Brady helps Buccaneers end
Tom Brady was so dominant Saturday in Detroit that he could have left Ford Field at halftime to get his favorite chicken wings near the University of Michigan’s campus and still have made it back in time for the return flight to Florida with his team.
Brady threw four touchdown passes in the only half he needed to play and the Buccaneers went on to rout the Lions 47-7, securing a spot in the playoffs for the first time since 2007.
“When we do play the way we’re capable of playing, we’re pretty tough to beat,” Brady said.
The Bucs (10-5) set a franchise record with 588 yards and snapped the NFL’s secondlongest postseason drought behind Cleveland’s 18-year run, which can end Sunday.
“We’ve been scratching and clawing every single year to make the tournament,” said receiver Mike Evans, who was drafted by Tampa Bay six years ago. “It’s been a journey and we’re happy that we finally accomplished it.”
Tampa Bay rested Brady, whose 298th start in his 300th game tied Brett Favre’s record for an NFL quarterback, after pulling ahead 34-0 for its largest halftime lead in franchise history.
Brady was 22 of 27 for 348 yards with a mix of passes deep down the field and darts in traffic. The six-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback threw touchdown passes to Rob Gronkowski, Evans, Chris Godwin and Antonio Brown from 33, 27, 7 and 12 yards.
The Lions (5-10) played without interim coach Darrell Bevell along with assistants on the defensive staff because of COVID-19 contact tracing. And they played much of the game without quarterback Matthew Stafford. He was questionable to play with hip and thumb injuries, then hurt his right ankle on the opening drive and did not return.
49ers 20, Cardinals 12
In Glendale, Ariz., third-string quarterback C.J. Beathard threw three touchdown passes, Jeff Wilson ran for 183 yards, and San Francisco dealt a brutal blow to Arizona’s playoff hopes.
Beathard was making his first start since 2018 and was 1-9 as a starting quarterback before he was pressed into action because of injuries to Jimmy Garoppolo and Nick Mullens.
The 27-year-old wasn’t amazing, but he
avoided big mistakes and completed 13 of 22 passes for 182 yards. Wilson earned hard yards on the ground and the 49ers came up with two big defensive stops late in the fourth quarter.
Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray was hit by the 49ers’ Alex Barrett after making a throw as Arizona tried to rally in the closing seconds. Murray’s fourth-down throw fell incomplete and he rolled over in pain.
Murray lay on the field as Arizona’s trainers attended to him. He limped off the field after a couple of minutes, and appeared to be in considerable pain on the Cardinals’ bench, lingering there before heading off to the locker room.
The Cardinals (8-7) no longer control their own destiny in the playoff race. If the Bears win their final two games, they will reach the playoffs because of a tiebreaker over Arizona.
Dolphins 26, Raiders 25
In Las Vegas, Ryan Fitzpatrick completed a 41-yard pass to Mack Hollins while being dragged down by the face mask, and the Dolphins moved one step closer to a playoff berth when Jason Sanders’ 44-yard field goal with 1 second remaining gave them the win.
The Dolphins (10-5) moved a half-game ahead of the Ravens in the AFC playoff race and can clinch a wild-card berth with a win next week at Buffalo.
The Raiders (7-8) were eliminated with their fifth loss in six games and will be out of the postseason for the 17th time in 18 seasons.