Buccaneers Blow Out Lions 47-7
Tom Brady threw four touchdown passes in the only half he needed to play and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers went on to rout the Detroit Lions 47-7 Saturday, sealing a spot in the playoffs for the first time since 2007.
The Bucs set a franchise record with 588 yards and snapped the NFL's second-longest postseason drought behind Cleveland's 18-year run that can end Sunday.
Tampa Bay rested Brady while they were ahead 34-0, Tampa's largest halftime lead in franchise history. Blaine Gabbert threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Rob Gronkowski on his first snap, one play after Detroit running back D'Andre Swift fumbled, and a 22-yard pass to Mike Evans later in the third quarter.
Brady was 22 of 27 for 348 yards with a mix of passes deep down the field and darts in traffic. The six-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback threw touchdown passes to Gronkowski, Evans, Chris Godwin, who made a one-handed catch, and Antonio Brown from 33, 27, 7 and 12 yards.
The 43-year-old Brady, who split time with Drew Henson in college at Michigan, started his 298th game to tie Brett Favre's record for an NFL quarterback and played in his 300th game.
The Lions were without interim coach Darrell Bevell because of of COVID-19 contact tracing and Matthew Stafford went out with an ankle injury.