Tom Brady And The Buccaneers Pull Off A Christmas Miracle In Arizona

Rick Scuteri. Shutterstock Images.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers traveled to Arizona to play in the featured Sunday Night spotlight on Christmas night in what schedulemakers anticipated being a duel of two potential MVP candidates in Tom Brady and Kyler Murray. Instead they got a Trace McSorely and a Buccaneers team whose offense has severely lacked any real bite over the entire season. The game reflected exactly that with a 6-6 score going into the 4th Quarter. 

The Bucs made enough mistakes to lose the game and failed to sustain a real drive that would end in the end zone. In fact, Cardinals Cornerback Marco Wilson intercepted Tom Brady twice on the day.

And Trace McSorely was doing enough to make his superfans peacock around the internet streets.

The Cardinals got up 10 points with 10:53 to go on a James Conner touchdown and based on how the game was going, that deficit seemed insurmountable. Everyone was calling for my head.

I had to complete this random request as well.

But the Bucs went to their hurry-up offense, in which Tom Brady is typically the one calling the plays, and all of a sudden, things seemed to fall into place. The scored just under 3 minutes later to make it a 3-point game.

And the defense, which was terrific all game long, made a key recovery on 3rd & 1 with the Cardinals driving and trying to put the game away.

Brady was able to drive the team down the field and get a FG and the defense made one final stand to get into overtime. And even after the Bucs lost the coin toss, the defense stood up again, allowing the offense to go try and win it. And when it was winning time, Tom Brady's star just shines brighter. All of a sudden everyone looked in sync and they got moving.

And while Brady and Mike Evans haven't necessarily been on the same page of late, especially tonight, they made a huge play when it mattered most and this got the Bucs into Field Goal range for them to win it.

So while the team looked dead in the water with 10:53 to go in the game, they pulled the ultimate Christmas miracle and won a game to allow them to potentially clinch a playoff spot next week at home vs. Carolina.

And people still want me to apologize. For making America watch a lifeless Bucs team for three and a half quarters. Calling us a fraud playoff team and saying we'll get waxed by Carolina next week and we suck yada yada yada.

But I REFUSE, REFUSE to apologize for a division leading team that is currently in the playoffs. I said it last week. They'll be favored in every game the rest of the way and they control their own destiny. We live to fight another week and I'm both proud and disgusted, but more proud of this team today. Merry Christmas everyone and Go Bucs!