Cooper Rush threw for a touchdown and Brandon Oubre scored twice from 58 yards out of four field goals as the Dallas Cowboys beat Tampa Bay 26-24 on Sunday night, costing Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers control of their playoff destiny.
The end of a four-game winning streak leaves the Bucs (8-7) even with Atlanta atop the NFC South with two games remaining, but the Falcons have the tiebreaker because they have won both games with Tampa Bay.
The Cowboys’ (7-8) three-year playoff streak ended when they were eliminated from postseason contention before kickoff with the Washington Commanders’ last-minute win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
But it failed to derail Dallas, which won for the fourth time in five games since a five-game losing streak that put its playoff hopes in jeopardy.
Mayfield, a Texas native playing not far from his high school and college roots, was in position to lead a rally from a nine-point deficit in the final three minutes when he evaded a sack and shoveled the ball to Rashad White in the final minutes. minutes.
DaRon Bland ripped the ball out of White’s hands before hitting the ground, giving Dallas possession at the Tampa Bay 32-yard line and allowing the Cowboys to run out the clock.
Statistics leaders
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Scrolling: Baker Mayfield, 31/43, 303 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
- haste: Bucky Irving, 16 carries, 68 yards, 1 TD
- Receiving: Mike Evans, 5 catches, 69 yards
Dallas Cowboys
- Scrolling: Cooper Rush, 26/35, 292 yards, 1 TD
- haste: Rico Dowdle, 13 carries, 23 yards
- Receiving: CeeDee Lamb, 7 catches, 105 yards
Mayfield threw for two touchdowns, including a 13-yarder to Ryan Miller that pulled the Bucs within two with 2:36 remaining.
The Bucs got the ball back with 1:50 remaining before a big play from Bland, who forced his first turnover of an injury-plagued season a year after the cornerback set an NFL record with five interceptions returned for touchdowns.
Tampa Bay’s defense that allowed an NFL-low 15 points during the winning streak had trouble early trying to slow down Rush and receiver CeeDee Lamb, who had a 100-yard first half for the second straight week.
Cooper Rush led the Dallas Cowboys to victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Lamb, who has been struggling with his right shoulder most of the season, fell on it hard again on a 52-yard run in the second quarter. After going to the bench, Lamb came back for a touchdown and worked his way inside the 1-yard line for an Ezekiel Elliott score to put Dallas up 20-7.
Lamb finished with 105 yards receiving after having 100 yards before intermission a week after going for 105 yards in the first half against Carolina.
Mayfield needed less than a minute’s drive for an 11-yard touchdown pass to Jalen McMillan in the final minute of the first half, but the Cowboys answered with Oubre’s second goal from 58 yards on the final 23-minute lead before the break. -14 bullets.
What was said?
Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield: “I’ve said it all along, this group is not going to quit. That’s the standard we’re trying to set. It would be good not to be in that situation, if we had taken care of things early in the game. They made some plays when it came down to the ball, and they made “Good job keeping her away.”
What’s next?
The Chiefs enter the penultimate week of the regular season when they visit the Pittsburgh Steelers on Christmas Day, while the Texans return home to host the Baltimore Ravens.
Watch the New Orleans Saints vs. Green Bay Packers game from 1.15am on Tuesday, live on Sky Sports NFL. Stream with now.
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