Ira Kaufman’s 10 Takeaways From Bucs-Cowboys
December 23rd, 2024
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BY IRA KAUFMAN
In the end, the Cowboys wanted it a little more.
How else do you explain Dallas coming up with two fourth-quarter takeaways by wrestling the ball away from Jalen McMillan and Rachaad White en route to a 26-24 victory?
In what was surely one of the more physical games of the 2024 season, the Cowboys played forcefully with nothing to lose, sending a message of support for Coach Mike McCarthy to Jerry Jones.
The Bucs had everything to play for and now need help in their quest for a fourth consecutive NFC South title.
Tampa Bay’s defense was ravaged by Cooper Rush in the opening half as he threw for 220 of his 292 yards. Dallas never trailed but the Bucs made things interesting in the final minutes before White’s fumble snapped a 4-game winning streak and left the Falcons jubilant.
Atlanta and Tampa Bay are both 8-7, but the Falcons hold the tie-breaker due to a season sweep that remains mystifying to ownership and everyone who works at One Buc Place. Atlanta faces 10-5 Washington on the road Sunday evening, hours after the Bucs play Carolina at home.
The Commanders are 6-2 at home behind stellar rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, so there’s a decent chance the Bucs will be back atop the division heading into the final week of the regular season.
Sunday’s game was marked by hard hitting on both sides. Rush played poised with no turnovers and the Buc defense was guilty of passive play and poor tackling as Dallas took a 23-14 halftime lead.
The Cowboys were limited to three first downs and 74 total yards in the final two quarters, but any hopes of a dynamic comeback were thwarted when Baker Mayfield was picked off in the end zone and White was stripped after grabbing a desperation pass while Mayfield was falling down.
Tampa Bay’s run defense was sensational, but Rush had way too much time to scan the field in the opening half and CeeDee Lamb burned the secondary — despite missing much of the game with an injured shoulder.
Brandon Aubrey converted field goals from 58, 49, 58 and 53 yards when drives stalled, reinforcing his reputation as one of the league’s premier kickers.
The Cowboys had been eliminated from the postseason before the game began, yet they gave their fans 60 minutes of passion and effort.
Here’s how the Cowboys improved to 2-6 at home and held on to inflict a potentially crushing setback to the favored visitors:
* Todd Bowles didn’t have to look at the film before he told Melissa Stark at halftime that Tampa Bay’s tackling was subpar. He won’t feel any differently after he watches the tape. Too many yards after the catch for Rush’s targets. Way too many.
* Mayfield threw for 303 yards and a pair of scores, despite being battered and bruised from start to finish. The Cowboys sacked him four times and Mayfield played through pain all evening. When protection broke down, as it did quite a few times, Mayfield hurt the Cowboys with three scambles for 42 yards. The interception wasn’t Mayfield’s fault as McMillan was outmuscled by defensive back Jourdan Lewis as both players toppled to the ground.
Luke Goedeke can hold his head high, writes Ira.
* Rico Dowdle, who was coming off three consecutive 100-yard games, found no running room as Tampa Bay held him to 23 yards in 13 carries. That’s what made Rush’s first-half performance even more impressive.
* Although Micah Parsons posted a sack and five tackles, the Bucs didn’t allow him to wreck the game. Parsons and Luke Goedeke engaged in fierce trench battles and Goedeke more than held his own.
* The final four possessions for the Cowboys resulted in two first downs and four punts. By the time Bowles figured out how to rattle Rush, the Bucs were too far behind.
* Mike Evans, relatively quiet with five receptions for 69 yards, needs 182 yards in the final two games to keep his 1,000-yard streak alive. Mayfield is very aware of the numbers and my guess is Evans gets it.
* Before Sterling Shepard left with a hamstring injury, he had dropped one pass … maybe two. LB J.J. Russell failed to haul in an errant Rush throw that hit him square in the numbers. Too many mistakes.
* Christian Izien was a dynamo with a game-high 13 tackles, including nine solo stops.
