The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have taken a four-point game and turned it into an 11-point game at halftime against the Green Bay Packers with quarterback Tom Brady airing it out to Scotty Miller for a stunning 39-yard touchdown to make it 21-10 Bucs.
Miller reached 20.6 miles per hour on the play as he outran Kevin King with 8 seconds left on the clock. Just one play before, the Bucs converted on fourth-and-4, on a short pass to Leonard Fournette.
In the first half, Brady completed 13-of-22 passes for 202 yards and two touchdowns, with Fournette spinning his way to a third on the ground. Brady was particularly effective on the deep ball, going 2-of-2 on throws 30-plus yards downfield in the first half, tying him for most such completions in a game all season. He was 0-of-2 on those throws in the Buccaneers’ first two playoff games combined, according to ESPN Statistics & Information.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME, SCOOTER?! 😱
📺: https://t.co/RwWO3c7TxT pic.twitter.com/U6gzxyy6bU
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) January 24, 2021
There was plenty of swift reaction from social media on the Packers’ defensive lapse.
That may be the worst defensive design I’ve ever seen with 8 seconds and no timeouts left. Green Bay-I’m not sure how you play inside technique man to man and nit just play zone and protect the sideline and the end zone? Amazing.
— Tony Dungy (@TonyDungy) January 24, 2021
Why are you in cover one?
— Ed Reed (@TwentyER) January 24, 2021
Brady be treating everyone like his little bro 😂😂 And I kind of love it
— Michael Thomas (@Cantguardmike) January 24, 2021
That play call is the reason why the buccaneers will win the game and possibly the Super Bowl!!
— Jonathan Stewart (@Jonathanstewar1) January 24, 2021
Throw it up to 10!!!
— Deandre Hopkins (@DeAndreHopkins) January 24, 2021
Throw it up to 10!!!
— Deandre Hopkins (@DeAndreHopkins) January 24, 2021
Wow.
Scotty Miller’s max speed on this play: 20.64 MPH.
Kevin King’s max speed: 19.19 MPH.
Via @NextGenStats pic.twitter.com/uGWBTyyPyE
— Seth Walder (@SethWalder) January 24, 2021
Meanwhile, on the Bucs’ first drive of the game, Brady connected with Mike Evans twice on the opening drive to give the Bucs an early 7-0 lead. Brady hit Evans for a 27-yard catch on a corner route working against Chandon Sullivan on third-and-4.
Evans then leaped up in the end zone working against Kevin King for a 15-yard touchdown grab.
A win today would send Brady to his 10th Super Bowl and the Bucs to their second.
.@TomBrady + @MikeEvans13_ = 6️⃣
📺: https://t.co/RwWO3cpuWt pic.twitter.com/6wlb2533RA
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) January 24, 2021