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NFL Christmas Day top plays: Brady, Bucs prevail in OT; Packers, Rams secure wins

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Week 16 of the NFL season continues Sunday — and we’ve got you covered with all the action from the three-game Christmas Day slate! In the nightcap, Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers overcame a 10-point, fourth-quarter deficit before prevailing in overtime against the Trace McSorley-led Arizona Cardinals.

Earlier, Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers upset Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins on the road at Hard Rock Stadium in Florida. Trailing 20-13 at halftime, the Packers scored 16 unanswered points in the second half as Tagovailoa threw an interception on the Dolphins’ final three drives.

Elsewhere, Baker Mayfield and the Los Angeles Rams dominated the Denver Broncos at home in L.A. by 30-plus points.

Here are the top plays from Sunday’s slate!

Tampa Bay Buccanners at Arizona Cardinals

Trickery!

The Cardinals came up with a sneaky play on fourth-and-2, picking up a crucial first down early in the first quarter.

Going down

The Bucs defense sacked McSorley on third down, coming up with the ball near midfield after the Cardinals QB lost it.

Too tough

Tampa Bay ended up turning the ball over on downs after the turnover — thanks in large part to J.J. Watt.

Not how they drew it up

Late in the second quarter, Brady’s pass to Mike Evans was picked off at the Cardinals’ 2-yard line and returned 39 yards the opposite way. Just like that, things remained 6-3 headed into halftime, with the Bucs holding a slight advantage.

Intercepting the GOAT … again

Marco Wilson halted a promising Bucs’ drive in the third quarter by intercepting Brady for a second time.

Hollywood goes deep

McSorley showed off his arm strength with a deep strike to Marquise Brown for a 47-yard gain. The Cardinals would later kick a field goal to cap the drive, taking a 9-6 lead early in the fourth quarter.

Hurdling the punter?!

Pharoh Cooper just did that. The Cardinals punt returner went airborne over Jake Camarda in stylish fashion, much to the delight of his teammates. 

Rushing to success

The Cardinals took a 16-6 lead in the fourth quarter on this 22-yard scamper by James Conner.

Bucs not done yet

Brady pulled Tampa Bay back within 16-13 in the fourth quarter on his first TD strike of the game, a 3-yard out to Rachaad White. 

Tie game in the desert 

After forcing a Cardinals fumble, the Bucs would capitalize by evening the score at 16 on Ryan Succop’s 42-yard field goal ahead of the two-minute warning.

Bucs prevail in OT!

Succop came up clutch in overtime, knocking home his fourth field goal of the night to send the Bucs to a 19-16 victory.

Los Angeles Rams 51, Denver Broncos 14

There’s still a Durant playing on Christmas Day

Sure, Nets star Kevin Durant isn’t playing in a Christmas Day game for the first time since 2009 (when healthy), but another Durant is making plays. 

Rams rookie corner Cobie Durant made a diving interception to give his team good field position.

To the house!

Tyler Higbee made the reception right in front of the goal line and powered his way into the end zone to give Los Angeles a 10-0 lead in the first quarter.

Hey, former teammate!

Bobby Wagner got in on the fun, intercepting Russell Wilson his former teammate with the Seattle Seahawks, to give the Rams great field position on back-to-back drives.

Cam Akers adds to the lead

The Rams running back found his way into the end zone on a three-yard run to give L.A. a 17-0 lead in the first quarter.

Courtland Sutton keeps it cool

The Broncos receiver made a diving grab along the sideline that was initially ruled incomplete, but Denver challenged the play and the quick review determined Sutton made the grab.

The catch helped set the Broncos up for a field goal and make it 17-3.

The Santa Claus of TDs

Higbee scored his second touchdown in the second quarter to give the Rams a 24-3 lead early in the second quarter.

The Rams followed that up with a 2-yard touchdown rush from Akers to take a 31-6 lead into halftime.

For good measure

Denver added a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter, courtesy of a sideline end zone grab from Greg Dulcich.

Chaos!

Durant sealed the deal for the Rams with an 85-yard interception-turned-touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Green Bay Packers 26, Miami Dolphins 20

Nearly running all the way

After the Dolphins went up 3-0 on the opening drive, Keisean Nixon put the Packers in great field position, returning the ensuing kick 94 yards to put Green Bay within Miami’s 10-yard line. The Packers weren’t able to fully take advantage, settling for a field goal.

Waddle your way for six!

Jaylen Waddle took Tagovailoa’s pass the distance, turning a 10-yard reception to an 84-yard touchdown to put Miami up 10-3.

Got a Marcedes for Christmas

Green Bay finally reached the end zone when Rodgers found Marcedes Lewis wide open to tie the game at 10-10.

Star power

Tagovailoa’s favorite gift this season has been Tyreek Hill, and he connected with him again on Christmas. The star receiver hauled in a 52-yard grab to put the Dolphins at the Packers’ 1-yard line.

Then, Jeff Wilson ran in for a touchdown on the ensuing play to give Miami a 17-10 lead.

Not on Miami’s watch

The Packers tried to keep their drive alive by running a fake punt on fourth down deep in their own territory. The Dolphins sniffed out the fake quicker than Santa sniffs cookies on Christmas Eve.

Big fourth-down conversion

Rodgers used the play-action to his advantage, finding Christian Watson open for a first down to help set the Packers up for a field goal to make it 20-13 before halftime.

♫ Sliiiide to the left ♫

Rodgers moved to his left and found Lewis again, but this time for a 30-plus yard completion to set the Packers up at the Dolphins’ 7-yard line.

Awesome AJ

AJ Dillon powered his way into the end zone just two plays after Rodgers’ deep pass to even the game early in the third quarter.

Dolphins defense gets the pick … but was there a PI?

Rodgers wanted it all on third-and-15, launching a pass to the end zone to Allen Lazard. Kader Kohou made the play to get the interception for the Dolphins though, but it appeared he might have gotten away with some contact.

“Ball Don’t Lie,” at least for Packers fans

On the play right after Rodgers’ interception, the Packers got the ball back when Tagovailoa threw the ball right at Jaire Alexander to give Green Bay great field position. 

A gift for De’Vondre Campbell

Tagovailoa threw another interception right at the Packers linebacker as the Dolphins were driving to either tie or take the lead.

Tua turnover

The Dolphins quarterback threw his third interception in his final three dries as his final pass of the game went straight to Rasul Douglas, sealing the 26-20 win for the Packers.

