Matthew Stafford threw for 366 yards and two touchdowns and Matt Gay’s 30-yard field goal as time expired lifted the Los Angeles Rams to a 30-27 divisional playoff victory over the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Tom Brady rallied the Bucs from a 27-3 second-half deficit with help from three Los Angeles turnovers, tying the game with Leonard Fournette’s 9-yard run on fourth-and-inches with 42 seconds remaining.
Stafford led the Rams downfield after the ensuing kickoff, using completions of 20 and 44 yards to league receiving leader Cooper Kupp to set up Gay’s winning field goal. The Rams advance to next week's NFC championship game against the San Francisco 49ers.
It was one of Tom Brady’s toughest losses after a stunning comeback.
Bloodied and battered by the Los Angeles Rams the 44-year-old seven-time Super Bowl champion rallied the Bucs only to see the defense surrender a big play in the final minute to set up Gay’s field goal.
Tampa was trying to become the NFL’s first repeat champions since Brady led New England to consecutive titles following the 2003-04 seasons.
Have the Rams also ended Brady’s career? Brady is under contract for 2022 but his return isn’t definite.
Brady was non-committal when asked about his future after the game.
"I hadn't put a lot of thought into it," Brady said. "We'll just take it day by day and see where we're at."
