2020 TFL - LOMBARDI CONFERENCE FINALS

 

Tampa 20, Carolina 23
	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	OT	Total
2019 Tampa	0	17	3	0	0	20
2019 Carolina	0	7	3	13	0	23

Scoring Plays
Qtr	Clock	Team	Scoring Description(Extra Point)	Score
2	14:06	2019 Tampa	D.Johnson 2 yd. run (W.Lutz kick)	7-0 TAM
2	8:06	2019 Tampa	C.Sutton 4 yd. pass from P.Mahomes (W.Lutz kick)	14-0 TAM
2	0:30	2019 Tampa	W.Lutz 24 yd. field goal	17-0 TAM
2	0:01	2019 Carolina	C.McCaffrey 27 yd. run (K.Fairbairn kick)	17-7 TAM
3	7:48	2019 Carolina	K.Fairbairn 48 yd. field goal	17-10 TAM
3	3:18	2019 Tampa	W.Lutz 40 yd. field goal	20-10 TAM
4	8:42	2019 Carolina	D.Robinson 23 yd. pass from D.Watson (kick failed)	20-16 TAM
4	0:45	2019 Carolina	C.McCaffrey 38 yd. run (K.Fairbairn kick)	23-20 CAR

Team Statistics
	2019 Tampa	2019 Carolina
First Downs by Rush-Pass-Pen-Total	7-17-2-26	7-14-0-21
Third Down Efficiency	6-14-43%	1-9-11%
Fourth Down Efficiency	1-2-50%	1-2-50%
Red Zone Efficiency (pts-poss-pct)	17-28-61%	0-7-0%
Total Offense-Plays-Avg Yards Per Play	391-72-5.4	454-54-8.4
Total Net Yards Rushing	126	224
Total Rushes	29	25
Average Per Rush	4.3	9.0
Passes Completed/Attempted	26/43 (60.5%)	22/29 (75.9%)
Net Yards Passing	265	230
Avg Yards Per Pass	6.2	7.9
Sacked/Yards Lost	0/0	0/0
Punts/Average	4/42.5	4/43.5
Punts Received/Return Yardage	1/7	0/0
Kickoffs/Returns	1/0	3/78
Interceptions/Returns	1/0	0/0
Penalties/Yards	6/41	6/49
Total Fumbles/Fumbles Lost	3/1	0/0
Time of Possession	33 mins 44 secs	26 mins 16 secs
Average Drive Start	TAM 25	CAR 20

Passing Stats
	Att	Comp	Yds	Comp %	Yds/Att	TD	TD %	INT	INT %	Long	Sack	Rating
2019 Tampa
Patrick Mahomes	43	26	265	60.5	6.2	1	2.3	0	0	28	0/0	85.9
2019 Carolina
Deshaun Watson	29	22	230	75.9	7.9	1	3.4	1	3.4	23	0/0	95.5

Rushing Stats
	No	Yds	Avg	Long	TD	2 Pt Conv	Fumbles/Lost
2019 Tampa
Aaron Jones	17	77	4.5	21	0	0	2/0
Patrick Mahomes	6	36	6.0	9	0	0	1/1
Duke Johnson	4	5	1.3	2	1	0	0/0
Rashaad Penny	2	8	4.0	8	0	0	0/0
2019 Carolina
Christian McCaffrey	23	222	9.7	54	2	0	0/0
Deshaun Watson	2	2	1.0	3	0	0	0/0

