- Tom Brady leads Tampa Bay to hometown Super Bowl
- Email Hunter with your thoughts or tweet @HunterFelt
- Championship round picks: who will come out on top?
Tom Brady
This will be Tom Brady’s 10th Super Bowl appearance and his first with a team other than the New England Patriots.
Buccaneers 31-26 Packers, FINAL
Godwin gets the first down and that will do it! Tom Brady has taken the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the Super Bowl and he’s going to have a home game.
Buccaneers 31-26 Packers, :48, 4th quarter
Fournette picks up an additional yard. 3rd & 5 for Tampa Bay, who take their first timeout. Green Bay have none left.
Buccaneers 31-26 Packers, 1:32, 4th quarter
And we get a lengthy review here to give an additional 12 Men on the Field penalty to Green Bay, but they get their timeout back. It’s 1st and 5 for the Buccaneers at the Green Bay 43, Fournette gets stuffed for a loss and Green Bay promptly uses that additional timeout.
Buccaneers 31-26 Packers, 1:34, 4th quarter
The call on Tyler Johnson for a jersey grab was correct, but the officials have not been calling anything this game so it’s a little surprising. Fournette picks up three yards and the Packers have to take a timeout here.
Buccaneers 31-26 Packers, 1:46, 4th quarter
2nd & 8, Fournette gets four yards. That’s 3rd & 4 here at their own 37. The Buccaneers can basically ice the game right here. Brady throws the ball… it’s incomplete but there are flags! The boos at Lambeau make it very clear that it’s against the Packers. It’s pass interference on Green Bay. That’s a 15 yard penalty.
Buccaneers 31-26 Packers, 1:51, 4th quarter
Green Bay takes a penalty here. Tampa Bay are now on their 31. Fournette runs for two yards and the Packers take their first timeout.
Yeah, this is the first time that all of Twitter has been unified on anything.
I realize this is sort of an instant reaction … but that field goal might be the worst coaching decision I’ve ever seen.
That is bananas! You can’t kick the field goal there! @HunterFelt
Absolutely flabbergasted at it. It basically gives Tampa Bay the chance to play keepaway here.
Buccaneers 31-26 Packers, 1:56, 4th quarter
Mickens slides as he returns Crosby’s kick. Brady is coming out here with a few seconds before the two-minute warning. He throws to Evans, who gets nine yards to the Tampa Bay 26. We’re at the Two Minute Warning and it’s all about clock management for Tampa Bay.
Field goal (Packers)
Buccaneers 31-26 Packers, 2:09, 4th quarter
Buccaneers 31-23 Packers, 2:28, 4th quarter
Rodgers finds Adams who is able to pick up 9 yards but can’t stay upright. 3rd & 1. Rodgers hits a wide-open Adams. It’ 1st and goal at the Tampa Bay 8!
Buccaneers 31-23 Packers, 3:12, 4th quarter
Rodgers throws deep to Valdes-Scantling and he makes the catch! That’s a 29 yard gain that will immediately put them on the Tampa Bay 28. On 1st down, Rodgers throws one deep but incomplete. 2nd & 10 at the Tampa Bay 28.
Buccaneers 31-23 Packers, 4:33, 4th quarter
The Packers are still in this, however, but they need a touchdown and a two-point conversion to tie. Williams returns Pinion’s punt to the Green Bay 34, so that’s where this drive will start. Dillon gets the ball first, and he gets nine yards on the first play of the possession.
4:46, 4th quarter
Jones picks up two yards here. 2nd & 8. Brady’s next pass… too high. On 3rd & 8, Brady grounds the ball to avoid a sack. They just want the field goal here and they get it. Succup’s kick is right down the middle, the 46-yarder extends the Tampa Bay lead.
Buccaneers 28-23 Packers, 6:14, 4th quarter
Jones gets hit for the loss of a yard. On the next play, oh hey there’s Rob Gronkowski. That’s the first time we’ve seen him all day, and he goes off for 29 yards to the Green Bay 30 yard mark. That’s almost enough to make me feel nostalgic.
Buccaneers 28-23 Packers, 7:29, 4th quarter
My advice to Brady is to throw to his own receivers in this possession. He hands it to Jones who goes up the middle for 3 yards. He throws a much less risky pass on 2nd down, finding Godwin for 11 yards and a first down.