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NFL Week 14 highlights: Dolphins-Chargers top plays; 49ers crush Bucs

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Week 14 of the NFL season continued Sunday with a slew of highly anticipated matchups around the league, and AFC playoff hopes are on the line as the Miami Dolphins take on the Los Angeles Chargers in the evening’s final game.

Earlier, the surging Detroit Lions beat the Minnesota Vikings in an NFC North showdown, the Philadelphia Eagles routed the New York Giants in a matchup of playoff hopefuls, and the Buffalo Bills roughed up the New York Jets.

In the afternoon window, the Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers fell to the Brock Purdy-led San Francisco 49ers by double digits, and the Carolina Panthers put a dent in the Seattle Seahawks’ playoff hopes.

Here are the top plays from Sunday’s slate!

Miami Dolphins at Los Angeles Chargers 

Finding a rhythm

After the Dolphins went three-and-out on their opening drive, the Chargers went straight to work moving down the field.

Stay tuned for updates!

San Francisco 49ers 35, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7

A Purdy play

The third-string QB got it done with his legs in his first start, running into the end zone to give the Niners a 14-0 lead.

Brock on!

The rookie QB completed a tight throw to Christian McCaffrey for a 23-yard touchdown pass that put San Francisco up 21-0 in the second quarter.

Deebo down

Misfortune struck for the Niners when superstar wideout Deebo Samuel suffered an apparent ankle injury late in the first half and had to be carted off the field. He didn’t return.

Eyes on the prize

Brandon Aiyuk adjusted to make the grab on an underthrown pass that put the Niners up 28-0 before halftime.

Then, McCaffrey scored again, making it look easy on a 38-yard touchdown run that sealed San Francisco’s win.

Kansas City Chiefs 34, Denver Broncos 28

A big milestone!

Travis Kelce hit a major milestone Sunday by becoming the fourth tight end to reach 10,000 career receiving yards.

Magic!

Patrick Mahomes improvised under pressure and tossed a no-look pass to Jerick McKinnon, who ran it all the way for a 56-yard score. 

Then, the Chiefs running back added his second receiving score in the second quarter, doing a little bit of acrobatics to get into the end zone.

Picked!

Chiefs linebacker Willy Gay Jr. picked off Russell Wilson and ran it back to the house to put Kansas City up 27-0.

We’re Surtain that’s an interception

Pat Surtain II made a diving play and made sure the ball didn’t hit the ground to pick off Mahomes, giving the Broncos a chance to score a second touchdown before the break.

Double trouble

Jerry Jeudy caught two touchdown passes in the final minutes of the first half to cut the Chiefs’ lead to 27-14 at halftime. 

Broncos country!

After going down 27-0, the Broncos scored 21 straight second-half points, including a 67-yard score from Marlon Mack.

Making it happen

Mahomes ran all around the pocket before finding JuJu Smith-Schuster to help Kansas City go up 34-21 late in the third quarter and ultimately seal the win for the Chiefs.

Carolina Panthers 30, Seattle Seahawks 24

Setting the tone

Panthers receiver Shi Smith caught his first career touchdown that put the Panthers up by 10 points early.

Toe-tappin’

The Seahawks finally got on the board when Tyler Lockett kept his feet inbounds to make it 17-7.

Leg day

Terrace Marshall Jr. made one of the wildest catches of the season by securing a deep grab with his legs! The grab resulted in a big gain and much-needed boost for the Panthers, as Carolina went on to secure the road win.

Detroit Lions 34, Minnesota Vikings 23

Making memories

Jameson Williams’ first reception was one for the books. The rookie receiver, who made his debut last week, got wide open to make a 41-yard touchdown grab.

Making them miss!

Dalvin Cook made a nice juke move to get into the end zone and tie the game for the Vikings.

One-score game

Jared Goff unloaded and found veteran receiver D.J. Chark deep for a touchdown that put the Lions up 14-7.

Big time fake!

The Lions were bold and not only ran a fake punt on fourth-and-7, they did so deep in their own territory. The decision paid off as the play went for 42 yards and the drive ended with a touchdown, good for a 21-7 lead.

Diving in!

Lions running back Justin Jackson dove into the end zone to put Detroit up 28-13 in the fourth.

Then, the Lions put offensive tackle Penei Sewell in as a receiver to pick up a key first down on third-and-7, helping seal the win.

Philadelphia Eagles 48, New York Giants 22

On the move

Eagles running back Miles Sanders capped his team’s dominant opening drive with a 14-yard touchdown run.

Hail Mary!

Jalen Hurts threw up a prayer on fourth-and-7, and DeVonta Smith answered. The young receiver came down with the ball between two Giants defenders for the jaw-dropping score.

Soarin’

An awkward punt by the Giants gave the Eagles great field position ahead of the break, and A.J. Brown made a 33-yard touchdown reception to put Philly up 21-0.

Sanders calls game

The Eagles star running back capped off the dominant win with a 41-yard touchdown run to put Philly ahead 27 points.

Dallas Cowboys 27, Houston Texans 23

Giving season

The Cowboys got on the board quickly as Tony Pollard scampered into the end zone on an 11-yard run.

The Texans answered immediately, as Dameon Pierce found the end zone to tie the game. Once he got in, he turned to Laremy Tunsil and allowed the offensive lineman to throw down a hard spike. 

A+ concentration

Texans receiver Chris Moore made an incredible extended catch while going to the ground that helped Houston take a three-point lead in the first half.

Making big plays

Cowboys star corner Trevon Diggs departed the game in the second quarter and not too long later, Amari Rodgers scored his first career touchdown on a 28-yard reception to give Houston the lead, 17-14.

Upset alert?

Dak Prescott got picked off while throwing from his own end zone to give the Texans golden field position to potentially go up by two scores. However, the Texans couldn’t capitalize, as the Cowboys got the big fourth-down stop.

Cowboys take the lead!

Dallas capped off its 98-yard drive in the final minutes with an Ezekiel Elliott run to avoid the upset. 

Cincinnati Bengals 23, Cleveland Browns 10

Star power

Joe Burrow connected with his most reliable receiver, Ja’Marr Chase, for the game’s first score.

Powerful

Samaje Perine powered his way into the end zone on a short scamper to give the Bengals a 13-3 lead before halftime.

The, the Bengals worked a trick play to perfection as Burrow connected with a wide-open Trenton Irwin to put Cincy up 20-3 early in the second half.

Reaching out!

The Browns avoided a shutout after David Njoku reached out just enough to reel in the Browns’ first — and only — score. 

