Tom Brady suffers Tampa Bay Buccaneers debut defeat in 34-23 loss to New Orleans Saints
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Monday 14 September 2020 11:43, UK
Tom Brady endured a difficult debut with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the 43-year-old, six-time Super Bowl winner was intercepted twice in a 34-23 loss to the New Orleans Saints.
Brady's pair of picks came either side of half-time, with the second of them returned 36 yards for a touchdown by Janoris Jenkins as the Saints scored 24 unanswered points in response to an early rushing TD from Brady.
- Buccaneers stats: Tom Brady, 23/36, 239 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs
- Ronald Jones, 17 carries, 66 yards
- Chris Godwin, six catches, 79 yards, 0 TDs
Brady's two-yard score midway through the first quarter was the dream start to his Tampa Bay tenure, but it soon turned into a nightmare as Alvin Kamara - celebrating his new contract extension - first added a couple of second-quarter touchdowns within two minutes of each other.
- Saints stats: Drew Brees, 18/30, 160 yards, 2 TDs
- Alvin Kamara, 16 yards rushing, 1 TD, 51 yards receiving, 1 TD
- Jared Cook, five catches, 80 yards, 0 TDs
Brady's errors helped New Orleans to stretch their lead to 24-7, though a first passing touchdown as a Buc No 12 - a nine-yard strike to tight end O.J. Howard - and a Ryan Succop 38-yard field goal later in the third quarter saw them back to within striking distance down by seven points.
But the Saints stretched ahead again once more in the fourth quarter, with Brees finding offseason addition Emmanuel Sanders from five yards and Will Lutz tacking on three more points from 21 yards out after a Bucs fumble on the ensuing kick-off
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Brady hooked up with Mike Evans for a second passing touchdown late in the fourth quarter, but it wasn't to be enough as he and the Buccaneers succumbed to a season-opening defeat in a deserted Superdome stadium.
Newton leads Patriots to victory on debut
Cam Newton threw for 155 yards and rushed for 75 yards and two touchdowns as he started his New England Patriots career with a 21-11 victory over the Miami Dolphins.
- Patriots stats: Cam Newton, 15/19, 155 yards, 0 TDs
- Rushing: Cam Newton, 15 carries, 75 yards, 2 TDs
- Receiving: Julian Edelman, five catches, 57 yards, 0 TDs
- Dolphins stats: Ryan Fitzpatrick, 20/30, 191 yards, 0 TDs, 3 INTs
- Rushing: Myles Gaskin, nine carries, 40 yards, 0 TDs
- Receiving: DeVante Parker, four catches, 47 yards, 0 TDs
Kaepernick accuses NFL of 'Black Life propaganda'
Colin Kaepernick has hit out at the NFL, claiming the league are "blackballing" his former San Francisco 49ers teammate Eric Reid, and accusing them of running "propaganda about how they care about Black Life".
Kaepernick and Reid participated in protests during the playing of the national anthem before NFL games to highlight social awareness and racial injustice in 2016.
The pair have both previously filed a grievance letter with the NFL, alleging team owners and the league colluded to prevent their employment due to the protest activities. Quarterback Kaepernick has remained unsigned since 2017, while Reid joined the Carolina Panthers in 2018, but has been a free agent since being released in March.
'Players are sceptical and it's understandable'
Shaun Gayle has called for 'tangible action' against social injustice, as the NFL Week One Sunday games featured teams remaining inside and outside the locker rooms.
"The players are sceptical and it's understandable why," Gayle said. "You have to understand this systemic racism, this police brutality. It permeates society and life in the US and here.
"When it comes down to addressing it, there is no room for a coat of paint, a publicity exercise. It has to be something valuable. Some tangible action to prove to those people being affected that something is going to take place."
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