The Bills won the toss to begin the game and elected to defer, putting the ball in the hands of the Buccaneer offense first. It wouldn't be a fruitful possession after an errant snap on first down forced the Bucs back 14 yards, giving them second and 24. They'd end up punting the ball after getting as close as fourth and three but deep in their own territory.
The good news was that the Bucs' defense handed a blank right back to the Bills, who wouldn't get anywhere behind a big second-down sack of quarterback Josh Allen by outside linebacker Shaq Barrett. Buffalo punted right the ball right back to the Bucs' offense.
This time, Tampa Bay would make something happen behind multiple passes to Chris Godwin and then an incredible 47-yard run by Leonard Fournette, thanks to a key block by left tackle Donovan Smith, that got Fournette past the first line of defenders. He'd take it the rest of the way into the end zone, giving the Bucs their first score of the game with 8:13 left in the first quarter.
Buffalo got to midfield on their next drive but behind yet another sack of Allen, this one on third down and split by Barrett and inside linebacker Devin White, the Bills would come up empty.
The next drive for the Bucs got all the way down to the four-yard line before the Bills' top-ranked defense would stall them. They'd settle for a 23-yard field goal to make the score 10-0 with 13:36 left in the second quarter.
As if playing copy cat, the Bills suffered almost the exact same fate, this time getting all the way to the Bucs' three-yard line before the Tampa Bay defense would deny them ultimate entry into the end zone. They'd settle for a 21-yard field goal, making the score 10-3 with 9:28 left in the first half.
Not settling for another field goal, the Bucs drove down the field, crossing into Bills territory quickly. They'd get into the red zone thanks, in part, to a defensive pass interference call drawn by none other than tight end Rob Gronkowski. Faced with third and three at the 13-yard line, Brady aired it out for the back corner of the end zone where wide receiver Mike Evans, number 13, had gotten himself behind his defender. Evans leapt up and caught the pass in the back corner of the end zone, coming down with it inbounds to make the score 17-3 with 7:11 left in the second quarter.
Another possession for the Bills, another sack of Josh Allen by the Bucs' defense. This time it was credited solely to Devin White and set the Bills up with second and 17, which turned into third and 17, which Buffalo would not convert. They'd punt the ball away again and give the ball back to the Bucs offense with 4:12 left in the half.
Yet again, the Bucs would put together a well-balanced drive that 10 plays and 2:43, Brady snuck his way into the end zone from the one-yard line to put the Bucs on top 24-3 with 1:29 left before halftime.
The next Bills possession would be cut extremely short by cornerback Richard Sherman, who intercepted Allen's pass to give the Bucs' offense the ball back at the Bills' 45-yard line with just over a minute to play.
Tampa Bay wouldn't advance the ball on their next possession, suffering a three and out that would give the Bills back the ball with some time to work with. Except, they'd come up empty yet again, punting the ball away with 13 seconds remaining. The Bucs took over with just one second on the clock and the ball at their own two. Brady would down the ball and take the Bucs into halftime leading 24-3.
The Bills took the opening possession of the second half after deferring to begin the game. They were stopped after just a few plays and on fourth and two, attempted a fake punt. The Bucs were ready for it and then took over on downs at the Bills' 42-yard line.
The Bucs would surrender it the same way after going for it on fourth and two. It didn't work after Brady's pass was tipped but the Bills were hit with a personal foul penalty after the fact, which resulted in them starting their next drive at their own 19.
The Bills did it the hard way, spanning the field on a drive that included the first run of the game by a Buffalo running back to get the Bills into Bucs' territory. They'd continue fighting, having to go for it on fourth down at one point but then on third and two from the 18-yard line, Allen would fake the handoff and take the ball into the end zone himself. It cut the Bucs lead to 24-10 with 7:29 remaining in the third quarter.
Tampa Bay wouldn't be able to come up with an answer after back-to-back incompletions intended for Gronkowski and Godwin down the field fell flat. The Bucs punted from their own 38-yard line, forcing the Bills to take over from their own 23 with 4:53 left in the third quarter.
The Bucs took 11 plays to span 84 yards that took 5:51 off the clock but they'd stall at the Bills' six. In settling for the field goal, they'd push their lead to three scores, going up 27-10 with 11:20 remaining in the game.
Buffalo couldn't resist making it at least a little interesting. They took just 2:13 seconds to 75 yards down the field before Allen fired to tight end Dawson Knox in the end zone. Knox hauled in the 15-yard pass and it made the score 27-17 with 9:07 to play.
Holding on the ensuing kickoff return meant the Bucs would start from their own 10. A quick three-and-out meant the ball was back in the hands of Allen and the BNills offense after just a minute.
With the stop, the Bills took over and drove right back down the field. A convenient roughing the passer call would get them to the Bucs' four-yard line. From there Allen fired for wide receiver Gabriel Davis in the end zone and after the good extra point, the Bucs clung to a 27-24 lead with 4:53 left in the game.
They'd get to midfield before a third-down sack of Brady would force the Bucs to punt yet again, leaving it up to their defense to preserve the three-point lead with just over three minutes on the clock.
The Bills were faced with fourth and four at their own 40 and took a timeout but Allen completed it to Gabriel Davis who was just past the line of gain. It gave the Bills a fresh set of downs on their own 45-yard line with 1:42 to work with. And work with it they would. They got as far as the Bucs' seven-yard line before good coverage from Davis in the end zone meant the field goal unit coming on for Buffalo. The short 25-yard kick was good and it tied the game at 27 all with 22 seconds to play.
The Bucs fielded the kickoff and were left with 16 seconds. Brady just kneeled the ball to take the game into overtime.
The Bills won the toss and elected to receive this time. The kickoff went for a touchback, meaning the Bills started at their own 25. They'd go three and out behind an excellent defensive effort and the Bills would punt.
Thanks to an excellent punt by the Bills, the Bucs would start at their own six-yard line. They'd get to about midfield before on third and three Brady threw a short pass to Breshad Perriman who somehow would take it 58 yards down the field for the winning score. It was Brady's 700th touchdown pass of his career and got the Bucs the 33-27 win.
