Brady leads Buccaneers' comeback over Cardinals to inch closer to NFC South title

Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers maintained control of the NFC South, overcoming a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter and beating the Arizona Cardinals 19-16 in overtime Sunday night in Arizona.

Ryan Succop hit a 40-yard field goal with 3:41 left in overtime, capping a nine-play, 66-yard drive. Brady wasn't great for much of the night, but came up big on the decisive drive, completing all six of his passes in a vintage display.

The Cardinals got the ball to start overtime but eventually had to punt. Tampa Bay got the big gain it needed when Brady found Russell Gage Jr. for a 23-yard gain.

Arizona (4-11) has lost five straight games, while Tampa Bay snapped a two-game skid. The Bucs (7-8) stayed a game ahead of the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints in the medicore NFC South. Tampa Bay has a crucial home game against Carolina next weekend.

The 45-year-old Brady made his 331st career start at quarterback, while the Cardinals were down to Trace McSorley in his first start. The former Penn State standout had been the team's third-string quarterback for much of the season, but made his starting debut after injuries to Kyler Murray and Colt McCoy.

James Conner broke loose for a 22-yard touchdown run with 10:47 left in the fourth quarter to give the Cardinals a 16-6 advantage. But Brady and the Bucs responded with their first touchdown drive on the night, scoring when the quarterback hit Rachaad White on a 3-yard pass, cutting it to 16-13 with 8:03 left.

The Bucs caught a huge break on the ensuing drive when Cardinals rookie Keaontay Ingram fumbled a pitch from McSorley. Tampa Bay's William Gholston jumped on the loose ball.

Tampa Bay capitalized nine plays later when Succop made a 42-yard field goal for his third field goal of the night, tying it at 16 and forcing overtime.

Brady was 32 of 48 for 281 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. He's thrown at least two interceptions in three straight games, which ties the longest streak of his career. Leonard Fournette ran for 72 yards and caught nine passes for 90 yards.

Neither team made it to the end zone in a first half that ended in a 6-6 tie. Cardinals kicker Matt Prater booted field goals from 56 and 53 yards. His second one — just before halftime — bounced off the left upright but still trickled past the crossbar for three points.

Brady was on the offensive early, throwing a deep pass down the right sideline to Julio Jones on the game's opening play. The pass was incomplete but Cardinals cornerback Antonio Hamilton was called for pass interference, resulting in a 30-yard gain.

But the 23-year veteran was off on several other deep balls. Brady was intercepted during a promising drive in the second quarter when the quarterback was hit on the arm as he tried to throw deep to Mike Evans. The throw was well short and picked off by Cardinals cornerback Marco Wilson Jr.

Wilson intercepted two of Brady's passes.

Rams dominate Broncos

Baker Mayfield threw two touchdown passes to Tyler Higbee, Cam Akers rushed for 118 yards and three more scores, and the Los Angeles Rams routed the visiting Denver Broncos 51-14 Sunday for their second victory since mid-October.

Mayfield went 24 of 28 for 230 yards in another standout performance for his second win in three starts with the Rams (5-10), who produced the best game of their dismal season on Christmas.

Rookie Cobie Durant returned his second interception 85 yards for a touchdown with 4:08 left to cap the Rams' first 50-point performance under Sean McVay since their famed 54-51 victory over Kansas City in 2018.

In his Los Angeles debut, Larrell Murchison made 2 1/2 of the Rams' six sacks of Russell Wilson, who passed for 214 yards with three interceptions for Denver (4-11).

The beleaguered Wilson was not sharp in his return from a one-game absence with a concussion, throwing interceptions to end Denver's first two drives. The second pick was by Bobby Wagner, who faced his longtime teammate and friend for the first time after spending a full decade together in Seattle.

Wagner also sacked Wilson during the first half, when the Rams improbably racked up 261 of their 388 yards before halftime and eventually scored on their first eight drives against Denver's above-average defence, already matching their full-game season high in points with their 31-6 halftime lead.

Denver trailed 41-6 before Wilson hit Greg Dulcich for the Broncos' only touchdown with 8:30 to play.

Akers continued his late-season surge by producing the Rams' first 100-yard rushing game of the season, while Higbee led the passing attack with 94 yards receiving for an offence missing its top three wideouts due to injury.

Wagner then poached a pass from Wilson across the middle of the field and made a long return, and the Rams scored two snaps later on Akers' 3-yard run. Los Angeles had scored just one touchdown off a takeaway all season long before doing it twice more in the first quarter.

The Rams' 17-point first quarter was their highest-scoring opening period since Week 6 of McVay's first season in 2017. They subsequently scored touchdowns on four consecutive drives for the first time in McVay's tenure.

Higbee made his second TD catch early in the second quarter after a smooth 75-yard drive by the Rams' long-struggling offense. Akers then punched it in again 1:06 before halftime for a 31-3 lead.

Ramsey picked off Wilson's long heave to the end zone on Denver's opening drive of the second half. The Rams' pressure on Wilson improbably was led by Murchison, who signed with LA 13 days ago after Tennessee cut him.

Packers top Dolphins, keep playoff hopes alive

Green Bay's defence intercepted Tua Tagovailoa three times in the fourth quarter to help the visiting Packers come from behind to defeat the Miami Dolphins 26-20 and keep their playoff hopes alive.

Aaron Rodgers threw for 238 yards and a touchdown and had one interception for the Packers (7-8), who have won their last three games after starting the season 4-8.

Miami (8-7) lost its fourth straight game and must win its final two to make the postseason.

Packers kicker Mason Crosby hit a go-ahead field goal early in the fourth after back-to-back turnovers by both offences.

Undrafted Miami rookie Kader Kohou intercepted a pass by Rodgers intended for Allen Lazard, but the Dolphins gave it right back when cornerback Jaire Alexander intercepted Tagovailoa on the very next play.

Miami's defence held the Packers to six points off turnovers in the second half to keep the Dolphins in it after blowing a 20-10 first-half lead.

The Dolphins held Green Bay to two scores in five trips to the red zone.

A.J. Dillon led the Packers with 36 yards rushing on 11 carries, and Allen Lazard had 61 yards receiving on five catches.

Tyreek Hill had four catches for Miami to give him 113 for the season, setting a Dolphins' single-season receiving record. Jaylen Waddle added five receptions for 143 yards.

Raheem Mostert fumbled in the first half, leading to a Green Bay field goal. Tagovailoa's three interceptions were the most he has thrown all season.

Miami committed to the run game early, rushing for 82 yards against Green Bay after a season-high 188 yards rushing against Buffalo in Week 15.

The Dolphins ran four times for 38 yards on their opening drive and took a 3-0 lead, and Green Bay countered with a field goal to tie it after Keisean Nixon's 93-yard kickoff return set up the Packers at the 9-yard line.

Miami built a 20-13 halftime lead after an 84-yard TD by Waddle and 1-yard TD run by Jeff Wilson.

Dillon's 1-yard TD run on Green Bay's first possession of the third quarter tied the game.

Tight end Marcedes Lewis also had a 1-yard TD catch in the first quarter.