Cowboys WATCH: Dak Prescott Exits Loss to Bucs With Hand Injury; Here's The Play
The first half of the season-opening rematch between the Dallas Cowboys and Tampa Bay Buccaneers got off to a slow start Sunday night at AT&T Stadium, but the visitors headed into the locker room up 12-3 after some rusty play from both sides.
But then came something even worse. Late in what would become a 19-3 Dallas loss, Dak Prescott also headed into the locker room - with an injury of some sort to his throwing hand.
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Dak Prescott vs. Tom Brady didn't bring the fireworks some might've expected, as it was the defenses that stole the show through the first 30 minutes of action.
Dallas linebacker and reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year Micah Parsons was arguably the best player in the first half, as his two third-down sacks of Brady both occurred in the red zone and forced the Bucs to settle for field-goal opportunities.
Dallas' stingy red-zone defense kept the game closer than it should've been on paper based on the lack of offensive production from the Cowboys and coordinator Kellen Moore.
The Cowboys received the opening kickoff, but were hit with even more injuries on the offensive line right off the bat.
Dallas left guard Conner McGovern exited on the game's opening drive, leaving an already thin offensive line without Tyron Smith down another starter.
This didn't affect the Dallas play-calling though, as the Cowboys weren't shying away from what seemed to be scripted offensive trickery on the game's first drive. Two trick plays with Tony Pollard at the center of the action went nowhere. Dallas settled for a field goal from Brett Maher to take an early 3-0 lead.
The Dallas defense gave up two 20-yard receptions to receivers Chris Godwin and Mike Evans on the Buccaneers' opening drive, but Demarcus Lawrence ended any hopes of an early touchdown with a big solo tackle of Leonard Fournette on third-and-short.
CeeDee Lamb dropped a would-be third-down conversion and the Cowboys trailed 6-3 after another Ryan Succop field goal. A Dallas three-and-out seemed to spark the Buccaneers offense on the ensuing drive.
Brady orchestrated an 11-play drive that was dominated by Fournette and Julio Jones. But a Micah Parsons third-down sack ended any touchdown hopes and, apparently, any field goal aspirations as well. Succop missed a gimme 36-yarder to keep the score 6-3.
Unfortunately for Dallas, Prescott gave him an easy chance to make up for it. His interception on a forced a throw to Noah Brown set up another Tampa Bay field goal.
Brady's 48-yard pass to Jones set the Bucs up for another field goal to make it a 12-3 game going into the locker room.
And for Dallas in the second half? It went downhill from there.
You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7
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