Buccaneers vs. Cowboys final score, results: Dallas survives wild ending as Tampa Bay’s playoff hopes take a hit

The Cowboys played spoiler on Sunday night, upsetting the Buccaneers 26-24 and delivering a blow to Tampa Bay’s playoff hopes.

The Buccaneers had a chance to win the game in the fourth quarter, needing just a field goal with 1:45 left. However, on the first play of the final drive, a chaotic sequence started with Baker Mayfield evading a sack but resulted in Rachaad White fumbling, as Dallas recovered to seal the game.

Tampa Bay was playing catch-up all night. The Cowboys jumped out to a 10-0 lead and held a 23-14 advantage at halftime. Dallas led by as many as 12 points before the Buccaneers mounted a comeback. It seemed that Mayfield was going to lead his team to a victory, as the Buccaneers’ defense came up big in the fourth quarter, but the turnover spoiled Tampa Bay’s opportunity.

MORE: Bucs WR Sterling Shepard enlists daughters for ‘SNF’ player intro

With the loss, the Buccaneers now drop out of the first place in the NFC South, as the Falcons take over the top spot. Both Atlanta and Tampa Bay are 8-7, but the Falcons own the tiebreaker since they beat the Buccaneers twice this year. The loss also snaps the Buccaneers’ four-game winning streak.

Tampa Bay is now the first team out of the playoffs, as they also trail the Commanders by two games for the final wild-card spot. Next week, the Buccaneers play the Panthers, while the Falcons and Commanders face each other.

While Dallas was eliminated from playoff contention earlier on Sunday, the Cowboys have now won four of their past five games, all with Cooper Rush at quarterback. The veteran finished the game with 292 passing yards and one touchdown, meaning he has now thrown nine touchdowns to just one interception in his past five games.

The Sporting News tracked updates and highlights from “Sunday Night Football” between the Buccaneers and Cowboys.

NFL HQ: Live NFL scores | Updated NFL standings | Full NFL schedule

Buccaneers vs. Cowboys box score

Who won Cowboys vs. Buccaneers?

Final: Cowboys 26, Buccaneers 24

11:36 p.m.: FUMBLE! In a wild play, Mayfield escapes a sack by tossing the ball to Rachaad White, but DaRon Bland strips White to force the turnover. That’s gonna essentially end the game as the Bucs only have one timeout left with under 90 seconds left!

11:34 p.m.: Buccaneers defensive tackle Vita Vea makes the tackle of the game, preventing Jake Ferguson from picking up the first down and getting Tampa Bay the ball back.

11:32 p.m.: The Cowboys drive starts with a KaVontae Turpin run and a pass to CeeDee Lamb, setting up a crucial 3rd-and-6 after the two-minute warning.

Cowboys 26, Buccaneers 24

11:27 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN! Mayfield finds a wide-open Ryan Miller in the end zone to keep this game alive. The Bucs are now down two with 2:36 remaining.

11:25 p.m.: Mayfield and McMillan are connecting on this drive as part of six-straight completions for the Buccaneers quarterback. Tampa Bay is at the Dallas 13 and need to score.

11:23 p.m.: Tampa Bay’s drive begins methodically, as Mayfield gets the Bucs to midfield.

11:18 p.m.: The Bucs force the three-and-out to get the ball back, but they need two scores with under five minutes remaining.

11:17 p.m.: Cooper Rush almost gives the ball right back, but Tampa Bay can’t come down with the easy interception. The Cowboys have the ball up nine with six minutes left.

11:13 p.m.: INTERCEPTION! Mayfield goes for the deep shot to Jalen McMillan, but Jourdan Lewis fights for the ball and comes down with the pick.

11:12 p.m.: Facing a 3rd-and-10 on a crucial drive, Mayfield fires a strike to Trey Palmer for 27 yards.

11:10 p.m.: After clearing concussion protocol, Mayfield scrambles again to open the drive, this time for 18 yards.

11:07 p.m.: Despite drawing a holding call on Tampa Bay, the Cowboys offense can’t do much as they are forced to punt after four plays. 

11:00 p.m.: The Cowboys pass rush is starting to feast, as they tackle Bucky Irving for a loss then force Mayfield to throw an incomplete pass, ending the drive.