Baltimore Ravens 16, Pittsburgh Steelers 14

All day!

In his return to the lineup, Ravens running back J.K. Dobbins picked up a 44-yard gain, followed by a 5-yard score to give the Ravens a 10-0 lead.

Within arm’s reach

Steelers QB Kenny Pickett entered concussion protocol early in Sunday’s game. Backup Mitch Trubisky checked in, connecting on a 44-yard pass to George Pickens before Najee Harris pounded in a 1-yard score to keep things close.

Shortly after, Ravens backup QB Tyler Huntley  — who was in for an injured Lamar Jackson — exited the game after suffering a hit to the head that put him in concussion protocol. In the end, however, Baltimore held out for the win.

Buffalo Bills 20, New York Jets 12

Coming through!

Bills tight end Dawson Knox kicked off the scoring in this one after flipping into the end zone to put Buffalo up 7-0.

Tie game

In the second half, Jets running back Zonovan Knight found the end zone on a powerful rush to even the score.

What can’t he do?

Josh Allen used his legs to power into the end zone and gave the Bills the lead once again.

Then, Bills LB Matt Milano briefly knocked Jets QB Mike White out of the game with a blow to the rib cage area. White was able to come back into the game, but his return wasn’t enough to spark a comeback, and the Jets came up short.

Jacksonville Jaguars 36, Tennessee Titans 22

The King!

Derrick Henry continued his dominance against the Jaguars early on, pounding in a 3-yard score to put the Titans on top. 

Then, Henry ran for a 50-yard gain that set Tennessee up for its second touchdown, good for an early 14-7 lead.

Slicing it

Jags wideout Zay Jones somehow got his second foot in to complete the touchdown grab to give Jacksonville a 20-14 lead just before halftime.

Mr. Do It All

Trevor Lawrence stiff-armed a Titans defender in the backfield before running into the end zone to extend the Jaguars lead, 27-14, en route to a double-digit win Sunday.

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NFL scores, schedule, live Week 14 updates: Brock Purdy, 49ers all over Bucs; Panthers WR with impossible grab

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It’s Week 14 of the 2022 NFL season, and we’re keeping you updated on all the action and biggest storylines throughout the day. The Week 14 slate has some fantastic matchups and storylines, and we’re here to help you watch it unfold. Check back often to find out everything you need to know.

Week 14 schedule

Thursday

Rams 17, Raiders 16 (Takeaways)

Sunday 

Ravens 16, Steelers 14 (Takeaways)
Eagles 48, Giants 14 (Takeaways)
Bills 20, Jets 12 (Takeaways)
Bengals 23, Browns 10 (Takeaways)
Cowboys 27, Texans 23 (Recap)
Jaguars 36, Titans 22 (Recap)
Lions 34, Vikings 23 (Recap)
Chiefs at Broncos (Gamtracker)
Panthers at Seahawks (Gametracker)
Buccaneers at 49ers, (Gametracker)
Dolphins at Chargers, 8:15 p.m. ET (Preview)

Monday

Patriots at Cardinals, 8:20 p.m. ET (Preview)

Brady throws back-to-back picks

This is NOT the homecoming Tom Brady was envisioning. While his defense is getting gashed by a seventh-round rookie, he’s led the offense to exactly zero points through two-and-a-half quarters and has thrown a pair of interceptions in 49ers territory. Crazy enough, Tampa Bay, which will drop to 6-7, will still be a game up in the NFC South entering Week 15.

LEG CATCH

OK, so this is obviously the catch of the day (and perhaps the year). No hands necessary on this first-down catch from the Panthers’ Terrace Marshall Jr..

CMC!

Christian McCaffrey is doing what he’ll need to do if the 49ers want to hoist the Lombardi Trophy: dominate as a rusher and receiver. In just over a half, McCaffrey has amassed more than 150 yards and two scores as the 49ers have completely run away from the Buccaneers.

MR. RELEVANT

It’s been an unforgettable half for Brock Purdy. The last pick in the 2022 NFL Draft has carved up the Buccaneers defense to the tune of 14-for-18 passing, 185 yards and three total TDs — in the first half! With Jimmy Garoppolo hurt, many thought the 49ers’ Super Bowl aspirations had vanished. But if Purdy can play half as well as he has versus Tampa Bay, he’ll give San Francisco a chance to make a run in the NFC.

Here come the Broncos!

Four minutes, 32 seconds left in the second quarter — Willie Gay Jr. intercepts Russell Wilson and takes it all the way for a touchdown. Kansas City 27, Denver 0

Thirteen minutes, three seconds in the third quarter — Marlon Mack catches a screen pass and is off to the races for a 66-yard score. Kansas City 27, Denver 21

In fewer than seven minutes of game action, the Broncos have turned a blowout into a shootout at Mile High. The Chiefs’ possessions have included two interceptions and several minutes. Denver, meanwhile, has gotten two touchdowns from Jerry Jeudy as he plays a huge role without Courtland Sutton. Credit to Wilson and the Broncos for continuing to fight in a game that could have completely spiraled.

Pick-six!

If you wanted to know how the Broncos’ season has gone so far, all you’d need to do is watch this play. Tipped pass, interception, Russell Wilson stiff-armed, opponent touchdown, multi-score deficit. What a nightmare 2022 has been for Denver.

Another game, another TD

The most underrated wide receiver in the NFL is at it again. Make that six straight games with a touchdown from Tyler Lockett, whose ability to get his feet in bounds is absurdly good.

Seriously, man. Just stop it with this touchdown pass. UNDERHAND? For the 56-yard catch-and-run score from Jerick McKinnon? Mahomes is such a special talent, and amid all of his magic, he continues to do things that astound us all as NFL fans.

Mr. Irrelevant!

Three series, two touchdowns for the 49ers’ Brock Purdy in his first NFL start. He’s completed five of his first seven passes for 48 yards, but you love to see him see a crease near the goal line and take off, just like he did on this 2-yard scamper to put San Francisco ahead 14-0.

10K!

Here’s your time to take a moment and appreciate Travis Kelce’s greatness. On a day in which Kelce eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards for the seventh straight season, he also went over 10,000 receiving yards for his career — becoming the fastest tight end in NFL history to do so. And considering Kelce could end up putting up the best single-season ever at his position, don’t expect the 33-year-old to slow down anytime soon.

DEEBO

Injuries have slowed down Deebo Samuel after earning first-team All-Pro honors a year ago, but he sure looked explosive on his first-quarter carry against the Buccaneers. Samuel took the pitch to the right, gaining a full head of steam, and then exploded up field. Tampa Bay defenders looked like they were going in slow motion as he sprinted by for the 13-yard score.

