They say you should never count out Touchdown Tom. And you certainly would have seen a lot of people saying that on Sunday as soon as the Washington Football Team gave the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and quarterback Tom Brady the ball back late in the fourth quarter with a chance to win.
Washington is going to give Tom Brady too much time.
— Troy Machir (@TroyMachir) November 14, 2021
Hundreds of people waiting to tweet “they left too much time for Tom Brady” pic.twitter.com/GOsF54IP5V
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) November 14, 2021
Except…they never did.
Up 23-19, WFT spent most of the fourth quarter on a 10 minute, 26-second drive that encompassed 19 plays and 80 yards, culminating in a one-yard touchdown run by Antonio Gibson on fourth down to ice the 29-19 victory.
19 PLAYS. 80 YARDS. OVER TEN MINUTES.
@WashingtonNFL just iced the game with a historic TD drive. #WashingtonFootball #TBvsWAS pic.twitter.com/pgG0qi9P9V
— NFL (@NFL) November 14, 2021
That game-winning drive, orchestrated by quarterback Taylor Heinicke and the WFT coaching staff, was the longest-running drive of the season in the NFL so far. And more importantly, it kept Tom Brady, who has 41 fourth-quarter comebacks to his name, off the field until it no longer mattered.
WFT didn’t just play it safe either. They counted on huge plays like a third-and-five catch by Terry McLaurin, who took an absolute shot while holding onto the football and earning a critical first down.
Wait…how did he… 😲 pic.twitter.com/rja9kOcPpn
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) November 14, 2021
It’s an astounding piece of offense by WFT and Ron Rivera, and NFL fans and media members were in awe of the whole thing.
Jokes aside that was an awesome clock killing drive by WFT. Heinecke made some super smart decisions and tough throws.
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) November 14, 2021
What a touchdown drive by the Washington Football Team to take the 10-point lead.
19 plays, 80 yards and it burned 10:26 off the clock.
The best way to make sure you beat Tom Brady is to make sure Tom Brady does not have the ball.
— Walker Carey (@walkerRcarey) November 14, 2021
Ron Rivera didn't want to give Tom Brady and the Bucs any ideas of a comeback.
Riverboat Ron says, "How you like me now?"
Antonio Gibson runs in, untouched for the touchdown. Ten months after losing to the eventual Super Bowl champs in the Wild Card, Washington will beat TB
— Rhiannon Walker (@InstantRHIplay) November 14, 2021
Definitely counting out Touchdown Tom
— Dave Rappoccio (@DrawPlayDave) November 14, 2021
The WFT offense picked up the slack to make up for the defense’s huge loss of Chase Young earlier in the game to a leg injury. It’s also a huge upset as WFT moves to 3-6 and Tampa falls to 6-3, losing its place in the race for a first-round bye.
The Bucs will get a chance to get back on track next week when they host the New York Giants while Rivera will get a chance to coach against his old team, the Carolina Panthers, and potentially against Cam Newton.
[NFL]
