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GREEN BAY, Wisconsin (AP) – Tom Brady and the road magic of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have them come home to the Super Bowl, the first team to play in one on their field.
Brady owns six Super Bowl rings with New England and is now heading into his 10th NFL Championship Game with his new team. With the help of a stifling pass run and a curious late call for fourth place and the Packers’ goal, Brady and the Bucs beat Green Bay 31-26 for the NFC title on Sunday.
The Bucs (14-5) earned their franchise-record eighth straight road victory to reach the Super Bowl for the first time since their 2002 championship season, reports the Associated Press.
They were helped by a bizarre decision from Packers coach Matt LaFleur with just over two minutes left and a five-point drop. At fourth base, he chose to throw a basket. Tampa Bay then missed the stopwatch on the Packers (14-4).
The Bucs face the Kansas City Chiefs at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa on February 7. Kansas City beat the Buffalo Bills 38-24 in Sunday night’s AFC Championship.
Green Bay trailed 31-23 and had the first and the 8 goal in the dying minutes. But after Aaron Rodgers threw three straight incompletions, the Packers were content with Mason Crosby’s 26-yard field goal with 2:05 to go.
The Packers had all three times out and were hoping their defense could force a punt. The Bucs thwarted that plan, draining the rest of the clock, helped by a pass interference penalty on Kevin King.
Led by Shaquil Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul combining for five sacks, Tampa Bay snapped Green Bay’s seven-game winning streak. The Packers lost in the NFC Championship game for the fourth time in the past seven seasons, according to AP. Green Bay has not reached the Super Bowl since its 2010 championship season.
Rodgers had 33 of 48 for 346 yards with three touchdowns and one interception, but fell to 1-4 in conference championship games as a starting quarterback.
The Bucs took a 28-10 lead early in the third quarter thanks to Brady’s three touchdown passes, including 39 yards to Scotty Miller with 1 second left until halftime. Brady went 20 of 36 for 280 yards.
The Packers rallied as Brady threw interceptions on three straight records for the second time in his career. Green Bay reduced the lead to 28-23 at the end of the third quarter on touchdown passes from Rodgers to Robert Tonyan and Davante Adams.
INJURY REPORT
Packers RB Aaron Jones suffered a chest injury and Bucs safety Jordan Whitehead sustained a shoulder injury during a third quarter play that resulted in a Jones fumble. Packers defensive lineman Tyler Lancaster (ankle) and linebacker Krys Barnes (thumb) started in the second half.
The Bucs played the entire game without wide receiver Antonio Brown (knee) and safety Antoine Winfield Jr. (ankle).
NEXT
The Bucs are heading home to play the Super Bowl.
The Packers’ season is over.
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