Big boy catch!

I can almost guarantee you’ve never seen this before: Trying to keep the ball away from the Vikings with two minutes to play, the Lions put 6-foot-5, 335-pound offensive tackle Penei Sewell in motion and then threw him the ball in the flat like he was a proper skill player. Sewell sure looked like one as he made the twisting catch, turned up field and dove for the first down on third-and-7. The drive ended in a field goal that clinched yet another Detroit victory.

Cowboys win!

The Cowboys were 16.5-POINT favorites, yet it took some huge plays late in the fourth quarter to avoid what would have been a historic upset. Dak Prescott threw an awful interception from his own end zone that set up the Texans beautifully, but Dallas bailed out its QB with a fourth-down stuff that kept the deficit at three.

From there, the Cowboys had to drive 98 yards for the game-winning touchdown. Here’s how they did it: 21 yards to Dalton Schultz, a 9-yard scramble from Dak Prescott and then another 13 yards to Schultz. A few plays later, Noah Brown made a huge 18-yard snag to get the Cowboys to the edge of the red zone, and then Prescott found Schultz once more for 18 yards.

The Cowboys thought they had the game-winning score on a Michael Gallup reception, but a defender knocked the ball away at the last second to keep Houston’s hopes of an upset alive. But on the next play, Dallas went to old reliable, Ezekiel Elliott, who crossed the goal line with the go-ahead score with just 41 seconds to play.

The game officially ended a few plays later, as Israel Mukuamu came down with the interception on a Hail Mary from Davis Mills.

Trevor Lawrence x4

Four total touchdowns for Trevor Lawrence — pretty darn good for someone who was questionable to play with a toe injury. He and the Jaguars have taken it to the Titans on Sunday.

MVP?

Week after week, Jalen Hurts dominates — and Sunday has been no different. Nearly 200 yards through the air and two touchdowns to go along with 75 on the ground and another score. Eagles, yet again, are blowing out their oppponent.

4th-and-score

Absolutely needing to convert on fourth-and-4, the Vikings not only picked up the first but got into the end zone, thanks to a catch, juke and dart from Adam Thielen to cut into the Lions’ lead.

Child actor TD

Yes, you read that correctly. Trenton Irwin, who ditched an acting career to focus on football, was left WIDE OPEN on a flea-flicker. Of course, Joe Burrow found him for what ended up being a 45-yard touchdown.

FAKE PUNT

The Lions. Are. Fun. Facing a fourth-and-7 from its 26-yard line, Dan Campbell’s team risked it all by snapping it to the personal protector and running around the right end. Unsurprisingly, the Vikings were not prepared, which led to safety C.J. Moore exploding for a 42-yard pickup. The risk fully paid off, as Jared Goff’ threw his third touchdown pass, this time to Josh Reynolds, putting the Lions up 14.

BAM

Credit the Jets for bringing in several capable running backs. Even with Breece Hall out for the season and Michael Carter banged up, New York is getting great production from undrafted rookie Zonovan “Bam” Knight. In just the past two-plus games, Knight has totaled more than 270 yards from scrimmage. On Sunday, he delivered his first career touchdown to put the Jets on the scoreboard.

What concentration!

Early frontrunner for catch of the day goes to Zay Jones, whose concentration on this touchdown grab before halftime was top notch.

If people forgot why the Steelers benched Mitch Trubisky after four weeks, he reminded them why in the first half Sunday. Filling in for injured rookie Kenny Pickett, Trubisky threw a pair of killer interceptions inside of the Ravens’ 25-yard line — ensuring Baltimore entered halftime with the advantage.

Texans! 

Amari Rodgers never found the end zone in 26 games with Green Bay; he’s already got a score in his second game for the Texans. The wide receiver hauled in the contested catch at the goal line before falling into the end zone to put Houston (+17) ahead!

Another punting gaffe

We’ve got punting issues in New York! First the Giants’ Jamie Gillan just dropped the ball, then tried a drop kick that ended up resulting in an illegal kick. On the next play, Hurts found A.J. Brown for the 33-yard score that put Philadelphia ahead 21-0.

In danger of getting routed, the Giants’ special teams made a big play by blocking Arryn Siposs’ punt, although Siposs nearly converted the long fourth-down attempt before getting absolutely blasted on the sideline.

Three plays later, Isaiah Hodgins got New York on the board with the short score.

Lions go deep again

The Lions have been fun offensively all year, and they’re continuing to throw it all over the yard Sunday. Make that two 40-plus-yard touchdowns for Jared Goff, who this time found D.J. Chark down the left sideline.

LSU connection strikes again

In need of a big play, Joe Burrow looked to his former LSU teammate. Well, to be fair, Burrow did most of the work by threading in the throw, but Ja’Marr Chase still hauled it in for the 15-yard touchdown.

Two hops this time!

How Tony Pollard stays in bounds for this 10-yard touchdown, I have no idea. What balance from the NFL’s most underrated running back.

King Henry running wild

Derrick Henry’s past two games: 28 carries for 68 yards (2.4 per carry) and zero touchdowns.

Henry in the first half against the Jaguars: 12 carries for 96 yards (8.0 per carry) and a score.

It’s setting up to be a massive game for King Henry.

Injuries have derailed what was a fantastic start to J.K. Dobbins’ NFL career, but the Ravens running back is flashing some of what made him so productive as a rookie in 2020. Back in uniform for the first time since Week 6, Dobbins ripped off a 44-yard run and scored a touchdown in just the first quarter. With Lamar Jackson sidelined with an injury, having a healthy Dobbins is big for this Ravens offense.

Eagles off to hot start

It’s been a near perfect start for the Eagles. Miles Sanders capped the team’s 14-play, 84-yard opening drive with a three-yard rushing score, and then Devonta Smith joined the touchdown party with an incredible 41-yard catch-and-run on a ball perfectly placed from Jalen Hurts. Instead of getting off the field on fourth-and-7, the Giants are now in a 14-0 hole.

No. 1 pick delivers

Travon Walker has had a relatively quiet rookie campaign after a big NFL debut, but he made a massive play for the Jaguars in the first quarter against their AFC South rivals. Walker got around tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo so quickly that tackle Dennis Daley could not even get to him. He could only look on as Walker crushed Ryan Tannehill, knocking the ball loose and Jacksonville recovering at the Titans’ 20-yard line. Three plays later, Trevor Lawrence hit Evan Engram for the 12-yard score to tie things up at seven.

