NFC championship game: Tampa Bay Buccaneers v Green Bay Packers

Buccaneers 31-26 Packers, 1:34, 4^th quarter

The call on Tyler Johnson for a jersey grab was correct, but the officials have not been calling anything this game so it’s a little surprising. Fournette picks up three yards and the Packers have to take a timeout here.

Buccaneers 31-26 Packers, 1:46, 4^th quarter

2^nd & 8, Fournette gets four yards. That’s 3^rd & 4 here at their own 37. The Buccaneers can basically ice the game right here. Brady throws the ball… it’s incomplete but there are flags! The boos at Lambeau make it very clear that it’s against the Packers. It’s pass interference on Green Bay. That’s a 15 yard penalty.

Buccaneers 31-26 Packers, 1:51, 4^th quarter

Green Bay takes a penalty here. Tampa Bay are now on their 31. Fournette runs for two yards and the Packers take their first timeout.

Yeah, this is the first time that all of Twitter has been unified on anything.

Absolutely flabbergasted at it. It basically gives Tampa Bay the chance to play keepaway here.

Buccaneers 31-26 Packers, 1:56, 4^th quarter

Mickens slides as he returns Crosby’s kick. Brady is coming out here with a few seconds before the two-minute warning. He throws to Evans, who gets nine yards to the Tampa Bay 26. We’re at the Two Minute Warning and it’s all about clock management for Tampa Bay.

Field goal (Packers)

Buccaneers 31-26 Packers, 2:09, 4^th quarter

Rodgers throws to Lazard who wasn’t expecting it. 2^nd & goal. Rodgers scrambles and throws to Adams, who can’t complete it. 3^rd & goal. Rodgers aims for Adams, who gets stopped. The Packers don’t go for it here, they settle for a field goal. Crosby’s kick is good, but it’s a five-point game and they would need to get possession again.

Buccaneers 31-23 Packers, 2:28, 4^th quarter

Rodgers finds Adams who is able to pick up 9 yards but can’t stay upright. 3^rd & 1. Rodgers hits a wide-open Adams. It’ 1^st and goal at the Tampa Bay 8!

Buccaneers 31-23 Packers, 3:12, 4^th quarter

Rodgers throws deep to Valdes-Scantling and he makes the catch! That’s a 29 yard gain that will immediately put them on the Tampa Bay 28. On 1^st down, Rodgers throws one deep but incomplete. 2^nd & 10 at the Tampa Bay 28.

Buccaneers 31-23 Packers, 4:33, 4^th quarter

The Packers are still in this, however, but they need a touchdown and a two-point conversion to tie. Williams returns Pinion’s punt to the Green Bay 34, so that’s where this drive will start. Dillon gets the ball first, and he gets nine yards on the first play of the possession.

4:46, 4^th quarter

Jones picks up two yards here. 2^nd & 8. Brady’s next pass… too high. On 3^rd & 8, Brady grounds the ball to avoid a sack. They just want the field goal here and they get it. Succup’s kick is right down the middle, the 46-yarder extends the Tampa Bay lead.

Buccaneers 28-23 Packers, 6:14, 4^th quarter

Jones gets hit for the loss of a yard. On the next play, oh hey there’s Rob Gronkowski. That’s the first time we’ve seen him all day, and he goes off for 29 yards to the Green Bay 30 yard mark. That’s almost enough to make me feel nostalgic.

Buccaneers 28-23 Packers, 7:29, 4^th quarter

My advice to Brady is to throw to his own receivers in this possession. He hands it to Jones who goes up the middle for 3 yards. He throws a much less risky pass on 2^nd down, finding Godwin for 11 yards and a first down.

Buccaneers 28-23 Packers, 8:20, 4^th quarter

Rodgers has Lazard, but he can’t quite complete the pass. Yet another golden opportunity wasted by the Packers, although maybe it’s a credit to the Buccaneers’ defense. Green Bay punts again and after Mickens’s run is cut short, the Buccaneers will be at their own 28.

Buccaneers 28-23 Packers, 9:15, 4^th quarter

The Packers get another chance here, starting at their own 24. On 1^st and 10… Rodgers gets sacked by Barrett again. I feel like we’re stuck in a time loop here. It’s a loss of a yard. 2nd & 11, Rodgers’s throw is incomplete. It’s 3^rd and 11 just like that.

Buccaneers 28-23 Packers, 10:00, 4^th quarter

Pink Floyd’s “Run Like Hell” played during the break, which feels appropriate considering the number of key runs we’ve had this game. Brady hands off to Jones, who picks up 2 yards on 1^st & 10. On 2^nd & 8, Brady finds Brate for a 6-yard gain. Another third down situation for Brady who throws…

AND GETS PICKED BY ALEXANDER AGAIN!

Buccaneers 28-23 Packers, 10:51, 4^th quarter

Mickens takes the Tampa Bay punt to the 38-yard line, where they will start once again. They missed out on a scoring opportunity their last possession but were able to prevent Green Bay from burning them. No harm, no foul.

Buccaneers 28-23 Packers, 11:32, 4^th quarter

Rodgers throws a missile into no man’s land. 2^nd & 10 for Green Bay. He passes to Williams, who is hit after a run of five yards. 3^rd & 5. Tampa Bay desperately needs a stop right here…

And they get it! Shaq Barrett sacks Rodgers! It looks like the interception could have hurt them worse as the Packers punt.

