Schedule The Buccaneers' 2021 schedule was announced on May 12. As defending
Super Bowl champions, the Buccaneers hosted the 2021
NFL Kickoff Game at
Raymond James Stadium against the
Dallas Cowboys.
Note: Intra-division opponents are in
bold text.
Game summaries Week 1: vs. Dallas Cowboys NFL Kickoff Game Tampa Bay hosted
Dallas in the Thursday night
Kickoff Game. The Buccaneers overcame four turnovers to defeat the Cowboys 31–29. Quarterback Tom Brady threw for 379 yards and four touchdown passes in his NFL record 300th career regular season start. During pregame ceremonies, the Buccaneers unveiled new stadium decorations celebrating their victories in
Super Bowl XXXVII and
Super Bowl LV. Tampa Bay received the opening kickoff, but went three-and-out to start the game.
Bradley Pinion executed a
coffin corner punt, pinning the Cowboys back at their own 2-yard line. Tampa Bay got the ball back after a Dallas punt.
Tom Brady connected with passes to
Mike Evans,
Rob Gronkowski and
Antonio Brown, and capped off the drive with a 5-yard touchdown pass to
Chris Godwin for a 7–0 early lead. Tampa Bay broke a 7–7 tie with a 2-yard touchdown pass from Brady to Gronkowski. The drive was set up after a long punt return by
Jaydon Mickens. Dallas trimmed the score to 14–13 after a touchdown from
Dak Prescott to
Amari Cooper. Tom Brady's first interception of the night led to a Cowboys field goal. But on their next drive, Brady connected with a wide open
Antonio Brown for a 47-yard touchdown, and a 21–16 halftime lead. The Cowboys opened up the second half with a lengthy field goal drive, to make the score 21–19.
Carlton Davis intercepted
Dak Prescott, which set up Gronkowski's second touchdown catch. But the Cowboys responded with a 10-play, 75-yard drive, culminating in a 21-yard touchdown catch by
Amari Cooper, his second of the day as well. Tampa Bay clung to a 28–26 lead entering the fourth quarter. With 5:04 left, the Buccaneers were driving at the Dallas 13-yard line. Brady's short pass to
Chris Godwin was caught but subsequently fumbled at the 2-yard line and recovered by the Cowboys. The Cowboys drove down the field for a 48-yard go-ahead field goal by
Greg Zuerlein. With only one timeout left, trailing 29–28 with 1:24 remaining in regulation, Brady drove the Buccaneers 57 yards in eleven plays, down to the Cowboys 18-yard line.
Ryan Succop kicked a game-winning 36-yard field goal with 7 seconds left. The Buccaneers extended their franchise-record winning streak (including postseason) to 9 games. Two of Brady's touchdown passes were to
Rob Gronkowski, bringing the duo's career total to 100 touchdown connections in the regular season and playoffs combined.
Week 2: vs. Atlanta Falcons Quarterback
Tom Brady threw for 276 yards and 5 touchdown passes (tying a franchise best) as Tampa Bay defeated
Atlanta 48–25. The Buccaneers extended their franchise record winning streak to ten games, and became the first NFL team to score 30+ points in a victorious performance in nine consecutive games. The Buccaneers won the coin toss and elected to receive. With potential rain in the forecast for the second half, coach
Bruce Arians indicated he wanted the offense to hit the field first. Tampa Bay built a 14–0 lead in the first half after two touchdown passes to
Rob Gronkowski. A touchdown pass to
Mike Evans late in the second quarter set Tampa Bay up for a 21–10 lead. Atlanta received the kickoff for the second half. On the second play of the third quarter,
Matt Ryan was intercepted by
Shaquil Barrett, setting the Buccaneers up at the Atlanta 18-yard line. Five plays later, Evans caught his second touchdown pass, and Tampa Bay pulled out to a 28–10 lead. Atlanta rallied, scoring two touchdowns and trimmed the deficit to 28–25 by the end of the third quarter. Tampa Bay pinned the Falcons back at their own 4-yard line. The defense forced a three-and-out, and the resulting punt gave the Buccaneers excellent field position. Brady threw three straight passes, and
Chris Godwin's touchdown grab put the Buccaneers up 35–25 with 9 minutes left in regulation. The Buccaneers defense sealed the game as
Mike Edwards twice picked off Matt Ryan and returned both interceptions for touchdowns.
