Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat Arizona Cardinals in 2020 NFL Season Opener
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers started their 2020 season with a victory as they beat the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, September 13th. It was a tight game that had a number of big plays and future star performances, but in the end the Buccaneers came out on top 31-17.
Offensive Heroics from Tom Brady
Tom Brady, who had only joined the Bucs in free agency this offseason, made his presence known with a stellar performance. He threw for 3 touchdowns and nearly 300 yards of passing, connecting with receivers Chris Godwin, Mike Evans, and Rob Gronkowski who was playing in his first regular season NFL game since 2018. Brady, who was playing against his former team for the first time, also tallied a rushing touchdown in the second quarter to give the Bucs the lead for good.
A Balanced Attack From The Buccaneers
In addition to Brady’s heroics, the Buccaneers were able to get their run game going as well. Rookie running back, Ke’Shawn Vaughn, rushed for over 100 yards on the day and Ronald Jones II added another 79 yards. The Bucs’ rushing attack was able to keep the Arizona defense on their heels, allowing Brady and company to make plays in the passing game.
Big Plays From Cardinals
Despite the loss, the Cardinals showed some flashes of their potential with a number of big plays. Quarterback Kyler Murray completed a touchdown pass to DeAndre Hopkins who caught 12 passes for 151 yards and a touchdown on the day. Linebacker Jordan Hicks also made some highlight plays, sacking Brady twice and recording nine tackles.
Conclusion
The Buccaneers held on for the win in the end, but it was a close game that featured a number of exciting plays from both sides. Tampa Bay fans can look forward to seeing more of Brady and the offense as the season progresses, as well as a handful of big plays from the Cardinals. The future looks bright for both teams in the NFC.
