Established 1961 Sport

MONDAY, JANUARY 11, 2021 Buccaneers, Bills end NFL playoff droughts, Rams down Seahawks

LOS ANGELES: Six-time Super Bowl scoring run while starting in place of champ padded his postseason injured . resume as both the Tampa Bay In Buffalo, Allen finished with 324 Buccaneers and the Buffalo Bills snapped yards from 26 of 35 attempts to send the long playoff win droughts with a pair of Bills into next week’s AFC divisional NFL wild-card victories on Saturday. round while the Colts were left ruing a Brady completed 22 of 40 passes for decision not to kick an easy first-half 381 yards and two as the field goal that ultimately proved the dif- Buccaneers won their first playoff contest ference. It was the second-seeded Bills’ in 18 years with a 31-23 victory over first win in the postseason since Washington. The Bills’ threw December 1995, ending a run of five for two touchdowns and rushed for straight playoff losses. another as the Bills bagged their first The Colts, meanwhile, rallied from a playoff victory in a quarter-century with 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter to a nail-biting 27-24 wild-card defeat of come within a field goal of tying the game the Indianapolis Colts. with two minutes remaining, only to come “If you could win 100-0, it’s going to up agonizingly short. The Colts had one be the same result in the end,” Brady said. last chance to mount a game-winning “It’s good to win and advance.” Brady drive, but the game ended when a desper- showed why the fifth-seeded Buccaneers ate Hail Mary attempt from brought him to Tampa as he got his new was batted away by Bills team to the playoffs for the first time since safety Micah Hyde. 2007 and their first win since the 2002 “It doesn’t matter how it looks, it’s the season Super Bowl. playoffs, it’s win or go home,” a relieved Brady, whose nine Super Bowl starts Allen said afterwards. Veteran Colts quar- LANDOVER: Quarterback Tom Brady #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers passes during the game against the Washington Football Team are the most by any player in history, terback Rivers, who turned 39 last month, at FedExField on Saturday in Landover, Maryland. — AFP earned his NFL all-time leading 31st was uncertain over whether he would playoff victory. “He is a fighter. He plays extend his career into an 18th season. hard and studies hard and he is the man “If it’s God’s will that I’m in Indy with bruising battle between the two NFC pass for Metcalf for a 42-yard pick six from a D.J. Reed punt return to give the for the job,” said Buccaneers back the Colts next year, then I’ll be here,” said West rivals. Defenses dominated and a 13-3 lead. Rams possession at the Seattle 36-yard , who had 19 carries Rivers, who made 27-of-46 for 309 yards throughout, with the Rams stifling the The Seahawks responded immediately line. On the following drive, Goff picked for 93 yards. and two touchdowns. “If not, I’ll be on the threat of Seahawks quarterback Russell when Wilson hit Metcalf for a 51-yard out a wide-open Robert Woods for a 15- Fournette added 39 receiving yards sideline with a ballcap on my head, Wilson and receiver DK Metcalf. but the Rams restored their yard score with the extra-point making it and a three-yard touchdown run. “It has coaching football.” The Bills’ victory was The Seahawks defense was similarly 10-point cushion with a touchdown from 30-13. been trying times for me this season. I one of three games on Saturday in an aggressive, and knocked Rams quarter- running back that made it 20- The Seahawks made it a 10-point got cut and now I am back in the play- expanded wild card round. back — chosen to start 10 at half-time. The Seahawks were game when Wilson picked out Metcalf offs,” Fournette said. Washington’s emer- ahead of — out of the game always chasing the game from that point with 2min 28sec remaining. But it was too gency quarterback Taylor Heinicke per- Rams defense downs Seahawks with a brutal hit by early in as Wilson was bottled up by the rampant little too late, and the Rams defense formed admirably in his first career play- In the day’s second game, the Los the first quarter. The Rams defense engi- Rams defense. effectively sealed victory by sacking off start. He threw for 306 yards with a Angeles Rams powered to a 30-20 road neered the game’s opening touchdown, The knockout blow came in the fourth Wilson for the fifth time on the touchdown and added an eight-yard victory over the in a picking off Wilson’s quarter, Samson Ebukam forcing a Seahawks’ final possession. — AFP