Week 3: at Los Angeles Rams Tampa Bay snapped a ten-game winning streak, losing their first game of the
2021 season at the
Los Angeles Rams. Quarterback
Tom Brady threw for 432 yards, one touchdown pass, and ran for a touchdown, but the Buccaneers defense could not contain
Matthew Stafford and the high-powered Rams offense. Despite the loss, Brady became the second player in NFL history to pass for over 80,000 career yards. After a scoreless first quarter, the Rams led 14–7 late in the first half. Tampa Bay drove into Rams territory, but had to settle for a field goal attempt.
Ryan Succop's 55-yard attempt sailed wide right, and the Rams led at halftime 14–7. The Buccaneers rushing offense was ineffective in the first half, producing only 18 yards on 9 carries. The Rams put the game out of reach in the second half. They scored on four straight drives to build a 34–17 lead. Brady's second touchdown pass trimmed the deficit to 34–24 with just over one minute left in regulation. The ensuing onside kick attempt failed, and the Rams held on for the win.
Week 4: at New England Patriots Tampa Bay faced
New England on
Sunday Night Football in a game dubbed "
The Return" by
NBC Sports. The game marked
Tom Brady's first game at
Gillette Stadium since leaving the Patriots as a
free agent after the
2019 season. Brady passed
Drew Brees as the league's all-time career
passing yardage leader, and Tampa Bay pulled off a come-from-behind victory to improve to 3–1 on the season. On a rainy night, Brady was warmly welcomed by the Patriots fanbase, but quickly their attention turned to rookie quarterback
Mac Jones. Jones threw for 275 yards and two touchdown passes, and nearly led the Patriots to an upset victory. In a back and forth game, turnovers, the lack of a rushing attack, and ultimately a missed field goal, cost New England a chance to win. The Buccaneers offense was average in the first half, outgaining the Patriots 227 yards to 129, but managed only six points. With
Rob Gronkowski inactive due to a rib injury suffered the previous week, Tampa Bay struggled in the
red zone.
Ryan Succop gave Tampa Bay an early 3–0 lead, but missed another field goal attempt to start the second quarter. Jones then led the Patriots on a 11-play, 74-yard drive for the game's first touchdown. After trading punts, Brady drove the Buccaneers to the New England 26-yard line just before halftime. Dropped passes due to the wet conditions stalled the drive. Succop kicked a 44-yard field goal with 18 seconds left to make the score 7–6 at halftime. Tampa Bay received the second half kickoff, but went
three-and-out. The Patriots took over near midfield, but three plays into the drive,
J. J. Taylor fumbled at the Tampa Bay 28-yard line, and it was recovered by the Buccaneers. Though they failed to score any points, they were able to punt and pin New England deep in their own territory. On the ensuring drive, with excellent field position, Tampa Bay took the lead with a 8-yard touchdown run by
Ronald Jones. Mac Jones drove the Patriots down the field swiftly, eventually achieving 19 consecutive pass completions, and the Patriots re-took the lead 14–13. Jones threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to
Jonnu Smith on the first play of the fourth quarter. With
Leonard Fournette and Ronald Jones the leading rushers on the night, Tampa Bay's more balanced offense again drove into the red zone, but had to again settle for a field goal. With under 8 minutes left in regulation, Tampa Bay led 16–14.
Jakobi Meyers caught a 21-yard reception, then executed a
flea flicker pass to
Nelson Agholor, setting the Patriots up at the Tampa Bay 8-yard line. The Buccaneers defense stiffened, and the Patriots had to settle for a field goal, and a 17–16 lead. Tampa Bay took over with 4:34 remaining in regulation. A costly
pass interference penalty on the Patriots advanced Tampa Bay to the New England 44-yard line. The drive stalled at the 30-yard line, and Succop kicked the go-ahead field goal as the game hit the
two-minute warning. Trailing 19–17, Mac Jones drove the Patriots into Tampa Bay territory, aided by a pass interference call on
Jordan Whitehead. With heavy rain now falling, New England faced a 3rd & 3 at the Tampa Bay 37. Jones's pass was batted down at the line of scrimmage by
Lavonte David, bringing up fourth down. With 59 seconds left in regulation, in a driving rain,
Nick Folk's 56-yard field attempt hit the left upright and fell no good. Tampa Bay ran out the clock, and beat the Patriots for the first time since
2000.
