3 Up, 3 Down In Bucs' Brutal Loss to Cowboys

BucsGameday breaks down who shined and who struggled in the Bucs' 26-24 loss to the Cowboys.

Dec 22, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Sterling Shepard (17) reacts after dropping a fourth down pass against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images / Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers came into Dallas needing a win on Sunday Night Football. However, they came up short, falling to the Cowboys 26-24. A win was crucial in keeping ahead of the Atlanta Falcons, who won their game today against the Giants, but the loss leaves them tied for first place in the NFC South. The problem with that? Atlanta holds the tie-breaker after beating the Bucs twice in the regular season.

So now the Bucs are back into the position of needing a little luck in order to capture their fourth straight NFC South title. It's the Panthers and Saints for Tampa Bay, while Atlanta has the Commanders and Panthers. There's still a path to the playoffs even if the Bucs don't win the division, but it will require a lot of luck and them to win out. Here is who shined and who struggled in the Bucs' brutal loss to the Cowboys.

3 Up

RB Bucky Irving

It didn't take long for Irving to get going. The Bucs rookie running back churned out 28 yards, with a long of 15, on his way to a two-yard touchdown plunge to the first points of the day up for Tampa Bay. Bucky churned out 40 more yards on the day to give him 68 yards rushing total.

Two-Minute Offense

The Bucs offense going into the two-minute drill at the end of the first half was methodical. Baker put on a clinic hitting Mike Evans and Sterling Shepard for big gains before finishing the drive off with a 11-yard strike to Jalen McMllan for the score. Offensive coordinator Liam Coen called a beautiful drive and the players executed.

Run Defense

While the passing game was cooking for the Cowboys, the running game didn't find much success. Dallas tried to get the run game going but the Bucs defense was just too stingy to give up any yards. On 17 attempts they totaled just 28 yards on the day.

3 Down

LG Ben Bredeson

Bredeson had a holding call on the first drive on a seven-yard scramble by Baker Mayfield that would've given the Bucs a fresh set of downs. The Bucs managed to convert, but it slowed the momentum and ended up turning the ball over on downs. Bredeson also gave up constant pressure on the night.

WR Sterling Shepard

Shepard had a bad drop on the game's first drive on a 4th & 3 that would've converted for a first down. Shepard had another bad drop on the Bucs' second drive of the game on 3rd & 4 that would move the chains. He had a big 20-yard grab but injured his hamstring on the play, causing him to miss the rest of the game.

CB Zyon McCollum

McCollum got beat by Lamb for a 52-yard catch and run in the waning minutes of the first half to set the Cowboys up for a score before the half. He was also called for holding on the play. McCollum's play was spotty all day and he, like so many others, struggled tackling.

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