Buccaneers 28-23 Packers, 12:34, 4^th quarter

Christian Kirksey stuffs Fournette for the loss of one. So, it’s 2^nd and 11 here for Tampa Bay. Brady throws deep… and he’s intercepted again! Intended for Evans, it lands in Jaire Alexander’s arms! He takes it to the Green Bay 19. HUGE turn of events.

What a bonkers game!

Buccaneers 28-23 Packers, 13:38, 4^th quarter

Fournette picks up another 5 yards. The Packers try to call a timeout before getting flagged for too many men on the field, but they don’t. That’s a five yard penalty on the play and a first down for Tampa Bay at the 27.

Buccaneers 28-23 Packers, 14:54, 4^th quarter

Brady is going for a knockout here, throwing one super-long to Mike Evans, who can’t quite hold on. 3^rd & 8: can the Packers prevent him from converting? Nope. Tyler Johnson catches a ball nearly before it hits the ground. That’s a 16-yard gain and a first down for Tampa Bay.

Buccaneers 28-23 Packers, end of the 3^rd quarter

Ronald Jones takes it two yards and that’s three quarters gone and, theoretically, one more quarter to go.

Buccaneers 28-23 Packers, :24, 3^rd quarter

Mickens takes Crosby’s kick to the Tampa Bay 45. Not a bad place for their drive to start.

Hey it’s a game still, that’s all you really hope for as a liveblogger. Blowouts are dreadful things to chronicle.

0:24, 3^rd quarter

Tampa Bay stuffs Green Bay. 2^nd & goal. Rodgers throws to nowhere. 3^rd & goal. Settling for a field goal here would be yet another deflating moment given the momentum they had all drive.

Well, they don’t have to worry about that, Rodgers flings an easy pass to Adams for a touchdown. Looking at the score, they decide to try for a two-point conversion. St. Brown catches Rodgers’ pass AND DROPS IT. Oof, that could haunt them. It’s a five point game and Tampa Bay will get the ball again.

Buccaneers 28-17 Packers, 1:39, 3^rd quarter

This time around the Tampa Bay defense has their eye on Williams, stuffing him for a yard. 1^st & 9 at the Tampa Bay 12. He finds Adams who gets hit before the first down, but it’s hit to the head that draws a flag. This is going to be a first down, unnecessary roughness, for half the distance to the goal. It’s 1^st and goal here at the 3-yard line.

Buccaneers 28-17 Packers, 2:59, 3^rd quarter

Mercedes Lewis gets six yards here, that’s 2^nd & 4. The Buccaneers put in some pressure here and Dillon is only to get 3 yards. It’s a key 3^rd & 2 and Rodgers finds a very open Williams for yet another first down. Williams takes off for 11 yards and they’re at the Tampa Bay 13 now.

Buccaneers 28-17 Packers, 5:02, 3^rd quarter

Rodgers goes to Dillon again, that’s a five yard gain. The next throw is to Ronyan and it’s yet another completion. They are just eating territory here, they have a first down at the Tampa Bay 32.

Buccaneers 28-17 Packers, 6:35, 3^rd quarter

Rodgers finds Williams for 2 yards. That takes Green Bay to their 39. Rodgers finds Adams on the next play and he gets 4 yards. Meanwhile, Jordan Whitehead is out for Tampa Bay, a big loss.

Another Rodgers throw, this one to running back A.J. Dillon, and another first-down. They’re in Tampa Bay territory now.

Buccaneers 28-17 Packers, 7:54, 3^rd quarter

Rodgers throws one deep, it’s incomplete to Dominique Dafney. However, there’s a flag on the play. Let’s see how this goes: there is an offsides call on, not surprisingly, Suh. That’s a five yard gain for them and no play.

I am not sure if I’m ready to accept “Tampa Bay: City Of Champions” in my lifetime.

Interception! (Buccaneers)

Buccaneers 28-17 Packers, 8:06, 3^rd quarter

Brady’s next throw… is picked off by Adrian Amos! Man did Green Bay need that! They will start on their own 32.

Buccaneers 28-17 Packers, 8:06, 3^rd quarter

Brady throws incomplete here. Meanwhile, Green Bay lineman Tyler Lancaster is hurt, so we’ll have a brief break here.

Buccaneers 28-17 Packers, 8:46, 3^rd quarter

Fournette picks up five yards on his first carry and nine yards on this next. He’s been having a great game, obviously. The Buccaneers have a first down at their own 38.

Buccaneers 28-17 Packers, 9:28, 3^rd quarter

Mickens recovers Crosby’s kick to the Tampa Bay 24, where the Buccaneers will start their next drive.

Buccaneers 28-10 Packers, 10:22, 3^rd quarter

Rodgers throws deep to the end zone on first down, but there’s nobody there. 2^nd & 10 on the Tampa Bay 24. On the next play, Rodgers scrambles a bit and then nails Lazard for a 16 yard completion. They’re at the 8-yard line now. They can’t squander this opportunity.

Buccaneers 28-10 Packers, 11:06, 3^rd quarter

Rodgers finds Valdes-Scantling again and this time it’s a huge gain: 24 yards. They’re at the Tampa Bay 24. Equanimeous St. Brown, who has my favorite name of any of the players in this game, gets 10 yards to take them to the Tampa Bay 24.

Buccaneers 28-10 Packers, 12:31, 3^rd quarter

Okay, the Packers get another shot here at an opening drive. They start on their own 35. Jamaal Williams picks up six yards on first down and an additional yard on the next. 3^rd & 3, Rodgers finds Adams for ten yards to get them to the Green Bay 42. They know they need a score here, badly.