The Buccaneers fell to the Cowboys 26-24 in Week 16. Mistakes and turnovers (two) became storylines for the Bucs on the road. Baker Mayfield was sacked four times and completed 31 of 43 attempts for 304 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

The Cowboys’ first 30-yard drive ended with a 58-yard field goal by Brandon Aubrey, giving the home team an early 3-0 lead. The Bucs’ first offensive possession resulted in a turnover on downs after a drop from fourth-and-six. Dallas secured a touchdown on its second drive when Cooper Rush found Jalen Tolbert in the back of the end zone for a 10-0 lead. On the aforementioned five-play, 52-yard scoring drive, a 29-yard gain by Brandin Cooks shifted the momentum in Dallas’ favor and provided positive field position.

At the start of the second quarter, the Buccaneers reached the end zone. A pickup from Mike Evans from 26 yards down the left sideline sparked the drive. Evans was one-on-one with DaRon Bland on the left sideline, working over the top. Mayfield let it rip and hit Evans in no time. Bucky Irving gained a 15- and eight-yard lead on the scoring drive with clever post-cut maneuvers to get Tampa Bay to the two-yard line and pounded it in with a two-yard run. The Cowboys answered with a 49-yard field goal from Aubrey to make the game 13-7.

The Cowboys crossed the goal line in less than two minutes in the second quarter. A 52-yard gain by CeeDee Lamb got the Cowboys into the red zone and they capped it with a one-yard touchdown rush by Ezekiel Elliott. The nine-play, 80-yard drive gave the Cowboys a 20-7 lead before halftime. Tampa Bay quickly gained 70 yards in seven plays, with two 15-yard plays for Evans and a 20-yard gain for Sterling Shepard. The Bucs capped the drive with an 11-yard touchdown pass from Mayfield to Jalen McMillan. The Cowboys continued to move downfield until a six-yard sack by Yaya Diaby on Rush set up third-and-15. He won with quickness from the line and raced around the rush arc to bring down the signal caller, culminating in a 58-yard field goal by Aubrey as time expired in the second frame.

In the third frame, Aubrey capped a five-play, 30-yard drive with a 53-yard field goal and Chase McLaughlin followed with a 45-yard throw. The Bucs’ promising push faltered midway through the fourth quarter when Jourdan Lewis took the ball away to intercept it at the goal line and brought Rush and Co. back onto the field. With just over two minutes left in the fourth, Mayfield found Ryan Miller wide open in the middle of the end zone for a 13-yard touchdown, making the score 26-24. Several quick out routes led to first downs to force the Bucs off the field on the late, nine-play, 87-yard drive. The Bucs’ defense then forced a punt and Mayfield took over with 1:52 on the clock, but a Tampa Bay fumble was recovered by Bland at the Bucs’ 31-yard line, giving the Cowboys the victory.