Tom Brady takes Buccaneers to NFC championship game with win over turnover-prone Saints

The Bucs tied the game at 13 on a 37-yard field goal by Ryan Succop as time expired in the first half. They nearly had the lead on a 29-yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady to wide receiver Chris Godwin. Brady took a deep shot down the middle of the field. Godwin grabbed the football and got two feet in bounds, then lost the ball as he tumbled to the ground behind the end zone. The on-field officials called the play an incompletion and that ruling was upheld, seemingly correctly, by an instant replay review. (Bucs 13, Saints 13 at halftime)

Tom Brady had an interception thrown to Saints safety Marcus Williams nullified by an instant replay review. Williams grabbed the pass along the sideline for what was ruled an interception by the on-field officials. But that ruling was overturned via a replay review that showed Williams managed to get only one foot in bounds. The play became a third-down incompletion and the Bucs punted. (Saints 13, Bucs 10, 6:39 left in the second quarter)

Enter Jameis Winton into the duel of quarterbacking legends Tom Brady and Drew Brees. The Saints dialed up a trick play and it worked to perfection, with Winston throwing a 56-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Tre’Quan Smith. Winston, the former Buccaneers starter, replaced Brees on the field and lined up at wide receiver. Tailback Alvin Kamara was in the backfield and took a direct snap. Kamara handed the ball to wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders on an end-around. He flipped the ball to Winston, who collected himself and made an on-target throw to Smith, who was wide open deep in the middle of the field. Smith made the catch and coasted to the end zone.

Winston may have been elevated in the Saints’ gadget-play hierarchy with all-purpose standout Taysom Hill on the game-day inactive list because of a knee injury. The officials threw a flag on the play but announced there was no penalty against the Saints for an illegal formation. (Saints 13, Bucs 10, 8:08 left in the second quarter)

The Buccaneers have the lead in New Orleans after a three-yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady to wide receiver Mike Evans, set up by cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting’s interception of a Drew Brees throw.

Murphy-Bunting cut in front of Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas on a short pattern, grabbed Brees’s pass and raced 36 yards down the sideline before being knocked out of bounds at the New Orleans 3-yard line. Brady zipped his touchdown pass to Evans on the next play. (Bucs 10, Saints 6, 11:16 left in the second quarter)

The Buccaneers are on the board, cutting the Saints’ lead in half with a 26-yard field goal by Ryan Succop. Coach Bruce Arians opted against a fourth-and-one try from the New Orleans 8-yard line. Earlier on the 15-play drive, Arians gambled and the Buccaneers converted on fourth and inches from their own 34-yard line on a quarterback sneak by Tom Brady. Brady had an 11-yard completion to wide receiver Chris Godwin for a first down on a third-and-five throw. He also teamed with tight end Cameron Brate for a 16-yard gain. (Saints 6, Bucs 3, 12:57 left in the second quarter)