Buccaneers 28-23 Packers, 8:20, 4th quarter
Rodgers has Lazard, but he can’t quite complete the pass. Yet another golden opportunity wasted by the Packers, although maybe it’s a credit to the Buccaneers’ defense. Green Bay punts again and after Mickens’s run is cut short, the Buccaneers will be at their own 28.
Buccaneers 28-23 Packers, 9:15, 4th quarter
The Packers get another chance here, starting at their own 24. On 1st and 10… Rodgers gets sacked by Barrett again. I feel like we’re stuck in a time loop here. It’s a loss of a yard. 2nd & 11, Rodgers’s throw is incomplete. It’s 3rd and 11 just like that.
Buccaneers 28-23 Packers, 10:00, 4th quarter
Pink Floyd’s “Run Like Hell” played during the break, which feels appropriate considering the number of key runs we’ve had this game. Brady hands off to Jones, who picks up 2 yards on 1st & 10. On 2nd & 8, Brady finds Brate for a 6-yard gain. Another third down situation for Brady who throws…
Buccaneers 28-23 Packers, 10:51, 4th quarter
Mickens takes the Tampa Bay punt to the 38-yard line, where they will start once again. They missed out on a scoring opportunity their last possession but were able to prevent Green Bay from burning them. No harm, no foul.
Buccaneers 28-23 Packers, 11:32, 4th quarter
Rodgers throws a missile into no man’s land. 2nd & 10 for Green Bay. He passes to Williams, who is hit after a run of five yards. 3rd & 5. Tampa Bay desperately needs a stop right here…
Buccaneers 28-23 Packers, 12:34, 4th quarter
Christian Kirksey stuffs Fournette for the loss of one. So, it’s 2nd and 11 here for Tampa Bay. Brady throws deep… and he’s intercepted again! Intended for Evans, it lands in Jaire Alexander’s arms! He takes it to the Green Bay 19. HUGE turn of events.
Buccaneers 28-23 Packers, 13:38, 4th quarter
Fournette picks up another 5 yards. The Packers try to call a timeout before getting flagged for too many men on the field, but they don’t. That’s a five yard penalty on the play and a first down for Tampa Bay at the 27.
Buccaneers 28-23 Packers, 14:54, 4th quarter
Brady is going for a knockout here, throwing one super-long to Mike Evans, who can’t quite hold on. 3rd & 8: can the Packers prevent him from converting? Nope. Tyler Johnson catches a ball nearly before it hits the ground. That’s a 16-yard gain and a first down for Tampa Bay.
Buccaneers 28-23 Packers, end of the 3rd quarter
Ronald Jones takes it two yards and that’s three quarters gone and, theoretically, one more quarter to go.
Buccaneers 28-23 Packers, :24, 3rd quarter
Mickens takes Crosby’s kick to the Tampa Bay 45. Not a bad place for their drive to start.
You’d still rather be the Bucs here but after it was looking very difficult for the Packers they’re in it @HunterFelt
Hey it’s a game still, that’s all you really hope for as a liveblogger. Blowouts are dreadful things to chronicle.
0:24, 3rd quarter
Rodgers to Adams!@Packers pull within five. #GoPackGo #NFLPlayoffs
: #TBvsGB on FOX
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Buccaneers 28-17 Packers, 1:39, 3rd quarter
This time around the Tampa Bay defense has their eye on Williams, stuffing him for a yard. 1st & 9 at the Tampa Bay 12. He finds Adams who gets hit before the first down, but it’s hit to the head that draws a flag. This is going to be a first down, unnecessary roughness, for half the distance to the goal. It’s 1st and goal here at the 3-yard line.
Buccaneers 28-17 Packers, 2:59, 3rd quarter
Mercedes Lewis gets six yards here, that’s 2nd & 4. The Buccaneers put in some pressure here and Dillon is only to get 3 yards. It’s a key 3rd & 2 and Rodgers finds a very open Williams for yet another first down. Williams takes off for 11 yards and they’re at the Tampa Bay 13 now.
Buccaneers 28-17 Packers, 5:02, 3rd quarter
Rodgers goes to Dillon again, that’s a five yard gain. The next throw is to Ronyan and it’s yet another completion. They are just eating territory here, they have a first down at the Tampa Bay 32.
Buccaneers 28-17 Packers, 6:35, 3rd quarter
Rodgers finds Williams for 2 yards. That takes Green Bay to their 39. Rodgers finds Adams on the next play and he gets 4 yards. Meanwhile, Jordan Whitehead is out for Tampa Bay, a big loss.
