Tom Brady threw two touchdown passes in the final three minutes as the host Tampa Bay Buccaneers rallied to defeat the New Orleans Saints 17-16 on Monday night.
Brady, who completed 36 of 54 for 281 yards, tossed a 1-yard TD pass to Cade Otton and added a 6-yarder to Rachaad White with three seconds left to produce his NFL-record 44th comeback victory in the fourth quarter or overtime, breaking a tie with Peyton Manning.
The Buccaneers (6-6) strengthened their hold on first place in the NFC South by sweeping the season series against the Saints (4-9).
New Orleans led 10-3 at halftime and 16-3 entering the game’s final minutes.
White fumbled and Carl Granderson recovered for the Saints at their 32-yard line midway through the third quarter. New Orleans drove to the Tampa Bay 3-yard line before stalling, and Wil Lutz kicked a 21-yard field goal that gave the Saints a 13-3 lead.
New Orleans quarterback Andy Dalton, who completed 20 of 28 passes for 229 yards and a touchdown, moved the Saints 69 yards to Lutz’s third field goal, a 29-yarder that increased the lead to 16-3 with 8:02 left in the fourth quarter.
Brady connected with Otton with three minutes left, completing a 10-play, 91-yard drive.
After a New Orleans punt, Brady drove his team 63 yards in 11 plays to the game-winner.
On the first possession of the game, Brady marched the Bucs 72 yards in 16 plays and Ryan Succop kicked a 21-yard field for a lead that held up through the end of the first quarter.
After punting on their first two possessions, the Saints drove 80 yards on their third possession. Dalton threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to Taysom Hill, giving New Orleans a 7-3 advantage.
Those were the first points for the Saints in six quarters after a 13-0 loss at San Francisco last week ended a streak of 332 games without being shut out.
Tampa Bay was in its two-minute offense trying to get points before halftime when Demario Davis intercepted Brady, giving New Orleans the ball at the Bucs 49.
Lutz’s 38-yard field goal with 20 seconds left increased the lead to seven at halftime.
–Field Level Media
