The Buccaneers' Playoff Ship Has Sunk Losing to Cowboys, 31-14
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' wild card matchup against the Dallas Cowboys resembled much of how their regular season played out. The offense was inconsistent and couldn't get anything done or provide the defense much help by putting points on the board. Dallas' offense abused the Tampa Bay defense for much of the night as Dak Prescott was able to have one of the better performances of his career. The Cowboys come into Tampa Bay and take the wild card game 31-14. The Buccaneers now have a ton of decisions to make as they turn to the offseason. Who will stay, will anyone go?
The first quarter of this wild card matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and Tampa Bay Buccaneers can best be summarized as a defensive battle of two juggernauts. There was no score leading up to the midway point of the first quarter as both teams were playing solid defense early on.
Cowboys' linebacker, Micah Parsons, was able to get into the backfield and create havoc early on for the visiting team and at one point decided to have a conversation with recently returned Buccaneers' center, Ryan Jensen.
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The Buccaneers' defense also played well early. Vita Vea made his name known early in this one as he returned from injury and recorded a sack on Cowboys' quarterback, Dak Prescott. However, even with how well the finally healthy Bucs' defense had been playing, Dallas was able to get points on the board midway through the first quarter on a 22-yard pass from Dak Prescott to tight end Dalton Schultz. Fortunately for the Bucs, Cowboys' kicker, Brett Maher missed the extra point and only went up 6-0.
The Buccaneers showed some promise near the end of the first quarter as they methodically worked the ball down the field. They ended the first quarter with the ball inside the Cowboys' 10-yard before Tom Brady threw an incoherent ball into the endzone to start the second quarter that Jayron Kearse was able to pick off.
In turn, the Cowboys explosive offense was able to drive the ball down the field on the Bucs defense and put themselves into scoring position once again. This time the defense was able to stuff Ezekiel Elliott on the 1-yard line, but the Cowboys decided to go for it on fourth-and-down and Dak Prescott took a bootleg run from one-yard out for a touchdown. Brett Maher came on for another extra point, but once again missed it and the Cowboys sat with just a 12-0 lead over the Bucs with just under halfway to go in the second quarter.
The Buccaneers were able to get the ball to the 50-yard line on a 3rd and long, forcing a 4th and short, but head coach Todd Bowles decided to try and pin the Cowboys deep in their own territory and rely on his defense. It seemed like a good decision, but the Bucs' faithful in attendance were not too thrilled with the coaching decision as boos echoed throughout Raymond James Stadium.
Dallas took over from their own 9-yard line but were able to drive down the field despite penalties and mistakes. The Buccaneers' defense looked extremely gassed and unable to get stops against Dallas and Dak Prescott on their way to another touchdown pass from Prescott to Schultz - this time for 11-yards. Brett Maher came on again for an extra point for the Cowboys, but for the 3rd time missed his attempt as Dallas took an 18-0 lead on the Buccaneers with just 27 seconds till halftime.
The Buccaneers couldn't do much with the ball before half as they were able to get the ball to the 50-yard line before Brady tried to get something going, but they were unable to get any closer as they entered the locker room at half down 18-0 to the visiting Dallas Cowboys.
The Bucs received the ball to start the second half, but quickly end any start to the drive as they go three and out after an incomplete pass to Godwin that appeared to be intended for tight end Cade Otton.
Cowboys' left tackle, Jason Peters, was ruled out for the rest of the game due to a hip injury. After a Buccaneers punt, the Cowboys got right to work with another big pass play to Dalton Schultz. The Buccaneers were able to force Dallas into a third down, but Prescott hit a wide open CeeDee Lamb on a 26-yard pass for a first down. The Cowboys completed their long drive with a 2-yard TD pass to Michael Gallup. The play was under review, but the play on the field stands. Brett Maher, the talk of the game, once again came onto the field for an extra point and missed his fourth one of the game.
With the game in limbo down 24-0, the Buccaneers got the ball back and were looking to create some type of positivity on the offensive side of the ball. Unfortunately for the Bucs, they were once again forced into a third and long and couldn't convert. After the Jake Camarda punt, the Dallas Cowboys took over at their own 22-yard line.
The Bucs are finally after to stop the Cowboys' offense and force a punt late in the third quarter. Dallas played the punt wonderfully and pinned the Bucs inside their own 5-yard line. The Bucs will have to go 95-yards in 3 minutes to keep any hope alive before heading to the fourth quarter.
Showing signs of life late in the 3rd, Tampa Bay is finally able to get on the scoreboard with a 30-yard touchdown pass from Brady to Julio Jones. The Bucs were able to get something going thanks to a fast-paced, no-huddle style offense. They ended up going for two, but Brady was unable to find anyone open. At the end of the 3rd quarter, the Buccaneers trail the Dallas Cowboys 24-6, and their hopes of advancing in the playoffs are slim to none as long as the Cowboys can continue to control the ball on offense.
The Buccaneers' defense just hasn't been able to stop the Cowboys' offense as they continued to convert 1st down after 1st down to start the fourth quarter on their way to another touchdown, this time from Prescott to CeeDee Lamb for 18 yards. Brett Maher comes on and is finally able to put an extra point through the uprights. The Cowboys lead the Bucs 31-6 with just over 10 minutes to go and this one seems all but over.
Tonight was marred by lackluster offensive output as not one Buccaneer running back was able to eclipse 50 yards rushing and not one wide receiver was able to put up over 100 yards receiving. Tom Brady was under pressure much of the night and just looked off as he was inconsistent with his passes. The play calling has been much of what we have all season and the trust factor just didn't seem to be there between players and coaches. The lone highlight of the night came from Julio Jones on a 30-yard bomb from Tom Brady when the game was pretty much out of reach as well as a late touchdown grab by Cameron Brate to cut the to 31-14 after a two-point conversion grab by Mike Evans.
The Buccaneers' defense tried to do all they could, but with lapses in coverage, leaving Dallas' receivers open and poor tackling it was hard for them to muster many stops as Dak Prescott had a career playoff game going 25/32 for 305 yards and 4 touchdowns (2 of which went to Dalton Schultz who also had 95 yards receiving on the night).
The Buccaneers will now turn their attention to the offseason where many decisions will need to be made by current quarterback, Tom Brady, as well as the front office when it comes to who they want to bring back personnel-wise on the field and on the sideline.
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