Tom Brady is playing more like a sixth-round rookie making his first playoff start rather than a 23-year veteran making his 48th. He is 7-of-15 for 52 yards, and he threw his first red zone pick as a Buccaneer.
The Bucs finally put together a drive, with a first-and-goal at the Dallas 5-yard line.
Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons nearly had a pick-six of Brady on the first down play before Brady threw the ball to the back of the end zone with no Bucs receiver anywhere close. Instead, Jayron Kearse intercepted it.
The Cowboys then went 80 yards in 15 plays.
Backup tight end Jake Ferguson caught a short pass and went 34 yards to the Tampa Bay 6 to set up Dak Prescott’s 1-yard bootleg run to the end zone on fourth down. Prescott fooled the defense and had an escort from Dalton Schultz, who scored the team’s first touchdown.
Brett Maher missed a second extra point, and the Cowboys lead 12-0.