The Buccaneers Lose Control Of Their Own Destiny After A Heartbreaking Loss In Dallas On Sunday Night

Ron Jenkins. Getty Images.

The Buccaneers didn't play a very good game in front of the nation in primetime versus a surging Cowboys team. Dallas had won three of their last four games, but Tampa Bay was one of the hottest teams in the league, winners of four straight. They had a one game lead on Atlanta, who had just changed Quarterbacks going into today. But after the Falcons took care of the Giants with relative ease, the NFC South scene shifted to Texas where the Buccaneers were co-headlining Sunday Night Football.

They came out flat. Their lack of an edge rush stuck out like a sore thumb as Cooper Rush looked far too comfortable in the pocket leading the Cowboys down the field for score after score. Cowboys Kicker Brandon Aubrey was outstanding going 4/4 on field goals from 49, 53, 58, and 58, making them all look easy. 

But the big turning point in the game, and I called it out in real time, was when the Bucs were down 20-7 going in to score what would be their second touchdown of the 1st half. After getting a fresh set of downs at the Cowboys 11-yard line, Todd Bowles called the Bucs final timeout with 54 seconds left in the half. 

Tampa Bay actually had a similar situation on Monday Night Football vs. the Chiefs earlier this year where Bowles had a similar clock gaffe which I called out in my post-game column for that game too.

"One of the more egregious coaching decisions happened as Trey Palmer had a catch and run from the KC 20 down to the 1. The clock is running. You have one timeout. There is :33 seconds left. You're moving in to score and potentially tie or go ahead in the game. What do you do?

The correct answer is run up to the line and run the ball. You can probably get the snap off around :18 seconds left and if you do not score, you call your timeout. That is fairly easy. What you don't want to happen is you score right away and give the ball back to Patrick Mahomes with ~:30 seconds left and three timeouts just needing a field goal. 

That timeout won't be the headline in anything, but it was an absolutely crazy timeout. The worst possible move in that situation. 

The Bucs had a quick incompletion followed by a touchdown pass with :27 seconds left.

So it's great that you scored, but you're still giving the ball back to Patrick Mahomes with :27 seconds left and three timeouts."

The Bucs ended up getting a defensive stand, but were lucky to get that. They lost in overtime, but I knew at the time that time management, which has never been Bowles' (who I am generally a fan of) strength.

Tonight it didn't work out as well as the Buccaneers scored their touchdown with :48 seconds left in the 1st half which gave Dallas enough time to drive it down and kick a Field Goal going into half. Those three points would prove to be pivotal in what turned out to be a two point loss. 

But despite that time management issue and all those damn Brandon Aubrey Field Goals from Steph Curry range, the Bucs had a chance to win the game after getting this massive stop on 3rd & 6.

Because on the first play from scrimmage later, Baker Mayfield pulled a rabbit out of his hat on this shovel pass to Rachaad White, but White got stripped while going to the ground, losing a fumble.

The Cowboys recovered and kneeled it out which moved the Falcons into first place in the NFC South via the tiebreaker with the Buccaneers. Both teams are at 8-7 with two games left. 

Atlanta has:

at Washington (Sunday Night Football)

vs. Carolina

Tampa Bay has:

vs. Carolina

vs. New Orleans

So this week, I'll be a Commanders fan with my buddy PFT Commenter. Left Hand Up!

Hopefully the Bucs take care of business in their final two games and this won't matter too much, but we are no longer in the driver's seat.

And be sure to catch the full Shred Line from today's games with Coach Jon Gruden, Dave Portnoy, and myself: