As was the case in their 2003 title-defense season, the Buccaneers felt like they had an even better squad after winning Super Bowl LV, and the regular-season results suggested they were right. Jason Licht and the Buccaneers "kept the band together," returning all 22 starters after getting new deals done with the likes of Tom Brady, Chris Godwin, Shaquil Barrett, Lavonte David and Rob Gronkowski. The Bucs rushed out to a 6-1 start and wrapped the season up with another 6-1 run to set a franchise record with a 13-4 record, winning their first NFC South title since 2007. Brady rewrote the team's record books with 5,316 passing yards, 43 touchdown passes and a 102.1 passer rating, getting 1,000-yard seasons from both Godwin and Mike Evans, the latter of whom set a team record with 14 touchdown catches. Nine Buccaneers went to the Pro Bowl, including Brady, Evans, safety Antoine Winfield Jr. and three members of the offensive line. The passing offense led the NFL, the team scored a franchise-record 511 points and the rush defense ranked third in the league. After a stunning last-minute win over the Jets in the Meadowlands in Week 16, the Bucs secured the second seed in the playoffs with a Week 17 blowout of Carolina coupled by a Rams loss to San Francisco and started with a home game against the Eagles. Brady threw touchdown passes to Evans and Gronkowski and the Bucs' defense stifled young quarterback Jalen Hurts in a 31-15 victory. In the Divisional Round, the visiting Rams took a 27-6 lead into the final minutes of the third quarter but Brady led an incredible comeback that included two Leonard Fournette touchdowns and a 55-yard scoring strike to Evans. However, Matthew Stafford found Cooper Kupp for 20 and 44-yard gains to set up former Buccaneer Matt Gay for a 30-yard game-winner as time expired.