* With only seven interceptions in 15 games, the Bucs fell to minus-6 in turnover differential. A year ago, they finished plus-8.
* The Bucs played hard, but they didn’t play smart and it cost them a chance to control their own destiny heading into Week 17. If they want to apply pressure to the Falcons, the Bucs have to take care of business against a Carolina team that has been quite competitive in the past seven weeks, including an OT loss to Tampa Bay. Atlanta is a road underdog, so there’s no reason for Buc fans to lose faith.
December 23rd, 2024 at 2:18 am
Spot on. This team lacks a Sapp or Brooks or Lynch or Barber or Rice. Just no one to lead.
December 23rd, 2024 at 2:29 am
What this team lacks is having HONEST officiating in their games that doesn’t contain momentum-changing screwups by the refs….
It’s the same crap every week.
The McMilllan endzone play is the straw that broke the camels back in my book….
How long do you have to be laying on the ground with possession in the endzone before you roll over and the defender pulls the ball away?? JMAC is the one that went up with 2 hands, secured the ball with Jordan Lewis’s arm caught in there as well.
They both went to the ground and JMAC had the ball secured then as they roll over JMAC releases his grip and Lewis pulls the ball to his full possession….
JMAC has that ball and that was a TD.
You can’t tell me he didn’t “survive” the ground because he did WITH possession…
Like I said worst case scenario is this is “simultaneous possession” and try at goes to the wide receiver anyway.
This was a complete screw job!!!
December 23rd, 2024 at 2:55 am
LVD is still leading. And Vea does very well. Without Winfield .. no Lynch.
And Dean is by far no Barber
December 23rd, 2024 at 3:46 am
Man, Bucsfan… I am scared to watch this play. I truly think there are too many variables at play and too much competitive nature from 53 guys per team to allow rigging an NFL game. Refs can swing things though obviousy.
I wouldn’t even call myself a conspiracy theorist, I think it’s getting way too obvious at this point but considering this world revolves around money and billionaires control our policy and corruption is essentially out in the open, aside from 250 million morons believing their favorite news channel still tells them truth, we should believe in a multi billion corporation that doesn’t have cameras in the pylons.
December 23rd, 2024 at 5:57 am
Right on all points, Ira.
This was really a tough loss. We almost had a win.
December 23rd, 2024 at 6:08 am
The sooner Bowles is gone the better
December 23rd, 2024 at 6:12 am
The only playoff game the bucs will be in is the one they purchase a ticket to for
December 23rd, 2024 at 6:37 am
The bucs will go and lose to Carolina or new Orleans. The seasons over time to experiment
Lets keep putting White in the backfield because we pay little league and everyone splits time.
Lets force the ball to Evans over the next two games so he can keep his streak going. Thats all that matters apparently
Jamal Dean can play 40 yards off the line of scrimmage because he is just to tight at 20 yards.
Winfield can finish packing his bags for Cancun. Hell he started packing in week 2 He should be ready to go on vacation
Lets make sure Bryce young or spencer rattler have career days so they can prolong their careers
Todd Bowles can finally get fired,
Bowles dumb a** running a cover zero against stafford and cooper cupp in the playoff game, in a must stop , but nope let winfield a safety cover cupp the best WR in the league that year one on one. Guess what Cupp for 40. Meanwhile half the defense stands still and doesn’t know what to do and you squander a prime year with Brady
Sh** is criminal
December 23rd, 2024 at 7:03 am
Saskbucs Says:
December 23rd, 2024 at 3:46 am
Man, Bucsfan… I am scared to watch this play. I truly think there are too many variables at play and too much competitive nature from 53 guys per team to allow rigging an NFL game. Refs can swing things though obviousy.
I wouldn’t even call myself a conspiracy theorist, I think it’s getting way too obvious at this point but considering this world revolves around money and billionaires control our policy and corruption is essentially out in the open, aside from 250 million morons believing their favorite news channel still tells them truth, we should believe in a multi billion corporation that doesn’t have cameras in the pylons.
