If you’re an NFL fan, it’s the most wonderful time of the year. Super Wild Card Weekend is on the horizon, and the football gods are about to deliver six epic playoff games over three days. Today, we’re previewing Monday night’s star-studded matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Let’s be real for a second. On paper, the last game of Super Wild Card Weekend looks like a potential snooze fest. Just by wins and losses alone, it seems one team is far superior to the other. The Dallas Cowboys (12–5) should have no issues against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8–9), right?
Wrong.
The Bucs are led by the greatest quarterback of all time, Tom Brady. And if you know anything about the 45-year-old quarterback, it’s that you never bet against him, especially in games like this.
Brady is at the helm of the Buccaneers’ playoff ship, and he’s 7–0 against the Cowboys. Plus, Tampa has already faced this Dallas team, beating them 19–3 at AT&T Stadium while holding the Cowboys to just 71 rushing yards in Week 1.
Since the season opener, some critics have proclaimed that the Bucs have lost their magic. We’ve heard all the narratives — Brady is washed, his connection with his receivers is trash, and there are too many injuries to overcome. Just a few weeks ago, there was a real possibility that Tampa wouldn’t even make the playoffs.
All that changed during Week 17. In a crucial game against the Panthers, Brady and Mike Evans reinvigorated the team. The “washed-up” quarterback threw for 432 yards and three touchdowns, nabbing FedEx’s Air Player of the Week. What’s even more impressive? All three TD passes were to Evans, who later claimed it was one of Brady’s best games EVER.
There’s also a possibility that Pro Bowl center, Ryan Jensen, could make his first appearance in Monday’s game since being sidelined with a severe knee injury during training camp. Needless to say, things are firing up for the Bucs.
On the flip side, the stars aren’t shining too bright in Texas. If last week’s embarrassing loss to the Commanders is any indicator of the future, the Cowboys (and especially Coach McCarthy) are in trouble. Dak clearly wasn’t comfortable in the pocket, and his longest completion was for a measly 15 yards. However, the problem wasn’t solely on Dak. Pollard averaged 2.4 yards per attempt, and Elliott only managed an average of 1.3 yards.
Another potential issue for the ‘Boys? Raymond James Stadium is a grass field, something Dallas has struggled with throughout the season. They lost four out of five games on grass, and their one win against Tennessee wasn’t pretty.
The good news is that the weather will not be a factor in this game. It’s forecasted to be a cool, clear evening in Tampa Bay with light, variable winds. In other words, it’s the perfect night for Brady to cement his legacy with another playoff win.
Buccaneers 28
Cowboys 20
Over 45.5 points