Brady and Buccaneers managed the game
With a defense ravaged by injuries–already four starters and now corner Richard Sherman leaving the game in the first quarter–Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady, and running back Leonard Fournette, carried the load Thursday against the Philadelphia Eagles in a 28-22 win.
After dealing with a thumb injury that limited him to some light passing all week, Brady, who began Week 6 as the NFL passing leader, completed 34 of 42 for 297 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. His lone interception, by Anthony Harris, came on a 30-yard deep pass intended for Antonio Brown on third-and-15. Another interception by deep Marcus Epps was ultimately overturned.
On the ground Fournette rushed for 81 yards on 22 carries and two touchdowns, and 46 yards on six receptions through the air.
Worrying trend: At this rate, cornerbacks coach Kevin Ross and defensive coordinator Todd Bowles will have to suit up this season for the Bucs (5-1). Heading into tonight’s game, the starting secondary had missed a combined 11 starts, with Sherman’s injury being the latest of the bunch. He was replaced by Dee Delaney.
The group allowed just 115 air yards, and Jamel Dean managed an interception for the second straight week on a pass intended for Quez Watkins.
But Dean, the only healthy starting corner, remains an up-and-down player. His 45-yard defensive pass interference penalty on the opening series set up a five-yard touchdown reception by tight end Zach Ertz. A 50-yard defensive pass interference penalty by backup deep Mike Edwards in the third quarter set up a six-yard touchdown run by Jalen Hurts.
Promising trend: Prior to Thursday night, tight end O.J. Howard, still not 100 percent from a ruptured Achilles and playing behind Rob Gronkowski, had been targeted just six times on the season. In Gronkowski’s absence the past two weeks, he had just two receptions. But against the Eagles (2-4), Howard had six on seven targets for 46 yards and a touchdown. He and Brady finally seem in sync.
Questionable decision: The Bucs tried it on fourth-and-3 from the Eagles’ 46-yard line and turned the ball over. The Eagles then turned it into a six-point series when Hurts ran for a 2-yard touchdown with 5:56 to go and then got a two-point conversion from Watkins. The Bucs caught a big break on the next drive after a penalty on defensive wing Genard Avery advanced the Bucs 15 yards and let them run out the clock.
