Tom Brady wins the NFL playoffs.
31st time in his stellar career, first time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
There may be a home game in Florida before the Super Bowl.
Washington - In the end everything was as (almost) always.
After moving into the second round of the playoffs,
NFL superstar Tom Brady
ran
across the football field with helmet in hand, accepted the opponent's congratulations and was cheered for another record.
"Certainly much to improve, but great to have the win," said Brady, as usual, sober after the 31:23 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers against the
Washington Football Team
.
"If you could win 100-0, the end result would be the same."
The Washington Football Team sent substitute Taylor Heinicke into the race because Alex Smith, the actual quarterback, dropped out.
Heinicke was combative and recommended himself for further tasks within the league despite defeat.
NFL: Tampa Bay Buccaneers are favorites - but struggle
The evening was a bit strange though, after all, it was Brady's first success in the playoffs with his new team, the Buccaneers.
They last won a playoff game in January 2003.
And it was the first since leaving the New England Patriots, with whom he had played nine times for the Vince Lombardi Trophy in the
Super Bowl
and won it six times.
For the Patriots around the Stuttgart Jakob Johnson the season is over, for the first time since 2008 they are not represented in the playoffs.
Brady, on the other hand, continues to work on his own legend.
The ESPN sports center immediately calculated on social networks that Brady is now the oldest quarterback at 43 years and 159 days to have thrown a touchdown pass in the playoffs.
There was also no older winner in a playoff game.
Brady now also has playoff successes against 17 different teams, in total he won 31 in the most important part of the season.
Joe Montana, second behind Brady, has 16.
NFL: Are the Buccaneers playing for the Super Bowl at home?
With the 381 yards and two touchdown passes, the most successful quarterback in NFL history also demonstrated that he is still capable of his best.
The season did not go smoothly, but with Chris Godwin, Mike Evans and Antonio Brown as pass points and the apparently better and better coordination, the Buccaneers are definitely good for a surprise - and the Super Bowl on February 7th is at home at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa .
NFL: Seattle surprise - victory for the Bills
The
Buffalo Bills
played first against the
Indianapolis Colts
at their home stadium
.
Quarterback Josh Allen prevailed with his bills against old master Philip Rivers and the Colts with 27:24.
The main topic of conversation was the decisions made by Frank Reich (Colts) in certain situations.
And the game's climax came in the last two minutes, when a fumble was counted as such, although it was clearly not one.
But the Colts could not take advantage of the surprising advantage and were eliminated.
The Bills celebrate their first playoff win in 25 years.
In the other game, the favorite
Seattle Seahawks lost against the Los Angeles Rams
at their home Century Link Field with 20:30.
Star quarterback and Super Bowl winner Russell Wilson didn't have the best day, but was also poorly protected by his offensive line.
The Rams started with substitute playmaker John Wolford, who had to quickly leave the field after a tackle to the head.
But the actual starting quarterback Jared Goff came back into the game and led the Rams into the quarter-finals.
Goff initially paused because he broke the thumb of his throwing hand two weeks ago.
NFL: Quarter-finals will be decided on Sunday (January 11th)
Depending on the outcome of the encounters, the Buccaners will meet either the New Orleans Saints (opponent: Chicago Bears) or the Los Angeles Rams in the second round.
(ank with dpa)
