TAMPA, Fla. — Tom Brady had a bigger problem than his team possibly not getting into the playoffs this season.
The Bucs have struggled just to reach the end zone.
At least that’s been the case against the Saints at Raymond James Stadium.
But Brady is the greatest quarterback of all-time, especially with his team trailing in the fourth quarter.
Kept out of the end zone for 57 minutes, Brady threw touchdown passes of 1 yard to tight end Cade Otton with three minutes left and 6 yards to Rachaad White with three seconds remaining in the Bucs’ 17-16 win Monday night.
It was the latest game-winning touchdown pass of Brady’s remarkable career as he passed Peyton Manning for the most fourth-quarter comebacks in NFL history with the 44th of his career.
“Really proud of our team to get a win against a team we’ve struggled with,” Brady said.
The Bucs did not score a touchdown against their division rivals until a pass interference penalty set up Brady’s strike to Otton. The victory improved the Bucs to 6-6 while the division rival Saints and Falcons are both 5-8.
The Saints defense has owned the Bucs and Brady, especially at home. Entering Monday night’s game, they had allowed a total of three points in two previous games at Raymond James Stadium.
Not much seemed to change early in the night.
The Bucs took the opening kickoff and needed 16 plays to march 72 yards. But Saints safety Marcus Maye dropped Leonard Fournette a few yards shy of the goal line after he caught a pass from Brady on third and goal at the 5.
Ryan Succop kicked a 21-yard field goal to give the Bucs a 3-0 lead, but it felt like a win for the Saints.
Saints quarterback Andy Dalton had 117 yards passing on just his first five completions, including a 30-yard touchdown to Taysom Hill.
It was the second missed assignment by the Bucs defense, who not only failed to cover Hill, but also left tight end Adam Trautman all alone for a 20-yard pass play earlier in the drive.
After the opening drive, the Bucs offense never really threatened until late in the fourth.
They reached midfield after a 14-yard pass to Mike Evans, his only target in the first half. But on the next play, Brady was intercepted by Saints linebacker Demario Davis.
The Bucs defense managed to hold well enough to force the Saints to settle for a 38-yard field goal by Will Lutz.
But somehow, the 10-3 lead felt oddly insurmountable. Things didn’t get much better to start the second half.
Lutz tackled on a 21-yard field goal to make it 13-3 with all but 2:46 of the third quarter gone.
With the Bucs needing two scores and facing fourth and 7 at the Saints’ 40-yard line, Bucs coach Todd Bowles summoned punter Jake Camarda. Rookie Chris Olave beat cornerback Zyon McCollum for a 26-yard gain and then cornerback Carlton Davis got flagged for pass interference on Olave at the Tampa Bay 33.
That led to Lutz’s third field goal in four possessions, this one from 29 yards. More importantly, it took nearly seven minutes off the clock.
Trailing by two scores, facing fourth and 10 at their own 28, Brady wanted to stay on the field. But Bowles elected to punt again with just under seven minutes remaining in the game.
The strategy paid off. Brady went 14-of-18 for 118 yards and two touchdowns on the final two drives.
