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Bucs to face Eagles in NFC Playoffs after winning the NFC South with a win over the Panthers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) gets hit by Carolina Panthers middle linebacker Jermaine Carter (4) after a catch during the first half on Jan. 9, 2022, in Tampa.
Mark LoMoglio
/
AP
Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) gets hit by Carolina Panthers middle linebacker Jermaine Carter (4) after a catch during the first half on Jan. 9, 2022, in Tampa.

The Tampa Bay Bucs earned the No. 2 seed in the NFC and will face the Philadelphia Eagles in the first round of the NFL Playoffs.

Tom Brady topped 5,000 yards passing for the second time in his career and the Bucs set a franchise record for regular-season victories with a 41-17 win Sunday over the Carolina Panthers.

Brady completed 29 of 37 passes for 326 yards and three touchdowns before taking the last half of the fourth quarter off, finishing with a career-best 5,316 yards passing and a Bucs single-season record 43 TD passes for the defending Super Bowl champions.

Mike Evans caught two of Brady’s TD passes, giving him a club-record 14 scoring receptions this year.

He also became the first player in NFL history to begin a career with eight consecutive seasons with at least 1,000 yards receiving.

The Bucs finished the season with a 13-4 record and won the NFC South for the second consecutive year.

They will face the Eagles, a wild-card and the No. 7 seed, Sunday at 1 p.m. at Raymond James Stadium. The game will be telecast on Fox.

SUPER WILD CARD WEEKEND

Saturday

AFC: 4:30 p.m.: No. 5 seed Las Vegas Raiders at No. 4 Cincinnati Bengals (NBC, Peacock, Universo)

AFC: 8:15 p.m.: No. 6 New England Patriots at No. 3 Buffalo Bills (CBS, Paramount+)

Sunday

NFC: 1 p.m.: No. 7 Philadelphia Eagles at No. 2 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (FOX, FOX Deportes)

NFC: 4:30 p.m.: No. 6 San Francisco 49ers at No. 3 Dallas Cowboys (CBS, Paramount+, Nickelodeon, Amazon Prime Video)

AFC: 8:15 p.m.: No. 7 Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 2 Kansas City Chiefs (NBC, Peacock, Telemundo)

Monday, Jan. 17

NFC: 8:15 p.m.: No. 5 Arizona Cardinals at No. 4 Los Angeles Rams (ESPN/ABC, ESPN2, ESPN+, ESPN Deportes)

Bye: Tennessee Titans (AFC), Green Bay Packers (NFC)

Information from the NFL was used in this report.

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