The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be heading into the playoffs yet again after winning the NFC South, but they face a tough clash against Dallas Cowboys on Wildcard Weekend.
Tom Brady managed to lead the Buccaneers into the playoffs despite posting a negative record, the first time the veteran quarterback has even done so in the regular season. The Buccaneers were the best of a bad bunch in the division, although they won't care as ultimately they achieved their season goal.
Despite being marked as the no.4 seed, they'll face a dominant Cowboys side that finished the season with a record of 12-5. But it's Brady and his Buccaneers that already hold an advantage, as Dallas have never got the better of the seven-time Super Bowl winner.
Even with Brady at quarterback, very few fans are expecting the Buccaneers to push for another Super Bowl this season. But history does favour Brady against the Cowboys, as stats back him to at least win the first playoff clash.
Brady is 7-0 against the Cowboys in his NFL career, something that will be worrying owner Jerry Jones. But if this season is anything to go by, then it could be yet another record that Brady surrenders.
The Buccaneers quarterback has already posted a negative record for the first time in his 23-year NFL career, and he also saw his impressive 218-game streak come to an end earlier in the season. Despite making his debut in 2000, Brady had never lost an NFL game when heading into the last two minutes when leading by at least seven points.
But that streak came to an end in November as Daniel Njoku made a brilliant catch to score a late touchdown and send the game to overtime. And in additional time Nick Chubb snatched victory away from the Buccaneers, who went into the game as huge favourites.
It ended a streak of 218 games where Brady had kept his record intact, and it wasn't a feeling that he was used to. Brady is known for this prolific late drives that have won NFL games and even Super Bowl titles throughout his exceptional career, but he's not used to being on the receiving end of late drama.
Brady has the chance to make a statement in the playoffs, and beating the Cowboys would be a brilliant start. And with Brady, anything is possible, even if no one gave the Buccaneers a chance heading into the post-season.
