Two future Hall of Famers duking it out in Act III this season with the stakes at their highest. That is what we were all expecting when Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers faced Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints on Sunday night.
And, I mean, we did get that — but the Brady/Brees duel turned into a sideshow while Tampa Bay’s cutthroat defence stole the spotlight.
The Buccaneers forced four turnovers — and converted three into touchdowns — in a 30-20 win, securing a spot in the NFC conference championship next weekend.
Neither Brady nor Brees impressed on the stat shat, as they combined to complete just 55 per cent of their passes (league average is 65.2 per cent) and both failed to reach 200 yards.
So instead, it was the Buccaneers’ defence that put Brady and Co. in prime position to secure the victory. Tampa Bay started at New Orleans’s 40-yard line or better on three occasions thanks to takeaways (two interceptions and a fumble recovery). The fourth takeaway, an interception, helped Tampa Bay ice the game.
Sean Murphy-Bunting grabs the interception!
Bucs ball at the three. #GoBucs #NFLPlayoffs
: #TBvsNO on FOX
: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app: https://t.co/kJOiprK712 pic.twitter.com/HJeaXYgIpY— NFL (@NFL) January 18, 2021
The Buccaneers are better known for their run defence, which ranks first in the NFL in total yards, yards per attempt and touchdowns. Ahead of next week’s date with MVP frontrunner Aaron Rodgers, it had to be encouraging to see the pass defence show up, too.
Is this it for Brees?
We aren’t in the business of kicking athletes when they’re down, but the question must be asked: has Brees played his final snap in the NFL?
This inquiry is dripping with recency bias after Brees’s pedestrian showing on Sunday: 19-for-34, 134 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. But there are additional factors at play:
• Sunday’s loss marked the Saints’ third-straight home playoff defeat with Brees; they are 5-7 in the playoffs with one conference title appearance since 2010
• Brees is 42 years old, and he missed four games this year with 11 fractured ribs and a collapsed lung
• Brees carries a $36.15-million cap hit into 2021 on a team that currently projects to be ~$95 million over budget, according to Over The Cap
As is the case with Ben Roethlisberger in Pittsburgh, it might be in the Saints’ best interest to move on from their veteran gunslinger. Taysom Hill stepped in for an injured Brees this year and impressed, leading New Orleans to a 3-1 record with a run-happy approach.
And hey, maybe Jameis Winston could step in for Brees. He did throw the team’s longest touchdown pass of the season on Sunday, and he led the NFL in passing yards in 2019.
A couple of interesting options, but it’ll be moot if Brees wants to honour the final year of his contract. Maybe he’s done risking injury and would happily pre-book his trip to Canton; or maybe he’s still hungry to lead a team loaded with talent. Time will tell!
Chiefs’ win shrouded by Mahomes-sized shadow
The Kansas City Chiefs are headed to a third consecutive AFC championship for the first time ever, which is every bit as exciting and celebration-worthy as it sounds. They’re starting to look like a dynasty down there on the Kansas/Missouri border.
But — and there’s definitely a “but” — you’ll have to excuse Chiefs fans who are still holding their breath after Sunday’s 22-17 win over the Cleveland Browns. Because the cornerstone of that dynasty-in-the-making, Patrick Mahomes, left early in a daze and remains in concussion protocol.
Halfway through the third quarter, Mahomes was pulled to the grass by Browns linebacker Mack Wilson and did not get up right away. When Mahomes tried to rise, his legs wobbled and a teammate had to pull him up by the pads. CBS put a tight shot on Mahomes, revealing his thousand-yard stare.
Pretty scary stuff. Mahomes did not return.
Here’s the bright side: backup Chad Henne came in and didn’t lose. Not only did he not lose, he completed 6-of-8 passes for 66 yards and converted a pair of fourth downs, one of which sealed the game in the final 90 seconds.
Henne looked comfortable. Arguably too comfortable in one instance, when he airmailed a deep pass that was picked off in the end zone. But he had all the composure of a 13-year NFL veteran, and none of the jitters of a guy making his playoff debut (which he was).
That’s great and all, but the Chiefs need Mahomes back. He’s apparently“feeling good,” according to coach Andy Reid, and harbours no hard feelings for Wilson.
All good brother! https://t.co/ORwLG6eFTV
— Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) January 17, 2021
Controversial rule, non-call costs Browns in tight game
Every sport claims to be a game of inches, and in some form or another it’s true: a buzzer-beater that catches too much rim and clangs out, a puck that grazes a stick and redirects into the net, etc., etc.
The Browns had a tremendously unfortunate game-of-inches moment late in the first half while trailing 16-3. Rashard Higgins caught a pass and stumbled near the end zone, extending the ball toward the pylon.
But then — WHAM — Chiefs safety Daniel Sorensen went horizontal and jarred the ball free. It bounced out the back of the end zone for a touchback, meaning the Chiefs received possession while the Browns received nothing.
And hey, that’s the rule. It’s just a strange rule, when you think about it. If Higgins had fumbled at the half-yard line and the ball went out at the half-yard line, Cleveland would retain possession and likely punch it in. But since his fumble happened to travel forward through the end zone, Kansas City gets to take over. Does that seem fair to you?
It didn’t seem fair to future Hall of Famer Joe Thomas, now retired, who spent 11 seasons with Cleveland:
OK, he might be a tad biased. But perhaps this play — on a big stage, in a game decided by five points — will encourage the league to examine the rule this off-season. Remember, a forward fumble that occurs anywhere in the field of play aside from the end zone does not result in a change of possession.
Another thing that must be mentioned: Sorensen led with the crown of his helmet on the hit, which means he certainly could’ve been penalized.
“It’s not an easy play for officials in real time,” CBS rule analyst and former NFL official Gene Steratore said on the broadcast. “But by rule, that’s illegal use of the helmet, I believe.”
Hang your heads high, Browns fans. A frustrating end, no doubt, but a remarkable season nonetheless. It’s clear now these aren’t the same old Browns.
