Tom Brady

Tom Brady and the Buccaneers hold off Washington, 31-23, to advance in the playoffs

Brady and Antonio Brown connected for a touchdown late in the first quarter.

Antonio Brown and Tom Brady helped the Bucs knock off Washington. Andrew Harnik/AP Photo

By Trevor Hass

5 minutes to read

Tom Brady powered the fifth-seeded Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a 31-23 victory over the fourth-seeded Washington Football Team in the wild-round round on Saturday night, finishing 22-for-40 for 381 yards and two touchdowns and improving to 31-11 all-time in the playoffs.

Washington second-string quarterback Taylor Heinecke – who was filling in for injured starter Alex Smith – racked up over 300 passing yards himself and nearly carried Washington to an upset. The Bucs led, 18-7, at halftime, but the Football Team bounced back with nine unanswered in the third quarter.

Brady and Co. responded, then Washington delivered again, but the Football Team ultimately ran out of magic.

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It wasn’t easy, yet the Bucs found a way to advance. If New Orleans wins, Tampa Bay will face the second-seeded Saints on the road. If the Bears upset the Saints, the Bucs will host the sixth-seeded Rams.

Here’s a look back at how the game unfolded.

Fourth quarter

11:38 p.m.

Heinecke completed a 16-yard pass to Terry McLaurin and a 10-yard strike to Cam Sims to launch Washington past midfield. A pivotal sack from Lavonta David set the Football Team back, and Heinecke’s desperation heave on fourth and 21 was unsuccessful. Brady and the Bucs ran out the clock and survived a scare.

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11:24 p.m. Payne sacked Brady for a loss of nine on second down. The Bucs came up just short on third and long, and Succop snuck a 37-yard field goal through the uprights. Tampa Bay is up 31-23, with 2:49 to go. It’s Heinecke’s move.

11:14 p.m. Heinecke threw a beautiful ball to Steven Sims Jr., and Sims got both feet down for a tremendous 11-yard TD grab. The extra point was good, and WFT trimmed Tampa Bay’s lead to 28-23. There’s 4:51 left in the game, and the ball is back in Brady’s hands.

11:01 p.m. Brady and Evans connected on passes of 20 and 19 yards. Brate nearly scored a TD, but the referees correctly determined that he dropped the ball. It didn’t matter, as Leonard Fournette delivered from 3 yards out on the next play. The extra point was good, and the Buccaneers extended their lead to 28-16 with 9:11 left. Heinecke came back onto the field and returned to action with tape near his shoulder.

10:54 p.m. Heinecke went back to the locker room. He’s questionable to return with a shoulder injury. Steven Montez is Washington’s backup.

10:46 p.m. What started out as a promising drive ended up as another field goal try for Tampa Bay. Succop’s 38-yarder was true, and the Bucs extended their advantage to 21-16 with 13:32 remaining. As play-by-play broadcaster Mike Tirico pointed out, the Buccaneers took an unusual path to 21 points. After scoring 18 points in the first half, this was their first second-half score.

Third quarter

10:41 p.m.

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Brady connected with Brate – who’s up to four catches for 80 yards on the night – and Evans for key first downs late in the third. The Bucs are into Washington territory, and they lead, 18-16, through three.

10:34 p.m. Following a punt from each team, the Bucs turned the ball over as Ke’Shawn Vaughn – who only had 26 carries this season and is helping to fill in for an injured Ronald Jones – coughed it up. Daron Payne got a hand on it, Jon Bostic recovered it, and WFT took over at its own 39. Heinecke engineered yet another stellar drive, and on third and 5, he avoided a sack and scrambled for an 8-yard TD run. Washington came up short on the 2-point try. Tampa Bay is clinging to an 18-16 lead with 2:14 to go in the third, but all the momentum is with Washington.

10:06 p.m. Heinecke orchestrated another solid drive, then he got lucky when Jordan Whitehead missed what appeared to be an easy interception on third down. Washington sliced the deficit to 18-10 on a 36-yard field goal from Hopkins just over three minutes into the half. It’s Tampa Bay 18, Washington 10, with 11:50 left in the third.

Second quarter

9:47 p.m. Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians believed his team had recovered a fumble with 1:43 to go, but it was ruled Washington ball. Nothing materialized on the drive, and Washington had to punt again. Brady and Brown connected for another first down, but Montez Sweat sacked Brady on third down with 49 seconds left. Washington didn’t make much progress, either, and Tampa Bay took an 18-7 edge into halftime. Brady finished the half 12 of 23 for 209 yards and two TDs.

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9:33 p.m. After a Washington punt, the Buccaneers marched downfield but only came away with three points on a 23-yard field goal from Succop. Harvard product Cameron Brate had completions of 19 and 24 yards on the drive. Rob Gronkowski almost scored a touchdown, but he couldn’t get his feet down in time. Tampa Bay is up 18-7 late in the half.

9:10 p.m. Tampa Bay answered right back, as Brady found Godwin for a 27-yard TD strike. The coverage was decent, but Brady placed the ball exactly where it had to be. Brady is 8 for 14 for 131 yards and two touchdowns to this point. The 2-point try failed, so Tampa’s advantage is 15-7 five minutes into the second quarter.

9:02 p.m. J.D. McKissic capped a strong Washington drive with a 2-yard TD plunge on third and goal just over two minutes into the second quarter. Dustin Hopkins nearly missed the extra point but was able to convert. Tampa Bay leads, 9-7, however the Football Team is very much within striking distance.

1st quarter

8:56 p.m.

Tampa Bay built a 9-0 lead through one quarter. Washington started the second quarter with the ball at the Bucs’ 19.

8:48 p.m. Tampa Bay capitalized on the turnover, as Brady and Antonio Brown connected on a 36-yard touchdown. Brady lofted the ball high in the air to a wide-open Brown, and Brown waltzed into the end zone. The extra point was blocked, so Tampa Bay’s lead stayed at 9-0 with 2:51 remaining in the quarter.

8:41 p.m. After punts from both teams, and a 28-yard completion from Heinecke to Cam Sims, Tampa Bay cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting intercepted Heinecke at the Bucs’ 42-yard-line. The ball was thrown low, and Murphy-Bunting managed to corral it before it hit the ground. Tampa Bay still leads, 3-0, with 4:57 left in the quarter.

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8:22 p.m. Brady led the Bucs into the red zone, completing a 15-yard pass to Mike Evans and a 17-yarder to Chris Godwin. Tampa Bay settled for a 29-yard field goal from Ryan Succup and took a 3-0 lead with 11:49 left in the first quarter.

Pre-game updates

6:45 p.m.

LeSean McCoy is among the players who are inactive for the Buccaneers.

10:27 a.m. Brady posted a hype video.

Related links:

Drew Bledsoe on Tom Brady: ‘There’s no question there’s motivation there for him to win one without Belichick’

Chris Evans won $80,000 for a local charity with a fantasy football win led by Tom Brady

How experts view Tom Brady and the Buccaneers’ chances against Washington and beyond

5 storylines to follow as Tom Brady pursues another Super Bowl ring

‘He hasn’t really changed’: Tom Brady is ready to lead Bucs into the playoffs

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Trevor Hass

Trevor Hass is a sports producer for Boston.com, where he writes and edits stories about Boston's professional teams, among other tasks.

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