ARLINGTON, Texas – The Cowboys looked like they were about to bust out of the gate and have a huge night with an early touchdown drive. But after that, the Buccaneers turned the tables and stunned Dallas for a 24-16 win.
Many plays will be talked about and second-guessed. Here are a handful that could be forgotten but might have changed the outcome:
Penalty on Bucs' opening drive – Take your pick on any of the three defensive penalties on the Buccaneers' first possession, including a DaRon Bland holding call that erased a sack and extended the drive. But the last penalty might have been a four-point difference. On second-and-goal from the 10-yard line, the Bucs got a free 5 yards on Rashan Gary's neutral zone infraction, and Tampa Bay scored easily on the next play. That last penalty turned an uphill battle for the Buccaneers into a premium scoring situation, giving the visitors a chance to tie the game, 7-7.
Holding on early punt return – The Cowboys had just stopped the Bucs with a three-and-out deep in their own territory and forced a punt to midfield. But a holding call on Shemar James at the line of scrimmage was not necessary, considering KaVontae Turpin called for a fair catch anyway at the 50-yard line. The ball was then moved back to the Cowboys' 40, still respectable field position. After just one first down, though, Dallas had to punt as well. One would assume the play-calling would've been more aggressive had the drive started at the 50 and probably could've led to at least a field goal.
Ferguson's drop on first down – This play would become somewhat foreshadowing for the end, but before halftime the Cowboys were driving for points in the two-minute drill. With a first down at the Buccaneers' 27-yard line, Dak Prescott found Jake Ferguson over the middle, but the tight end dropped the ball, setting up second down with 58 seconds left. From there, the offense didn't seem to be in TD-mode and settled for a field goal. Considering the way the third quarter started, having a 14-7 lead certainly would've been a better situation than the 10-7 lead the Cowboys had to settle for.
First 3 seconds of Irving's long run – OK, so no one is going to forget the fact that Bucky Irving ripped off a 72-yard run on the second snap of the third quarter. What you might have forgotten is that the Cowboys had about six players in position to tackle Irving for what could've been a 2-yard loss. Instead, there were defenders overrunning the play, which created a huge lane for Irving to take off, changing the entire tone of the second half. You remember the play, but it should've been a TFL.
Third-and-21 nets 21 – With the Cowboys trailing 21-10 late in the third quarter, the defense forced the Bucs into a third-and-21 on their own 48-yard line. This was after a couple of pressure plays by the defense got a sack. But on third down, there was no pressure on Jalon Daniels, who found Emeka Egbuka over the middle for exactly 21 yards and a first down. That led to a field goal and a 14-point lead.
BONUS: Bland's dropped INT – For a guy that needed a redemption play, Bland nearly had just that when he stepped in front of a Daniels pass on third down in the final five minutes. Bland, the franchise's all-time leader in pick-6 touchdowns, likely had another one fall right through his hands. The Cowboys not only missed the turnover and potential score, but then they couldn't find the end zone on their next offensive drive. Not only would that play change the game, but it would've given the Cowboys a chance to score again with much more time on the clock.