Buccaneers 28-17 Packers, 7:54, 3rd quarter
Rodgers throws one deep, it’s incomplete to Dominique Dafney. However, there’s a flag on the play. Let’s see how this goes: there is an offsides call on, not surprisingly, Suh. That’s a five yard gain for them and no play.
If the Bucs do this it’ll mean all four teams in Tampa Bay have made the Championship game @HunterFelt #GoBucs
I am not sure if I’m ready to accept “Tampa Bay: City Of Champions” in my lifetime.
Interception! (Buccaneers)
Buccaneers 28-17 Packers, 8:06, 3rd quarter
Buccaneers 28-17 Packers, 8:06, 3rd quarter
Brady throws incomplete here. Meanwhile, Green Bay lineman Tyler Lancaster is hurt, so we’ll have a brief break here.
Buccaneers 28-17 Packers, 8:46, 3rd quarter
Fournette picks up five yards on his first carry and nine yards on this next. He’s been having a great game, obviously. The Buccaneers have a first down at their own 38.
Buccaneers 28-17 Packers, 9:28, 3rd quarter
Mickens recovers Crosby’s kick to the Tampa Bay 24, where the Buccaneers will start their next drive.
9:28, 3rd quarter
TOUCHDOWN! #TBvsGB | #GoPackGo
FOX
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Buccaneers 28-10 Packers, 10:22, 3rd quarter
Rodgers throws deep to the end zone on first down, but there’s nobody there. 2nd & 10 on the Tampa Bay 24. On the next play, Rodgers scrambles a bit and then nails Lazard for a 16 yard completion. They’re at the 8-yard line now. They can’t squander this opportunity.
Buccaneers 28-10 Packers, 11:06, 3rd quarter
Rodgers finds Valdes-Scantling again and this time it’s a huge gain: 24 yards. They’re at the Tampa Bay 24. Equanimeous St. Brown, who has my favorite name of any of the players in this game, gets 10 yards to take them to the Tampa Bay 24.
Buccaneers 28-10 Packers, 12:31, 3rd quarter
Okay, the Packers get another shot here at an opening drive. They start on their own 35. Jamaal Williams picks up six yards on first down and an additional yard on the next. 3rd & 3, Rodgers finds Adams for ten yards to get them to the Green Bay 42. They know they need a score here, badly.
@HunterFelt I’m trying to do the Packers DC a solid and the best I’ve got is that they were expecting Brady to throw a quick out to get them into field goal range?!
But given how he’s been moving the sticks with big plays, even that seems like unlikely madness!
Yeah Brady and the Buccs seem to have the Green Bay defense absolutely befuddled.
Buccaneers 28-10 Packers, 13:54, 3rd quarter
On the first play of the Tampa Bay drive, Brady finds Brate in the end zone for another touchdown. It’s starting to look like we’re not getting a quarterback duel here after all. The extra point is good for Tampa Bay.
And you thought the touchdown was deflating. @HunterFelt
This is some “Gilligan’s Island” level slapstick for Green Bay.
FUMBLE (Buccaneers recover)
Buccaneers 21-10 Packers, 13:58, 3rd quarter
Buccaneers 21-10 Packers, 14:30, 3rd quarter
Pinion’s kickoff hits the end zone for a touch back. The Packers are back on the field. Rodgers throws to Jones for a five-yard gain.
I just won $100 because of TB 12! Rooting for a score…this time happened to be him. LOL
Well, he’s still helping someone in New England win, at least.
So what do the odds say about Green Bay’s chances at making a comeback?
GB win prob:
ESPN: 19%
nflfastR: 24%
Market (gambletron): 29%
Okay, it’s hard to really put this one down in words, so I’ll just link to a clip of Brady’s half-ending touchdown throw:
WOW!
Bucs up 21-10 at the half
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/aRw0FMOIgQ
This guy. Damn. @HunterFelt
I didn’t think there was much Brady count add to his Hall of Fame reel but wow… if Tampa Bay holds on to win this one, that’s definitely going to make it.
Halftime thoughts
Well, that was just about the most deflating thing that can happen to a NFL team in a playoff game. Aaron Rodgers throws a rare interception with time running out in the half, but his defense manages to get three quick stops that would seem to stop them from taking advantage of the turnover. Instead, Brady goes for it on fourth down, gets the completion, and then picks up a touchdown with just seconds left on the clock.
