All Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady needed to do to break his Super Bowl slump was change teams.
It had been one entire year since the Super Bowl didn’t see Brady’s uniformed shadow. Coming off a season where Brady’s Patriots fell to the Titans in the AFC divisional playoffs, Tom Terrific went south, and led the Bucs to their first Super Bowl since 2002, punching their ticket with a 31-26 win over the host Packers in a back-and-forth battle at Lambeau Field Sunday.
Brady was far from perfect, throwing three interceptions – two coming while the Bucs were well ahead. They carried a 28-10 lead early in the third quarter. The Bucs’ offense faltered as the Packers — led by likely NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers’ three touchdown passes — roared back, pulling within five.
A controversial pass interference call against the Packers on third down extended the Bucs’ final offensive possession, draining the Packers of their final timeouts. Tampa Bay chose to run the ball, and the clock, the rest of the way out, sealing it on a 5-yard run by Chris Godwin.
It’s Brady’s 10th Super Bowl, but the first time in NFL history a team will play the game in its home stadium. The Bucs await the winner of the Chiefs and Bills in the AFC title game.