks 21-16 in historic Germany gameTom Brady stayed undefeated abroad by throwing two touchdown passes to help the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Seattle Seahawks 21-16 in the first regular-season game played in Germany.
Trubisky comes off bench as Steelers stun Brady, Bucs 20-18
Read full article: Trubisky comes off bench as Steelers stun Brady, Bucs 20-18Mitch Trubisky came on for an injured Kenny Pickett to throw a 6-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter and the Pittsburgh Steelers stunned Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20-18.
Prescott, Burrow among NFL's top comeback candidates in 2021
Read full article: Prescott, Burrow among NFL's top comeback candidates in 2021Dak Prescott and Joe Burrow are the top contenders for the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year honors after bouncing back from injuries that ended their 2020 seasons early.
Buccaneers defense rises to occasion again in Super Bowl win
Read full article: Buccaneers defense rises to occasion again in Super Bowl winTampa Bay Buccaneers inside linebacker Devin White (45) breaks up a pass intended for Kansas City Chiefs running back Darrel Williams, right, during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl 55 football game, Sunday, Feb. 7, 2021, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)TAMPA, Fla. ā Tampa Bayās defense finished its redemption tour with a Super Bowl championship. Brees and the Saints beat Tampa Bay twice during the regular season. By taking down Mahomes in the Super Bowl, the Bucs (15-5) avenged three of their five losses. He also took exception with Tampa Bay having only one Pro Bowl selection on its roster, linebacker Jason Pierre-Paul. āOne Pro Bowl player and the team goes on to win the Super Bowl?
Bucs' Arians scoffs at rumors, says he's returning 'for 2'
Read full article: Bucs' Arians scoffs at rumors, says he's returning 'for 2'(AP Photo/Ashley Landis)TAMPA, Fla. ā Seconds after linebacker Devin White intercepted a pass in the end zone, Tampa Bay coach Bruce Arians started doling out hugs. Arians unplugged his headset, slipped on a Super Bowl championship hat and braced for the traditional Gatorade shower. Together, Arians and the 43-year-old Brady helped Tampa Bay win its first championship in 18 years and cemented their spot in the franchise history books. He took a year off and worked in television before returning to the NFL with Tampa Bay ā joining a young team he saw as full of potential. His biggest coup was landing Brady, who engineered yet another masterpiece and won his seventh Super Bowl after six titles with the Patriots.
Gronk, AB, Fournette team up for Super Bowl TDs, Bucs top KC
Read full article: Gronk, AB, Fournette team up for Super Bowl TDs, Bucs top KCBrady wound up with his seventh NFL championship and was the Super Bowl MVP for the fifth time. āAll week he made us believe we were going to win,ā Fournette said. āHe was amazing and just did it all: blocked, ran, just had an incredible season,ā Brady said. Brady's seventh Super Bowl triumph broke a tie he held with three members of Vince Lombardi's great Green Bay Packers teams of the 1960s for most NFL championships. "There's nothing that he can't do: new team, new scheme, first year with a new team and going to the Super Bowl and winning it all.
Storylines galore as Brady, Mahomes command Super Bowl stage
Read full article: Storylines galore as Brady, Mahomes command Super Bowl stage(NFL via AP)Someone will make history Sunday in a Super Bowl so filled with storylines it would fill a season of TV programming. Yes, Tampa, Florida, where the Super Bowl is being played this year. AdāThereās a lot that comes along with the Super Bowl,ā says Rob Gronkowski, the three-time champion tight end who came out of retirement to reunite with Brady. Of course, with the week off between the conference title matches and the Super Bowl, each side should be well rested. āYou donāt get these opportunities every year in the NFL to be in the Super Bowl and to be in these games,ā Mahomes says, thought it sure seems as if Brady has a Super Bowl habit, and Mahomes is developing one.
Brady, productive drafts fuel Tampa Bay's run to Super Bowl
Read full article: Brady, productive drafts fuel Tampa Bay's run to Super BowlTampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) runs with a elastic band around his legs during an NFL football workout Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021, in Tampa, Fla. The Buccaneers play the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV on Feb. 7. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston but dared to dream of signing Brady if the six-time Super Bowl champion decided to leave New England as a free agent. Of course it was Tom Brady, not thinking he would become a free agent,ā Arians added. AdāNaturally, I think you envision every year in the offseason you want to make some moves that hopefully get your team into the Super Bowl.