Week 5: vs. Miami Dolphins Quarterback
Tom Brady threw for 411 yards and five touchdown passes, as Tampa Bay defeated
in-state rival Miami 45–17.
Antonio Brown was the standout receiver, with two touchdown receptions, and 124 total yards. Midway through the second quarter, Brown caught a short, 8-yard pass from Brady, then broke free untouched for a 62-yard touchdown. It was the longest play of the game, and the longest play of the Buccaneers' season thus far. Just before halftime, Miami drove to the Tampa Bay 30-yard line, but
Jacoby Brissett was sacked and fumbled, snuffing out the drive. Brissett was already hobbling with a
hamstring injury suffered in the first quarter.
Bradley Pinion attempted a 60-yard field as time expired, but missed wide left. Tampa Bay led 24–10 at halftime. The Dolphins trimmed the deficit to seven points, making the score 24–17 late in the third quarter. But Tampa Bay dominated the fourth quarter. Brady connected with
Mike Evans for two touchdowns, as the Buccaneers pulled away for a 45–17 victory, and improved to 4–1 on the season, their best start since
2005. It was the most points Tampa Bay ever scored against their in-state rival Miami, and their largest margin of victory in the series history. Tom Brady also recorded his first game with 400+ yards passing and five or more touchdown passes in the same game.
Week 6: at Philadelphia Eagles Tampa Bay traveled to
Philadelphia for a
Thursday night matchup. The Buccaneers defeated the Eagles 28–22 to improve to 5–1 on the season.
Leonard Fournette carried the ball 22 times for 81 yards and two touchdowns, and quarterback
Tom Brady threw two touchdown passes. The Buccaneers built a 21-point lead, then held off an Eagles rally for a 6-point victory. The Buccaneers defense held
Jalen Hurts to only 20 yards passing in the first half. The Eagles offense in total was held to under 100 scrimmage yards through three quarters. However, two costly defensive
pass interference penalties against Tampa Bay paved the way for two Eagles touchdowns. With 9:04 left in regulation, the Tampa Bay offense elected to go for it on a 4th & 2 at the Philadelphia 46-yard line. Brady's pass was incomplete intended for
O. J. Howard, turning the ball over on downs. The Eagles took advantage of the field position driving for a touchdown, and trimmed the score to 28–22 with six minutes left in regulation. The Buccaneers, however, were able to control the ball for the rest of the game. Twice they converted on third down and managed to run the clock out to secure the victory. Tampa Bay's 5–1 start matched the franchise's best record after six games (
1979,
1997,
2002, and
2005). Tampa Bay and Philadelphia would later meet in the
Wild Card playoffs, with the Buccaneers victorious again.
Week 7: vs. Chicago Bears Quarterback
Tom Brady became the first player in NFL history to throw
600 career touchdown passes (regular season). Brady reached the historic career milestone with a 9-yard touchdown pass to
Mike Evans late in the first quarter. The Buccaneers routed the Bears by the score of 38–3. Brady threw a total of four touchdown passes, three to Evans, as Tampa Bay took an unsurmountable 35–3 lead into halftime. Despite missing
Lavonte David and
Richard Sherman, the Tampa Bay defense still dominated the Bears. Quarterback
Justin Fields was sacked four times, lost two fumbles, and was intercepted three times. The Buccaneers improved to 6–1 on the season, and 4–0 at home. It is the team's first 6–1 start in franchise history.
