Bucs eliminate Eagles in 32-9 rout, advance to face Lions in divisional round

Greg Auman

NFC South Reporter

TAMPA, Fla. – The Bucs’ late-season resurrection has extended into the playoffs.

Baker Mayfield threw for three touchdowns and the Bucs defense stifled Jalen Hurts, with Tampa Bay eliminating the defending NFC champs with a 32-9 win at Raymond James Stadium. Once 4-7, the Bucs are now one of eight NFL teams still alive. They advance to play at the third-seeded Lions on Sunday in the divisional round.

Mayfield finished with the first 300-yard, three-touchdown passing game in Bucs playoff history. His 337 passing yards rank as the third-most ever in a Bucs playoff game, behind two by Tom Brady.

Philadelphia lost five of six to finish the regular season and trailed the Bucs 16-3, allowing scores on Tampa Bay’s first four drives. They had the ball down seven late in the third quarter, but the Bucs pulled away with nine points in a span of three plays late in the third quarter.

On a third-down play from the Eagles‘ 14-yard line, the Bucs defense pressured Hurts back into the end zone. As Anthony Nelson brought him down for what would have been a sack, he tossed the ball away, resulting in an intentional grounding penalty and a safety for an 18-9 lead.

Two plays later, Mayfield threw a short screen to rookie receiver Trey Palmer, and after Eagles cornerback James Bradberry missed a tackle, Palmer sped off for a 56-yard touchdown and a 25-9 lead with 1:19 left in the third quarter.

The Bucs, dominated by the Eagles in a 25-11 loss in Week 3, came out strong, scoring on their first four drives for a 16-3 lead. Three times, they had drives stall and settled for Chase McLaughlin field goals, from 28, 54 and 48 yards. The lone touchdown of the half saw backup receiver David Moore weave through the Eagles defense for a 44-yard score.

Mayfield threw for 174 yards in the first half, but it could have been much more, with a half-dozen catchable passes going off the hands of his targets, including a well-placed deep ball to Evans.

Philadelphia’s offense, held in check early, woke up a bit in the second quarter, first with a Jake Elliott field goal, then a 55-yard pass to DeVonta Smith that set up a 5-yard touchdown from Jalen Hurts to tight end Dallas Goedert. The Eagles kicked the extra point, but the Bucs were offsides, and Philadelphia took the point off the scoreboard to go for 2 from the 1-yard line, only to have their famous “Tush Push” Hurts keeper stopped at the goal line to keep the Bucs’ lead at 16-9.

The Eagles took points off the scoreboard again in the fourth quarter — down 16 and facing a fourth-and-10, they lined up for a field goal and made the kick — but the Bucs were flagged for being offsides. Going for it on fourth-and-5, Hurts’ pass was broken up in the end zone by Bucs corner Carlton Davis, keeping it a 16-point lead.

The two teams arrived at Monday’s game from wildly opposite directions — the Eagles won five of their last six to go from 4-7 to division champs, while the Eagles lost five of their last six to hit the road as a wild card. Philadelphia’s defense gave up 30 points per game in those six games, while the Bucs had the league’s No. 2 scoring defense in the same six weeks, giving up 16 points per game.

On a night in which the Eagles tried to limit Bucs receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay’s secondary targets stepped up, with tight end Cade Otton getting season highs with seven catches for 84 yards, Moore getting 66 yards and Palmer 56. Mayfield was 10-for-15 for 206 yards and two touchdowns just on passes to those three players.

Just as the Bucs avenged a lopsided regular-season loss against the Eagles on Monday, they’ll get a chance to do so again when they face the Lions, who beat them 20-6 in Week 6. Detroit just got its first playoff win in 22 years, beating the Rams on Sunday.

Greg Auman is FOX Sports’ NFC South reporter, covering the Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers and Saints. He is in his 10th season covering the Bucs and the NFL full-time, having spent time at the Tampa Bay Times and The Athletic. You can follow him on Twitter at @gregauman.