Runnin’, runnin’ and runnin’, runnin’

When you’re playing the Texans, you really don’t need to pass the ball much. The Cowboys proved that on their opening drive as Tony Pollard and Ezekiel Elliott combined for 55 yards on five carries, with Pollard punching the ball into the end zone from 11 yards out.

The Lions have big hopes for Jameson Williams, their No. 12 overall draft pick, and he delivered in his second game back after tearing his ACL in the College Football Playoff championship in January. The Vikings must have forgotten that he returned, because they left him wide open for a 41-yard touchdown — on his first career catch in the NFL.

Unlikely QBs set to play huge roles down stretch

The Ravens currently hold the tiebreaker over the red-hot Bengals for first place in the AFC North, but if they’re going to hold off Cincinnati, they’re going to have to do it with Tyler Huntley, a 2020 undrafted rookie, for at least Sunday and potentially beyond.

The upstart Jets currently hold the No. 7 seed in the AFC, and they’re relying on Mike White, a 2018 fifth-round pick with just five career starts, to get them to the postseason for the first time since 2010.

And then there’s the big one: the 49ers hold a one-game lead in the NFC West, yet they’re being forced to roll with Brock Purdy, the last pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, after Jimmy Garoppolo suffered a most likely season-ending foot injury.

Sunday will go a long way towards determining if these signal-callers have what it takes to keep their respective teams’ success going. Baltimore faces off with a Pittsburgh defense that is completely different with T.J. Watt on the field, New York goes for the sweep against hungry Buffalo, and San Francisco takes on Tom Brady and Tampa Bay in the most-lopsided quarterback matchup of all-time. All of these matchups have playoff implications, so the pressure will be on these mostly unproven quarterbacks.

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Tom Brady and Bucs find a way to beat Saints on game-winning TD in final seconds

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense isn’t capable of playing well for 60 minutes. If that was going to happen, it would have by this point in the season.

But all the Buccaneers needed Monday night to score a huge win in the NFC South race was play well for about five minutes. And the greatest quarterback in NFL history was there to make sure it happened.

Tampa Bay, which trailed by 13 late in the fourth quarter and looked like it had no chance to put up any touchdowns, scored with three minutes remaining. Then, the defense forced a quick punt and gave the ball back to Tom Brady, who led a game-winning drive. Brady might not be the same player he has been for a couple decades, but he’s still capable of some magic moments. Brady hit running back Rachaad White for a 6-yard touchdown with three seconds left, and the extra point gave Tampa Bay a dramatic 17-16 win. The Buccaneers improved to 6-6, and are in position to win a bad division.

The Buccaneers hadn’t won when trailing by 8 or more points in the fourth quarter since 2012, ESPN said on its broadcast. They really had no business winning on Monday night. But when Brady needed to make some plays in crunch time, he came through like he has so many times before.

Before Monday night, Brady was 0-37 in the regular season and 1-43 in the playoffs when trailing by 13 or more points in the fourth quarter, according to ESPN Stats and Info. The only win when facing that type of deficit before the comeback against the Saints was Super Bowl LI against the Atlanta Falcons.

Bucs struggle to move the ball

The game started well for the Buccaneers. They had a 16-play, 72-yard drive and even though it ended with a field goal, it was a positive start.

Then Tampa Bay stopped scoring. For the rest of the half they had three punts, an interception and they kneeled to end the first half.

New Orleans wasn’t much better on offense but the Saints did hit a 30-yard touchdown pass to Taysom Hill. They got a field goal late in the half and led 10-3 at halftime. Offensively it wasn’t a great performance, but the defense kept the Saints in the game.

The Saints haven’t done a lot right this season, but coach Dennis Allen has been fantastic against Tampa Bay during the Brady era. Last season, the Saints shut out the Buccaneers 9-0. Since he joined the Buccaneers, Brady was just 1-4 against the Saints in the regular season coming into the day (though the Bucs did get a playoff win over New Orleans on their way to a Super Bowl title).

For about 55 minutes, it looked like Allen had Brady’s number again and the Saints, who were 4-8 coming into the game, would get back in the NFC South race with a huge win. But Brady found a way, somehow.

Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers pulled out a huge win over the Saints. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images)

Bucs, Tom Brady pull out a great win

There didn’t seem to be much hope for the Buccaneers to come back after the Saints took a 16-3 lead in the fourth quarter. The offense couldn’t sustain drives and the defense seemed to be worn out and couldn’t get off the field in the second half. The Saints had two marathon drives. Both drives ended in field goals but it wasn’t like Tampa Bay was scoring quickly. Or at all.

In the fourth quarter, with about seven minutes left, the Buccaneers faced fourth-and-10 in their own territory. Brady tried to lobby the coaches to go for it. Tampa Bay left the offense on the field for a moment, then sent on the punt team. It made some sense to go for it there, but Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles punted and relied on his defense.

The Buccaneers finally came alive on offense. They scored with three minutes left. A pass interference call on a long pass to Mike Evans set up a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Cade Otton. The Buccaneers got a three-and-out to force a punt after that, with a huge hit from safety Keanu Neal knocking a great Andy Dalton pass incomplete from Hill’s hands. That gave Brady a chance to pull out a game that was incredibly ugly for Tampa Bay through three-and-a-half quarters.

Brady came alive for the two-minute drill. Scotty Miller caught a first down to the Saints’ 20-yard line. Julio Jones made a circus catch down to the 5-yard line with about 30 seconds left. Chris Godwin caught what would have been a touchdown but left tackle Donovan Smith was called for a holding penalty, which put the Buccaneers in a tough spot. It didn’t matter. Brady just threw another touchdown pass.

The Buccaneers aren’t very good this season. But they’re likely to go to the playoffs. And Brady showed that he’s still capable of making some memories. At 45 years old, he’s still adding to his legacy.



