The long-awaited game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers never happened. The star of the Cowboys sparkles more than ever and the troop of Dak Prescott humiliated that of Tom Brady, in its own sanctuary, by the mark of 31-14, Monday evening.
Usually, in the rodeo, the cowboy tries with difficulty and misery to resist the wild and uncontrollable beast on which he is mounted. And he ends up falling. In this last duel of the first elimination round, the cowboy tamed the beast. Prescott challenged, standing tall and proud, the greatest quarterback in football history and he survived.
For the first time in his career, Brady entered the playoffs with a negative record. By virtue of their position at the top of their division, the Buccaneers hosted the Cowboys at their home.
Like peddlers at supper time, Mike McCarthy’s men were the wrong visit.
Rarely has Tom Brady suffered such a clear and humiliating defeat.
If the Cowboys can still dream, it’s thanks to Dak Prescott. The two quarterbacks were poles apart throughout the game. Brady played possibly his worst game ever, while Prescott played his career best.
The $160 million man has been furiously calm, highly involved and completely in control. In the first half, he found tight end Dalton Schultz twice in the end zone and scored a touchdown.
The 29-year-old quarterback had recorded just one win in four playoff games heading into the game. He missed six games with a thumb injury, but still led NFL quarterbacks with 15 steals in 2022.
It was rather an active, precise and combative Dak Prescott who presented himself for this duel of capital importance for him and the organization, always victims of an unenvious reputation in the playoffs.
On more than one occasion, Prescott started a streak with grass and dirt in his fence. He also launched sequences without caucus, so everything worked.
This is Prescott’s team and beating a wealthy roster like the Bucs with three touchdowns, one rush, 305 passing yards and a 62.8% passing rate is a remarkable feat.
Finally some help
As investigators Patrick Bissonnette and Bruno Gagné would say, Prescott did not act alone.
Although Dallas relies on a balanced team, its greatest is its lack of depth at the receiving end. Only CeeDee Lamb had passed the 600-yard mark this season, with 1,359. Second behind was Schultz, with 577.
Invisible this season, Michael Gallup was very useful in capturing five of the six passes directed at him. He had wings and he was called upon to react effectively with a few contested catches.
Although they didn’t score touchdowns like Schultz or Lamb, Jake Ferguson, Noah Brown and Tony Polard didn’t drop a ball thrown at them.
The only player who failed to win was kicker Brett Maher, unable to complete his first four conversions. A record of mediocrity in the history of the playoffs. These four missing points could have been decisive in a tighter game.
Unrecognizable Tom Brady
Imprecise, discouraged and extinguished. Three adjectives that can describe Brady’s outfit during this game.
Nothing was working for the Bucs attack, running out of solutions. The 45-year-old quarterback has won seven Super Bowl rings by favoring short and option plays and using a fast tempo. He loves to use his running backs and troubleshooters to play with the dial and limit the opponent’s possessions.
Brady was unrecognizable and he never followed his usual course. Led throughout the game, he had to throw the ball more frequently and bet bigger with more ambitious plays. TB12 attempted no less than 66 passes. 35 of them reached their target. Even though he had 351 yards, it’s hard to find a positive.
Running backs Rachaad White and Leonard Fournette have just 50 rushing yards.
The Cowboys’ defense is impressive, to be sure. It is possibly the most versatile on the circuit. However, Brady could have given his team better chances.
The Florida offense used similar layouts throughout the game, making it easier for their rivals. Then, on numerous occasions, Brady missed his receivers by a mile despite having time and space. The off-season will be incredible in Tampa Bay.
For the Cowboys, still alive, the task will be quite different next weekend, when the 49ers of San Francisco will be waiting for them.