Two issues are sure following the final NFC Wild Card recreation Monday evening between the Dallas Cowboys and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Dallas kicker Brett Maher wants to return to kicking faculty and Bucs QB Tom Brady isn’t the participant he was once.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Tom Brady reacts on the sector. The workforce misplaced their likelihood at advancing within the NFL postseason via a weak efficiency towards the Dallas Cowboys. (Picture: Getty Photographs)
Monday evening was Dak Prescott’s evening, from begin to end. There have been questions on whether or not the Cowboys QB would have the ability to bounce again from accidents, and he silenced everybody along with his efficiency.
Prescott went from probably the worst efficiency of his profession in his earlier recreation to the very best as he led the Boys to a 31-14 blowout. In entrance of Tampa Bay’s fanbase at Raymond James Stadium, Dallas made simple work of Brady and the Bucs within the workforce’s first playoff win on the highway in three a long time.
Management The Stream
The sport received off to a gradual begin earlier than Dallas moved out in entrance with a TD midway into the primary quarter. From there, they managed the tempo of the sport.
Not even 4 missed further factors from Maher – an NFL document – had been sufficient to alter the stream of the sport. If his objective had been to tip the overall by some means, he succeeded.
Dak Prescott has seen sufficient of the missed further factors. “Go for f**ckin’ two!” pic.twitter.com/yuPH7FN8NE
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) January 17, 2023
Lacking one further level is one factor; lacking 4 is insane. At about $1 million a 12 months in wage for Maher, there’s little excuse for repeatedly lacking chip photographs.
The Cowboys commanded the Bucs at each flip. They moved out to an 18-0 lead by the top of the primary half and continued to stifle Tampa’s offense within the second half. Brady tried to rally the Bucs within the fourth quarter, however the harm was already finished.
One of many low factors of the sport occurred in that quarter. Bucs broad receiver Russell Gage was shifting into place for a possible throw by Brady when he slipped on the grass. An incoming sort out could have altered the course of his profession.
Cowboys security Donovan Wilson unintentionally clotheslined Gage from behind, inflicting his head and neck to jerk. Medical personnel rushed onto the sector and carried him off on a stretcher earlier than whisking him away to a hospital. The preliminary prognosis was a concussion, however testing will proceed Tuesday.
Some individuals tried to check the incident to the one Buffalo Payments security Damar Hamlin acquired two weeks in the past. Nevertheless, they don’t even come shut. Hamlin was lifeless on the sector earlier than medical personnel resuscitated him. Whereas Gage’s harm was scary, evaluating it to a life-ending harm appears misplaced.
Prescott Rises To The High
Prescott is now the primary Cowboys participant at any place to have scored 5 touchdowns in a postseason recreation. They had been doable via 4 completions and a floor TD that left Tampa’s protection trying like a freshman highschool squad.
The six-year Cowboys veteran suffered a damaged hand within the workforce’s loss towards Tampa at first of the season. He needed to miss 5 video games after present process surgical procedure however couldn’t discover his rhythm when he returned.
15 interceptions in 12 video games put his future unsure. He shut down the commentary final evening, however nonetheless has a protracted technique to go. Subsequent up, the Boys will tackle the San Francisco 49ers, who eradicated them from the playoffs final 12 months.
What’s Subsequent For Brady
In the meantime, questions linger for Brady, who by no means misplaced to the Cowboys in his 23-year NFL profession. The seven-time Tremendous Bowl champion, who tried to retire earlier than the beginning of the present season, received’t say whether or not or not he’ll return subsequent 12 months.
Brady entered the sport as an underdog for the primary time in his playoff profession. If he exits now, he’ll depart on a bitter observe, though he can’t take all of the blame for the loss.
He solely mustered two TDs, and put up an interception that was oddly uncharacteristic of his regular caliber. Nevertheless, repeatedly, he didn’t get the assist he wanted from the offense and by no means gained traction. He could have doomed his picture when he determined to make one other run for the 2022-23 season.
