Tampa Bay
Buccaneers
5-2
16
FINAL
42
Dallas
Cowboys
6-0
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a decisive Wildcard Round matchup, the Dallas Cowboys toppled the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 42-16, showcasing their dominance as they advance deeper into the postseason. With high stakes on the line and playoff intensity palpable, Dallas proved they are a force to be reckoned with in the 2026 season.
Dak Prescott was the standout performer for the Cowboys, throwing for 235 yards and an impressive four touchdowns, leading his team with precision and poise. Jake Ferguson also made a significant impact, racking up 69 receiving yards and contributing to the offensive firepower that overwhelmed Tampa Bay. Meanwhile, Bucky Irving struggled to find any rhythm for the Buccaneers, managing just 36 rushing yards against a stout Dallas defense.
Defensively, the Cowboys were relentless, with Caleb Downs leading the charge with four total tackles and Donovan Ezeiruaku adding a key sack to disrupt Tampa Bay's offensive flow. The turning point came early in the second half when Dallas capitalized on a turnover, scoring quickly to stretch their lead to three touchdowns. This pivotal moment left the Buccaneers reeling and unable to recover, sealing the game for the Cowboys as they continue their playoff journey.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dak Prescott | QB | 15 | 12 | 80% | 235 | 4 | 1 | 130.5 |
| Baker Mayfield | QB | 26 | 13 | 50% | 235 | 2 | 1 | 91.0 |
| CeeDee Lamb | WR | 0 | 1 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bucky Irving | HB | 8 | 36 | 4.5 | 6 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| Javonte Williams | HB | 11 | 31 | 2.8 | 19 | 1 | 17 | 0 |
| Baker Mayfield | QB | 4 | 10 | 2.5 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 1 |
| Dak Prescott | QB | 1 | 9 | 9.0 | — | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Hunter Luepke | FB | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| KaVontae Turpin | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jake Ferguson | TE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| CeeDee Lamb | WR | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jake Ferguson | TE | 5 | 69 | 13.8 | 20 | 0 | 22 | 0 |
| CeeDee Lamb | WR | 3 | 65 | 21.7 | 25 | 1 | 28 | 0 |
| George Pickens | WR | 3 | 61 | 20.3 | — | 3 | 28 | 0 |
| Emeka Egbuka | WR | 2 | 56 | 28.0 | 12 | 1 | 37 | 0 |
| Kendrick Bourne | WR | 2 | 44 | 22.0 | 34 | 0 | 32 | 0 |
| Cade Otton | TE | 2 | 42 | 21.0 | 14 | 0 | 31 | 0 |
| Chris Godwin Jr | WR | 3 | 42 | 14.0 | 3 | 1 | 22 | 0 |
| Ryan Flournoy | WR | 1 | 40 | 40.0 | 14 | 0 | 40 | 0 |
| Jalen McMillan | WR | 1 | 28 | 28.0 | 9 | 0 | 28 | 0 |
| Bucky Irving | HB | 3 | 23 | 7.7 | 31 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| Marvin Harrison Jr | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Anzalone | WILL | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| DaRon Bland | CB | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Caleb Downs | SS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Donovan Ezeiruaku | REDG | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dee Winters | WILL | 2 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Zyon McCollum | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Budda Baker | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rashan Gary | LEDG | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Geno Stone | FS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rueben Bain Jr | LEDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tykee Smith | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Josiah Trotter | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Quinnen Williams | DT | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Yaya Diaby | REDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DeMarvion Overshown | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Jalen Thompson | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| James Houston IV | LEDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Antoine Winfield Jr | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Shemar James | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jacob Parrish | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Marist Liufau | LEDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Cobie Durant | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Keionte Scott | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kenny Clark | DT | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brandon Aubrey | K | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| Matt Prater | K | 1 | 1 | 1 | 35 |