Week 8: at New Orleans Saints Quarterback
Tom Brady threw four touchdown passes, but lost a fumble and threw two interceptions (one of which was returned for a touchdown), as Tampa Bay fell to division rival
New Orleans. It was the fourth consecutive regular season victory by the Saints in the
rivalry, although Tampa Bay had won the previous meeting, which was during the
2020 season playoffs. Tampa Bay faced former quarterback
Jameis Winston for the first time since Winston was named the starting quarterback for the Saints. Winston departed Tampa following the
2019 season. Early in the second quarter, at the Saints' own 9-yard line, Winston scrambled for 3 yards, but was taken down by
Devin White's
horse-collar tackle. Winston suffered a
torn ACL and damaged
MCL, and was replaced by back up quarterback
Trevor Siemian for the remainder of the game. Penalties by the Buccaneers (11 for 99 yards) were the story of the day. One interception in the endzone was negated by penalty, and multiple Saints drives were extended by penalties on the Tampa Bay defense. Brady rallied the Buccaneers from a 23–7 deficit. Tampa Bay took a 27–26 lead with a 50-yard touchdown pass from Brady to
Cyril Grayson. The Saints then added a go-ahead field goal with 1:41 left in regulation. Trailing 29–27, Brady's pick-six with 1:36 left secured the win for New Orleans. The amount of penalties committed by Tampa Bay almost surpassed the 2015 Philadelphia Eagles as they were hit with 10 penalties six years ago.
Week 10: at Washington Football Team This was a rematch of the
2020 Wild Card Round in which Tampa Bay defeated Washington 31–23 on their way to a Super Bowl victory. The Washington Football Team ended up the better team this game, as the defending champions were given a 29–19 upset loss. Two first quarter interceptions thrown by
Tom Brady led to field goals; Washington's lead increased to 13 points with a
DeAndre Carter pass from Washington quarterback
Taylor Heinicke. The Buccaneers were able to close the lead to 16–13, and then to 23–19 after a 40-yard touchdown pass to
Mike Evans with 10:55 remaining in regulation. But a 19-play, 80-yard touchdown drive lasting over ten minutes by Washington effectively closed the fourth quarter sealing Tampa Bay's fate as Washington won 29–19.
Week 11: vs. New York Giants Tampa Bay hosted the
Giants on
Monday Night Football. The Buccaneers snapped a two-game losing streak and won by the score of 30–10. With a touchdown reception in the third quarter,
Mike Evans became the franchise's all-time leader in total touchdowns with 72. He came into the game tied with
Mike Alstott (71), who had held that distinction since
2001. The Buccaneers set the tone for the night early, taking the opening kickoff, and driving 73 yards in eight plays (never facing a third down).
Tom Brady connected to
Chris Godwin for a 13-yard touchdown pass, and a 7–0 early score. The Buccaneers defense then forced a turnover on downs. Both teams traded field goals, and the score was 10–3 in favor of the Buccaneers. On a 1st & 10 at their own 15-yard line, Brady's short pass attempt to Evans was bobbled and intercepted by
Adoree' Jackson, who was tackled at the Tampa Bay 5-yard line. Two plays later,
Daniel Jones lofted a pass to linebacker
Andrew Thomas for a 2-yard touchdown, and a 10–10 tie. Trailing 17–10, the Giants received the second half kickoff. Once again, the Giants offense turned the ball over on downs in Tampa Bay territory. After Evans's record-setting touchdown, the Buccaneers were up 24–10.
Ryan Succop tacked on two more field goals, and the Buccaneers cruised to a 30–10 victory. Tom Brady threw for 307 yards and two touchdown passes. After missing several weeks recuperating from injury,
Rob Gronkowski returned to the lineup, making 8 catches for 71 yards. The Buccaneers defense held Jones to only 167 yards passing, two interceptions, and two sacks. The Giants were held scoreless in the second half, and outside of the first drive of the third quarter, had only four plays in Tampa Bay territory in the second half.
