The favorite Buccaneers start the game perfectly and close the first drive with a touchdown. Giovanni Bernard put the Bucs on the scoreboard with a two-yard touchdown. The Eagles help with a 15-yard penalty (roughing the passer) on Derek Barnett.
The Bucs’ defense also finds its way into the game and causes the first stop after just three plays. Shortly before the end of the first quarter, Brady and Co. added another touchdown: In the absence of Leonard Fournette, Ke’Shawn Vaughn provided a running back’s second touchdown.
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and his offensive can hardly think of anything at the beginning. In the first three drives you only get ten plays for 17 yards of space gain. Tampa Bay is a completely different story followed up on a field goal by Ryan Succop from 33 yards.
Just as Philadelphia seems to be getting better into the game and points out Hurts with a 35-yard pass to receiver Quez Watkins, the quarterback throws his first interception. Mike Edwards intercepts the pass into the end zone and ensures that Tampa Bay goes into the half-time break with a comfortable 17-0 lead.
Brady/Gronkowski combo strikes
In the second half, too, the Eagles found no means against the superior Super Bowl champion. A 22-yard run by Bernard and a 17-yard pass by Brady to Mike Evans paved the way for the first Brady/Gronkowski touchdown of the postseason. The quarterback finds his all-free tight end, with whom he has already celebrated four Super Bowl victories, with a pass into the end zone.
The Eagles, who have won four of their last five regular season games, are in danger of falling apart. Jalen Hurts throws his second interception. The Bucs only need one play in the subsequent drive to get back into the end zone. Tom Brady served Mike Evans for a 36-yard touchdown, making it 31-0 for the home side.
In the final quarter, Philadelphia manages to avert an embarrassment. Running back Boston Scott provided the visitors’ first score with a 34-yard touchdown run. Kenneth Gainwell adds a second touchdown and the two-point conversion also sits. However, all this is only result cosmetics. The Buccaneers won 31-15 and are 11-10 in the all-time NFL record against the Eagles.
35.Playoff win for Brady
It’s Brady’s 35th win in his 46th playoff game of his career. In the conference semifinals, Tampa Bay will now face the Dallas Cowboys if they win their game against the San Francisco 49ers (now live on PULS 24 & PULS). If the 49ers manage to surprise, the winner of the game Arizona Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Rams (Tuesday, 2:15 a.m., live on PULS 24 & PULS 4) would wait for Brady and Co.
The Buffalo Bills also qualified for the semifinals on Saturday (local time) with a thumping victory. Josh Allen and Co. swept the New England Patriots 47:17 out of their own stadium. Earlier, the Cincinnati Bengals opened the wild card round with a 26-19 win over the Las Vegas Raiders.
Brady: “I’m happy for the team”
statistics
Quarterbacks
Tom Brady (Bucs): 29 Completions, 37 Attempts, 271 Yards, 2 Touchdowns, 0 Interceptions, 115,2 Rating
Jalen Hurts (Eagles): 23 Completions, 43 Attempts, 258 Yards, 1 Touchdown, 2 Interceptions, 60,0 Rating
Rushing Leaders
Ke´Shawn Vaughn (Bucs): 17 Attempts, 53 Yards, 1 Touchdown, 3,1 Yards per Attempt
Jalen Hurts (Eagles): 8 Attempts, 39 Yards, 0 Touchdowns, 4,9 Yards per Attempt
Receiving Leaders
Mike Evans (Bucs): 9 Receptions, 117 Yards, 1 Touchdown, 10 Targets
Dallas Goedert (Eagles): 6 Receptions, 92 Yards, 0 Touchdowns, 12 Targets
Team Stats
Total Yards: 349:339 Bucs
Passing Yards: 244:243 Eagles
Rushing Yards: 106:95 Bucs
Yards per Play: 5,5:4,8 Eagles
Fumbles Lost: 0:1 Eagles
Interceptions: 0:2 Eagles
Third Down Conversion: 35:30 Prozent Eagles
Time of Possesion: 33:03:26:57 Minuten Bucs
Penalties: 4:4
