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7 winners & 2 losers in Cowboys Week 16 win over Buccaneers

The Dallas Cowboys played spoiler on Sunday Night Football and these players stood out.

Randy Gurzi

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb / Tim Heitman-Imagn Images
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Micah Parsons was interviewed on the field before the Dallas Cowboys took on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was asked what was left to play for with the postseason out of reach thanks to the Washington Commanders beating the Philadelphia Eagles earlier in the day.

Parsons gave a brilliant answer, saying they were playing for one another and to prove their character. Once the game kicked off, we saw that wasn't just talk.

Dallas gave it everything they had and came away with a win.

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Let's take a look at which players stood out as Dallas won 26-24.

Winner: Chauncey Golston, DE

Dallas Cowboys defensive end Chauncey Golston
Dallas Cowboys defensive end Chauncey Golston / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Chauncey Golston entered the season with 3.5 sacks in his career but the Cowboys asked him to do more after losing Dorance Armstrong in free agency and Sam Williams to a torn ACL. Golston responded with his best campaign, entering this weekend with 31 pressures. He added to that total while also picking up his fourth sack of the season in the first half.

As good as Golston has been, it's a little concerning since he's in a contract year. He's proven he needs to be on the field more but this front office isn't likely to pay very much at all to keep him.

Winner: Jalen Tolbert, WR

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jalen Tolbert
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jalen Tolbert (1) catches a touchdown pass against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. / Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

In his third season in the league, Jalen Tolbert has seen the light bulb come on. Once considered a miss in the third-round, Tolbert entered this game with 462 yards and five touchdowns on 40 receptions. He added to that total on Sunday with two receptions for 20 yards.

His first catch went for a score with Tolbert securing a toe-tapping third-down catch at the back of the end zone.

He could have had more but he was one of several players who was banged up. But he made his presence felt before leaving.

Loser: Brock Hoffman, G

Dallas Cowboys Brock Hoffman
Dallas Cowboys Brock Hoffman / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Since filling in for Zack Martin at right guard, Brock Hoffman has been fantastic. That doesn't mean there's no room for growth, which we were reminded of on Sunday.

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Hoffman was beaten by Calijah Kancey on the final drive of the second quarter, which nearly pushed them out of field goal range. In the third quarter, he was called for a false start, putting them in a hole on their first drive of the second half. On their next drive, he was flagged for a hold on a 2nd-and-19, which negated a defensive penalty that would have given them a fresh set of downs.

Winner: Cooper Rush, QB

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush (10) throws a pass against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first quarter. / Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

Prior to this game, there were cries for the Cowboys to turn to Trey Lance. With the playoffs out of reach, it felt like a good time to see what the former North Dakota State star could do.

Cooper Rush wasn't going to let that happen.

He came out on fire, going 8-of-9 for 60 yards and a touchdown on the first two drives. On that touchdown pass, he proved his toughness as well by standing tall and delivering a third-down strike while getting hit by 347-pound Vita Vea.

Rush finished with 292 yards and a touchdown, again doing enough to get the win.

Winner: Donovan Wilson, S

Donovan Wilson had his best game of the season against the Bucs. He finally looks comfortable in Mike Zimmer's defense and served as an enforcer in this one. His first big hit was on a 2nd-and-10 that kept Mike Evans from converting a first down. Wilson timed the hit perfectly and avoided a penalty as he separated Evans from the ball.

In the fourth quarter, he was at it again. This time, he flew into the backfield on a blitz and took Baker Mayfield down with authroity.

Initially, this one was ruled a fumble which was recovered by Dallas. Replay showed that Mayfield was down before the ball came out but it still led to the Bucs punting a few plays later.

Loser: Rico Dowdle, RB

Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle
Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

After topping 100 yards in each of the past three games, Rico Dowdle hit a wall in Week 16. He was stuffed often at the line of scrimmage, finishing with 23 yards on 13 attempts. Tampa Bay has a tough defensive line but Dowdle still needed to deliver more than he did.

Winner: CeeDee Lamb, WR

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (88) runs after catching a pass against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second quarter. / Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

The lack of a playoff berth didn't slow Dallas down just like a shoulder injury hasn't slowed CeeDee Lamb.

He continued to play well on Sunday, crossing 100 yards in the first half. He got there in a hurry thanks in large part to a 52-yard bomb from Cooper Rush.

Lamb also set up a touchdown for Ezekiel Elliott when he fought through several defenders on an 11-yard reception down to the one-yard line.

On that reception, Lamb reached 100 on the year, which is the third-straight season he's accomplished this feat.

Winner: Jourdan Lewis, CB

Dallas Cowboys cornerback Jourdan Lewis
Dallas Cowboys cornerback Jourdan Lewis / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Throughout the broadcast, Jourdan Lewis was being praised as a tone-setter on the defense. Known for doing the dirty work, Lewis turned in one of the flashiest plays of the game — which also kept Tampa Bay from pulling to within two points.

Trailing 26-17, the Bucs had a solid drive going when Baker Mayfield went for the home run. He fired one deep for Jalen McMillan and it looked as though the rookie initially had a touchdown. That wasn't the case, however, as Lewis ripped the ball out of his hands for an interception in the end zone.

Winner: DaRon Bland, CB

Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland
Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland / Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

Not to be outdone by Lewis, DaRon Bland was the defensive back who sealed the win. With Dallas up by two, the Bucs were trying to get into field goal range and Baker Mayfield made a remarkable play to avoid a sack from Lewis and find running back Rachaad White for a completion.

White was taken down by Bland, who stripped the ball away from him and recovered the fumble. That turnover allowed the offense to kneel it down and walk away with their second win at AT&T Stadium.

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Randy Gurzi
RANDY GURZI

Arizona State grad

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