Cooper Rush threw for a touchdown and Brandon Aubrey kicked two 58-yarders among four field goals as the Dallas Cowboys beat Tampa Bay 26-24 on Sunday night, costing Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers control of their playoff destiny.
The end of a four-game winning streak left the Bucs (8-7) tied with Atlanta atop the NFC South with two games remaining, but the Falcons have the tiebreaker by winning both meetings with Tampa Bay.
A three-year playoff streak for the Cowboys (7-8) ended when they were eliminated from postseason contention before kickoff with the Washington Commanders' last-gasp win against the Philadelphia Eagles.
But that failed to derail Dallas, which won for the fourth time in five games from a five-game losing streak that put those playoff hopes in jeopardy.
Mayfield, a Texas native who played not far from his high school and college roots, was in position to lead a rally from a nine-point deficit in the final three minutes when he avoided a sack and pushed the ball to Rachaad White in the final two minutes.
DaRon Bland ripped the ball out of White's hands before hitting the ground, giving Dallas possession at the Tampa Bay 32-yard line and allowing the Cowboys to run out the clock.
Statistics leaders
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Passage: Baker Mayfield, 31/43, 303 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT
- rush: Bucky Irving, 16 carries, 68 yards, 1 TD
- Receiving: Mike Evans, 5 catches, 69 yards
Dallas Cowboys
- Passage: Cooper Rush, 26/35, 292 yards, 1 TD
- rush: Rico Dowdle, 13 carries, 23 yards
- Receiving: CeeDee Lamb, 7 catches, 105 yards
Mayfield threw for two touchdowns, including a 13-yarder to Ryan Miller that pulled the Bucs within two with 2:36 left.
The Bucs got the ball back with 1:50 left on a big play by Bland, who forced his first turnover of an injury-plagued season a year after the cornerback set an NFL record with five interception returns for touchdowns.
A Tampa Bay defense that allowed an NFL-low 15 points during the winning streak struggled early trying to slow Rush and receiver CeeDee Lamb, who had 100 yards in the first half for the second straight week.
Cooper Rush led the Dallas Cowboys to a victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Lamb, who has struggled with his right shoulder for most of the season, struggled again after a 52-yard catch in the second quarter. After going to the bench, Lamb returned for the catch underneath and scrambled inside the 1-yard line to set up Ezekiel Elliott's plunge for a 20-7 Dallas lead.
Lamb finished with 105 yards after getting 100 before halftime a week after passing for 105 yards in the first half against Carolina.
It took Mayfield less than a minute to drive until his 11-yard touchdown pass to Jalen McMillan in the final minute of the first half, but the Cowboys answered with Aubrey's second 58-yard field goal on the final play before the break for a 23-14 lead.
What was said?
Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield: “I've said it all along, this group is not going to quit. That's the standard we're trying to set. It would be nice if we didn't have to be in that situation, if we took care of business earlier in the game. They made some plays when it mattered. It's all in the ball, and they carried it well.”
What's next?
The Chiefs enter the penultimate week of the regular season when they visit the Pittsburgh Steelers on Christmas Day, while the Texans return home to host the Baltimore Ravens.
Watch New Orleans Saints @ Green Bay Packers from 1.15am on Tuesday, live on Sky Sports NFL. Stream from NOW.