Week 12: at Indianapolis Colts Leonard Fournette had 17 rushes for 100 yards and three touchdowns, along with one receiving touchdown, as Tampa Bay defeated
Indianapolis by the score of 38–31. The Buccaneers erased a ten-point halftime deficit, scoring 17 points off of turnovers in the second half. Fournette reportedly gave an impassioned
halftime speech in the locker room to help motivate his teammates. The Buccaneers took a 7–3 lead early in the second quarter with a 1-yard touchdown run by
Leonard Fournette, his first of the game. The touchdown drive was set up by a Colts fumble. Indianapolis, however, jumped ahead with a 62-yard bomb from
Carson Wentz to
Ashton Dulin. Three plays later,
Tom Brady's deep pass intended for
Scotty Miller was intercepted by
Isaiah Rodgers at the Indianapolis 10-yard line. Wentz drove the Colts 90 yards in 9 plays, capped off by a 15-yard touchdown pass to
Jack Doyle. The Buccaneers answered with a touchdown catch by Fournette, but the Colts were not done. Inside the two-minute warning, Wentz and the Colts swiftly moved down the field, twice converting on 3rd-and-long. Facing a 4th & 1 at the Tampa Bay 4, head coach
Frank Reich elected to go for it, and
T. Y. Hilton made the catch for a touchdown. The Colts took a 24–14 lead into halftime. The Colts received the ball to start the second half, but the third quarter belonged to the Buccaneers. Driving at the Tampa Bay 20-yard line, Wentz was sacked by
Shaquil Barrett and fumbled. Brady's second deep pass attempt to Scotty Miller was incomplete, but this time drew a
pass interference penalty. Three plays later, Fournette scored his second rushing touchdown. The Colts crossed midfield, and Wentz threw a deep bomb to
Michael Pittman Jr., but this time he was intercepted by
Antoine Winfield Jr. The Buccaneers turned that turnover into points as well. After a key 32-yard reception by
Rob Gronkowski, and a pass interference penalty in the endzone,
Ronald Jones II scored on a 1-yard carry. The Buccaneers defense forced a three-and-out to start the fourth quarter. Tampa Bay received the ball, but also went three-and-out, still clinging to a 28–24 lead.
Bradley Pinion's punt was muffed by
Nyheim Hines, and recovered by
Scotty Miller at the Colts 19-yard line.
Ryan Succop kicked a 25-yard field goal to put Tampa Bay up 31–24 with 10:06 left in regulation. After giving up 17 straight points off of turnovers, the Colts shifted their offensive attack to running back
Jonathan Taylor. Taylor handled eight carries on their next drive, including a 4-yard touchdown run that tied the game at 31–31. With 3:29 left, the Buccaneers drove for the winning touchdown.
Tom Brady completed four passes, and two strong runs by
Leonard Fournette set the Buccaneers up with a 1st & 10 at the Colts 28-yard line with 29 seconds left. Tampa Bay was expected to run the clock down and kick a field goal. Fournette took a handoff, but shockingly broke free and made it to the endzone for a 28-yard touchdown run, his fourth score of the day. Leading 38–31, the Buccaneers almost gave up a touchdown on the ensuing kickoff return.
Isaiah Rodgers ran the ball back 72 yards to the Tampa Bay 32-yard line before
Mike Edwards remarkably chased him down. After a quick incompletion,
Carson Wentz's
Hail Mary pass fell short of the endzone and was intercepted by
Pierre Desir as time expired.
Week 13: at Atlanta Falcons Tampa Bay swept the Atlanta Falcons for the second season in a row, after a 30–17 victory at
Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Chris Godwin set a franchise single-game record with 15 pass receptions, while
Tom Brady threw for 368 yards in 51 attempts and four touchdowns. The Buccaneers defense sacked
Matt Ryan five times, and the Falcons committed five fumbles (1 lost). Despite the Falcons entering the game ranked only 23rd in the league in rushing defense, the Tampa Bay offense came out of the gate with a passing attack. On the opening drive, the Buccaneers drove 75 yards in 13 plays – all passing plays.
Tom Brady capped the drive off with a 3-yard touchdown pass to the previous week's offensive standout,
Leonard Fournette. On their next drive, Brady completed key passes to
Chris Godwin (25 yards), then with
Mike Evans (36 yards), setting up a 3-yard touchdown pass to
Cameron Brate. Brady connected with
Rob Gronkowski for a 27-yard touchdown catch, and a 20–10 lead mid-way through the second quarter. With under five minutes left in the half,
Matt Ryan drove the Falcons across midfield. The drive stalled at the Tampa Bay 42, and
Thomas Morstead's punt pinned the Buccaneers back to their own 7-yard line. With 27 seconds left in the half, Brady from his own endzone, threw a short pass left intended for Leonard Fournette.
