Tom Brady, Buccaneers Beat Taylor Heinicke, Washington to Advance in Playoffs – Bleacher Report

Julio Cortez/Associated Press

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have won their first playoff game in 18 years after a 31-23 victory over the Washington Football Team in the NFC Wild Card Round on Saturday night. 

Making its first postseason appearance since 2007, Tampa had a favorable matchup against a Washington team that went 7-9 in the regular season. The Bucs also closed the year on a high note with four straight wins and the offense averaging 40.7 points per game in the last three weeks. 

Washington’s key to success all season has been a defense that ranked fourth in points allowed per game (20.6). The offense was a question mark, particularly given that Taylor Heinicke made just his second NFL start in place of Alex Smith, who was ruled inactive due to a calf injury.

Even though the Football Team’s defense seemed like a bad matchup for Tom Brady, the three-time NFL MVP was able to pick them apart. He finished with 381 yards passing, despite being sacked three times.

Heinicke had success throwing the ball downfield and creating plays with his legs, racking up 352 total yards. 

Notable Game Stats

• Tom Brady, TB: 22-of-40, 381 yards, 2 TD
• Leonard Fournette, TB: 19 carries, 93 yards, TD; 4 receptions, 39 yards
• Mike Evans, TB: 6 receptions, 119 yards
• Antonio Brown, TB: 2 receptions, 49 yards, TD
• Taylor Heinicke, WAS: 26-of-44, 306 yards, TD, INT; 6 carries, 46 yards, TD
• Antonio Gibson, WAS: 14 carries, 31 yards
• Cam Sims, WAS: 7 receptions, 104 yards 

Bucs Survive Ugly Win vs. Washington

Despite entering the playoffs as the No. 5 seed, the Buccaneers have been playing as well as any team in the NFC over the past month. 

Brady, in particular, is in the midst of one of the hottest streaks of his historic career. The 43-year-old has thrown for at least 300 yards in four straight games with 12 touchdown passes during that span. 

In his first playoff game with Brady, Antonio Brown made an impact with a 36-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter. 

Brown has found his stride in Bruce Arians’ offense down the stretch. The seven-time Pro Bowler caught four touchdowns over the final three games of the regular season and had a season-high 138 yards in Week 17 against the Atlanta Falcons. 

It’s a good thing that Brown has stepped up, because Chris Godwin had an absolute nightmare game that he will want to forget immediately. 

One of Godwin’s drops was a potential touchdown catch four plays before Brown got into the end zone in the first quarter. 

There are still signs that the Bucs will be vulnerable against better competition. Washington was able to move the ball down the field against their defense, averaging 5.4 yards per play, but its inability to finish drives led to its downfall. 

Brady had a number of big plays through the air, but his completion percentage was under 50 percent in the third quarter. Offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich continues to emphasize the running game far longer than he should. 

When the Buccaneers were driving midway through the third quarter trying to extend their 18-10 lead, Ke’Shawn Vaughn lost a fumble that was recovered by Washington linebacker Jon Bostic. 

If there is a silver lining, after the fumble, Brady led the offense on three consecutive scoring drives in the fourth quarter that made the difference in the game. 

Arians, Leftwich and the rest of the coaching staff have plenty of adjustments to make over the next week, but the Bucs continue to prove they can win games in a variety of ways. That makes them very dangerous in an NFC that looks wide open after the Green Bay Packers. 

Disappointing End Doesn’t Diminish Washington’s Season

Considering that Washington entered the 2020 season with the longest odds to win the NFC East and having not made the playoffs since 2015, just getting to this point is a huge step in the right direction for the franchise. 

Washington has the foundation of a potential juggernaut thanks to a dominant defense. That unit ranked third in Football Outsiders’ DVOA and fourth in points allowed during the regular season. 

The expectation coming into Saturday night was that Tampa Bay would blow Washington’s doors off. It certainly seemed reasonable, especially with Washington turning to a quarterback who had one start in his six-year NFL career. 

A funny thing happened along the way: Washington hung around, and even flirted with an upset.

Heinicke not only looked comfortable in his first playoff appearance but also caused the Bucs defense all sorts of problems with his arm and legs. 

Heinicke threw more passes through the first three quarters on Saturday night (26) than he did during the entire regular season (19). The 27-year-old may not end up being Washington’s starter long-term, but he certainly looks like an above-average backup. 

Washington’s defense has proved throughout the 2020 season that it is capable of keeping up with any team in the league each week. The quarterback situation left the offense in a constant state of flux. 

The offense has talent, with Terry McLaurin proving to be quarterback-proof after breaking the 1,000-yard barrier in 2020. Antonio Gibson had a terrific rookie season with 1,042 yards from scrimmage and 11 touchdowns.

Head coach Ron Rivera and his staff will have to address that position this offseason. If Washington can get even average production from the quarterback in 2021, the ceiling for this team is as high as any NFC team.

What’s Next?

The Bucs’ NFC Divisional Round matchup will be determined after the result of Sunday’s game between the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints.