Tag: Dallas Cowboys vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Cowboys players react to advancing in the postseason

A review of how players and the Cowboys’ team account responded to Monday night’s 31-14 win in the wild-card round in Tampa Bay. | From @KDDrummondNFL

Head coach Mike McCarthy made sure his players knew that none of the failures of previous teams were on them. The Cowboys’ teams that lost six games in a row to Tom Brady before this season started? Wasn’t them. The 30 years worth of clubs that hadn’t won a road playoff game? Irrelevant to their lives. He almost assuredly told them that the Week 1 and Week 18 losses didn’t make a lick of difference on Monday night.

And they listened. Dallas’ defense has an unreal energy from their first snaps and once the offense calmed down they began to roll as well. Everything but the kicking game fired on all cylinders in the wild-card round, getting Dallas to the divisional round for the first time since 2018. Here’s how the players responded on Twitter to the victory.

Cowboys exorcise demons as Prescott dominates Brady, Bucs in 31-14 wild-card win

The Cowboys were sick of hearing they’d never beaten Brady, so they decided to beat the brakes off him. Here’s the instant analysis. | From @KDDrummondNFL

They’d had enough. The 2022 Dallas Cowboys may have lost to Tom Brady and the Buccaneers in Week 1, but they were sick and tired of hearing the narratives. After a lackluster showing in Week 18 when they still had a longshot to win the division, the calls got loud. Dallas hadn’t played well down the stretch of the season and the final few weeks of the season set them up to face their demons.

Not only were they going to have to go on the road for their first playoff game after finishing with 12 wins. But the Cowboys had to go on grass where they were 1-4, and they had to do it against the greatest QB of all time who they had never beaten. Well, they beat the living daylights out of his squad. Dak Prescott had the playoff game of his life and the Cowboys emerged victorious.

WATCH: Prescott 5th TD of game comes on Cowboys 4th-down gamble

The Cowboys chewed the clock, took a risk on fourth down and Prescott decided four touchdowns wasn’t enough. | From @CDBurnett7

On the final play of the third quarter, the Buccaneers showed their first bit of life against the Cowboys. The impressive rookie cornerback DaRon Bland was beat on a rare occasion by Julio Jones and Tom Brady delivered the touchdown pass. Due to kicker Brett Maher’s blunders, it was a three-possession game but a stop on the two-point attempt kept it that way.

Looking to close out the game, quarterback Dak Prescott went to work. A pair of first down conversion throws sprung Dallas into Tampa Bay territory while digging deeper into the clock. Facing a fourth-down, Maher started to walk onto the field but Mike McCarthy elected to keep the offense on the field to bury the Buccaneers and that they did. Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb was somehow forgotten by the defense and Prescott delivered a backyard throw to close the door on Brady.

Prescott’s 18-yard throw to Lamb was his fifth touchdown on the night, a monstrous performance on the road against the greatest to play the game. Following the score, chants roared out after Maher finally relieved the stress by making the extra point, a great sign heading forward. With less than ten minutes remaining, the Cowboys hold a commanding 31-6 lead.

Cowboys safety Jayron Kearse suffers knee injury late in 3rd quarter

The Cowboys star safety hobbled in the endzone and needed help getting to the sideline, reaching for his left knee. | From @CDBurnett7

The Cowboys defense has dealt with a slew of key injuries in 2022 but their playoff unit is the closest they’ve been to 100% in recent weeks. During the season, safety Jayron Kearse battled with a compilation of injuries but stayed relatively healthy for 18 weeks.

Late in the third quarter in Tampa Bay, Kearse came up gimpy after a stop and waited in the endzone for trainers to come check on him. He was grabbing at his knee and needed help to reach the sideline after the mishap.

Kearse was unable to put weight on his left leg and it would be a big loss if Dallas holds on to move to the divisional round. For now, the group of Donovan Wilson, Malik Hooker and Israel Mukuamu step up in his place.

WATCH: Cowboys’ Prescott continues magical night with fourth TD

Prescott’s red-hot night continued with his third touchdown pass, and an odd rule allowed Michael Gallup to haul in the score. | From @CDBurnett7

Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott played near-perfect in the first half and the momentum carried into the second half. After the Dallas defense forced a three-and-out, Prescott continued orchestrating a signature night. The drive started with a 26-yard beauty to tight end Dalton Schultz and then he added a pre-snap change that netted another 26-yard gain, this time to wide receiver CeeDee Lamb.

Approaching the red zone, running back Tony Pollard found a crease for an 18-yard gain, shrugging off defenders to set up first-and-goal. Following a short gain on first down, Prescott threw a pass that squeaked by the hands of cornerback Carlton Davis and into those of wide receiver Michael Gallup for the touchdown.

Gallup teetered near the back of the endzone and may have stepped out of bounds before making the catch in the field of play but Davis tipping the throw allows the Cowboys receiver to reestablish his place. An odd rule helps Dallas and Prescott has his fourth touchdown of the night.

After the score, Mike McCarthy elected to send out kicker Brett Maher for another field goal. This one looked better than the first three, but it clanged off the top of the upright and went out.