10:57 p.m.: On the very next play, Mayfield appears to fumble, as the ball is recovered by Dallas. However, the referees reverse the call on review, making it a Dallas sack but Tampa Bay ball.

10:56 p.m.: Backed up in his own end zone, Mayfield scrambles for 12 yards to jumpstart the Buccaneers drive.

10:51 p.m.: Dallas’ drive stalls due to penalties, forcing them to punt the ball back to the Bucs.

10:49 p.m.: The Cowboys are called for a holding penalty, backing them up to a 2nd-and-19 at their own 37

End of third quarter: Cowboys 26, Buccaneers 17

Cowboys 26, Buccaneers 17.

10:39 p.m.: FIELD GOAL! Dallas sacks Mayfield to set up a 3rd-and-long, and the Buccaneers can’t overcome the loss of yardage. Chase McLaughlin makes the field goal attempt to add three to the board.

10:36 p.m.: The Buccaneers call another screen pass on third down, this one to White who goes for 27 yards when he needed just nine.

10:33 p.m.: On 3rd-and-3, Jalen McMillan takes a screen pass and fights through tackles for a first down to extend the drive.

10:31 p.m.: Trey Palmer was open deep down the field, but the timing is off as Mayfield can’t connect with him. Tampa Bay still has 2nd-and-10 at their own 44.

Cowboys 26, Buccaneers 14

10:26 p.m.: FIELD GOAL! Aubrey makes his fourth field goal of the night to extend the lead to 12.

10:25 p.m.: Dallas gets backed up on a false start penalty, and they are unable to make up all the yardage, forcing them to attempt another field goal.

10:23 p.m.: Rush opens the drive with a completion to Ryan Flournoy, who goes for 39 yards. Dallas is already at the Buccaneers’ 40-yard line.

10:21 p.m.: After review, the referees determine that the Cowboys didn’t recover the ball before it went out bounds, so the Buccaneers keep the ball but face a 3rd-and-40. Mayfield throws an incomplete pass, leading to a Tampa Bay punt.

10:17 p.m.: FUMBLE! After a Tampa Bay holding penalty, the Cowboys sack Mayfield and force a fumble, as Dallas is able to recover this time around. The Cowboys get the ball back all the way in Buccaneers’ territory.

10:15 p.m.: After Mayfield falls on a fumble to avoid a turnover, Irving picks up 12 more yards on a screen pass for a first down and to get well into field goal range.

10:12 p.m.: Tampa Bay is methodically driving down the field, as Irving and White combine for 21 yards to get into Dallas territory.

10:10 p.m.: We are back from halftime! The Buccaneers will get the ball first in the second half.

Halftime: Cowboys 23, Buccaneers 14

9:55 p.m.: FIELD GOAL! Aubrey drills another 58-yard field goal as the half expires.

9:53 p.m.: The Buccaneers first sack of the game comes at an opportune time, pushing the Cowboys back to the edge of field goal range during a methodical drive.

9:51 p.m.: Now it’s the Cowboys turn to run a two-minute drive, as Rush completes to Ferguson to get Dallas at midfield with 41 seconds left in the half.

Cowboys 20, Buccaneers 14

9:49 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN! Mayfield rolls out and fires a strike to McMillan, answering the Dallas touchdown before halftime.

9:47 p.m.: White runs for a third down, setting Tampa Bay up with a 1st-and-goal from the Cowboys’ 10.

9:45 p.m.: The Buccaneers are firing on this two-minute drive, as Mayfield completes three passes down the field for 41 yards to get into the red zone. 

Cowboys 20, Buccaneers 7

9:39 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN! Ezekiel Elliot’s first carry of the night caps of the Cowboys’s drive with a score, giving Tampa Bay a 13-point lead with 1:45 left in the half.

9:38 p.m.: Lamb returns to the field and takes a a Rush check-down pass initially to the end zone, but he is ruled down just short on review.

9:32 p.m.: On another third down, Rush completes a deep pass to Lamb despite Tampa Bay committing defensive holding on the play. Lamb runs all the way to the Tampa Bay 11-yard line for a 52 yard catch, but appears to be injured coming off the field.

