In a dramatic game, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers manage to catch up against the Los Angeles Rams. With seconds left in overtime, the Rams win the game with a field goal.

Tampa – The dream of defending their title is over: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost a dramatic game against Los Angeles Rams 27-30 on a last-second field goal by Rams kicker Matt Gay.

Bucs quarterback Tom Brady struggled for a long time but came on strong at the end. The 44-year-old had 329 passing yards and a touchdown pass with one interception. There is currently much speculation as to whether Brady will return next season. If the quarterback does decide to end his career, he would have played his last game on Sunday.

Rams playmaker Matthew Stafford played very well, throwing for 366 yards and two touchdowns, one of which he ran himself. He did not throw an interception.

The Rams are now in the Championship Game of the NFC and will meet the San Francisco 49ers next Sunday.

Cooper Kupp sets Irvin record

Cooper Kupp made sure to set a record. The Rams receiver (183 receiving yards, 1 touchdown) managed his twelfth 100-yard game this season, setting the record set by Hall-of-Famer Michael Irvin in 1995

For the Bucs, running back Leonard Fournette once again lived up to his reputation as a “playoff lenny” with two touchdowns and 51 rushing yards.

Bucs engine sputters at first

The first points were scored by Rams kicker Matt Gay on a 26-yard field goal. The team from California definitely got off to the better start, just under four minutes before the end of the first quarter Stafford found his tight end Kendall Blanton with a short pass in the end zone. Gay converted the extra point and the Rams took an early 10-0 lead.

And the Bucs? They struggled at first, their offensive engine sputtered, Brady couldn’t find the right adjustments. Which is why only one field goal was made by kicker Ryan Succop in the first half.

Kupp catches long pass from Stafford

The second quarter also started the way the Rams wanted it to. Kupp eluded the defence, Stafford threw a long pass to his star receiver who was up and away and carried the ball a total of 70 yards for a touchdown.

The Buccaneers continued to struggle. First Succop missed a field goal attempt, then Brady threw an interception and was lucky that Cam Akers fumbled the ball just before the end zone on a close and controversial decision in the following Rams drive.

The Rams went into the break with a 20-3 lead, Brady had a quarterback rating of just 42.2 after two quarters and also picked up a bloody lip in the scrimmage.

Fournette sets up first Bucs touchdown

At first, everything continued to go in the Rams’ favour in the third quarter. Stafford threw a ball from close range for a touchdown, for the Bucs there was nothing more than a field goal by Succop.

It was not until the end of the third quarter that the hosts scored their first touchdown after a Kupp fumble. Running back Fournette completed the drive with a run into the end zone from a short distance and reduced the deficit to 13:27.

The last quarter is dramatic

Suddenly a comeback seemed possible for the Bucs. The game became frantic, with both teams allowing turnovers. Rams kicker Gay missed a 47-yard field goal with just under 6:30 remaining to send the game into overtime.

And indeed Brady once again showed why he is called the “Goat”. The quarterback directed a spectacular comeback of his team, touchdowns by Evans and Fournette made for the 27:27 equalisation.

42 seconds were left on the clock after Fournette’s touchdown, everything looked like overtime. But Stafford once again led his team down the field with passes to Kupp. Seconds before the end, Rams kicker Gay converted the decisive field goal for a dramatic 30-27 victory.