Overview
Teams will start their playoff runs against the same team they began the 2022 season with when the Dallas Cowboys and Tampa Bay Buccaneers conclude Super Wild-Card Weekend.
The Cowboys and Buccaneers kicked off the 2022 season together in Week 1 and will do the same in the playoffs, though this time, one team will move on while the other will see its season come to an end.
Tampa Bay won the first meeting 19-3, with quarterback Dak Prescott suffering a fractured thumb during the game that resulted in him missing the next five games.
Dallas ended its season with a 12-5 record and second in the NFC East while Tampa Bay finished 8-9 and atop the NFC South standings.
This game could be a toss-up with how both teams have played recently, offering a close matchup to end Super Wild-Card Weekend.
Dallas Hopes for Strength on Offense
The Dallas Cowboys have won two of their last three games, but their final game of the regular season didn’t offer many positives.
Dallas’ offense is normally strong, averaging 354.9 yards and 27.5 points a game for 11th in total yards and fourth in scoring in the league.
However, the Cowboys’ last game was rough, as they only scored six points and finished with 182 yards in a loss to the Washington Commanders.
The game was an outlier, as Dallas has scored over 25 points in four of its last five games, averaging 26.8 points in that time.
Despite the Cowboys’ ability to score, Prescott has struggled, throwing eight interceptions to 10 touchdowns in their last five games.
Although he missed five games, Prescott is tied as the league leader in interceptions, throwing 15.
Prescott and the Cowboys had a dismal showing to end the season, but they’ll need to turn it around and limit turnovers to keep things moving in the postseason.
Tampa Bay Continues To Rely on the Pass
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers also won two of their final three games, and their passing game has continued to drive their offense.
Tampa Bay is second in the league in passing offense, averaging 269.8 passing yards, while quarterback Tom Brady is third in passing yards with 4,694 yards.
The Buccaneers’ offense largely goes as the passing game goes, as their rushing game is last in the league, averaging 76.9 rushing yards a game. Tampa Bay has failed to reach 100 rushing yards in six of its last seven games.
Wide receivers Chris Godwin and Mike Evans remain imperative in the offense, as they are Brady’s go-to guys.
Godwin leads the team in receptions with 104 for 1,023 yards and three touchdowns and Evans leads in yards and touchdowns, recording 77 receptions for 1,124 yards and six touchdowns.
Despite Tampa’s reliance on the passing game, the Buccaneers found success on the ground against Dallas in Week 1. Running back Leonard Fournette rushed 21 times for 127 yards.
The Buccaneers may need to do the same once again in the playoffs. Although Dallas has the eighth-best passing defense, its rushing defense isn’t as strong, ranking 11th-worst in the league.
Dallas vs Tampa Bay Prediction
Both teams fell in their final regular-season games, but while the Buccaneers rested their starters for a good portion of the game, the Cowboys did not. Nevertheless, the game should be close.
Dallas will be hoping for more offensive stability as Tampa Bay will be looking to score through the air. Although Brady has years of playoff experience and has home-field advantage, the Buccaneers have struggled to score. With Dallas’ fifth-ranked scoring defense, the Cowboys should get the win on the road.