^^^^^
I pasted your entire post because it needs to be said. I said the same after the Denver home loss. It all smells like an open can of tuna in the hot sun.
December 23rd, 2024 at 7:12 am
The Shepard and Russell drops were 2 of the biggest plays of the game – as impactful as turnovers- cost the Bucs points, field position and momentum.
December 23rd, 2024 at 7:34 am
When they took that TD away, Coach Todd looked at the ground and shook his head. At least go light that jagoff ref up!!
December 23rd, 2024 at 7:34 am
I don’t see The Carolina Canales’s losing to the Bucs. I’ll bet they don’t win.
Literally.
December 23rd, 2024 at 7:54 am
You summed it up perfectly in your first sentence, Ira.
December 23rd, 2024 at 7:54 am
Finally saw them try to use Palmer, he obviously can get behind the defense, I wonder if it is a tracking issue, we do not use him enough with his speed, Canales knew how to use him.
December 23rd, 2024 at 8:07 am
Carolina has been consistently competitive, even outperforming the Bucs in the first game. The Bucs aren’t consistent. I will be surprised if we beat the Panthers. Time management and going for it on 4th and three at midfield early in the the game, gave it away. Bowles has been around the game way too long, to keep making rookie like mistakes as a HC. Bowles is an embarrassment.
December 23rd, 2024 at 8:35 am
We are one step closer to canning Bowles….even if we win out, this team has lost too many games to bad teams because our defense can’t play consistent. Our offense is top 5…..defense is in the bottom 10? Relatively easy to connect the dots on where the issue is. Bucs ownership routinely emphasizes that they focus on how the team is trending…..another volatile 9-8 season isn’t moving in the right direction.
December 23rd, 2024 at 8:39 am
Again spot on Ira!!!. Yes, you knew who was going to win that game afte the first 2 series. a failed conversion on 4 and 3 at the 40, by a droped ball and another incompletion by McMallian on a big play and you knew who wanted this game and it wasn’t the Bucs. This team is just to inconsistent. You just don’t know which team is showing up. However, what we do know for whatever reason the Bucs just can’t play in prime time. You could put money on it, primetime and they will play poorly.
December 23rd, 2024 at 8:43 am
Bucfan1988 – 100% in agreement about the officials. It is blatant at times.
Don’t think Bowles is going anywhere until the end of his contract. The team loves him. Todd is also on the NFL Competition Committee alongside McVay, Tomlin, McDermott, McKay, and others.
December 23rd, 2024 at 8:50 am
Your conspiracy nuts target the refs immediately after a loss and act like no bad calls happened in the games we won
December 23rd, 2024 at 9:50 am
Look at the CD Lamb catch on the bomb. Clear push off by CD and the refs called a penalty on the Bucs. This and the previously discussed call were a 14-point swing to Dallas.
December 23rd, 2024 at 9:50 am
Who will be surprised when Canales and the Panthers smoke the Bucs at home on Sunday.
December 23rd, 2024 at 10:18 am
The officiating was suspect. How does Zyon McCollum get called for “holding” when he’s running with his back to Lamb, who clearly reached out and shoved Zyon away before catching the ball?
How is it Baker get’s literally body slammed into the ground and it’s not Roughing? Kancey got called last week for breathing on the QB…
And don’t get me started on Dallas’ offensive line holding… blatantly on every play.
BUT, all that said, Barton was snapping high all game long. Todd’s defensive game plan was apparently to rush 6, force short completions, and then tackle for a 2-3 yard gain. At least, that’s what it looks like when we’re 10 yards off the ball on every snap. Of course, that game plan breaks down when we DON’T make the tackles….
It was a poor effort all round. And we let Dallas score on 5 of 6 first half completions. The winner of that game was Dallas’ kicker…
December 23rd, 2024 at 11:01 am
I don’t think this team makes the playoffs. Just my opinion, seen way too much terrible play from them.