Taylor Heinicke passed for one score and Antonio Gibson ran for two touchdowns as the Washington Football Team upset the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers 29-19 Sunday in a rematch of last season's NFC wild-card game.
After Tampa Bay (6-3) pulled to 23-19 with 10:55 remaining, Heinicke led Washington (3-6) on its longest drive of the season -- 80 yards in 19 plays over 10:26 -- before Gibson scored from 1 yard out.
Heinicke, who nearly led Washington to the upset before losing to Tampa Bay 31-23 in the wild-card matchup last season, completed the task on Sunday. He completed 26 of 32 passes for 256 yards, with no interceptions.
Buccaneers QB Tom Brady was 23-of-34 for 220 yards and two touchdowns, with two first-quarter interceptions.
Joey Slye kicked three field goals in his Washington debut.
Washington defensive end Chase Young left the game in the second quarter with a knee injury.
Tampa Bay was without tight end Rob Gronkowski (rib injury) and wide receiver Antonio Brown (ankle).
Trailing by 10 points at halftime, the Buccaneers had a short field following a punt and went 43 yards on four consecutive Brady passes, the last one for 6 yards and a touchdown to Cameron Brate, cutting the Washington lead to 16-13 with 8:46 left in the third quarter.
Washington answered, driving 71 yards in eight plays, with Gibson bullying his way in from 1 yard out.
Dax Milne's fumble set the Buccaneers up at the Washington 47, and three plays later Brady found Mike Evans alone down the left sideline for a 40-yard touchdown. Ryan Succop missed the extra point, however, and Tampa Bay trailed 23-19 with 10:55 left before Gibson's 1-yard TD run with 29 seconds left sealed it.
Brady threw two interceptions in the first quarter for the first time since Week 16 in 2012.
Washington settled for a field goal and a 6-0 lead after the first pick, but cashed in the second time. Starting on the Tampa Bay 46, Washington drove to the 20 where, on third-and-6, Heinicke threw a perfect pass to DeAndre Carter in the end zone.
The Buccaneers sandwiched two field goals around another one by Slye and trailed 16-6 at halftime.
Washington scored on all four of its first-half possessions.
--Field Level Media
Tampa Bay | Washington | |
Leonard Fournette | Player | Antonio Gibson |
11 | Attempts | 24 |
47 | Yards | 64 |
4.3 | Avg Yards | 2.7 |
0 | Touchdowns | 2 |
8 | Long | 15 |
Tampa Bay | Washington | |
Mike Evans | Player | Terry McLaurin |
2 | Receptions | 6 |
62 | Yards | 59 |
31.0 | Avg Yards | 9.8 |
1 | Touchdowns | 0 |
40 | Long | 21 |
Yards | Scoring | Defense | ||||||
Team | Tot | Rus | Pas | TD | FG | INT | Sck | FF |
Tampa Bay | 273 | 53 | 220 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5.0 | 1 |
Washington | 320 | 94 | 226 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0.0 | 0 |