Receiving Stats
	No	Yds	Avg	Long	TD	2 Pt Conv
2019 Tampa
Aaron Jones	6	85	14.2	28	0	0
Tyler Higbee	5	45	9.0	14	0	0
Courtland Sutton	5	26	5.2	12	1	0
Luke Willson	3	42	14.0	17	0	0
Duke Johnson	2	16	8.0	10	0	0
Tyler Lockett	2	15	7.5	9	0	0
Randall Cobb	1	13	13.0	13	0	0
Foster Moreau	1	12	12.0	12	0	0
Rashaad Penny	1	11	11.0	11	0	0
2019 Carolina
Mark Andrews	7	76	10.9	15	0	0
Davante Adams	5	66	13.2	19	0	0
Christian McCaffrey	4	30	7.5	17	0	0
DeAndre Hopkins	2	24	12.0	18	0	0
Mecole Hardman	2	4	2.0	2	0	0
Demarcus Robinson	1	23	23.0	23	1	0
Jonnu Smith	1	7	7.0	7	0	0

Field Goals and Extra Points
	1-19	20-29	30-39	40-49	50+	Totals	% Made	XPs
2019 Tampa
Wil Lutz	0/0	1/1	0/0	1/1	0/0	2/2	100	2/2
2019 Carolina
Ka'imi Fairbairn	0/0	0/0	0/0	1/1	0/0	1/1	100	2/3

Punting
	No	Avg	Net	Tb	Inside 20	Long	Blocked
2019 Tampa
Michael Dickson	4	42.5	37.5	1	1	50	0
2019 Carolina
Jake Bailey	4	43.5	41.8	0	2	52	0

Kickoff Returns
	No	Yds	Avg	Long	TD
2019 Tampa
Courtland Sutton	1	0	0.0	0	0
2019 Carolina
Mecole Hardman	3	78	26.0	30	0

Punt Returns
	Ret	FC	Yds	Avg	Long	TD
2019 Tampa
T.J. Jones	1	2	7	7.0	7	0
2019 Carolina
Mecole Hardman	0	1	0		0	0

Individual Defense
	Tackles	Sacks	Fum Rec
2019 Tampa
Malik Hooker	6	0	0
Duron Harmon	6	0	0
Lavonte David	6	0	0
Quinton Dunbar	5	0	0
Shaquil Barrett	5	0	0
Kyle Van Noy	4	0	0
Dontari Poe	4	0	0
Dexter Lawrence	2	0	0
Daryl Worley	2	0	0
Mark Barron	2	0	0
Vic Beasley	1	0	0
Courtland Sutton	0	0	1
Patrick Mahomes	0	0	1
2019 Carolina
Marshon Lattimore	9	0	0
Chandler Jones	7	0	0
Jayon Brown	7	0	0
Jamie Collins	7	0	0
Marlon Humphrey	5	0	0
Javon Hargrave	5	0	0
Anthony Harris	3	0	0
Jamal Adams	3	0	0
Yannick Ngakoue	2	0	0
Danny Trevathan	2	0	0
Cameron Heyward	2	0	1
Jimmy Smith	1	0	0

Interceptions
	No	Yds	Avg	Long	TD
2019 Tampa
Daryl Worley	1	0	0.0	0	0
2019 Carolina

Game Story

Christian McCaffrey completely dominated the action as Carolina got past Tampa by the score of 23 to 20. McCaffrey ran over the Tampa defense for 222 yards scoring 2 times. Carolina controlled the ground game, out-rushing Tampa 224 to 126 yards. The fans were thrilled by a run by Christian McCaffrey that went for 54 yards with 0:15 left in the 2nd quarter. Tampa was ahead at halftime 17 to 7. They led after three quarters 20 to 10. Patrick Mahomes threw 43 times for 265 yards with a touchdown for Tampa, but his effort went to waste.

The Carolina Flight and Tampa Cubans played tonight in an exciting Lombardi Conference Championship game.  Carolina had outlasted the Cubans 27-21 in an OT thriller back in week 3 of the regular season.  They also matched up for an instant classic in the 2019 playoffs when Deshaun Watson led a furious comeback to pull off a last minute 28-27 Carolina victory.  Now in 2020 with a trip to the Tradition Bowl on the line, the two rising TFL franchises, led by young QB's Deshaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes, would play another classic that would once again come down to the last minute of the game.