Chiefs, Bucs ride (mostly) COVID-clear season to Super Bowl
Read full article: Chiefs, Bucs ride (mostly) COVID-clear season to Super Bowlā The Kansas City Chiefs had a pretty good idea what kind of COVID-19 protocols they would have to wade through in defense of their Super Bowl championship the moment they finally gathered for in-person training camp. And it was Burkholder who helped the Chiefs navigate the season with few positive tests and just one postponement ā the fault of the other team ā as they closed in on a Super Bowl repeat. Those were things we just didn't know, and it was a process to figure out how to do this.āAdUltimately, the Chiefs and Buccaneers are in the Super Bowl in part because they figured it out as well as anybody. It's easy to follow the example of Tom Brady, with six Super Bowl rings behind him and the Hall of Fame in front of him, when he demands the Buccaneers mask up. The same with Patrick Mahomes, the reigning Super Bowl MVP, when he tells the Chiefs to skip the family gatherings around the holidays.
JPP, Barrett pace stingy Buccaneers defense against Rodgers
Read full article: JPP, Barrett pace stingy Buccaneers defense against RodgersTampa Bay Buccaneers' Shaquil Barrett (58) celebrates with teammate Jason Pierre-Paul after sacking Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers during the second half of the NFC championship NFL football game in Green Bay, Wis., Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021. To deliver on that hope, Brady needed some relentless play from Tampa Bay's defense. And Tampa Bay to its first since the 2002 season. The Packers came back, but the defense forced Green Bay to settle for a field goal with just over two minutes remaining and trailing by eight points. And he was confident the Brady-led offense would not give the Packers' offense another chance.
Road warriors: Bucs win 31-26 at Green Bay, reach Super Bowl
Read full article: Road warriors: Bucs win 31-26 at Green Bay, reach Super BowlRodgers gets a chance to make amends for that performance Sunday when the top-seeded Packers host the Bucs in the NFC championship game. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken, File)GREEN BAY, Wis. ā Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneersā road magic have them heading home to the Super Bowl, the first team to play in one on their home field. Brady owns six Super Bowl rings with New England and now heads to his 10th NFL championship game with his new team. The Bucs (14-5) earned their franchise-record eighth consecutive road victory to reach the Super Bowl for the first time since their 2002 championship season. Tampa Bay then ran out the clock on the Packers (14-4).
NFC Matchups: Where else to start but Brady and Rodgers?
Read full article: NFC Matchups: Where else to start but Brady and Rodgers?But Gronk in particular has always been a big-play guy in big games for Brady, and Green Bay doesn't have linebackers who excel in coverage. Green Bay will do some blitzing, though not as much as Buccaneers defensive coordinator Todd Bowles figures to do. Unlike Brady, Rodgers can create outside the pocket, and he's especially dangerous when doing so. Veteran placekicker Mason Crosby is solid, making all 16 field goal attempts, but missed four PATs for Green Bay. Tampa Bay's Ryan Succop, now in his 12th pro season, made 28 of 31 field goal tries but missed five extra points.
Packers realize how much Rodgers has at stake this weekend
Read full article: Packers realize how much Rodgers has at stake this weekendRodgers gets a chance to make amends for that performance Sunday when the top-seeded Packers host the Bucs in the NFC championship game. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken, File)Aaron Rodgersā Green Bay Packers teammates understand what this NFC championship game means to the All-Pro quarterbackās legacy. Rodgers led the Packers to a Super Bowl crown in the 2010 season, but hasnāt brought them back since. Green Bay led Tampa Bay 10-0 early in the second quarter back on Oct. 18 until Jamel Dean scored on a 32-yard interception return. Thereās no one whoās been better.āThis marks Rodgersā fourth NFC championship game appearance over the past seven years.
Comfort TV viewing gives ratings boost to football, dramas
Read full article: Comfort TV viewing gives ratings boost to football, dramasThat contest, between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New Orleans Saints was the week's No. It helped make Fox the most-watched network with an average 9.1 million viewers, followed by NBC with 6.4 million. CBS had 4.1 million, ABC had 3.5 million, Univision had 1.3 million, Telemundo had 1 million and Ion Television had 940,000. ABCās āWorld News Tonightā topped the evening news ratings contest, averaging 10.3 million viewers. āNCIS,ā CBS, 5.2 million.
