Final score: Cowboys 26, Buccaneers 20
Buccaneers vs. Cowboys live scores, highlights, news, and more
Dallas bounced back from its first loss with a win over surging Tampa Bay
Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images
This NFC battle has been a game of runs, with the Cowboys scoring 17 straight points followed by the Buccaneers doing the same to take the lead. Dallas answered with three Dan Bailey field goals in the final quarter to regain the lead.
Third quarter: Buccaneers 20, Cowboys 17
Jameis Winston came out firing in the second half, with a pair of touchdown passes in the third quarter to take the lead.
Second quarter: Cowboys 17, Buccaneers 6
A 65-yard drive by the Cowboys to end the first quarter culminated in a successful field goal attempt by Dan Bailey on the first play of the second quarter, setting the tone for Dallas. In each of their next two drives the Cowboys scored rushing touchdowns, one by Ezekiel Elliott and another by Dak Prescott. The Buccaneers added a field goal of their own, on a drive stalled by a personal foul penalty on Jameis Winston.
First quarter: Buccaneers 3, Cowboys 0
Dan Bailey missed a 56-yard field goal attempt for Dallas, while Roberto Aguayo made his field goal, a much shorter distance at 25 yards for the game’s first score.
Highlights
Jameis Winston threw a TD pass that the Cowboys tipped into Adam Humphries’ waiting hands.
Jameis Winston was flagged for a personal foul for headbutting a Cowboys defender.
Ezekiel Elliott ran for a touchdown, then jumped in a giant Salvation Army kettle.
Pregame
Now that the Dallas Cowboys have lost their first game since September, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers might be the NFL’s hottest team. Dallas can reclaim that title when Jameis Winston brings a dynamic Tampa Bay offense to Texas for a Sunday Night Football showdown.
The Buccaneers have rebounded from a 3-5 start to rally into playoff position behind a five-game winning streak. Tampa has dispatched quality opponents like the Chiefs, Seahawks, Chargers, and Saints to push its way to the top of the NFC South, where only a tiebreaker separates it from Atlanta and the division lead.
More importantly, the Bucs are finding different ways to win. A maturing Winston helped drive the offense to high-scoring victories over the Bears and Chargers, but when he failed to find the end zone for the first time since high school, his defense was there to bail him out against the Saints. After giving up 73 combined points in back-to-back losses to the Raiders and Falcons, Tampa Bay has given up just 64 in its last five games.
Streaks are made to be broken, as the Cowboys can attest. Dallas is undefeated against teams not quarterbacked by Eli Manning this year, clinching a playoff spot in Week 13 thanks to 11 straight wins. Rookie duo Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott have each made a case as MVP candidates as their offense has helped run through the rest of the NFC.
However, a closer look at the Cowboys’ schedule reveals a lot more fluff than substance. Dallas has only beaten one team — Pittsburgh — currently in line for a playoff berth. While others would be in better standing if not for their loss (or losses) to the Cowboys (Washington, Green Bay, Baltimore), the franchise could use another validating win to add some confidence as the playoffs approach.
That’s where the Bucs come in. Tampa Bay looked like a pushover midway through the season, but they’ll give Jason Garrett plenty to plan for as he preps for Week 15. No team in the NFL has been better at shutting down passing lanes as the Buccaneers of late, who have held opposing quarterbacks to a 53.5 rating in their last three games. That’s bad news for Prescott, but potentially great news for all the hot-takers out there hoping for some Tony Romo quarterback carousel rumors to spread like wildfire.
The game is set to kick off at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC. A live stream is available at NBC Sports.
Pregame reading
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