End of the 2nd quarter
ARE YOU KIDDING ME, SCOOTER?!
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Buccaneers 14-10 Packers, :06, 2nd quarter
Well, credit the Green Bay defense for making quick work of Brady and company. Right before the Tampa Bay snap, Green Bay takes a timeout. Never mind, Tampa Bay are going for it. On 4th & 3, Brady finds Fournette for a first down. Tampa Bay take another timeout.
Buccaneers 14-10 Packers, :13, 2nd quarter
The Buccaneers take over at the Green Bay 49. Fournette picks up six additional yards. Brady throws incomplete. 3rd & 4 with time winding down. Brady throws very long, this one’s nearly picked. Something of a prayer shot. Tampa Bay takes a timeout.
Buccaneers 14-10 Packers, :25, 2nd quarter
Oof, Jason Pierre-Paul sacks Rodgers for a seven-yard loss. Tampa Bay takes a timeout. On the next play, Rodgers throws deep and it’s intercepted! It’s meant for Lazard, but it’s picked off by Sean Murphy-Bunting! Tampa Bay ball!
Buccaneers 14-10 Packers, :38, 2nd quarter
2nd & 10 for the Packers. Rodgers finds Williams again, he gets four yards before being taken down by Ndamukong Suh (who is still in the league!) This time, it’s Rodgers who has the 3rd down magic as he throws to Lazard who picks up 23 yards.
Buccaneers 14-10 Packers, 2:00, 2nd quarter
Tavon Austin makes a fair catch on the Tampa Bay punt at the Green Bay 13. The clock is not on the Packers’ side here. Rodgers hands off to Williams who gets nothing and we are at the Two Minute Warning.
Buccaneers 14-10 Packers, 2:21, 2nd quarter
Brady can’t connect with Scotty Miller. Maybe they’re all just waiting around for third down here. 2nd & 10, the Packers stuff Fournette, who gets credit for a yard. 3rd & 9. Brady throws to… nobody. Finally a third down stop for Green Bay.
Buccaneers 14-10 Packers, 3:46, 2nd quarter
Jones picks up another yard. 3rd & 2, would be a very big stop here considering how dangerous Brady has been so far today. Instead, Brady finds Godwin for a 19 yard gain! Yikes, the third-down success continues for Tampa Bay.
Buccaneers 14-10 Packers, 4:58, 2nd quarter
Crosby’s kick goes into the end zone for a touchback. Brady finds Fournette for a 7 yard gain, not a bad way to start to a drive.
Field goal (Packers)
Buccaneers 14-10 Packers, 4:59, 2nd quarter
Buccaneers 14-7 Packers, 5:11, 2nd quarter
Packers take a timeout. The way that Brady is playing, they’re not going to want to settle for a field goal here. Rodgers spots a wide-open spot for Adams but he… misses. Wow. 2nd and goal. Rodger’s next pass is batted down. Oof.
Buccaneers 14-7 Packers, 5:59, 2nd quarter
Jones holds onto the ball this time but gets just one yard. 2nd & 9, Jones picks up 7. A crucial 3rd &3 here for Green Bay. Jones gets the ball again and rams his way through to the Tampa Bay 6. 1st and goal.
Buccaneers 14-7 Packers, 8:12, 2nd quarter
Rodgers to Mercedes Lewis for… nearly a first down. It’s just 9 yards, but that’s a manageable 2nd & 1. Jones gets the ball and fumbles it… BUT it’s recovered by Tonyan. So Green Bay remains at the Tampa Bay 18.
Buccaneers 14-7 Packers, 9:40, 2nd quarter
Adams gets another 5 yards. The Pack are at the Tampa Bay 42. Aaron Jones gets 12 yards and another first-down. Okay, now Green Bay is cooking.
Buccaneers 14-7 Packers, 10:59, 2nd quarter
Rodgers-to-Adams for a 3-yard-gain. The Packers are at their 41. Williams gets the ball next and he goes 12 yards to get into Tampa Bay territory.
Challenge successful!
Buccaneers 14-7 Packers, 12:19, 2nd quarter
Buccaneers 14-7 Packers, 12:24, 2nd quarter
Jamaal Williams returns Pinion’s kick to the Green Bay 13, but the Packers are going to challenge that it hit the goal line for a touchback. So we have our first review of the game. This is somewhat less exciting than a touchdown run.
