Historic Night Breaks Buccaneers’ Losing Streak

On the surface, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers snapped a two-game losing streak, improved to 7-3, and moved into third place in the NFC playoff race with a two-game lead in the NFC South.

And those things are probably the most important.

“Playing like that with that total team effort I thought was outstanding,” Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians said after the game. “I really liked the way we showed up and played. Now, we just have to figure out the short week and how to do this on the road again.”

Beneath the surface though, the Bucs are didn’t only win, they made - and participated - in several historic moments.

The last time Tampa Bay won a football game, quarterback Tom Brady became the first in NFL history to throw for 600 touchdowns.

It would take until the next win, three games later, but Brady set another milestone Monday night when he became the first quarterback in league history to throw for 3,000-yards in 19 individual seasons.

Before him, Brett Favre of the Green Bay Packers, New York Jets, and Minnesota Vikings held the record, with 18.

By the time he hangs it up, Brady could very well be the only quarterback in history with 20 3,000-yard passing seasons to his name.

Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images

He wasn’t alone though.

“Everyone has to do what they are asked to do and do it on a consistent basis,” Brady said after the win.

When you think of consistency for the Bucs, you can’t help but get an image of wide receiver, Mike Evans.

The first wide receiver in NFL history to start his career with seven-straight 1,000-yard seasons, Evans moved closer to extending his own record and now needs just 321-yards in the final seven games of the season.

On the way, he decided Week 11 would be a good spot, and location, to break another franchise record, becoming the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ all-time leader in touchdowns.

His 72nd career touchdown in the second half surpassed the great Mike Alstott, and happened on the night Bucs safety John Lynch received his Hall of Fame ring.

Franchise greats like Lynch, Alstott, Derrick Brooks, Ronde Barber, and Warren Sapp were in attendance.

Perfect timing, really.

Chris Godwin’s 30th career touchdown came on Monday night as well. Moving him into a tie for 6th place on the franchise’s list. Good start to his young career, as well.

Those are the more conventional records. But this NFL season has been anything but. Just see Arizona Cardinals quarterback Colt McCoy coming out and laying 300-yards on the Seattle Seahawks for an example.

To add to the measure of weirdness in this 2021 NFL Season, Week 11’s matchup between the Giants and Buccaneers also featured the NFL’s first game ever where a 300-pound player had a touchdown, and another had an interception.

It was also the first time a 300-plus-pound Bucs player had an interception since Booger McFarland, in 2003.

It was an impressive outing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and even the New York Giants’ bright spot on the night, contributed to the underlying stories behind the win.

For more on this story and all things Tampa Bay Buccaneers, follow us here at Bucs Nation and listen to James Yarcho and David Harrison on the Locked On Bucs Podcast!