Tom Brady, Bucs Edge Mac Jones, Patriots in QB comeback as Nick Folk misses FG end | Launderer report

The Buccaneers, who ran out of time in response, took the lead in their previous practice after Ryan Succop hit home from 48 yards.

It was a dramatic end, but tonight was all about the return of No.12.

Brady played for the Pats from 2000 to 2019, leading the team to 17 playoff appearances, nine AFC titles and six Super Bowl wins. He’s also made 13 Pro Bowls and won three NFL MVP awards along the way.

The 44-year-old also broke former NFL quarterback Drew Brees’ record for career passing yards after finding wide receiver Mike Evans with a 28-yard strike in the first quarter.

He finished the night 22 of 43 for 269 yards and now has 80,560 career passing yards for the season.

Brady moved the Bucs to 3-1 with the win. The Pats fell to 1-3.

Notable performances:

Buccaneers QB Tom Brady: 22 of 43, 269 passing yards

Buccaneers RB Leonard Fournette: 20 carries, 91 rushing yards; 3 catches, 47 yards on reception

Buccaneers WR Mike Evans: 7 catches, 75 receiving yards

Patriots QB Mac Jones: 31 of 40, 275 passing yards, 2 TD, 1 INT

Patriots WR Jakobi Meyers: 8 catches, 70 receiving yards; 2 of 2, 45 passing yards

TE Patriots Hunter Henry: 4 catches, 32 receiving yards, 1 TD

Brady takes center stage, but Fournette and Bucs O-Line lead the way

It would have been nearly impossible for a sports fan to avoid the speeches or publicity leading up to this Sunday night football match given the magnitude of Brady’s comeback. This has been accompanied by the inevitability of exceeding Brady’s career distance crossing mark.

There was a game to play, however, and Brady did enough to give the Bucs a win on a night that wasn’t exactly conducive to good attacking football.

The rain proved problematic for both teams, but Brady still led the Bucs on five record breaking records.

He fired a 28-yard shot at Mike Evans to break Brees’ record and put Tampa Bay within shooting range as well.

He then gave a nice pass on the sideline to Chris Godwin to help set up the Bucs’ second basket:

Later in the fourth quarter, Brady found Antonio Brown for a crucial third conversion to set up Succop’s final goal.

Despite those good shots, the Bucs’ passing game struggled, completing just 22 of 43 assists.

Luckily for Tampa, Leonard Fournette beat down the Patriots’ defense, amassing 138 total yards on 23 touches. He was the lifeblood of the team as the Bucs struggled to connect consistently in the passing game.

The former LSU star has proven to be a big factor on three of the Bucs’ five scoring records.

The first came in the first quarter as Fournette picked up 24 yards on an 11-yard rush and 13-yard catch. The drive ended with a 29-yard field goal.

He continued to find ways to get positive yardage, especially when he started the Bucs’ lone touchdown with four carries for 26 yards. Ultimately, Ronald Jones II helped the Bucs lead 13-7 with an eight-yard rush.

In the Bucs ‘next practice, Fournette pulled off a massive 23-yard catch-and-run to put Tampa Bay into field goal territory at the Pats’ 25-yard line. Ultimately, Succop scored 27 yards for a 16-14 advantage.

It wasn’t pretty for the Bucs, but they got the job done for their third straight win.

Mac Jones impresses in the national spotlight

Patriots rookie quarterback Mac Jones faced pouring rain and a fierce pass from Bucs against a shorthanded New England offensive line, but still managed to complete 19 straight passes en route towards an effective night of 31 of 40 for 275 yards and two touchdowns (one interception).

Jones wasn’t exactly throwing the ball into the field, but he did what he needed to do against a Buccaneers secondary who started the game shorthanded and ended it with injuries in play to Carlton Davis and Antoine Winfield Jr.

The ex-Alabama star got stuck in his pocket and found tight end Hunter Henry for 11 yards in the second quarter:

In the third quarter, Jones escaped the Bucs pass rush to find Damien Harris, who ran for 21 yards:

The rookie also sold this fake well before hitting Jonnu Smith for a score of one yard to top this drive:

All was not pretty for Jones, who forced this pass that ultimately landed in Winfield’s hands:

However, Jones was impressive considering all of the dramatic events surrounding this regular season game considering Brady’s return. The spotlight shone the spotlight on Jones and clashed with Brady.

Bucs head coach Bruce Arians praised Jones after the game:

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler also thanked Jones for his efforts:

The Patriots may only have a 1-3 record in four games, but Jones’ performance on Sunday is certainly an encouragement for the future.

And after?

Both teams will play Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.

The Bucs will host the Miami Dolphins at Raymond James Stadium, and the Patriots will visit the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium.