3 reasons why the Dallas Cowboys beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Cowboys were tremendous against Tampa Bay.

The Dallas Cowboys entered the weekend with high hopes that they could keep their playoff hopes alive with help. They needed the Washington Commanders to lose to the Philadelphia Eagles in the early slate of the afternoon games. Unfortunately, the Eagles could not win after Jalen Hurts was knocked out of the game, and Jayden Daniels’s late-game magic sealed the win and the postseason fate of the Cowboys. However, the Cowboys played spiritedly on Sunday night, as if they were playing for something more. Here’s what stood out in their win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Brandon Aubrey was automatic

Even though the Cowboys scored 26 points, they didn’t punctuate as many drives with touchdowns as they would have liked. That’s okay because they have Brandon Aubrey. Once the Cowboys crossed midfield, Aubrey was immediately an option the Cowboys could turn to. He made several big-time kicks with ease. After the Buccaneers scored a touchdown before the end of the second quarter, the Cowboys needed an answer to avoid giving Tampa Bay the ball to open the second half only up by six points.

Once again, Aubrey answered the call, casually making a 58-yard field goal, his second of the game, to give the Cowboys a 23-14 lead going into the break. This season, Aubrey has made 14 of 16 field goals from 50 yards or more, including a career-long goal of 65 yards. Aubrey is amazing and gave the Cowboys just enough offense to win.

The secondary was outstanding

The physicality displayed by the Dallas secondary is unlike anything we’ve seen in such a long time. Donovan Wilson has been known to be a thumper in the secondary and he did just that. He laid the boom on receivers over the middle of the field to dislodge the ball from receivers, including a sack on Baker Mayfield. Jourdan Lewis, in particular, was excellent. His coverage on Sterling Shepherd forced multiple incompletions, including a fourth-down stop in the first quarter. His interception of Mayfield in the end zone on a deep pass, where he was interfered with by Jalen McMillan, was one of the Cowboys’ top plays of the year.

Lewis’ playing with a chip on his shoulder and a sizable elbow brace had something to say about those fans who were disappointed that the team won despite nothing to play for. Lewis also contributed with a sack on Mayfield as well. As a unit, the secondary held the ageless Mike Evans under 70 yards receiving. DaRon Bland made the play to seal the win with the strip fumble on Rachaad White. Hats off to this unit last night.

The team has heart

Although many times over the past few seasons, we’ve questioned the heart of the team and asked if they’re willing to fight when challenged, we saw that they have the desire to win even when they’re not expected to. So much has gone wrong this season for the Cowboys to be in the position where some fans would think their losing would be more advantageous, that their winning on Sunday night comes, at the very least, a disappointment and, at the most, a shock, Especially against a team who is leading their division and competing for the postseason.

The Cowboys have several players out for the season on injured reserve, and still, they chose to compete, again with nothing to play for. Head coach Mike McCarthy is in most people’s crosshairs regarding what has to go first for the team to bounce back in 2025, but you can’t deny that the team looked prepared to play against a quality opponent. Offensively, the team had a great game plan to counter the Buccaneers’ blitz-happy scheme. Dallas had Cooper Rush ready to identify the blitz, get the ball out quickly to his best options, and wisely select where he had the best chance in man coverage.

It was Week 16 of the regular season. Many players are beaten up and could easily fold the tent to prepare for the offseason, but that’s not the case. CeeDee Lamb embodies that more than anyone. For weeks, he had gutted out games with a shoulder injury that is limiting him, and weekly, he is seen writhing in pain after taking a hard fall to the ground. Yet, he’s still playing, fighting through double coverages, and putting up numbers to help his team win. Lamb posted another 100-yard game to lead all players in receiving while missing stretches of the game to manage his shoulder. For a player whose football character has come under fire in recent years, that’s a testament to his genuine dedication to the game.