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    Tom Brady Quiets Twitter Haters, 'Washed' Talk as Bucs Clinch NFC South vs. Panthers

    Scott Polacek@@ScottPolacekFeatured Columnist IVJanuary 1, 2023

    TAMPA, FLORIDA - JANUARY 01: Tom Brady #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers warms up before playing against the Carolina Panthers at Raymond James Stadium on January 01, 2023 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
    Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

    The Tampa Bay Buccaneers could still finish the season with a losing record, but they will host a playoff game.

    Tampa Bay clinched the NFC South title with a 30-24 victory over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium. Tom Brady and Co. bounced back from an early-season loss to their division rival with the comeback and improved to 8-8 on the campaign.

    It seemed as if the Panthers were going to stay alive in the division race with a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter, but Brady and Mike Evans went into takeover mode. The pair connected on two touchdown passes in a seven-minute span to take the lead for good and secure a second straight NFC South crown.

    Brady, who threw for 432 yards and accounted for four scores, hit Evans for three touchdowns in the game and earned plenty of reaction on social media:

    NFL @NFL

    BRADY GOES DEEP TO EVANS. 63-YARD TD.<br><br>📺: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CARvsTB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CARvsTB</a> on FOX<br>📱: Stream on NFL+ <a href="https://t.co/iBHCs5kpjA">https://t.co/iBHCs5kpjA</a> <a href="https://t.co/5dJaGRe75j">pic.twitter.com/5dJaGRe75j</a>

    Bleacher Report @BleacherReport

    BRADY TO EVANS CANNOT BE STOPPED 😱<br><br>(via <a href="https://twitter.com/NFL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NFL</a>)<a href="https://t.co/F53mxs3a82">pic.twitter.com/F53mxs3a82</a>

    Tom Brady Quiets Twitter Haters, 'Washed' Talk as Bucs Clinch NFC South vs. Panthers
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    NFL @NFL

    .<a href="https://twitter.com/TomBrady?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TomBrady</a> to <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeEvans13_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MikeEvans13_</a> today<br><br>- 63-yard TD<br>- 57-yard TD<br>- 30-yard TD <a href="https://t.co/n8bacnNONd">pic.twitter.com/n8bacnNONd</a>

    Jason Page @TheBackPage

    Why I have been telling people for two months that Tom Brady isn't retiring after this year.<br><br>Over 400 yds passing and 3 TD's. He is still better than half the league right now… at the age of 45.<br><br>He'll be playing somewhere in the NFL next season.

    Dylan Silverstein @dsilver17_

    Tom Brady is not washed lol that's confirmed today

    Graphk Raider @GraphkRaider

    ToM BrAdY iS WaShEd <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RaiderNation?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RaiderNation</a> <a href="https://t.co/pOdKZHcQa0">pic.twitter.com/pOdKZHcQa0</a>

    Dov Kleiman @NFL_DovKleiman

    Tom Brady has over 400 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs today.<br><br>He just waited long enough to fool everyone into saying he's washed and then... turns it around. <a href="https://t.co/XlMeTKl0W7">pic.twitter.com/XlMeTKl0W7</a>

    Ryan Clark @Realrclark25

    Oh my God!!! Tom Brady is living on the left side of the Panthers' defense!

    Doug Kyed @DougKyed

    Tom Brady so far: 32/42, 418 yards, three TDs, no INTs<br><br>The kid's still got it.<br><br>Mike Evans has nine catches, 200 yards, three TDs

    Skip Bayless @RealSkipBayless

    Did somebody say Brady has fallen off the cliff? Hit the 45-year-old wall? Lost arm strength? Looked like he threw that one 60 yards in the air right on the button to Mike Evans. NOTHING WRONG WITH BRADY'S ARM STRENGTH OR RELEASE QUICKNESS. He just needs 3 seconds instead of 2.

    ESPN Stats & Info @ESPNStatsInfo

    Tom Brady connects with Mike Evans for a 63-yard TD, cutting the lead to 14-7.<br><br>Evans now has eclipsed 1,000 Rec yds in 9 straight seasons, tied with Tim Brown for the 2nd longest streak in NFL history, only behind Jerry Rice who eclipsed 1,000 Rec yds for 11 straight seasons. <a href="https://t.co/OVa9FJbYJn">pic.twitter.com/OVa9FJbYJn</a>

    Tampa Bay Buccaneers @Buccaneers

    In <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TomBrady?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TomBrady</a> we trust. <a href="https://t.co/HePZFCJaku">pic.twitter.com/HePZFCJaku</a>

    Tampa Bay's offense managed just three points during the Week 7 loss to Carolina in a terrible showing in a season full of them for a unit that entered play 27th in the league in points.

    It seemed to be more of the same this time around when the Bucs lost a fumble, missed a field goal and punted twice while falling behind 14-0 on their first four possessions. Yet Brady launched a deep ball to Evans for a 63-yard touchdown before the offense parlayed a Panthers turnover into a field goal to cut the halftime deficit to 14-10.

    The second half followed a similar script with Tampa Bay stalling on multiple drives and even had a field goal blocked, but the Brady-Evans combination came through again with 57- and 30-yard touchdowns with the game on the line.

    A strip-sack of Sam Darnold in the final minutes fittingly set up a Brady touchdown on a quarterback sneak that provided some breathing room.

    Tampa Bay will finish its regular season with a road game against the Atlanta Falcons but can now turn its attention to the postseason.