DETROIT — Tom Brady threw four first half touchdowns and then sat out the rest of the game and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers routed the Detroit Lions 47-7 Saturday to secure a spot in the NFL playoffs.
Watch Tom Brady Highlights vs. Detroit
The Buccaneers (10-5) came into the game knowing that a victory would seal a spot in the next round of fixtures and they cantered away to victory to end a 13-year playoff drought.
Brady was 22 of 27 for 348 yards, while throwing touchdown passes from 33, 27, 7, and 12 yards to Rob Gronkowski (x2), Mike Evans (x2), Chris Godwin, and Antonio Brown before sitting out the second half.
Saturday’s win saw Tampa Bay snapping a long unwanted postseason drought, securing its first playoff berth since 2007.
Tampa Bay Dominated Detroit In First Half
The Buccaneers led 34-0 at halftime to set a franchise record for points in a first half, while the team also set a club record with 588 total yards, with 410 coming in the first half alone.
The visitors build a 40-0 lead at Ford Field before the Lions scored in the third quarter when Jamal Agnew returned a punt 74 yards for a score.
Evans caught 10 passes for 181 yards with his two touchdowns, Chris Godwin had five catches for 84 yards and Gronkowski had a pair of scoring catches for 58 yards.
Ke’Shawn Vaughn had 15 carries for 62 yards and Leonard Fournette ran for a score for the Buccaneers.
The Lions (5-10), who started the game without interim coach Darrell Bevell along with several other staff members because of COVID-19 contact tracing, lost starting quarterback Matthew Stafford to an ankle injury in the first quarter.
Chase Daniel, who replaced Stafford, ended 13 of 18 for 86 yards. David Blough also got a run out on the day and he completed 6 of 10 passes for 49 yards and the team’s lone touchdown.
Complete Game BOX SCORE
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS 20, ARIZONA CARDINALS 12
Also on the day, third-string quarterback C.J. Beathard threw three touchdown passes to help the San Francisco 49ers top the Arizona Cardinals 20-12.
Beathard, who was making his first start since 2018 because of injuries to Jimmy Garoppolo and Nick Mullens, went 13 of 22 on completed passes for 182 yards.
Jeff Wilson ran 22 times with the ball for 183 yards and added a catch for a score, while George Kittle took four catches for 92 yards as San Francisco (6-9) dealt a significant blow to Arizona’s playoff desires.
Kyler Murray was 31 of 50 for 247 yards with an interception for the Cardinals (8-7) who are no longer in control of their own playoff destiny.
The Chicago Bears, who sit second in the NFC NORTH behind the Green Bay Packers and just behind the Cardinals in the conference, will clinch a playoff berth if they win their final two games because they hold the tiebreaker over Arizona.
Complete Game BOX SCORE
First Quarter
Ari–FG Nugent 27, 10:10.
SF–Wilson 21 pass from Beathard (Gould kick), 2:44.
Second Quarter
Ari–FG Nugent 43, :35.
Third Quarter
SF–Juszczyk 9 pass from Beathard (Gould kick), 5:13.
Fourth Quarter
Ari–Drake 1 run (pass failed), 12:08.
SF–Juszczyk 1 pass from Beathard (kick failed), 8:36.
A–0.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING–San Francisco, Wilson 22-183, Beathard 3-18, Aiyuk 1-16, McKinnon 1-4, Juszczyk 1-3, Coleman 2-3.
Arizona, K.Murray 8-75, Drake 18-45, Foster 1-0.
PASSING–San Francisco, Beathard 13-22-0-182.
Arizona, K.Murray 31-50-1-247.
RECEIVING–San Francisco, Kittle 4-92, McKinnon 3-28, Juszczyk 2-10, Wilson 1-21, Bourne 1-16, Aiyuk 1-15, Coleman 1-0.
Arizona, Hopkins 8-48, Kirk 7-76, Fitzgerald 6-28, Arnold 3-25, Johnson 2-50, Edmonds 2-8, Drake 2-5, Daniels 1-7.
MISSED FIELD GOALS–San Francisco, Gould 41, Gould 37.
