GLENDALE, Arizona. – There were times during a Sunday night football game when Tampa Bay quarterback Tom Brady looked frustrated. There were other times when he looked angry. A few times he looked downright old.
But there were also six throws in overtime that made Tom Brady look like Tom Brady. And that’s all the privateers need.
Brady completed all six of his passes in overtime, helping the Bucs overcome a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter and beat the Arizona Cardinals 19-16 to maintain a one-game lead in the NFC South.
“If we keep it close in the fourth quarter, we know we have a chance,” Brady said. “I think we’re all comfortable in situations like that.”
Ryan Succop hit the crucial 40-yard field goal with 3:41 into overtime, capping a nine-game 66-yard drive. Brady wasn’t great for most of the night but came out big on the crucial drive, completing all six of his passes for 69 yards in a classic display of precision in clutch moments.
It was Brady’s 57th winning drive.
“He just is,” Fournette said. “He’s been doing this for years. Guys like me, Mike (Evans), Julio (Jones), Chris (Godwin), Rachaad (White), everyone, we only play a role in his greatness. give him what he wants He wants certain routes to go a certain way.
“We’re just here to try and make his job easier.”
The Cardinals got the ball to start overtime but ended up having to punt. Tampa Bay got the big win it needed when Brady Russell found Gage Jr. for a 23-yard gain.
From there, the Bucs pushed out a few more yards before Succop scored his fourth field goal of the night.
Arizona (4-11) has lost five games in a row while Tampa Bay has stalled in two games. The Bucs (7-8) stayed one game ahead of the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints in the NFC South. Tampa Bay has a crucial home game against Carolina next weekend.
Brady, 45, made his 331st career start as a quarterback while the Cardinals depended on Trace McSorley for his first start. The former Penn State standout was the team’s third quarterback for most of the season but made his starting XI debut after injuries to Kyler Murray and Colt McCoy.
James Conner broke for a 22-yard touchdown run at 10:47 in the fourth quarter to give the Cardinals a 16-6 advantage. But Brady and the Bucs responded with their first touchdown drive of the night, scoring when quarterback Rachaad White hit with a 3-yard pass and cut it to 16-13 with 8:03.
The Bucs took a big break on the ensuing drive when Cardinals rookie Keaontay Ingram fumbled a pitch from McSorley. Tampa Bay’s William Gholston jumped on the loose ball.
Tampa Bay capitalized nine games later when Succop hit a 42-yard field goal for his third field goal of the night, connecting it with 16 and forcing overtime.
Brady was 32 of 48 for 281 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. He has thrown at least two interceptions in three straight games, making it the longest streak of his career. Fournette ran for 72 yards and caught nine passes for 90 yards.
“It was a total effort in the second half today, especially in the fourth quarter,” Tampa Bay coach Todd Bowles said. “The defense is stopped and the offensive collapsed.”
Arizona’s McSorley was 24 of 45 for 217 yards and an interception.
“Our boys played hard and fought hard,” said Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury. “I thought the defense played their hearts out and gave us a chance. Just wanted to finish offensively.”
In a first half that ended in a 6-6 draw, neither team made it into the end zone. Cardinals kicker Matt Prater launched field goals from 56 and 53 yards. His second – just before half-time – ricocheted off the left post but still dribbled past the bar for three points.
Brady was early on offense and threw a deep pass down the right touchline to Julio Jones in the opening game. The pass was incomplete, but Cardinals cornerback Antonio Hamilton was called out for pass intervention, resulting in a 30-yard gain.
But the 23-year-old veteran was on several other deep balls. Brady was intercepted during a promising drive in the second quarter when the quarterback was hit in the arm trying to throw low to Evans. The throw was quite short and was thrown by Cardinals cornerback Marco Wilson Jr.
Wilson intercepted two of Brady’s passes.
INJURIES
Buccaneers: LT Josh Wells (knee) was carted off the field in the second quarter.
Cardinals: QB McCoy (concussion) and DE Zach Allen (hand) were among the team’s inactives. … DT Trysten Hill (knee) was sent off in the second quarter.
NEXT
Buccaneers: host Carolina next Sunday.
Cardinals: Next Sunday in Atlanta.
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