TAMPA, Fla. — Tom Brady saved his best for last ... and possibly saved the Bucs’ season.
The quarterback, kept out of the end zone the entire game, drove Tampa Bay 60 yards in 35 seconds, including a game-winning 1-yard touchdown pass to rookie Cade Otton with nine seconds remaining, in a thrilling 16-13 win over the Rams.
The victory snapped a three-game losing streak and improved the Bucs to 4-5 overall to move them back into first place in the NFC South.
Brady completed 36 of 58 passes for 280 yards and a touchdown.
A pass interference penalty on Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey on a pass to Mike Evans’ set up the winner to Otton, who notched the first TD by a tight end for Tampa Bay this season.
Until Brady’s heroics, the Bucs offense consisted of four field0goal attempts by Ryan Succop, including one that was blocked and the last good from 50 yards to cut the Rams’ lead to four points.
The Rams offense was ranked 30th overall in the league and Los Angeles looked like a team that was having a Super Bowl hangover of its own entering the game at 3-4.
With offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich under fire for the poor offense that entered the game last in the league in rushing attempts, the Bucs made a concerted effort to run the ball in the first half.
Unfortunately, there wasn’t much nuance to it.
Until the two-minute drive to end the first half, the Bucs ran the ball nine times out of 10 on first down.
The Bucs defense played well but unbelievably turned receiver Cooper Kupp loose for a 69-yard touchdown. Safety Keanu Neal appeared to hand Kupp off to safety Mike Edwards, who got a late break and could not catch the Rams receiver until he reached the end zone.
That play gave the Rams a 7-3 lead with 12:57 to play in the second quarter.
It was the fourth long TD strike to Kupp the Bucs had allowed in the last three games versus the Rams. Kupp had 85 yards receiving in the first half and a touchdown.
