I was unimpressed with Tampa. Dallas controlled both lines of scrimmage the entire game, and their secondary allowed an 89% completion day to a QB that had looked awful the last two weeks. Bucs ran for 2.6 yards per carry and Winston completed under 50%.
Cowboys had a lot of self inflicted wounds that kept the game close:
- Came away with nothing on the first drive when they were 2nd and 2 at the Bucs 29. Zeke had 3 for 25 between the tackles up to that point, but Dallas scripted a sweep and their 3rd string TE, a converted WR, gets called for holding. A 6 yard sack and a 6 yard completion lead to a 55 yard FG that comes up short.
- 2nd drive, 2nd and 10 at the Bucs 16, Free gets what I thought was an odd facemask penalty away from the play on a quick screen to Dez. Drive killer.
- Short field drive, TD. Penalty free 66 yard drive, TD.
- End of half, Dak has a hiccup with 1st and 10 at the Buc 30. Takes a bad sack. Then instead of running a draw play or something safe to get back in FG range, tries a risky deep out that leaves them 3rd and long with no timeouts. The quick out to Witten was too safe, gaining just two yards, and unfortunately Bailey misses a 52 yarder. So all first half they moved it at will but left 6-10 points on the table.
- 3rd quarter, Bucs scored on a 3rd and 1 heave from Winston that Carr gets two hands on, but instead of catching or at least knocking it down, it pops straight up and into Humphries hands. Total luck box play. I'm guessing the Bucs would've gone for it on 4th and 1, but we'll never know.
- Cowboys first drive of 3rd Q, moving it again, 13, 3, 5 yard plays. 3rd and 2, instead of a power run that has not been stopped yet, Linehan calls a WTF double reverse that must've looked good in practice but gets botched on the flip to Lucky (Lucky had a terrible game).
- After the Bucs put together their one true quality drive for a TD and the lead. Dallas moves it with purpose again to the Tampa 21. Zeke with 3 carries for 30 yards. Line is dominating again going north-south. AGAIN Linehan decides it's Lucky time. An east-west jet sweep gets blown up for -7. Way behind the sticks, they settle for 3 to tie it.
- Cowboys D from that point on shuts down the Bucs hard. Winston in the 4th quarter: 3 for 12, 2 picks, 19 yards, sacked 3 times.
- After the first pick, Cowboys run a nice wheel route to Dunbar that goes for a TD, but a nullified with a hold on Pro Bowler Tyron Smith. Another FG, four more points left on the table.
- Cowboys turn it over on the next drive thanks to Witten's first fumble in FIVE years. Shit happens.
- Cowboys get backed up to the 4 on next drive, get a big run from Zeke to move in scoring range, on 3rd and 2 try running wide right again (their best sweeps all year half been left behind Smith and Martin) and fall a yard short.
- Last drive, need two first downs to win. Zeke gets 12 behind Smith and Martin. Then 4, then 3. Then they go to a pass formation instead of at least 3 better options (a) Jumbo set and run goalline behind your probowlers, b) read option look c) standard set and quick screen to Dez are the three I like off the top of my head) and the Bucs take away Dak's read so he eats the ball to force Tampa to burn their last timeout.
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Bottom line - Dallas played about a B- game against a hot playoff contender and came away with the win. Room to improve with some braindead play calling and cleaning up the unforced errors. My biggest complaint with this coaching staff is they don't do what Jimmy and Tuna used to do and what Belichek is willing to do: run a play that's working over and over until its stopped.