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‘What’s More Likely’ – Rich Eisen on Bucs, Dak, Pats-Jets, Packers, NFC West, Russ, Raiders & More! – The Rich Eisen Show

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  1. ‘What’s More Likely’ – Rich Eisen on Bucs, Dak, Pats-Jets, Packers, NFC West, Russ, Raiders & More! The Rich Eisen Show
  2. Rich Eisen Previews the NFL’s Top Week 8 Games | The Rich Eisen Show The Rich Eisen Show
  3. Why Tyler Lockett Believes the First-Place Seahawks are Legit Contenders | The Rich Eisen Show The Rich Eisen Show
  4. Rich Eisen: Why Russell Wilson Deserves a Break from the “Pile on Russ” Trend | The Rich Eisen Show The Rich Eisen Show
  5. Eagles vs Bills as NFL’s Best Team: Who Ya Got, Joe Haden? | The Rich Eisen Show The Rich Eisen Show
  6. View Full Coverage on Google News

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Bucs LB Shaquil Barrett out for season with torn Achilles, source says

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TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Bay Buccaneers outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett will miss the rest of the 2022 season after suffering a torn Achilles, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Friday.

An MRI on Friday confirmed the Achilles tear, with the source saying Barrett is expected to be out seven to nine months.

Barrett was injured on a third-and-1 run play during the third quarter of Thursday’s 27-22 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. After being attended to by athletic trainers, Barrett came off the field while barely putting any weight on his lower left leg and was carted off to the locker room once on the sideline.

The 29-year-old had three sacks in eight games this season, his fourth in Tampa Bay, but Thursday night might have been one of his best performances of the season — with a sack, three tackles for a loss, four combined tackles and a 21.1% pressure rate prior to leaving the game.

The Buccaneers surrendered three touchdowns after Barrett left the game in the third quarter. He was replaced by Anthony Nelson, who had five sacks last season.

A two-time Pro Bowler, Barrett has been the Buccaneers’ top edge rusher since his breakout season in 2019, when he led the NFL with an astounding 19.5 sacks. Barrett’s 40.5 sacks are the fourth most of any defensive player since 2019, just behind Aaron Donald, as are his 12 forced fumbles.

Barrett’s injury couldn’t come at a worse time for Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers have dropped five out of their past six games and have fallen to a 3-5 record. Their once-top-ranked run defense has given up 632 rushing yards over the past four weeks — the most in the NFL — and the unit has struggled to pressure opposing quarterbacks.

Next week, the Bucs face the defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams, whom they have lost to three times since 2020, including a 30-27 loss in January that knocked the Buccaneers out of the postseason.

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Buccaneers vs Falcons: Tom Brady benefits from controversial roughing-the-passer penalty as Bucs snap losing streak

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CNN
 — 

Tom Brady capped off a tumultuous week for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in fine fashion, snapping the team’s losing streak with a 21-15 win over the Atlanta Falcons.

Sunday’s victory wasn’t without controversy though, as Brady and the Bucs benefited from a controversial roughing-the-passer penalty call late in the game which allowed them to hold on to the end.

Leading by six points with just over three minutes left in the fourth quarter, Falcons defensive lineman Grady Jarrett appeared to have stopped Tampa Bay’s drive with a sack on third down, giving Atlanta the opportunity to attempt to take the lead.

However, referee Jeremy Boger threw a flag penalizing Jarrett for roughing the passer; Jarrett had wrapped Brady in his arms before rolling to the ground with Brady.

The call allowed Brady to retain possession of the ball and run out the clock to seal the victory.

After the game, Boger said he hadn’t been instructed to keep a particular eye on tackles to quarterbacks following the incident with Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa which has subsequently resulted in changes to the NFL’s concussion protocol.

“What I had was the defender grabbed the quarterback while he was still in the pocket and unnecessarily throwing him to the ground,” Boger told pool reporter Greg Auman of the Athletic. “That is what I was making my decision based on.”

However, Bucs head coach Todd Bowles said he believed the call was about more than just because it was Brady.

“I saw that one being called. I saw it against Tua since he got it. I saw it in the London game this morning,” Bowles said. “So I think they’re starting to crack down on some of the things, slinging back, I don’t know. Right now, the way that they’re calling it, I think a lot of people would have gotten that call.”

Jarrett refused to talk to the media after the game – unusual for one of the Falcons’ longest serving players – while Brady said: “I don’t throw flags.”

Despite Atlanta players’ protests, Brady and Bucs were able to close an important victory for the team from Florida, ending the squad’s two-game losing skid and capping off a tumultuous week for the organization.

Having been displaced by Hurricane Ian two weeks ago, the Bucs were later emphatically beaten by the Kansas City Chiefs at home. During the game, Brady appeared to have suffered an arm injury – although he downplayed the seriousness of any potential long-term damage afterwards.

But on Sunday, the Bucs looked much more like themselves, despite the late drama and second-half comeback from the Falcons.

Brady threw a touchdown pass to Leonard Fournette and the running back also scored a rushing touchdown as the Bucs raced into a 21-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.

However, two late Falcons touchdowns – an eight-yard run from Avery Williams and then a 19-yard pass from Marcus Mariota to Olamide Zaccheaus – brought the possibility of a dramatic finish.

The controversial roughing-the-passer penalty ended any hopes of a late comeback as the Bucs improved to 3-2 on the season while Atlanta slipped to 2-3.

Despite the bounce-back victory, Brady wasn’t overawed with the performance from the team. “Obviously, it’s tough to lose two straight at home, but we didn’t deserve it,” Brady told the media.

“That’s football – you’ve got to earn it. There’s no easy games; you’ve got to play good. Certainly, five games in, we’ve got a lot of work to do. We’re not nearly at the point we’re capable of being and we need a lot of people to step up.”

The 45-year-old added: “We just had a lot of three-and-outs. We just weren’t very good. Bad execution and it just wasn’t our best in the second half. We have to learn from it and get better.”



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Report: Leonard Fournette weighs almost 260 pounds, Bucs coaches aren’t happy

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Buccaneers running back Leonard Fournette has reportedly drawn the ire of the team’s coaching staff by letting himself get out of shape this offseason.

Longtime Buccaneers beat writer Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times said on his podcast that Fournette, who is listed at 228 pounds, actually weighs about 30 pounds more than that.

“The last time we saw Leonard Fournette he was about a donut shy of 260,” Stroud said. “He certainly didn’t look like a guy who could play every down.”

Fournette decided not to participate in voluntary Organized Team Activities, and when he showed up at mandatory minicamp, the coaches felt he has a long way to go to get into playing shape.

“Coaches were not happy, and that’s an understatement, when he didn’t participate in the OTAs, but then he shows up at the mandatory minicamp weighing damn near 260,” Stroud said. “And that’s not a good sign for a guy that you just spent a three-year contract on.”

The Buccaneers spent a third-round draft pick on running back Rachaad White, and they have running backs Ke’Shawn Vaughn, Giovani Bernard and Kenjon Barner on the depth chart as well. All of those backups may need to get themselves ready for the possibility that Fournette is going to need more breathers than usual.