Marlon Davidson undercut the route and intercepted the ball, running it three yards to the endzone for a surprising Falcons touchdown. The Buccaneers took a 20–17 lead into halftime. The Falcons got the ball to start the second half. Four plays into the drive, Ryan's pass to
Russell Gage was caught at the Tampa Bay 45, but punched out by
Pierre Desir and the fumble was recovered by
Carlton Davis. The Falcons were subsequently held scoreless in the second half. Brady tacked on a second touchdown pass to Gronkowski – the duo's 90th regular season touchdown – which moved them into second all-time in NFL history. With this victory Tampa Bay recorded a season with a winning record in consecutive years for the first time since they did so in
2007 and
2008.
Week 14: vs. Buffalo Bills Tampa Bay built a 24–3 halftime lead, then survived a furious
Bills comeback to win 33–27 in overtime. Quarterback
Tom Brady threw his 700th
career touchdown pass (combined regular season & postseason), a game-winning, 58-yard catch and run to
Breshad Perriman in overtime. Brady also set the NFL record for most
pass completions (passing
Drew Brees). The Buccaneers improved to 10–3 on the season, and 6–0 at home. It was the Buccaneers 8th consecutive win at
Raymond James Stadium (including
Super Bowl LV). On the first play of the game, an errant snap was fumbled for a 14-yard loss leading to a three-and-out. But Tampa Bay otherwise dominated the first half.
Leonard Fournette's 47-yard touchdown run gave the Buccaneers an early 7–0 lead. The teams traded field goals, then at the Buffalo 13-yard line, Brady dropped back under pressure. He threw up a high pass to
Mike Evans, who made a leaping fingertip grab in the left corner of the endzone for the touchdown. The Bills failed to advance into Tampa Bay territory on their next drive, and punted back to the Buccaneers. Brady connected again to Evans for a lofting, 20-yard catch at the Buffalo 2-yard line. Two plays later, Brady's 1-yard
quarterback sneak put Tampa Bay up 24–3. The Bills had one last chance before halftime, but the drive was snuffed out when
Josh Allen's errant pass was intercepted by a diving
Richard Sherman. The Bills mounted a spirited comeback in the second half.
Josh Allen had a touchdown run and two touchdown passes to trim the score to 27–24. With 3:05 left in the fourth quarter, the Bills got the ball for a potential game-winning or game-tying score. Allen drove the Bills to the Tampa Bay 7-yard line, but the Buccaneers defense kept them out of the endzone. Kicker
Tyler Bass's 25-yard field goal tied the game at 27–27 with 25 seconds remaining in regulation. The Bills had outscored the Buccaneers 24–3 in the second half. In the overtime period, Buffalo won the coin toss and received. The Bills went three-and-out, and were forced to punt.
Matt Haack's 63-yard punt pinned the Buccaneers back at their own 6-yard line. Facing a 3rd & 1 at their own 15-yard line,
Leonard Fournette rushed up the middle for an apparent first down. The play was reviewed and upheld, giving Tampa Bay a first down. A costly pass interference penalty on
Levi Wallace advanced the Buccaneers to the 35-yard line. Two plays later, Brady connected to
Rob Gronkowski for a 14-yard gain to the Tampa Bay 42-yard line. Facing 3rd & 3, Brady hit
Breshad Perriman on a crossing route, and Perriman scurried 58 yards down the right sideline, nearly untouched, for the game-winning touchdown.
Week 15: vs. New Orleans Saints Tampa Bay hosted division
rival New Orleans on
Sunday Night Football. With a win, the Buccaneers would clinch the
NFC South division title (the club's first since
2007). However, the Saints (who were heavy underdogs) shutout the Buccaneers 9–0, sweeping the regular season series for the third year in a row. It was also the first time Brady was shutout in a game since Week 14 of the
2006 season against the
Miami Dolphins. Injuries sent several Buccaneers players to the locker room.
Mike Evans (
strained hamstring),
Chris Godwin (torn
ACL),
Leonard Fournette (
hamstring),
Lavonte David (foot), and
Pat O'Connor (knee) all left the game early.