WATCH: Prescott delivers masterful 2-minute drive, Maher’s nightmare continues

The Cowboys quarterback’s momentum continued for another touchdown drive while the Dallas kicker’s mistakes are cause for worry. | From @CDBurnett7

Holding onto a double-digit lead, the Dallas defense continued their stellar day, forcing a punt near midfield where Todd Bowles could’ve elected to go for it with three yards to convert. He didn’t and quarterback Dak Prescott set up shop with 3:32 left in the first half.

Since three incompletions on catchable passes on the first drive, Prescott has played lights out and flew down the field on an 11-play, 91-yard drive where he mixed precision passing with some swiftness that Cowboys fans have missed over the last couple years. On the final moment of the drive, Prescott extended the play and threw a strike across his body to tight end Dalton Schultz in the crease of the defense for a touchdown, his second of the game.

In the first half, Prescott went 15-for-20 for 189 yards and two touchdown passes while adding 20 yards and a score on the ground. Coming off a lot of doubt from outsiders, he’s playing his best football in the biggest moment of the season so far.

After the score, kicker Brett Maher shanked another extra point. That’s four-straight missed extra points for him dating back to the Week 18 loss and it’s a growing worry that even set off Prescott on the sideline.

Dallas has a worry at kicker after a year where Maher has played well-above expectations. For now, the Cowboys have an 18-0 halftime lead to hold onto with those concerns looming.

Cowboys LT Jason Peters checks out of game with hip injury

The nine-time Pro Bowler was slow to get up and the Dallas offensive line made another shift late in the first half. | From @CDBurnett7

Late in the first half, the Cowboys started churning down the field with a chance to make it a safer lead in Tampa Bay. Right after the two-minute warning, starting left tackle Jason Peters was slow to get up and walked to the sideline under his own power.

Peters and the Dallas offensive line has started strong in this wild card duel and the nine-time Pro Bowler’s status is in question for the second half. In his absence, rookie Tyler Smith shifts out to left tackle and Connor McGovern takes over at the left guard spot. Peters didn’t return during the drive and is questionable to return in the second half with a hip injury.

Update: Peters has been ruled out for the game.

Dak Prescott just set this Cowboys’ all-time playoff record

The Cowboys quarterback went on a playoff heater in the first half against Tampa Bay. | From @KDDrummondNFL

Things did not start out well for the Cowboys and the passing offense. Dallas did what fans have been clamoring for, forgoing the first-down run for a pass, but Dallas was unable to complete any of the three pass attempts on a 13-second three-and-out. The next drive was a three and out as well, but Prescott did complete a pass on the drive.

Little did anyone know that was going to be the beginning of 11 straight completions. Across that streak, Dallas went on two touchdown drives that included a 22-yard pass to Dalton Schultz on the first. The second drive ended with Prescott running it in for his own touchdown. That made him the sixth player in NFL history to pass and run for a touchdown in fourstraight playoff games, but then he set a franchise record on the next drive.

Prescott’s 11 straight completions were the most in Dallas Cowboys’ history. Better than Troy Aikman. Better than Roger Staubach. Better than everyone in between, before or after.

WATCH: Brady’s INT gift leads to Moore trickery for Cowboys TD

Jayron Kearse collected a gift from Tom Brady and the Dallas offense went to work with some impressive play-calling from Kellen Moore. | From @CDBurnett7

Following the Cowboys’ first touchdown drive, Tom Brady and the Buccaneers found rhythm on their third possession. Tampa Bay marched down on a 14-play, 70-yard drive and were knocking on the door with first-and-goal.

Linebacker Micah Parsons broke up a wide receiver screen on first down and the following play was a rare mistake from Brady. With no one open, he lofted a pass in the back of the end zone to a waiting Jayron Kearse, who welcomed an easy takeaway and touchback for his offense.

The turnover is Brady’s first playoff interception as a Buccaneer and relieved the pressure from an otherwise impressive drive.

With momentum, quarterback Dak Prescott got to work with a perfect 5-for-5 start to the drive before a holding penalty on the Tampa Bay front door set things back. This didn’t stop Dallas, who faced a 4th-and-goal at the 1-yard line. Kellen Moore drew up some excellence, with a motion from running back Tony Pollard and a fake to Ezekiel Elliott that left Prescott all alone for a walk-in touchdown.

Moore saved the best for last on a strong drive and the Cowboys have a 12-point lead on the road after a second uncharacteristic miss from kicker Brett Maher, a storyline to watch as the game progresses.

Cowboys TE Hendershot questionable to return

The Cowboys tight end room took a hit early in Tampa Bay, with their impressive UDFA suffering a thigh injury. | From @CDBurnett7

Editor’s note: Hendershot returned later in the second quarter.

The Cowboys and Buccaneers are out of the gates as both offenses find rhythm, and Dallas may be without one of their secret weapons. Tight end Peyton Hendershot suffered a thigh injury during the first quarter in Tampa Bay and is questionable to return to the game.

As an undrafted free agent, Hendershot exceeded expectations and has three touchdowns on the year while adding some edge to the offense in a deep tight end room. If he’s unable to return Dallas will continue to rely on Dalton Schultz and Jake Ferguson, with the former already scoring a touchdown in this wild card matchup.