The first quarter was uneventful as both offenses tried to get a sense for the opposing defense and exchanging two punts, with only Carolina getting past midfield.  The second Carolina punt though would only reach the Flight 44, so Tampa was set up with great field position for their third drive. The Cubans took advantage as Patrick Mahomes found Tyler Higbee and Aaron Jones for short gains, and were also aided by a Flight Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalty.  Duke Johnson would then punch it in from the 2 yard line on 3rd and goal to give Tampa the 7-0 lead.  Carolina would respond quickly as Christian McCaffery broke off a 47 yard run, and was followed by a Deshaun Watson 15 yard pass to Davante Adams.  Facing 3rd and goal from the Cubans 9, Watson forced a pass to Adams that was picked off by Daryl Worley in the end zone to end the Flight drive.  Tampa would strike another blow to the Flight as Aaron Jones broke off two nice runs (28 and 21 yards) and Mahomes connected twice with Higbe (10 and 11 yards) setting up 1st and goal at the Carolina 4.  Mahomes then found Courtland Sutton in the corner of the end zone to extend the Tampa lead to 14-0 with 8:24 left in the first half.  Carolina's next drive started beautifully with Watson finding Hopkins, Adams and Andrews for short gains.  Once inside the Cubans 40, the Tampa defense toughened up.  McCaffery was stuffed on a correct keyed run, then Watson's 4th down pass to Andrews fell incomplete ending another failed Flight drive.  Tampa ran a successful two minute drive that ended with a Wil Lutz 24 yard field goal with 0:37 to play in the half, and the Cubans on top 17-0.  With 0:30 on the clock and 3 TO's, the Flight would catch lightning in a bottle as Christian McCaffery took a draw play for a 54 yard long gain, then two plays later an end run for an incredible 27 yard touchdown with 0:01 left on the clock.  That pulled Carolina back within 10 at 17-7 going into halftime and with Carolina due to receive the second half kickoff.  

Carolina could not score on their first drive of the second half, and neither did Tampa.  The Flight would scratch out some points on their next drive as Ka'imi Fairbairn split the uprights from 48 yards to draw Carolina back within one score, 17-10 with 7:48 remaining in the 3rd.  Aaron Jones and Luke Wilson were key on the Cubans next drive, with runs and receptions that set up Wil Lutz from 40 yards out.  He drilled the kick and extended Tampa's lead back to 20-10 with 3:18 to play in the 3rd quarter.  With the Flight needing to answer the Cubans defense forced a 3 and out and began a 4:00 drive into the Carolina red zone.  With 11:42 to play and the Cubans on the verge of putting the game away, Chandler Jones drilled Patrick Mahomes to force a fumble that was recovered by Cameron Heyward.  Christian McCaffery (runs of 18, 8, & 6 yards & a 17 yard reception) and Mark Andrews (15 & 12 yard receptions) would lead Carolina down the field, then Watson connected with Demarcus Robinson for a 23 yard long pass for a touchdown. Fairbairn would shank the extra point, so the Tampa lead stood at 20-16 with 8:42 to play.  The Cubans would put together a nice drive as Mahomes completed multiple passes various receivers to put Tampa inside the Flight 30.  But two 10 yard penalties would push Tampa back out of field goal range and the Cubans were forced to punt.  Down 20-16 with 3:18 to play and at their own 20, Watson and the Flight would try to repeat last years comeback over the Cubans.  Facing a 4th & 5 at their own 25, Watson found Andrews for a 12 yard gain to keep their hopes alive.  Then, McCaffery broke off a 19 yard run setting up Carolina at the Cubans 43 with 1:07 to play.  Tampa was whistled for offsides to move Carolina to the 38.  That's when Christian McCaffery capped off his game for the ages with a 38 yard touchdown run to give Carolina its first lead of the game, 23-20 with 0:45 left on the clock.  Mahomes tried to find Sutton and Tyler Lockett downfield, but the Flight correctly double teamed them and the Cubans turned the ball over on downs ending the game.