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New Bucs coach Todd Bowles wins day by admitting he ‘blew it’

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TAMPA — To triumph at the news conference, he first had to admit defeat. In that sense, Todd Bowles nailed it, with candor and conciseness.

“I blew it,” the new Bucs head coach said Thursday.

Know this about 58-year-old Todd Robert Bowles: While different in myriad ways from predecessor Bruce Arians, both share the blunt gene. It’s a trait generally appreciated by a fan base, a refreshing alternative to rehearsed rhetoric.

Which is why the married dad of three boys likely won points his first day on the job by readily acknowledging the failure of the Bucs’ final defensive play of the 2021 season, in the NFC division playoff.

Instead of dancing around or dodging the question of why he called for a Cover-Zero, all-out blitz of Matthew Stafford — resulting in the Rams quarterback finding NFL Offensive Player of the Year Cooper Kupp isolated downfield for a 44-yard completion — this former NFL safety safety tackled it helmet first.

“We were trying to win,” said Bowles, whose strategy resulted in Matt Gay kicking a 30-yard field goal as time expired to lift Los Angeles to a 30-27 triumph.

“I will never apologize for trying to win. If I didn’t call zone and (Stafford) got the play off, you’ll say I should’ve blitzed. ‘We blitz all the time, how come we didn’t blitz?’ That’s part of football, that’s coaching. You have to learn to make peace and live with it.”

In a way, Bowles’ introduction as the franchise’s 13th head coach — and its fourth Black head coach — simply perpetuated the most surreal offseason in team history. Less than 24 hours before, he remained the convenient scapegoat for one of the most excruciating losses this town had experienced.

On Thursday, he still was processing the fact that he had been afforded a rare second act as an NFL head coach, with a five-year contract to boot.

“A lot of people had to be in agreement for this to happen. It’s not a one-man show,” Bowles said of the succession plan allowing Arians to pass the torch to the New Jersey native he has known since 1983, when Arians first coached him at Temple.

“I feel very humble, I feel very honored, I feel very excited. I’m ready to go and we’ll try to get this thing rolling.”

If nothing else, Bowles will roll his own way.

Todd Bowles speaks about his opportunity to lead the Bucs. Former head coach Bruce Arians said Bowles is replacing him as part of a succession plan that had been in the works a few weeks. [ DOUGLAS CLIFFORD | Times ]

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Unlike Arians, who made ‘Win or lose, we booze’ a half-serious mantra on his watch, Bowles doesn’t drink or do cigars. And whereas Arians’ practice reprimands were laced with profanities, Bowles is more likely to point out player deficiencies with dry sarcasm.

“I think if I tried to put on a kangol hat and came in here and grew my goatee (both Arians trademarks), you guys would look at me like I’m crazy,” Bowles said. “‘Look at this clown, he’s mini-Bruce.’ I can’t do that, and I’m not going to. I’m not going to try.”

Similarly, Arians didn’t orchestrate this succession plan — which Bowles didn’t learn about until Monday — to replace himself with a clone. To the contrary, he knew Bowles’ own unique style, combined with his football intuition and the lessons he learned in his first head coaching gig with the Jets from 2015-2018 (when he went 24-40), gave him every chance to succeed.

The Bucs’ offseason developments, namely Tom Brady’s un-retirement and the subsequent re-signing of several key free agents, optimized those chances.

“He’s been probably the brightest guy I’ve ever coached,” Arians said. “And I think he, as a player-coach, (offensive coordinator) Byron (Leftwich) as a player-coach, they just had it. You knew they had it.”

By all accounts, that ‘it’ factor is endearing.

“He’s a phenomenal person, great family man, talks about his family all the time,” general manager Jason Licht said.

“He’s a mentor to a lot of people in this building. Not just the players, but other coaches, staff members. You often find people in his office, just him offering advice on how to just be a better person.”

Because he now must answer for the Bucs offense and monitor it in practice, Bowles said defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers and outside linebackers coach Larry Foote will serve as co-coordinators, though Bowles still will call things on Sundays.

And while he won’t disrupt the dynamic fostered by Leftwich and Tom Brady, he’ll interject where he sees fit, thank you very much.

“I’m the head coach,” Bowles said. “I get to do whatever I want.”

Quarterback Tom Brady, who recently came out of a short retirement, attends Thursday’s news conference introducing new head coach Todd Bowles. [ DOUGLAS CLIFFORD | Times ]

The blunt gene at work.

“My way is not rocket science. It’s like every other coach: You coach hard, you understand players, you try to put them in the best position to play football,” he added.

“So I’m not trying to change the program, but you try to say you’ve got to be yourself. You try to imitate somebody else, it doesn’t go well.”

Contact Joey Knight at jknight@tampabay.com. Follow @TBTimes_Bulls

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Bruce Arians steps down as Bucs coach; Todd Bowles picked as successor

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Add this to the craziest, newsiest NFL offseason in modern league history: Bruce Arians, who coached the Buccaneers to a Super Bowl LV victory less than 14 months ago, is stepping aside to take a front-office role with the team effective immediately.

Tampa Bay will install Arians’ preferred successor, defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, as the new head coach. Bowles, 58, previously coached the Jets to a 24-40 record in 2015-18, his only full-time head-coaching job. Bowles, who is Black, would become the sixth minority head coach in the league, joining Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh), Ron Rivera (Washington), Robert Saleh (Jets), Mike McDaniel (Miami) and Lovie Smith (Houston).

Arians, 69, said his new job would be as “senior consultant for football,” and that gig will start with Tampa Bay’s 2022 draft prep.

The move comes as a surprise but perhaps not a shock. Arians, the most colorful coach in a buttoned-up pro game, said he started thinking about stepping aside at the NFL Scouting Combine a month ago. He is a prostate-cancer survivor and was hospitalized due to an illness late in his first head-coach tenure in Indianapolis in 2012. He’s suffering from a torn Achilles today. But when he explained his reasons, health wasn’t the big thing.

He said he’s relinquishing the Tampa job because “succession has always been huge for me. With the organization in probably the best shape it’s been in its history, with Tom Brady coming back … I’d rather see Todd in position to be successful and not have to take some [crappy] job. I’m probably retiring next year anyway, in February. So, I control the narrative right now. I don’t control it next February because [if] Brady gets hurt, we go 10-7, and it’s an open interview for the job … I got 31 [coaches and their] families that depend on me. My wife is big on not letting all those families down.”