12:24, 2nd quarter
WHAT. A. RUN.
: https://t.co/RwWO3c7TxT pic.twitter.com/op2gXiDVQN
Buccaneers 7-7 Packers, 13:20, 2nd quarter
Godwin drops a Brady pass, the third drop for Tampa Bay. 3rd & 9. Brady aims for Godwin again and he juggles it but makes a tumbling catch at the Packers 20 yard line. Well, that’s one way to make up for a drop.
Buccaneers 7-7 Packers, 14:02, 2nd quarter
Jaydon Mickens takes Crosby’s kick to the Tampa Bay 27. Ronald Jones get the ball on first down and squeezes out a yard before going down.
14:07, 2nd quarter
5️⃣0️⃣ yards to @MVS__11!
TOUCHDOWN! #TBvsGB | #GoPackGo
FOX
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The “Who Are Pats Fans Rooting For” Survey Continued:
For Brady, but it’s cool now cause if the Bucs lose, I ain’t trippin.
Mildly for.
Buccaneers 7-0 Packers, end of the 1st quarter
Rodgers finds Davonte Adams for a 15 yard gain and they’re already at their own 43. On 1st & 10, Rodgers finds Tonyan again for five yards. It’s 2nd & 5… and that’s the end of the first quarter. The Bucs struck first but the Packers have something cooking here.
Buccaneers 7-0 Packers, 1:42, 1st quarter
Rodgers throws to Robert Tonyan for a gain of two yards and then gets sacked by Jason Pierre-Paul. The Packers are back at their 5, but Rodgers doesn’t sweat here, he throws to Allen Lazard for a 23 yard gain and a key first down!
I’m not rooting against Brady per se, but I am rooting against the Buccaneers because Florida.
As someone who was raised in South Florida, I 100% understand this.
Buccaneers 7-0 Packers, 2:56, 1st quarter
Pinion punts, Tavon Austin makes a fair catch at the Green Bay 10. Packers are going to have to go a long way for their first score of the game.
Buccaneers 7-0 Packers, 3:42, 1st quarter
Brady throws incomplete on 1st and 10 at his own 49. He throws one long to Tyler Johnson, who can’t make the catch. The good news for the Packers is that it’s now 3rd & 10, but they actually need a third down stop here.
Buccaneers 7-0 Packers, 4:34, 1st quarter
Jones gets a yard on first down. Brady throws to Scotty Miller who gets pushed back by Kevin King for a loss. It’s 3rd and 13, which is for Green Bay, but Brady finds Godwin for 14 yards, which is not so good.
Buccaneers 7-0 Packers, 6:23, 1st quarter
Ronald Jones gets the ball to the Tampa Bay 31. 2nd & 6. Brady finds Cameron Brate to get to the 36. Brady needs just a single yard, and he gets two thanks to another short run by Jones.
Seeing Evans and Godwin make catches for him on the opening drive is bittersweet after the WRs we gave him last year. It’s like seeing your ex-girlfriend end up with a really great new bloke who’s miles better for them. Need to discuss this with my therapist maybe
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick’s choice of receivers these last few seasons has… well let’s just say it won’t be mentioned in his Hall of Fame induction.
Buccaneers 7-0 Packers, 7:41, 1st quarter
Aaron Jones picks up a yard on first down. He gets the ball again on the next down, but gets nowhere as the Tampa Bay defense swarms him. 3rd & 9. Shaq Barrett then tackles Rodgers for a loss on the next play to end the Green Bay drive. The Packers punt and it goes for 38 yards to put Tampa Bay at their 27.
Buccaneers 7-0 Packers, 10:25, 1st quarter
Packers start at their own 25, where Jamaal Williams picks up 3 yards. Next up, Rodgers finds Mercedes Lewis for 14 yards and a first down.
Buccaneers 7-0 Packers, 10:59, 1st quarter
The Buccaneers’ Bradley Pinion kicks it off and the ball lands in the end zone. That will be a touchback.
@HunterFelt how many years am I reading the “he’s not quite the quarterback that he once was” phrase about Tom Brady ? Can’t remember ! But everytime I had been thinking it will be this year, he always came out wit the killer pass ! Would love to see him vs Mahomes in the SB !
Yeah I’m not going to say I did an anti-jinx here, but certainly my prediction doesn’t look great at the moment.
