The eliminated Dallas Cowboys hold off the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The eliminated Dallas Cowboys hold off the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

ARLINGTON, Texas – As they do hours before kickoff before every game, Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Mike McCarthy met in the coach’s office, although this time there weren’t many words.

“It was downtime,” Jones said. “We both looked like we had lost someone.”

The Cowboys’ playoff chances officially ended when the Washington Commanders defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in the final seconds, about four hours before Dallas would face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“Before the game it was a real punch in the gut to say the least,” McCarthy said.

Despite knowing their playoff streak would end after three seasons, the Cowboys still managed to beat the Buccaneers 26-24 and increase their record to 7-8 with their fourth win in their last five games.

The Cowboys were already without Pro Bowlers Dak Prescott, Zack Martin, DeMarcus Lawrence and Trevon Diggs due to injury and were sidelined by their leading tackler, linebacker Eric Kendricks, due to a calf injury that did not improve in pregame warmups. In the game, they lost Pro Bowl wide receiver CeeDee Lamb for most of the second half after he wound up on his injured right shoulder in the first half. They also lost receiver Jalen Tolbert to an open dislocation of his pinky finger at the end of the first half.

They had a 93-yard gain, had 10 fewer first downs and had the ball for 5 minutes, 36 seconds fewer than the NFC South-leading Buccaneers.

Still, they won.

Cooper Rush threw for 226 yards in the first half, a career high, with a touchdown pass to Tolbert. Ezekiel Elliott scored a 1-yard touchdown on his only carry of the game, giving him 72 in his Cowboys career.

Cornerback Jourdan Lewis, playing with a brace on his elbow, intercepted Baker Mayfield in the end zone in the fourth quarter, and DaRon Bland ripped the ball away from Rachaad White for a game-winning fumble with 1:31 to play.

“I just love the way our team plays,” McCarthy said. “I just can’t say enough about the locker room. Your pride. Your character. Your toughness. Resilience.”

Jones couldn’t say enough about McCarthy, who could play his final two games as manager as he has no contract beyond this season.

“Proud of these guys, kid,” Jones said. “They wouldn’t give it up out there. That’s why I’m really proud of them and Mike McCarthy, he just doesn’t let them think about the fact that they’re not out there playing for the Super Bowl.”

McCarthy said he did not acknowledge the team’s playoff status before kickoff. He said the interactions between players weren’t much different than any other game, although he said there were one-on-one discussions about the impact of the Washington win.

Rush was driving to AT&T Stadium and listening to the Eagles-Commanders game when he learned that the season will end on either January 4th or 5th, when the NFL sets its Week 18 schedule.

“There are a lot of players in this locker room with a lot of wins over the last three seasons,” Rush said. “So we know what it’s about. We know who we are as competitors and when you play football you fight to win.”

The only change McCarthy made was the decision to take the ball after winning the coin toss. After his game management meeting on Friday, it was decided to postpone the decision.

“I said, ‘Hey, let’s take the ball and get up and get going and really get things going,'” McCarthy’s aid said. “So I thought it was good that the offense went out there and got some points on the board.”

Brandon Aubrey gave the Cowboys a 3-0 lead with a 58-yard field goal, his first of three field goals of at least 50 yards in the game. Aubrey’s third field goal gave Dallas a 26-14 lead with 6:33 left in the third quarter. The Buccaneers pulled within two points with 2:36 to play, but then Bland delivered the Cowboys’ second takeaway to secure the victory.

“There are a lot of things that contributed to us sitting here and not in the playoffs, and you can start with me,” Jones said. “And I’m not trying to be different than a lot of people contribute when you win (and) a lot of people contribute when you don’t win. But, boy, you try so hard, That kind of professionalism, those guys came out and played like they were fighting for a championship game, to get to the Super Bowl.

Except the Cowboys won’t do that. Their Super Bowl drought will stretch to 29 seasons. However, there is still a lot to be gained with two games remaining.

“Everything,” Rush said. “I mean, this is your life. This is awesome. That’s what you do. You get paid for it. I don’t think people need much more motivation.”

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