Beating Brady: How'd Cowboys Finally Stop Hall-of-Fame QB?
The Dallas Cowboys have finally exorcised their demon.
In addition to earning their first road playoff win since their victory over the San Francisco 49ers in the 1992 NFC Championship Game, ‘America’s Team’ also got the best of quarterback Tom Brady, who owned a 7-0 regular-season record over the Cowboys.
Dallas earned the last laugh on Monday night with a 31-14 rout of Brady and the Bucs in their NFC Wild Card contest at Raymond James Stadium
Quarterback Dak Prescott out-dueled Brady, completing 25 of 33 passes for 305 yards and four touchdowns. Dallas’ offense took an 18-0 lead by halftime, thanks to a pair of scoring strikes from Prescott to tight end Dalton Schultz. With a 24-6 advantage after the third quarter, the Cowboys never had to look back.
Conversely, Brady and the Buccaneers' offense uncharacteristically sputtered in clutch situations. Though Brady completed 35 of 66 for 351 yards, with two touchdowns and one interception, his game-ending stat line was deceptive. Much of his offensive output came late in the second half, with Dallas holding a comfortable lead.
While some will point to Brady’s age as the reason for his atypical miscues on Monday, the Bucs struggled for one simple reason … the Cowboys' defense dominated the game.
Holding a Brady-led offense scoreless for nearly three complete quarters is no easy task. Yet, Dallas was able to do so by employing a game plan which has given the 45-year-old his share of headaches over the course of his 23-year career.
Brady is usually at his best when creating opportunities on the field off play-action. When Tampa Bay uses the running game as an effective catalyst, Brady is generally surgical in executing intermediate completions or stretching the field with deep shots.
However, the Cowboys defensive front was effective in preventing Tampa Bay from finding their rhythm on the ground. Dallas held Bucs running backs Leonard Fournette and rookie Rachaad White to a combined 12 carries for 52 yards
Without a formidable run game to neutralize them, linebacker Micah Parsons and the Cowboys pass rush was able to find success against Brady by taking advantage of subpar performances by tackles Tristan Wirfs and Donovan Smith — as well as veteran center Ryan Jensen, who returned from a season-long absence due to a knee injury.
Despite making every attempt to avoid sacks, Brady was coerced into rushing his throws some throws that could have been short-yardage completions. Still, defenisve coordinator Dan Quinn was careful to control his unit’s aggression by opting for containment, as opposed to forcing multiple blitzes. The strategy worked, as it significantly reduced the amount of potentially easy downfield shots for Brady in single coverage. It also produced two sacks, one from Parsons and the other by defensive end Jonathan Hankins.
Dallas’ secondary was equally effective in their goal of preventing the big play. Brady was not able to break a big-yard score until he found Julio Jones for a 30-yard sideline strike with time expiring in the third quarter. Aside from that, the Buccaneers did not have any pass plays which exceeded 20 yards.
Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs was masterful in shadowing Bucs top receiver Mike Evans, holding the wideout to a quiet six catches for 74 yards. With Evans unable to get open, Brady and the Bucs struggled to move the ball. Safety Jayron Kearse logged the night’s only interception by jumping a throw Brady made under duress at beginning of the second quarter. It was the veteran’s first red zone interception in his last 409 pass attempts.
Ultimately, the Cowboys to contain Brady and the Bucs will carry them to Santa Clara to face the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday in the Divisional Round, as their postseason journey continues.
Follow Mike D’Abate on Twitter @mdabateNFL
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