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Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the New Orleans Saints in the NFL Divisional Round of the playoffs on Sunday night. With the win, Brady has earned a spot in his 14th conference championship game.
In a game that might have been the final contest of Drew Brees' incredible career, the Saints came up short against the Buccaneers. From start to finish, Brady and the Buccaneers offense controlled the game with long drives that drained the lock. sustaining punishing drives that chewed up the clock. Even when the Saints offense was on the field, it looked out of sync.
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The Saints kept the game close until the final minutes. But they simply couldn't overcome four crushing turnovers. Brees looked like he was feeling the pressure all night long, and he threw three back-breaking interceptions. His two picks in the second half arguably cost the Saints the game.
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Brady's offense capitalized on these opportunies. Brady rushed for a touchdown, and he also threw two touchdown passes that proved to be the difference on the scoreboard. At the end of the day, the Saints' uncharacteristic mistakes were deservedly punished by Bruce Arians' swashbuckling Buccaneers. As a result, one legendary QB moved on while the other was forced to consider his retirement.
Next week, the Buccaneers will face the Green Bay Packers. In that game, Brady will battle Aaron Rogers in a clash of two all-time great quarterbacks. Meanwhile, the Saints will be left wondering what could have been.
With that being said, here's a look at five takeaways from a classic encounter at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
Can Tampa Bay win the Super Bowl?
After last night's excellent victory, everyone in Tampa and beyond wants to know whether the Buccaneers can win the Super Bowl this year.
The roster is filled with notable stars on both sides of the ball. Brady, Mike Evans and Rob Gronkowski are three elite offensive players. This defense features skilled players like Devin White, Jason Pierre-Paul and Lavonte David. It has taken this team a while to live up to its potential. But now, the Buccaneers are firing on all cylinders.
This team has won six games in a row, so it's riding a lot of momentum. Brady and the offense are finally clicking, and the defense suddenly looks quite impressive. Tampa Bay is playing like a well-rounded unit right now. If the Buccaneers can upset the Packers next week, they certainly have a shot at winning the Super Bowl.
Was the playoff defeat to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Drew Brees's last game in the NFL?
Rumors of Drew Brees' impending retirement surrounded this NFL playoff game. But the iconic quarterback was fairly vague in his interview after the final whistle. Still, he made a point to take in his home arena and salute the fans one last time. This drawn-out goodbye seemed like the final send-off for the Saints' legendary star.
It's also important to hear what the man in question had to stay about his potential retirement.
Several respected NFL reporters have suggested that Brees won't play another game. Fans will have to wait and see whether he announces this move after the season. But right now, it looks like Brees' storied career is over.
How good is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' defense?
Only the Miami Dolphins (1.8 per game) can hold a torch to the Buccaneers (1.7 per game) in terms of takeaways in the 2020-21 NFL season.
Including this playoff win over New Orleans, Tampa Bay has recorded 29 takeaways with 18 interceptions and 11 fumbles recovered. This defensive unit can safely be considered the most disruptive force that's still in the playoffs.
It's impossible to rule the Buccaneers out anymore. They average close to 2 takeaways per game, and they're coming off a game where they intercepted Brees three times. Bruce Arians' team has as good a chance as anyone to hoist the Lombardi Trophy on February 7th. Make no mistake about it.
Has anyone seen Michael Thomas?
New Orleans Saints star WR Michael Thomas struggled through the 2020 season. He was arguably the NFL's best receiver the previous year, but he was derailed by injuries this time around. He has had a tumultuous season both on and off the field.
Early on, Thomas was upset by Brees' comments about taking a knee during the anthem, and he had a public argument with a teammate. He also missed the majority of the year with an ankle injury. To top it all off, he didn't record a single receiving yard in this loss to the Buccaneers.
There are even reports circulating in the media today that the Saints' star receiver could be unhappy in New Orleans, so he could be on the trading block. It's possible that this frustrating season will be Thomas' last as a member of the Saints.
Will Antonio Brown play next weekend?
Antonio Brown had been quietly picking up steam during the final stretch of the regular season. The former Steeler caught 45 passes for 483 yards and four touchdowns in 8 appearances for the Buccaneers.
Brown was expected to be one of Brady's top weapons throughout the playoffs. But he injured his knee during the NFL Divisional Round playoff game against the Saints. Brown has been sent for an MRI, so his availability for the NFC Championship game is up in the air.
If Brown is unable to suit up, the Buccaneers have capable youngsters like Scotty Miller and Tyler Johnson who are ready to fill in. In fact, Johnson made this spectacular grab on during the fourth quarter on Sunday night.
Brady delivered an impressive game against the Saints, and Brown didn't factor into this standout performance. The legendary QB won't be severely limited if Brown is unavailable against the Packers. Of course, Brady would probably prefer to play with his entire array of weapons.
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