NEW ORLEANS – Tom Brady’s best game in three tries against the New Orleans Saints kept the first-year Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback and his teammates moving on in the NFL playoffs.
It also sent Drew Brees home – perhaps for good.
Brady and the Bucs’ offense turned three Saints turnovers, including two interceptions of Brees, into touchdowns as Tampa Bay beat New Orleans 30-20 Sunday night in the divisional round of the NFC playoffs.
Two of those touchdowns came on short passes to Mike Evans and Leonard Fournette. And after Brees was intercepted by linebacker Devin White in the middle of the fourth quarter, Brady drove the Bucs (13-5) to the 1, from where he scored himself to all but ensure his 14th trip to a conference championship game – his first in the NFC.
That game will take place next Sunday at Green Bay, where the 43-year-old Brady will try to advance to his 10th Super Bowl in a showdown with All-Pro quarterback Aaron Rodgers of the Packers.