Tom Brady rallies Bucs in return to New England

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Ryan Succop kicked four field goals, including a 48-yarder with 1:57 left, as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers recorded a 19-17 victory over the New England Patriots on Sunday night in Tom Brady’s return to Foxborough, Mass.

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Brady completed 22 of 43 passes for 269 yards and became the NFL’s all-time passing-yardage leader during his highly anticipated homecoming. He passed Drew Brees (80,358) and finished the game with 80,560 yards.

Nick Folk had a chance to put New England ahead, but his 56-yard field goal clanked off the left upright with 55 seconds remaining.

Rookie Mac Jones was 31-of-40 passing for 275 yards, two touchdowns and one interception for New England (1-3). Jones completed 19 consecutive passes at one point and tossed scoring passes to Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith.

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Ronald Jones II rushed for a touchdown for Tampa Bay (3-1), which outgained New England 380 to 294.

Brady won six Super Bowls in 20 seasons with the Patriots before leaving for the Buccaneers prior to last season and then winning his seventh Super Bowl crown.

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Brady moved ahead of Brees by one yard when he completed a 28-yard pass to Mike Evans with just over six minutes left in the first quarter.

Tampa Bay played without another former Patriots star in tight end Rob Gronkowski (ribs).

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick reacts to a call during the second half against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Gillette Stadium Oct. 3, 2021. Photo by Brian Fluharty /USA TODAY Sports

The Buccaneers took a 13-7 lead when Ronald Jones scored on an 8-yard run with 3:29 left in the third quarter.

Mac Jones responded by guiding a seven-play, 77-yard drive, capping it with a 1-yard scoring pass to Smith on the first play of the fourth quarter to put New England back ahead.

Brady then engineered a 15-play, 68-yard drive that took 6:59 but stalled inside the New England 10-yard line. Succop entered to kick a 27-yard field goal to give Tampa Bay a 16-14 edge with 7:58 remaining.

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New England inched back ahead on its next possession. A trick play in which former high school quarterback Jakobi Myers completed a 30-yard pass to Nelson Agholor to the Buccaneers’ 9 set up Folk’s 27-yard field goal with 4:34 to play.

Brady guided the Buccaneers to a 29-yard field goal by Succop on his first possession. Tampa Bay didn’t score again until Succop booted a 44-yard field goal with 13 seconds left in the first half to cut Tampa Bay’s deficit to 7-6.

The Patriots scored on Mac Jones’ 11-yard scoring pass to Henry with 8:28 left in the half.

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