Bills among the NFL's 4 defenses peaking in the postseason
Read full article: Bills among the NFL's 4 defenses peaking in the postseasonBuffalo Bills' Micah Hyde (23) celebrates with teammates after an NFL divisional round football game against the Baltimore Ravens Saturday, Jan. 16, 2021, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. ā Leslie Frazierās faith in his Bills defense never wavered even at the lowest point of Buffaloās season. It was mid-November and the Bills were entering their bye week on the heels of a 32-30 defeat at Arizona. In the NFC, the Packers are allowing an average 306 yards offense over their past seven outings. Here comes Patrick Mahomes, should he clear the NFLās concussion protocol, and the leagueās top-ranked offense.
Brady, Bucs, end playoffs for Saints, Brees, 30-20
Read full article: Brady, Bucs, end playoffs for Saints, Brees, 30-20Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) works against the New Orleans Saints during the first half of an NFL divisional round playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)NEW ORLEANS ā Tom Brady's best game in three tries against New Orleans kept the Buccaneers moving on in the NFL playoffs, and has Saints quarterback Drew Brees headed home ā perhaps for good. Brady and the Bucs' offense turned three Saints turnovers, including two interceptions of Brees, into touchdowns, and Tampa Bay beat New Orleans 30-20 in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs Sunday night. Breesā 16-yard pass to Smith put the Saints ahead 20-13, and New Orleans appeared primed to build on that lead when Brees completed a third-down pass to Jared Cook across the 50. Saints: Deonte Harris, who returned the first Tampa Bay punt 54 yards to set up a field goal, left with a neck injury in the first half.
Rodgers leads Pack to top of NFC after draft disappointment
Read full article: Rodgers leads Pack to top of NFC after draft disappointment(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)The NFC playoff field features the usual cast of quarterbacks in Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and Russell Wilson. Last Lombardi: Super Bowl 45, 31-25 over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Feb. 6, 2011, at Arlington, Texas. Last Lombardi: Super Bowl 48, 43-8 over the Denver Broncos on Feb. 2, 2014, at East Rutherford, N.J. Last year: No. The Bearsā leading tackler left in the first quarter of the Green Bay game with an elbow injury. DBs Buster Skrine, rookie Jaylon Johnson and Deon Bush missed the loss to Green Bay.
The Latest: Duke-Florida State basketball game postponed
Read full article: The Latest: Duke-Florida State basketball game postponed18 Florida State on Saturday after coming into close contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19. ___Marquette womenās basketball has paused activities because of a positive COVID-19 test. The Browns did not have any new positive COVID-19 tests on Friday, and after getting league approval, practiced indoors. Itās the second straight postponement for the Sun Devils after their game scheduled for Thursday at Washington State was also called off. Every player on the active roster practiced Thursday and Friday, an indication none was identified as a high-risk close contact with Fitzpatrick.
Brady throws for 5 TDs, Bucs rally to beat Chargers 38-31
Read full article: Brady throws for 5 TDs, Bucs rally to beat Chargers 38-31Howard, Cameron Brate and rookie KeāShawn Vaughn ā caught scoring passes from Brady, who threw four of them after the Bucs fell behind 24-7 in the second quarter. I can honestly say that if this had been last year, we would have gotten beat by 20,ā Arians said. āWeāve got to keep building on the confidence in one another because thereās nothing weāre doing out there thatās perfect," Brady said. Ndamukong Suh forced a fumble inside the Los Angeles 10 with the Chargers attempting to run out at the clock. ... Howard was carted off late in the fourth quarter with what the Bucs described as an Achilles tendon injury.
Panthers' McCaffrey out multiple weeks with ankle sprain
Read full article: Panthers' McCaffrey out multiple weeks with ankle sprainThe All-Pro running back is expected to miss āmultiple weeksā with a high right ankle sprain he sustained in Carolinaās 31-17 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. āAs soon as the third quarter ended I went and got taped and tried to play it off,ā McCaffrey said. In two games this season McCaffrey has run for 156 yards and four touchdowns and caught seven passes for 67 yards. The loss of McCaffrey is a devastating blow for the Panthers' offense. The Panthers rewarded the fourth-year running back with a four-year, $64 million contract making him the highest-paid running back in the league.
Stars line up for a chance to play with Brady-led Buccaneers
Read full article: Stars line up for a chance to play with Brady-led BuccaneersLeonard Fournette is the latest high-profile addition to an already potent offense bolstered by Brady luring his favorite target, Rob Gronkowski, out of retirement. A talented collection of playmakers, including Pro Bowl receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin and highly regarded tight ends O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate, are part of what made Tampa Bay an attractive landing spot for Brady in free agency. Now, all coach Bruce Arians has to figure out is how all the components fit. ... Its just fantastic, the commitment theyve shown, Arians, entering his second season in Tampa Bay, said Thursday.