Contact UsDMCA policyAbout UsPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseDisclaimerCookie Policy
Trending
How to Detect Malware in Your BrowserExploring the Benefits of Popular Dietary Supplements: What Science SaysUnderstanding Z-Library: Bottom line on Legality and SafetyThe healthcare sector is complex and ever-evolvingEstablishing a Comprehensive Patient Safety ProgramTips for Overcoming Substance Use DisorderHow To Recognize Signs of Mental IllnessLeveraging Fashion Trends While Maintaining IndividualityTips for Utilizing Knowledge Management ToolsTeam Collaboration: Using an Action Plan Template for Group Projects
Home › Sports

Brady-to-Gronk Lights Familiar Spark in N.F.L.’s Return

Bhupender SainiSep 10, 2021Sports
Brady-to-Gronk Lights Familiar Spark in N.F.L.’s Return

TAMPA, Fla. — The N.F.L. loves its quarterback duels, and Tom Brady and Dak Prescott attacked and riposted over and over on Thursday night. In the season opener, Brady, who led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the Super Bowl title last season, and Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys, who signed an eye-popping contract extension in the off-season, traded touchdowns in a compelling if sometimes sloppy game that was decided on the final drive.

The Buccaneers held on for a 31-29 victory as Brady and Prescott combined for 782 passing yards and seven touchdowns. Brady landed the last punch, leading the Buccaneers 57 yards downfield in less than 90 seconds so Ryan Succop could kick the winning field goal with two seconds left.

“There was no doubt we were going to go win that game” because Brady was at the helm, Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians said.

But the final score and specific statistics were almost irrelevant to the pass-happy affair that swooned on big plays and miscues. The game was a reminder of the entertainment value of the N.F.L. and was welcomed by football fans who haven’t seen a game since the 2020 season that was distorted by the coronavirus pandemic.

The game also took place in the same stadium as the last game of last season, Super Bowl LV. The Buccaneers looked the same, too. They brought back all 22 of their starters to defend their title — a rarity in the free-agent era.

Attendance, which had been capped at 22,000 spectators for the title game, finally looked normal, too. Few fans wore masks, since they are no longer required there, and every seat in Raymond James Stadium was filled, in fulfillment of Commissioner Roger Goodell’s March promise. Back then, however, vaccination rates were rising nationwide and the number of infections was plummeting.

Six months later, the Delta variant of the virus has turned into a delta for the N.F.L., just like the rest of the country.

“Our challenge right now, and it’s something we discuss with the ownership, is certainly that we are in a major surge,” Dr. Allen Sills, the league’s chief medical officer, said last month. “It is no secret to any of you, nor is it a secret to any of us in medicine what the impact of the Delta variant is having. It is a very different disease in many ways.”

More than 90 percent of N.F.L. players and all coaches and staff are vaccinated, yet dozens of them have tested positive for Covid-19 since training camps opened in July. Some of the league’s biggest stars, including quarterbacks Carson Wentz of the Colts and Kirk Cousins of the Vikings, have declined to get vaccinated.