10:59, 1st quarter
.@TomBrady + @MikeEvans13_ = 6️⃣
: https://t.co/RwWO3cpuWt pic.twitter.com/6wlb2533RA
Buccaneers 0-0 Packers, 12:13, 1st quarter
Buccaneers are on the Green Bay 32. Fournette picks up just a single yard on 1st down and Brady’s next pass is incomplete. 3rd & 9. On third down, Brady once again hits his receiver, that’s 14 yards for Chris Godwin.
Buccaneers 0-0 Packers, 13:38, 1st quarter
Leonard Fournette picks up 3 yards. On 2nd & 7, Brady finds Mike Evans for a 27 yard gain! Well that’s a first strike!
Buccaneers 0-0 Packers, 14:51, 1st quarter
Mason Crosby kicks it, Jaydon Mickens takes it for 29 yards to the Tampa Bay 30.
Coin toss
Green Bay Packers win the coin toss and they (wisely) defer. We’re about to play some football!
National Anthem
One aspect of the Covid-19 protections that’s still a bit weird: having the National Anthem singer pops up on the video screen. It’s very “Star Trek.”
It’s weird. I personally want a Rodgers/Mahomes Superbowl but I would also be happy for Tom.
Interestingly enough, if the Buccaneers win, Brady would be playing in the Super Bowl… in Tampa, which would mean a very rare situation where a team would have home field avantage.
Predictions
Looking forward to this battle of two all-time QBs. If the Bucs can keep it close I fancy Brady to pull out another clutch drive to pull out the win
Confession: I have not watched football this season
This is understandable for a multitude of reasons.
For. He might be a Buc for now but he’ll go into the Hall of Fame as a Patriot. I’d love to see him win another ring and make the debate ‘who’s the second-best after Brady’
“Patriots fans: Pro or anti-Brady?” cont’d
No matter when, once the Pat’s season ends my brain switches gears, telling itself “Pitchers & Catchers report in X days”
Against.
Since I happened to be based in Boston, I figured it would make sense to see whether or not New England Patriots fans are rooting for Tom Brady with his new team. The answers are, unsurprisingly, mixed.
For. Without hesitation or guilt.
Still watch the playoffs, but utterly indifferent to the result.
Packers all the way (have been to Lambeau several times in last few years with some friends who are die hard Packer fans so they’ve become my 2nd team. Also like the fact they’re fan owned)
Oh and hate the Bucs cos of the Glazers….
Speaking of the temperature, it’s currently 29 degrees Fahrenheit/-2 degrees Celsius at Lambeau. So, it’s not a huge factor as of yet, although it will probably get colder as the game progresses.
I was conflicted about following this game; then they brought in Felt; now I’m committed.
Predictions
It feels silly to bet against Tom Brady in a Divisional Game, but this season Brady has shown signs that he’s not quite the quarterback that he once was. If the Packers can get to him in the pocket, it feels like they could have a relatively easy passage to the Super Bowl. I feel like having home field also won’t hurt them, although Brady obviously has plenty of cold weather experience.
Longtime Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen, who played with the Seattle Seahawks last season, is part of the FOX broadcast today and will, apparently, be part of their team going forward as he takes the opportunity to officially mark his retirement from the NFL. Well, that’s an easy way to break your first big story.
Preamble
Okay, let’s start with this disclaimer before diving into the NFC Championship Game: NFL games are not duels between quarterbacks. They are not on the field at the same time, their true competition is the other team’s defense. Still, whenever two great quarterbacks are in the same game, we can’t help but compare how they do, even though they don’t directly affect each other’s performance. So, the NFC Championship Game theoretically pits the Tampa Bay Buccaneers against the Green Bay Packers, but what we’re really here to witness is Tom Brady vs. Aaron Rodgers.
Hunter will be here shortly, in the meantime here’s a guide to today’s game:
What the Buccaneers need to do to win: Surprisingly for two quarterbacks who have ruled the NFL for much of the century, there isn’t a lot of history to go on between Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers – this will be only their fourth meeting as starters. Brady won their previous game, a 38-10 beatdown in Week 6 of this season, when the defense harried Rodgers all day, sacking him five times. Rodgers, who has been mostly flawless since, is unlikely to be bullied again though. So Tampa Bay may have to beat the Packers in a shootout, hoping their formidable offensive weapons all click at once. That will put pressure on backup Bucs guard Aaron Stinnie, who made his first ever NFL start against the Saints last week (and did pretty well).
