Buccaneers lose control of playoff fortunes with 26-24 loss to Cowboys

Cooper Rush threw a touchdown, Brandon Aubrey kicked two 58-yard field goals on four field goals and the Dallas Cowboys beat Tampa Bay 26-24 on Sunday night, costing Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers control of their fortunes in playoffs.

The end of a four-game winning streak left the Bucs (8-7) even with Atlanta atop the NFC South division with two games remaining, but the Falcons have the tiebreaker as they won both meetings with Tampa Bay.

A three-year playoff run for the Cowboys (7-8) ended when they were eliminated from the playoffs before the prime-time kickoff. Still, Dallas won for the fourth time in five games since a five-game losing streak that put its playoff hopes in jeopardy.

Mayfield, the Texas native playing not far from his high school and college roots, was in position to lead a rally from a nine-point deficit in the final three minutes when he escaped a sack and threw the ball to Rachaad White in the last two minutes. minutes.

DaRon Bland ripped the ball out of White’s hands before hitting the ground, giving Dallas possession at the Tampa Bay 32-yard line and allowing the Cowboys to run out the clock.

Mayfield threw two touchdowns, including a 13-yarder to Ryan Miller that brought the Bucs within two with 2:36 remaining.

The Bucs got the ball back with 1:50 left before Bland’s big play, which forced his first turnover in an injury-plagued season a year after the cornerback set an NFL record with five interception returns for touchdowns.

A Tampa Bay defense that allowed an NFL-low 15 points during the winning streak struggled to slow down Rush and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, who had a 100-yard first half for the second week in a row.

Lamb, who battled a right shoulder injury for most of the season, struck hard again on a 52-yard catch in the second quarter. After going to the bench, Lamb came back for an underneath catch and worked his way inside the 1-yard line to set up Ezekiel Elliott’s diving pass for a 20-7 Dallas lead.

Lamb finished with 105 yards after having 100 before the break, a week after rushing for 105 yards in the first half against Carolina.

Mayfield needed less than a minute to complete his 11-yard touchdown pass to Jalen McMillan in the final minute of the first half, but the Cowboys responded with Aubrey’s second 58-yard field goal of the last game before the break for a 23. -14 lead.

With three field goals of at least 50 yards, Aubrey has 14 for the season, an NFL record. Houston’s Ka’imi Fairbairn has 13, so the record is still up for grabs.

Tampa Bay wide receiver Sterling Shepard was ruled out in the second half with a hamstring injury.

Next up for Tampa Bay is a game Sunday at Raymond James Stadium against the Carolina Panthers. Kick-off is scheduled for 1 p.m.