TAMPA, Fla. — Something had been missing from the Bucs offense this season.
It was the connection between Tom Brady and receiver Mike Evans.
Memo to the rest of the NFL: that lethal passing combination is back, and so are the Bucs in the postseason.
Evans caught 10 passes for 207 yards and three touchdowns, helping the Bucs overcome an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat the Panthers, 30-24, and successfully defend their NFC South championship.
Evans got behind the Panthers defense for touchdown receptions of 63, 57 and 30 yards from Brady, who passed for a season-high 432 yards and ran for a score.
Prior to Sunday, Evans had only three touchdown receptions all season and none since Week 4.
Brady’s final TD strike to Evans capped a 92-yard drive in eight plays and gave the Bucs their first lead with 6:47 remaining in the game.
Carolina got the ball back needing a field goal to tie. But outside linebacker Anthony Nelson sacked Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold, stripping him of the ball, which was recovered by Vita Vea.
On the next play, Leonard Fournette appeared to score on a 6-yard run, but the replay reversed the call and put the ball on the Carolina 1-yard line. It allowed the Bucs to run the clock down to the two-minute warning.
Brady sneaked across for a 1-yard TD. Chants of Bra-dy, Bra-dy, Bra-dy thundered across Raymond James Stadium.
The Panthers added a 49-yard field goal by Eddie Pineiro but rookie Cade Otton recovered the onside kick with 58 seconds remaining.
The Bucs dug a hole for themselves, trailing 14-0 late in the second quarter.
Carolina came out firing to start the game, with Darnold tossing touchdown passes to Tommy Tremble and D.J. Moore.
Tampa Bay never really go untracked on offense. Brady was sacked twice in the first half and receiver Chris Godwin loss a fumble after a 26-yard reception.
It was looking pretty bleak until the Bucs’ most lethal passing combination finally paid off.
Brady connected with Evans on a 63-yard touchdown pass. The play ignited the crowd at Raymond James. It also put Evans over 1,000 yards receiving for the ninth straight season to start his career.
The Bucs got a big break on the next possession when Darnold wasn’t ready for a snap from center Bradley Bozeman and lost a fumble that was recovered by Devin White at the Carolina 13-yard line.
Brady hit Evans for 7 yards on first down and Fournette ran for 2, setting up third and 1. But Brady’s play-action pass to Otton was incomplete and coach Todd Bowles opted not to go for it on fourth down.
Instead, the Bucs went for the easy 22-yard field goal from Ryan Succop, content to trail only 14-10 at halftime.