Breshad Perriman was inactive on the COVID-19 list, while
Antonio Brown and
Mike Edwards were both serving the final game of a three-week suspension due to presenting counterfeit
vaccination cards. Quarterback
Tom Brady was sacked four times, threw an interception, and fumbled away the ball on a quarterback scramble. Neither team reached the end zone, and
Brett Maher's three field goals were the only points of the game. Prior to the game, Saints head coach
Sean Payton tested positive for
COVID-19 and was not permitted to attend. With the loss (their lone home loss of the season), Tampa Bay slipped to 10–4, and failed to secure a playoff berth for at least one additional week. After being picked off by the Saints, Brady yelled at Dennis Allen and then proceeded to destroy the Microsoft Surface Pro tablet in frustration.
Week 16: at Carolina Panthers Tampa Bay clinched the
NFC South division title after a 32–6 victory at
rival Carolina. Going into the game, the Buccaneers starting lineup was depleted by injuries and the COVID-19 list.
Antonio Brown returned to the lineup after recuperating from an ankle injury, then a three-game suspension. Brown led all receivers with ten catches for 101 yards. The Buccaneers won their division for the first time since
2007, and clinched a playoff berth for the second year in a row - the first time going to the playoffs in consecutive seasons since 1999–2002. The Panthers got on the board first, after a 24-yard
Lirim Hajrullahu field goal, and took a 3–0 lead. The game turned quickly, however, in the Buccaneers' favor, with big plays on offense.
Ke'Shawn Vaughn's 55-yard touchdown run in the first quarter gave the Buccaneers a 7–3 lead, and was their longest rush of the season. Later,
Tom Brady found a wide-open
Cyril Grayson for a 62-yard catch down the right sideline. That set up a 4-yard touchdown pass to
Cameron Brate. The Buccaneers took a 19–6 lead into halftime, and shutout the Panthers in the second half.
Ronald Jones II added a touchdown run in the third quarter. The Buccaneers defense tallied seven sacks and one interception. Both
Sam Darnold and
Cam Newton took snaps at quarterback for Carolina.
Week 17: at New York Jets Cyril Grayson's 33-yard touchdown catch from
Tom Brady with 15 seconds left in regulation gave the Buccaneers a 28–24 win over the
Jets. Tampa Bay beat the Jets on the road for the first time in franchise history, improved to 12–4 on the season, and both surpassed their regular season win total from the year prior as well as tied the Super Bowl-winning
2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the most wins in a single season in franchise history with 12. Brady threw for 410 yards and three touchdowns, and the Buccaneers overcame a 14-point deficit, their largest comeback win of the season. Brady and
Zach Wilson (born 22 years apart to the day) set an NFL mark for the largest age gap between starting quarterbacks. The Jets won the opening coin toss and elected to receive. Quarterback
Zach Wilson drove the Jets 72 yards in 6 plays, capped off by a 1-yard direct snap reverse and a
Braxton Berrios touchdown. Tampa Bay answered with a 4-yard touchdown pass to
Mike Evans and a 7–7 tie. Frustration on offense plagued the Buccaneers for most of the rest of the first half. With New York leading 14–10, the Jets punted to Tampa Bay with 1:01 left in the second quarter.
Tom Brady connected with two straight passes to
Rob Gronkowski, advancing to the Jets 46-yard line. Brady's deep pass intended for Mike Evans, however, was intercepted by
Brandin Echols. The Jets tacked on a field goal by
Eddy Piñeiro, and led 17–10 at halftime. Tampa Bay received the second half kickoff, but an
unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on
Ryan Jensen, helped stall the drive.
Ty Johnson's 1-yard touchdown run gave the Jets a 24–10 lead with 6:56 left in the third, their biggest lead of the game. The Buccaneers' next possession started out with another costly penalty, this time
unnecessary roughness on
Ali Marpet. Facing a 3rd & 20 at their own 15, Brady completed to
Cyril Grayson, who stepped just on the mark to make, and got a first down to keep the drive alive.