Arians explained his reasoning in a telephone interview with NBC Sports and the Los Angeles Times.

He was scheduled to inform his coaching staff in an 8 p.m. Zoom call Wednesday, and he planned to send a message to his players explaining his decision concurrent with telling his coaches.

New Bucs coach Todd Bowles. (Getty Images)

In a way, Arians said, Brady coming out of retirement encouraged him to move on. In a 25-minute conversation, Arians explained the reasons for this decision dated back to February 2021.

“It hit me after the Super Bowl,” he said. “I thought really hard about going out on top. Then it was like, nah, let’s go for two. [The 2021 season] was a grind with all the injuries but still winning and getting to where we got. Immediately after, two to three weeks afterwards [I thought] … if I quit, my coaches get fired. I couldn’t do it then.

“Tom was kind of the key. When Tom decided to come back … and all of these guys back now, it’s the perfect timing for me just to go into the front office and still have the relationships that I love.”

Arians said he has wanted Bowles, the architect of the Bucs’ suffocating 2020 defense that held Kansas City to zero touchdowns in a 31-9 Super Bowl win, to succeed him whenever he chose to step down. Arians also wanted Bowles to have the benefit of a great quarterback on the roster to give him the best chance to win. The Bucs’ owners, the Glazer family, agreed. The Bowles hire would be the fourth full-time minority coach hired by the Glazers (Tony Dungy, Raheem Morris, Lovie Smith, Bowles), which is the most in NFL history. No other team has had more than two non-interim minority head coaches.

Four times during a discussion about why now, Arians kept coming back to his coaching staff: “I know my guys are going to be taken care of. I couldn’t leave them hanging.”

What complicated the latter stage of this transfer from Arians to Bowles was the unusual timing of the move. Arians and the Bucs wanted Bowles to get the job, and so they went to the league and said, essentially, Let’s not go through sham interviews when we know we’re hiring Bowles, who will improve the league’s bottom line for minority hires.

It is customary for teams to follow the Rooney Rule in coach searches, mandating that at least two minority coaches be interviewed for every head-coach opening. Because this situation happened after the start of the league year in mid-March, and the NFL allows coaching interviews only after the regular season, it would have been precedent-setting for the league to allow coaching interviews now. The communication between the Bucs and the league on this issue is unknown, but the franchise feels comfortable enough after discussions with the league to confirm the Bowles hire.

The Bucs are expected to hold a news conference Thursday in Tampa, with Arians and Bowles discussing the transition.

The timing brings up what will surely be an internet-fueled round of speculation. It was rumored that Brady had problems with Arians and the supposed lax nature of how the team was handled at times in his first two years with the team, and that factored into Brady’s 40-day retirement at the end of the 2021 season. Brady announced his return to the Bucs on March 13.

The logical question, with Arians’ odd timing about stepping down, will be: Is there a connection between Brady’s return and Arians quitting coaching?

“No,” Arians said. “No. Tom was very in favor of what I’m doing. I mean, I had conflicts with every player I coached because I cussed them all out, including him. Great relationship off the field.”

Bucs quarterback Tom Brady and Arians. (Getty Images)

If there was any conflict, maybe friction is a good thing. In his last two seasons, at ages 43 and 44, Brady had the most explosive offensive performances, back to back, of his 22-year career. In those two seasons, he threw 83 touchdown passes and 9,949 passing yards—his all-time highs for a two-year period. Brady seems set this year to have another productive season at 45.

Arians certainly wasn’t the control freak that Brady had in coach Bill Belichick in his first 20 NFL seasons in New England. But the Arians/Brady combination resulted in a Super Bowl title and a 29-10 record in the quarterback’s first two post-Patriot years.  

Arians has a 47-year coaching history, dating back to his grad-assistant days in 1975 at Virginia Tech. He was Alabama’s running backs coach on Bear Bryant staff in his last two seasons (1981-’82) as a coach, and he speaks reverentially of his days as a kid working for Bryant. “I always remembered Coach Bryant’s best advice: Coach ’em hard, hug ’em later,” he said.

He was Peyton Manning’s first quarterback coach in 1998 in Indianapolis, Ben Roethlisberger’s mentor in Pittsburgh till 2011, and was hired to be Andrew Luck’s first pro offensive coordinator in 2012 in Indianapolis. That’s where Arians got his first chance as a head coach at age 60. Early in the 2012 season, Colts coach Chuck Pagano had to take a leave for leukemia treatment. That’s when the Arians star began to shine. He won coach of the year twice—going 9-3 in 2012 in that interim role with the Colts, and then in 2014 with the ascending Cardinals. His 95 coaching victories is a lot for a man who wasn’t a head coach till he turned 60. He coached Arizona to the 2015 NFC title game, and then the Bucs to the 2020 Super Bowl title with Brady.

He’d prefer his legacy to be at least as much about color- and gender-blindness as the wins and the offensive schemes he taught that were heavy on the deep ball. His last coaching staff in Tampa included a league-high 11 Black coaches (including all three coordinators) and two women.

Arians said he was actually energized thinking about staying on the job and entering the season with veteran backup Blaine Gabbert and Kyle Trask, last year’s unproven second-round pick. “Part of me,” he said, “was excited to coach Blaine Gabbert as the quarterback and prove to everybody, ‘Kiss my ass. He’s good.’ You know?”

He said his son and agent, Jake Arians, has told him it’s not too smart to be stepping away from a potential Super Bowl team. “I don’t really feel like I’m stepping away,” Bruce said. “I’m not retiring. I’m just moving to the other side of the building. I’ll be at practices. I’ll be in the office. Whatever they need me to do.”

The move to Bowles likely will increase the influence of offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich and Brady on game plans and play-calling. Although Arians often credited Leftwich with doing everything in game-planning and running the offense, the philosophy was Arians-based. Take chances, he preached. No risk it, no biscuit was a refrain of his.

Arians at Super Bowl LV in February 2021. (Getty Images)

Lots of coaches say they’re finished. But they find reasons to come back. In recent years, Pete Carroll has shown no desire to leave coaching (he’s 70), and Bill Belichick, who looks like he’ll coach forever, turns 70 on April 16. Arians is in their age bracket but doesn’t sound like Carroll or Belichick.

“No,” Arians said, “this is it. This is it. I’m gonna be 70 in October. I just look forward to helping the Bucs because they’ve been so great to me and my family.”

There’s one other benefit, Arians pointed out, to making this call now.

“I don’t have to worry about how many cocktails I have on Saturday night,” he said.

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