Tom Brady, Buccaneers Beat Drew Brees, Saints to Advance to NFC Championship

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers set their sights on a Super Bowl title from the moment they signed Tom Brady. Now they're one game closer to achieving that aim after beating the New Orleans Saints 30-20 in the NFC divisional round.

Tampa Bay is competing in the conference championship for the fourth time in franchise history.

The Saints got the better of the Bucs in both of their regular-season meetings but couldn't make it three in a row.

For obvious reasons, this was billed as a battle between two legendary quarterbacks, Brady and Drew Brees. Neither quarterback excelled, and Brees in particular struggled. His three interceptions were costly and helped swing the outcome in Tampa Bay's favor.

Notable Performers

Tom Brady, QB, Buccaneers: 18-of-33, 199 yards, two touchdowns

Leonard Fournette, RB, Buccaneers: 17 carries, 63 yards; five receptions, 44 yards, one touchdown

Devin White, LB, Buccaneers: 11 tackles, one tackle for loss, one fumble recovery, one interception

Drew Brees, QB, Saints: 19-of-34, 134 yards, one touchdown, three interceptions

Alvin Kamara, RB, Saints: 18 carries, 85 yards; three receptions, 20 yards

Bucs Turn Defense into Offense

On a night when neither offense was firing on all cylinders, starting with a short field was critical. A trio of turnovers helped the Bucs do just that. Tampa Bay's three touchdown drives totaled 63 combined yards.

Sean Murphy-Bunting set his team up at the 3-yard line with an interception in the first quarter. In the third, Antoine Winfield Jr. forced a fumble that was recovered by Devin White, who got the ball down to New Orleans' 40-yard line.

White's interception in the fourth quarter effectively sealed the victory. Prior to the pick, Tampa Bay's lead felt bigger than the three points that separated it from New Orleans. The offense tacked on another seven points on a one-yard touchdown run by Brady.

The Buccaneers have a win over the Green Bay Packers this season, taking them down 38-10 in Week 6. In that game, a pair of interceptions by Aaron Rodgers became 14 points for the Bucs as Green Bay fell behind and didn't come back.

Tampa Bay might be in trouble if the NFC title game becomes a shootout in which 30-plus points are required to win. The earlier meeting with the Packers and Sunday's performance represent the blueprint head coach Bruce Arians will want to replicate next week.

Brees Potentially Closes Curtain on Career

Prior to the game, Fox Sports' Jay Glazer dropped a bombshell when he reported Brees intends to retire when the Saints' season ends. This was in all likelihood Brees' last game inside Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

An exit in the divisional round is a disappointing conclusion to a Hall of Fame career, and this was far from a sterling performance from Brees. According to Pro Football Reference, his 3.9 yards per attempt were his lowest ever in a playoff game.

He showed flashes of his trademark accuracy, such as this 16-yard touchdown throw to Tre'Quan Smith.

That was an outlier, as New Orleans featured little to no threat down the field. Brees' inability to throw the ball beyond the chains had some wondering whether the Saints would've been better off in someone else's hands.

The offense's one big play came courtesy of Jameis Winston and some creative play-calling. Winston got the ball on a reverse from Emmanuel Sanders and found Smith wide open in the middle of the field.

Perhaps this defeat will leave such a bitter taste in Brees' mouth that he decides to wait one more year before hanging up the cleats. His contract runs through the 2021 season.

As much as he has meant for the Saints over the years, his retirement might be a blessing in disguise, however, because it's hard to see how they can contend for a Super Bowl with him under center on the basis of Sunday. 

What's Next?

The top-seeded Packers will host the Buccaneers at Lambeau Field next Sunday. The game is scheduled to start at 3:05 p.m. ET.