Breshad Perriman hauled in a 32-yard grab, then
Cameron Brate capped off the drive with a 4-yard touchdown pass on a 4th & Goal. The score was now 24–17 with 29 seconds left in the third quarter. To start the fourth quarter, the Buccaneers defense held the Jets to a three-and-out on their first two drives. The Jets punted from their own endzone, giving the Buccaneers good field position at the New York 47-yard line. Tampa Bay got to the 9-yard line, but Brady's pass attempt went through the hands of
Tyler Johnson near the 1-yard line. The Buccaneers settled for a 27-yard
Ryan Succop field goal, and trimmed the deficit to 24–20 with 7:36 remaining. Zach Wilson drove the Jets down to the Buccaneers 7-yard line. The Jets took over five minutes off the clock, forcing Tampa Bay to use up their timeouts on defense. Facing a 4th & 2 at the Tampa Bay 7, the Jets decided to forego a chip-shot field goal attempt. Wilson attempted a
quarterback keeper, but was stuffed for no gain. The Jets turned the ball over on downs. Tampa Bay took over at their 7-yard line with 2:12 left, and no timeouts. Brady made quick completions to
Tyler Johnson and
Cyril Grayson, moving all the way the Jets 33. Then with 15 seconds left in regulation, Brady found Grayson at the goal line for a 33-yard game-winning touchdown. At the 3:00 mark of the third quarter, wide receiver
Antonio Brown removed his uniform and pads, and left the field. Brown ran down through the endzone, waving to fans, went through the tunnel to the locker room and did not return. Shortly after the game, head coach
Bruce Arians announced Brown was "no longer a Buc". The Buccaneers officially terminated Brown's contract four days after the game, on January 6, 2022.
Week 18: vs. Carolina Panthers Tampa Bay swept division
rival Carolina, and secured the #2 seed in the NFC playoffs, winning their single-season franchise record 13th regular season game. Quarterback
Tom Brady threw for 326 yards and three touchdown passes in the victory. Brady topped 5,000 passing yards on the season, the third time that has been achieved in NFL history, also a single-season franchise record.
Mike Evans caught 6 passes for 89 yards, becoming the first player in NFL history with 1,000+ receiving yards in each of his first eight seasons. Once again, several key Buccaneers starters were out due to injury, some resting in hopes of returning for the playoffs. Tampa Bay got off to a slow start, as Carolina dominated the first quarter. The Panthers opened the game with a nearly 8-minute, 14-play touchdown drive.
Sam Darnold's 2-yard touchdown pass to
Chuba Hubbard gave Carolina an early 7–0 lead. The Buccaneers went three-and-out on their first possession, holding the ball for less than two minutes. Carolina drove to the Tampa Bay 39, but failed on a 4th & 6, turning the ball over on downs to end the first quarter. Tampa Bay got on the board with a 39-yard
Ryan Succop field goal. The drive was kept alive with a 14-yard catch by
Mike Evans on a 4th & 2 at the Carolina 39. On the subsequent drive, Darnold drove the Panthers to the red zone once again. Facing a 4th & 1 at the 2-yard line, Darnold's
quarterback sneak was stuffed for no gain, and the Panthers again turned the ball over on downs. Later in the quarter, inside the two minute warning, Brady swiftly drove the Buccaneers 92 yards in 8 plays. Tampa Bay took a 10–7 lead after Brady's 1-yard touchdown pass to
Le'Veon Bell. The Buccaneers routed the Panthers in the second half.
Ke'Shawn Vaughn scored on a 2-yard touchdown run to open the third quarter, and
Mike Evans had two touchdown catches in the fourth quarter. With Tampa Bay leading 31–17 with 6:38 to go, Sam Darnold's
quarterback scramble saw him fumble the ball away, the game's first turnover. Tampa Bay added a field goal for a 34–17 margin. The Panthers went four-and-out giving the ball right back to the Buccaneers at the 33-yard line. In one play,
Scotty Miller took a reverse, and turned it up field for a 33-yard touchdown run, to stretch the lead to 41–17. On the next play from scrimmage,
Andrew Adams intercepted Darnold, the game's second turnover. Tampa Bay failed to score any additional points, but held on for a 41–17 victory. Minutes after Tampa Bay's game concluded, the Rams lost to the 49ers in overtime, effectively placing the Buccaneers in the #2 seed in the NFC playoff field.
Standings Division Conference ==Postseason==