So a lot for notion that Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys won’t be as much as the problem of beating Tom Brady.
Prescott performed his greatest recreation in weeks, throwing for 4 touchdowns and working for an additional to reply critics of “America’s Team” with a 31-14 rout of Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in an NFC wild-card playoff recreation on Monday night time.
“It simply exhibits he is resilient,” Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons stated. “The mild’s completely different on Dak. I believe the criticism is unfair and unjust typically. But the way in which he handles it, the way in which he comes again each time and exhibits who he really is, it is a credit score to the work he places in. It makes us preserve believing each time.”
Prescott accomplished 25 of 33 passes for 305 yards and performed turnover-free ball for the primary time in eight video games because the Cowboys (13-5) dominated the listless Bucs (8-10) in what could turn into Brady’s final recreation in a Tampa Bay uniform.
“Not the way in which we wished to finish it,” Brady stated. “Kind of typical of the way in which we performed all season.”
Dallas beat Brady for the primary time within the seven-time Super Bowl champion’s profession and gained within the post-season on the highway for the primary time in 30 years to earn a visit to San Francisco to face the 49ers within the NFC divisional spherical subsequent Sunday.
“You watched this group that had all the explanations on this planet to have criticism — you’ll be able to name it doubt, you’ll be able to name it no matter you need — and so they got here again and so they’re not the identical group that got here to city,” Cowboys proprietor Jerry Jones stated. “They’re a greater group having overwhelmed Tampa and overwhelmed an incredible participant at quarterback.”
Dak is dealing! His third TD move of the night time goes to <a href=”https://twitter.com/michael13gallup?ref_src=twsrcpercent5Etfw”>@Michael13Gallup</a>!<br><br>📺: <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/DALvsTB?src=hash&ref_src=twsrcpercent5Etfw”>#DALvsTB</a> on ESPN/ABC<br>📱: Stream on NFL+ <a href=”https://t.co/HABicMhZeY”>https://t.co/HABicMhZeY</a> <a href=”https://t.co/caAjw6OXYO”>pic.twitter.com/caAjw6OXYO</a>
—@NFL
The Cowboys had dropped eight straight playoff video games away from dwelling since successful the NFC championship recreation in San Francisco on Jan. 17, 1993.
They had been additionally coming off a poor efficiency in a lopsided common season-ending loss to Washington.
“Didn’t pay attention,” Prescott stated about all of the discuss in regards to the Cowboys not being prepared for the playoffs.
“Simply simply did not take heed to anyone else’s opinions, anyone else’s ideas. Made certain I used to be aware of what I put in my very own head,” Prescott added. “Got an incredible supporting solid in my group, people who imagine in me. That’s all that basically issues to me, and simply keep targeted on what I can do.”
Tampa Bay’s Gage carted off subject with harm
About the one factor that went unsuitable for the Cowboys was kicker Brett Maher lacking his first 4 additional factors, turning into the primary participant in NFL historical past to overlook that many in a recreation. Maher lastly transformed on his fifth try after coach Mike McCarthy determined in opposition to sending him out to attempt a subject purpose from roughly the identical distance as a PAT.
Tampa Bay receiver Russell Gage was strapped to a backboard and carted off the sphere late within the fourth quarter. Gage slipped and fell to the turf whereas working a route and took a blow to the neck as he went down. He was unable to get to his ft and silence fell over the stadium as gamers took a knee and medical personnel tended to him.
Coach Todd Bowles stated Gage was taken to a hospital with a concussion and was being evaluated for a neck harm. Gage’s harm occurred two weeks after Buffalo Bills security Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest and needed to be resuscitated on the sphere in a Monday night time recreation at Cincinnati.
Brady’s final recreation?
Brady, who signed with Tampa Bay in 2020 and led the Bucs to a Super Bowl title two years in the past, can be a free agent this winter. He retired briefly final February earlier than altering his thoughts and returning for a twenty third season at age 45.
Brady threw a career-high 66 passes, finishing 35 of them for for 351 yards, together with second-half touchdowns of 30 yards to Julio Jones and eight yards to Cameron Brate. He was sacked twice and in addition threw a pricey interception — a second-quarter, end-zone decide from the Dallas 5 that prevented the Bucs from doubtlessly taking the lead once they had been solely trailing 6-0.
Prescott tossed the primary of his two TD passes to Dalton Schultz to get the Cowboys going, then turned Brady’s first red-zone interception since 2019 into factors by ending a 15-play, 80-yard drive by circling left finish for a 1-yard TD run on fourth down.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady leaves the sphere after an NFL wild-card soccer recreation in opposition to the Dallas Cowboys, Monday, Jan. 16, 2023, in Tampa, Fla. The Dallas Cowboys gained 31-14. (John Raoux/The Associated Press)
The Dallas quarterback expanded the result in 18-0 with an 11-yard TD throw to Schultz, then threw 2 yards to Michael Gallup for a 24-point lead early within the third quarter. It may have been 28-0 if not for Maher lacking all 4 additional factors.
Prescott’s final TD move, an 18-yarder to CeeDee Lamb on fourth-and-4, put the Cowboys up 31-6 with 10:13 remaining.
Little got here simple this season for the Bucs, simply the fourth group in NFL historical past to make the playoffs with a dropping document in a non-strike yr.
While Brady broke his personal league document for completions in a season and ranked third in passing yards behind Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert, Tampa Bay completed twenty fifth in scoring at 18.4 factors per recreation and by no means gained greater than two in a row whereas holding off Carolina, New Orleans and Atlanta to repeat as NFC South champions.
“It’s all the time robust,” Brady stated of the disappointing end to the season. “But we did not earn it. They did.”
Cowboys tight finish Peyton Hendershot (thigh) left the sport within the first quarter. Tackle Jason Peters (hip) limped off within the second quarter and didn’t return.
Buccaneers centre Ryan Jensen was activated from injured reserve to the energetic roster after lacking all the common season with a knee harm suffered on the second day of coaching camp. He was instantly inserted into the beginning lineup.
