He says Sunday in a raucous Allianz Arena is right up there. “That was one of the great football experiences I’ve ever had,” said the seven-time Super Bowl champion. Says a lot for 23 years in the league. Brady went undefeated on the road by throwing two touchdown passes to help the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Seattle Seahawks 21-16 in the regular season opener played in Germany. Brady connected with Julio Jones and Chris Godwin on scoring passes and Leonard Fournette ran an in as the Bucs (5-5) improved to .500 and snapped Seattle’s four-game winning streak. The German fans packed the Allianz Arena for the historic game and the Bucs delivered with a balanced offensive performance on three long drives. Rachaad White started and ran for 105 yards on 22 carries. “It felt pretty electric from the moment we got on the field,” Brady said. “The end of the game with them singing ‘Sweet Caroline’ and ‘Country Roads’ — that was pretty epic.” Brady completed 22 of 29 passes for 258 yards to add Germany to his list of international wins after wins in London (twice) and Mexico City with the New England Patriots. Trailing 21-3 in the fourth quarter, Seattle’s Geno Smith threw touchdown passes to Tyler Lockett and Marquis Goodwin to make it 21-16 with 3:58 to play. Smith found Goodwin in the corner of the end zone for a 19-yard score on fourth-and-1 to cap a drive that started at the Bucs 45 after Brady threw his first interception since the season opener. Linebacker Cody Barton picked it. Lockett caught a 21-yard pass from Smith with 8:20 left, but the 2-point conversion attempt fell short, leaving the score 21-9. Smith was 23 of 33 for 275 yards and two touchdowns for the Seahawks (6-4), who remain atop the NFC West. “It feels like a real missed opportunity,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. The Bucs entered the game with the league’s worst rushing attack. Fournette, who got his passport just in time for the trip, had 57 yards on 14 carries as both he and White helped Tampa Bay go 10-for-15 on third down. “They weren’t running the ball very consistently, so coming into the game, we were hoping we could keep it under wraps and be able to develop for the throwing game,” Carroll said. “They stopped running the ball in the fourth quarter, which kills me.” Brady is the first quarterback to start a regular season game in three countries outside the US Brady found Jones open on a short crossing route and the receiver ran it in for a 31-yard scoring play early in the second quarter. Jones lowered his left shoulder and outran safety Josh Jones at the goal line. Fournette then ran in from 1 yard out to cap a 13-play, 86-yard drive. He scored two plays after Scotty Miller caught a 22-yard pass and came down while fumbling the ball to the 5. Godwin caught a 4-yard reception to make it 21-3 early in the fourth quarter. Godwin led the Bucs with 71 yards on six receptions. It was his first touchdown since a knee injury ended last year. Down 14-3, Seattle led by the Bucs 9 before Devin White hit Smith, whose fumble was recovered by Anthony Nelson at the 13. Seattle had 57 yards in the first half and Smith completed four straight passes after halftime. But the drive stalled at the Tampa 22 on a third-down incompletion intended for DK Metcalf, who was then flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. Jason Myers kicked a 55-yard field goal to get Seattle on the board at 14-3. YELLOW CARD The Bucs drove to the Seattle 22 when Fournette took a direct hit, rolled right and threw across the field to Brady — but was intercepted by cornerback Tariq Woolen, who had the slow-footed, 45-year-old quarterback well covered at the 6. Brady was then flagged for tripping – which would have been a yellow card if he was playing for Bayern Munich. “If he hadn’t slipped you would have seen his 42-inch vertical,” coach Todd Bowles joked. Brady acknowledged the defense wasn’t fooled. “I tried to yell, ‘Lenny no,’ but it was too late,” Brady said. Several players slipped on the grass at Allianz. Carroll thought the pitch limited his team’s play. Rookie Kenneth Walker III had 10 carries for 17 yards. “I wish the field was more stable,” Carroll said. CHACK ATTACK White had two of Tampa Bay’s three sacks. Just inside the two-minute warning of the first half, White burst through the line unblocked and brought down Smith for a 10-yard loss at the Seattle 10. On Seattle’s first drive, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka beat rookie tackle Abraham Lucas around the edge and threw Smith for a 17-yard loss on third down. HEAVY HEART Devin White’s father died shortly before the team left for Munich. “He still got on the plane. Losing your dad before you’re ready to go to Germany and go out and play says a lot about the man,” Bowles said. White said it was “unreal” to get the bad news. “At the end of the day, I knew I had a job to do,” White said. “I just put my head down and kept going.” INJURIES Fournette left in the fourth quarter with a hip injury. Bowles said the running back has a hip index and will be evaluated. Bucs CB Zyon McCollum was ruled out at halftime with a concussion. GERMAN CONNECTIONS Seahawks practice squad linebacker Aaron Donkor led the team out of the tunnel with the “12” flag. Donkor is not on the 53-man roster. NEXT: Seahawks: Bye before hosting Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday after Thanksgiving. Buccaneers: Bye and then Cleveland on Nov. 27.
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