TAMPA — There was a time when Sunday’s Bucs vs. Bills game was circled as a possible Super Bowl preview.
What looked like domination became an abomination Sunday.
The Bucs blew a 24-3 lead in the second half as the Bills and quarterback Josh Allen came alive to mount a comeback.
Allen ran for one touchdown and passed for two more scores in the second half. His 4-yard touchdown to former UCF star Gabriel Davis cut the Bucs’ lead to a field goal with 4:53 remaining in the game.
Then the Bills marched 70 yards on 14 plays, with Tyler Bass connecting on a 25-yard field goal to tie the score at 27, forcing overtime.
But receiver Breshad Perriman caught a 58-yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady for a touchdown with 5:31 remaining in the extra period to give the Bucs a 33-27 victory.
It was Perriman’s only catch of the game and improved the Bucs to 10-3. Allen finished with 109 yards rushing and 308 passing.
The Bucs hadn’t lost at home in more than a year, but Sunday tested that streak. Tampa Bay can clinch the NFC South for the first time since 2007 with a win next Sunday night against the Saints at Raymond James Stadium.
The Bills entered the game as the league’s No. 1 defense, allowing 272 yards per game. The Bucs shredded them for 303 total yards in the first half alone. Brady, who set the league’s all-time completions record and reached 700 career touchdowns in the game, went 19-of-26 for 216 yards with one touchdown pass to Mike Evans and another touchdown rushing in the first two quarters.
The Bucs got on the board thanks to Leonard Fournette’s 47-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.
Throws by Brady to Mike Evans demonstrated the precision and timing that has made this Bucs offense the best in the NFL.
On third and 5 from the Bills’ 13-yard line, Brady lofted a pass under pressure that looped inches over the outstretched hand of Bills safety Micah Hyde and Evans leaped to make a fingertip catch in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown.
Then facing third and 4 at the Buffalo 22-yard line, Brady saw a free rusher in his face and unloaded a pass toward Evans before he could get his head around. Evans beat cornerback Taron Johnson on the play and tracked the football perfectly, getting both feet down in bounds for a 20-yard gain.
Two plays later, Brady scored on a 1-yard quarterback sneak for a 24-3 halftime lead.
In fact, Brady used his legs more than usual in the first half Sunday. He rushed six times for 17 yards. Three of those carries resulted in a first down and one was the touchdown.
It was the fifth time this season at Raymond James Stadium the Bucs built at least a 20-point lead.
