After seven consecutive losses in direction of Brady relationship to 2003, the Cowboys demolished the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and their future Hall of Fame quarterback, 31-14, whereas dominating virtually every a part of their wild-card matchup Monday night.
The Cowboys will face the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara, Calif. on Sunday throughout the divisional spherical, whereas Brady will ponder his future as a 45-year-old free agent after enduring the one in all many worst playoff defeats of his 23-year career.
For all their bombast and hype, the Cowboys have been dismal throughout the playoffs for the earlier quarter century, worthwhile solely three video video games and failing to advance earlier the divisional spherical. Nevertheless Monday’s sport was lopsided from the start as Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott achieved passes to an array of receivers, and working once more Tony Pollard sliced by means of Tampa Bay’s safety for 77 yards on 15 carries.
Prescott accomplished with 5 full touchdowns, and handed for 305 yards. Beforehand, he had obtained only one playoff sport in seven seasons in Dallas, nevertheless on Monday he appeared determined to beat his postseason demons. Throughout the first half, he dove for one first down and scored on a nifty bootleg for the Cowboys’ second ranking.
That run was bracketed by two touchdown passes to tight end Dalton Schultz throughout the first half, when the Cowboys took an 18-0 lead at Raymond James Stadium. In regards to the one offensive breaks the Buccaneers mustered throughout the first half received right here from Brett Maher, the Cowboys kicker, who missed all three extra-point makes an try, an N.F.L. playoff report. (He later missed a fourth strive throughout the second half, setting a model new league report.)
The ultimate time Brady was shut out throughout the first half of a playoff sport was his first postseason look, with the Patriots in 2002. The Patriots rallied that day to beat the Raiders in further time, 16-13.
There was no comeback on Monday. The Buccaneers on no account established their working sport, forcing Brady to throw 23 situations throughout the first half alone. Quite a lot of of his passes had been batted away and at one stage he threw to tight end Cameron Brate, who was quadruple-covered in the end zone, throughout the first quarter.
Brady moreover overthrew quite a lot of passes, along with one which was intercepted by safety Jayron Kearse behind the Dallas end zone at first of the second quarter.
Throughout the third quarter, after the Cowboys achieved an eight-play, 86-yard drive that ended when Prescott found Michael Gallup in the end zone for a touchdown, Brady tried to tug the Buccaneers out of a 24-point hole.
Disaster appeared to strike as soon as extra when receiver Chris Godwin fumbled after a reception on third-and-9 from the Tampa Bay 20-yard line. On the end of the play, Brady appeared to aim to journey Cowboys safety Malik Hooker, who had recovered the ball.
The fumble was overturned after a consider, nevertheless Brady could not capitalize. He sailed a third-down transfer into empty home to complete the fruitless drive, and a smattering of boos rose from the harassed dwelling crowd.
Brady lastly regarded identical to the Brady of outdated on the end of the third quarter, when he hit receiver Julio Jones working full stride down the left sideline for a 30-yard ranking. The Buccaneers went for the 2-point conversion, nevertheless Brady badly missed Godwin in the end zone.
Dallas quickly responded, marching down the sector with ease. On fourth-and-4, Cowboys Coach Mike McCarthy, possibly making an attempt to spare Maher one different embarrassment, opted to not kick a topic function. Prescott found receiver CeeDee Lamb in depth open for an 18-yard touchdown ranking. Maher finally remodeled the extra stage try to push Dallas’s end in 31-6.
In his larger than 20 years throughout the N.F.L., Brady has led 9 fourth-quarter comebacks. Nevertheless Tampa Bay fell too far behind for Brady to engineer a tenth.
The game received right here to a somber stop with beneath three minutes remaining when Tampa Bay receiver Russell Gage lay on the sector after profitable that appeared to jolt his neck. Avid gamers from every teams knelt as medical personnel attended to Gage in a second eerily paying homage to the collapse of Funds safety Damar Hamlin earlier this month. Gage was carted off to a hospital with a concussion and a possible neck injury, nevertheless was transferring his fingers, Buccaneers Coach Todd Bowles talked about.
When the game resumed, Brady accomplished the drive with an 8-yard touchdown transfer to Cameron Brate and remodeled a 2-point try to convey the ranking to 31-14. The Buccaneers recovered an onside kick near midfield, nevertheless the late rally fell fast.
Brady accomplished with 35 of 66 passing for 351 yards and two touchdowns, with one interception.
If this was Brady’s closing sport, it was really an anomaly. He owns virtually every fundamental N.F.L. passing report, along with yards and touchdowns. This 12 months, he set non-public bests for completions and transfer makes an try as he threw for 4,694 yards and 25 touchdowns.
Brady’s mom and father received right here off the sector arm-in-arm after the game, and his mother, Galynn, had tears in her eyes. Brady declined to reply questions closing week about experiences suggesting that he might strive in order so as to add to his career totals by turning into a member of a model new workforce subsequent season. On Monday, Brady offered little notion on his future.
“I’m going to go dwelling and get a wonderful night’s sleep,” he talked about when requested about his plans for subsequent 12 months.
Nevertheless on the end of his four-minute info conference, he thanked the media, along with the Tampa Bay beat writers, along with the Buccaneers group, seeming to close his time with the franchise.
Data experiences have steered that Brady is all for collaborating in in South Florida so he will likely be close to his kids. Remaining 12 months, the N.F.L. found that the Dolphins had “impermissible” talks with Brady whereas he was beneath contract with the Patriots and Buccaneers.
Dolphins Regular Supervisor Chris Grier talked about Monday that the workforce helps their current quarterback, Tua Tagavailoa, a former first-round draft select who missed 5 video video games this season on account of concussions.
The Las Vegas Raiders have been reported as one different potential trip spot for Brady. He has a protracted historic previous with Raiders Coach Josh McDaniels, who was his offensive coordinator in New England for 13 seasons.
With seven Large Bowl titles, three M.V.P. awards and virtually 300 wins, Brady is unlikely to be blissful leaving the sector after such a drubbing in direction of the Cowboys. The place, and if, he tries to erase the memory is however to be determined.
“You on a regular basis want to end yearly good, nevertheless sadly sports activities actions doesn’t work meaning,” Brady talked about.
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