TAMPA, Fla. — The Dallas Cowboys lastly discovered Tom Brady.
After seven consecutive losses in opposition to Brady relationship to 2003, the Cowboys demolished the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and their future Hall of Fame quarterback, 31-14, whereas dominating almost each part of their wild-card matchup Monday night time.
The Cowboys will face the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara, Calif. on Sunday within the divisional spherical, whereas Brady will ponder his future as a 45-year-old free agent after enduring the one of many worst playoff defeats of his 23-year profession.
For all their bombast and hype, the Cowboys have been dismal within the playoffs for the previous quarter century, profitable solely three video games and failing to advance previous the divisional spherical. But Monday’s recreation was lopsided from the beginning as Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott accomplished passes to an array of receivers, and operating again Tony Pollard sliced via Tampa Bay’s protection for 77 yards on 15 carries.
Prescott completed with 5 complete touchdowns, and handed for 305 yards. Previously, he had received just one playoff recreation in seven seasons in Dallas, however on Monday he appeared decided to vanquish his postseason demons. In the primary half, he dove for one first down and scored on a nifty bootleg for the Cowboys’ second rating.
That run was bracketed by two landing passes to tight finish Dalton Schultz within the first half, when the Cowboys took an 18-0 lead at Raymond James Stadium. About the one offensive breaks the Buccaneers mustered within the first half got here from Brett Maher, the Cowboys kicker, who missed all three extra-point makes an attempt, an N.F.L. playoff document. (He later missed a fourth try within the second half, setting a brand new league document.)
The final time Brady was shut out within the first half of a playoff recreation was his first postseason look, with the Patriots in 2002. The Patriots rallied that day to beat the Raiders in extra time, 16-13.
There was no comeback on Monday. The Buccaneers by no means established their operating recreation, forcing Brady to throw 23 instances within the first half alone. Several of his passes had been batted away and at one level he threw to tight finish Cameron Brate, who was quadruple-covered in the long run zone, within the first quarter.
Brady additionally overthrew a number of passes, together with one which was intercepted by security Jayron Kearse at the back of the Dallas finish zone initially of the second quarter.
In the third quarter, after the Cowboys accomplished an eight-play, 86-yard drive that ended when Prescott discovered Michael Gallup in the long run zone for a landing, Brady tried to pull the Buccaneers out of a 24-point gap.
Disaster appeared to strike once more when receiver Chris Godwin fumbled after a reception on third-and-9 from the Tampa Bay 20-yard line. At the top of the play, Brady appeared to try to trip Cowboys security Malik Hooker, who had recovered the ball.
The fumble was overturned after a evaluate, however Brady couldn’t capitalize. He sailed a third-down go into empty area to finish the fruitless drive, and a smattering of boos rose from the stressed house crowd.
Brady lastly seemed just like the Brady of outdated on the finish of the third quarter, when he hit receiver Julio Jones operating full stride down the left sideline for a 30-yard rating. The Buccaneers went for the 2-point conversion, however Brady badly missed Godwin in the long run zone.
Dallas rapidly responded, marching down the sector with ease. On fourth-and-4, Cowboys Coach Mike McCarthy, maybe making an attempt to spare Maher one other embarrassment, opted not to kick a discipline aim. Prescott discovered receiver CeeDee Lamb huge open for an 18-yard landing rating. Maher ultimately transformed the additional level try to push Dallas’s lead to 31-6.
In his greater than 20 years within the N.F.L., Brady has led 9 fourth-quarter comebacks. But Tampa Bay fell too far behind for Brady to engineer a tenth.
The recreation got here to a somber cease with underneath three minutes remaining when Tampa Bay receiver Russell Gage lay on the sector after a success that appeared to jolt his neck. Players from each groups knelt as medical personnel attended to Gage in a second eerily harking back to the collapse of Bills security Damar Hamlin earlier this month. Gage was carted off to a hospital with a concussion and a attainable neck harm, however was shifting his fingers, Buccaneers Coach Todd Bowles stated.
When the sport resumed, Brady completed the drive with an 8-yard landing go to Cameron Brate and transformed a 2-point try to carry the rating to 31-14. The Buccaneers recovered an onside kick close to midfield, however the late rally fell brief.
Brady completed with 35 of 66 passing for 351 yards and two touchdowns, with one interception.
If this was Brady’s final recreation, it was definitely an anomaly. He owns almost each main N.F.L. passing document, together with yards and touchdowns. This yr, he set private bests for completions and go makes an attempt as he threw for 4,694 yards and 25 touchdowns.
Brady’s dad and mom got here off the sector arm-in-arm after the sport, and his mom, Galynn, had tears in her eyes. Brady declined to reply questions final week about reports suggesting that he may try to add to his profession totals by becoming a member of a brand new staff subsequent season. On Monday, Brady supplied little perception on his future.
“I’m going to go home and get a good night’s sleep,” he stated when requested about his plans for subsequent yr.
But on the finish of his four-minute information convention, he thanked the media, together with the Tampa Bay beat writers, in addition to the Buccaneers group, seeming to shut his time with the franchise.
News experiences have urged that Brady is all in favour of enjoying in South Florida so he will be shut to his youngsters. Last yr, the N.F.L. discovered that the Dolphins had “impermissible” talks with Brady whereas he was underneath contract with the Patriots and Buccaneers.
Dolphins General Manager Chris Grier stated Monday that the staff helps their present quarterback, Tua Tagavailoa, a former first-round draft choose who missed 5 video games this season due to concussions.
The Las Vegas Raiders have been reported as one other potential vacation spot for Brady. He has a protracted historical past with Raiders Coach Josh McDaniels, who was his offensive coordinator in New England for 13 seasons.
With seven Super Bowl titles, three M.V.P. awards and almost 300 wins, Brady is unlikely to be blissful leaving the sector after such a drubbing in opposition to the Cowboys. Where, and if, he tries to erase the reminiscence is but to be decided.
“You always want to end every year great, but unfortunately sports doesn’t work that way,” Brady stated.
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