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.
“There’s something about being an underdog, having your backs against the wall,” Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield said. “Knowing it’s just your team against everybody else when you’re counted out, and it’s always fun to be in that role. Obviously, I’m pretty comfortable in it, but our team has completely embraced that throughout the year.”
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.
“He was sharp. The whole game, he was sharp,” coach Todd Bowles said. “They dropped some balls, but he kept coming back. He was putting the ball in places where only they could get it. He didn’t turn it over. They kept making play after play after play. He did a hell of a job.”
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.
“A little cushion’s always good,” Nelson said. “It was just a great rush by Calijah (Kancey) to flush him out. We were able to capitalize, and to score two plays later, so that really put the icing on the cake for us.”
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.