9:29 p.m.: Facing a 3rd-and-long, Rush finds Tolbert in the flat, but Tolbert runs for the first down to keep the drive moving.

9:25 p.m.: Dallas sacks Mayfield on 3rd-and-5 all the way back near midfield, so Tampa Bay has to punt the ball away again.

9:21 p.m.: The Buccaneers continue to run their offense through Irving, who picks up 12 more yards to cross midfield.

9:18 p.m.: Irving gets the first two carries of this drive, but on 3rd-and-inches, Tampa Bay gives the ball to White, who converts the first down.

Cowboys 13, Buccaneers 7

9:13 p.m.: FIELD GOAL! On 3rd-and-5, Rush overthrows Lamb down the sidelines, setting up another Aubrey field goal attempt. The Cowboys kicker makes it from 49 yards out.

9:10 p.m.: Cooper Rush opens up the Cowboys’ drive with a deep completion to Lamb, and Dallas is right back into Tampa Bay territory.

Cowboys 10, Buccaneers 7

9:05 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN! The Buccaneers leaned on Bucky Irving in the red zone, as he carried the ball three times for 25 yards, ending in a score to get Tampa Bay on the board.

9:03 p.m.: Mayfield’s first big completion of the night is a deep pass to Mike Evans, who hauls in a 26-yard pass to get within the Dallas 30.

9:00 p.m.: Jake Ferguson drops a third-down pass to open the second quarter, as Dallas goes three-and-out.

End of first quarter: Cowboys 10, Buccaneers 0

8:57 p.m.: On the first play of the possession, the Cowboys get backed up due to a false start, but get most of it back on the first play. Dallas now faces a 3rd-and-8 as the first quarter expires.

8:51 p.m.: The Tampa Bay offense goes three-and-out on the ensuing drive, as a third-down screen pass to Rachaad White ends up a yard short. The Buccaneers punt it back to Dallas for the first time tonight.

Cowboys 10, Buccaneers 0

8:45 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN! On 3rd-and-9, Rush finds Jalen Tolbert in the back of the end zone for six, as Dallas opens up an early 10-point lead.

8:43 p.m.: On the second play of the drive, Rush completes to Brandin Cooks downfield for 29 yards, getting Dallas in the red zone already.

8:39 p.m.: On 3rd-and-3, Mayfield throws his first incompletion as he can’t connect with Rachaad White. The Buccaneers choose to go for it from around midfield, but Sterling Shepard drops an easy first down to turn the ball over on downs.

8:36 p.m.: The Bucs are able to overcome the penalty to extend the drive, as Mayfield finds Jalen McMillan and Payne Durham on consecutive plays.

8:35 p.m.: Baker Mayfield appears to scramble for a first down, but Tampa Bay is called for holding to back them up to 2nd-and-16 on their opening drive.

Cowboys 3, Buccaneers 0

8:30 p.m.: FIELD GOAL! Aubrey nails a 58-yard attempts to open the scoring in Dallas.

8:29 p.m.: On 3rd-and-6, Dallas runs the ball with Rico Dowdle, but Dowdle comes up short of the sticks. The Cowboys will send out Brandon Aubrey for a long field goal.

8:28 p.m.: Rush finds CeeDee Lamb for another first down, making him 5-for-5 so far. 

8:25 p.m.: Cooper Rush is in rhythm to begin the game, completing his first three passes to three different receivers for a first down.

8:23 p.m.: We are underway from Dallas! The Cowboys will get the ball first to begin the game.

8:02 p.m.: Dak Prescott is out for the season, but he is sill signing autographs for fans before the game.

7:35 p.m.: With the Cowboys wearing their typical home white jerseys, the Buccaneers are going with their red jerseys on Sunday.

7:07 p.m.: The Cowboys don’t have any notable inactives, with Deuve Vaughn and Eric Kendricks the biggest names to miss Sunday night.

7:00 p.m.: Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton is among Tampa Bay’s inactives for the game.

6:39 p.m.: Earlier on Sunday, the Falcons beat the Giants, meaning the Buccaneers need this game to remain in first place in the NFC South.

6:10 p.m.: The Cowboys are hot right now, having won three of their last four games. However, they got no help in the early window, as Dallas was officially eliminated from playoff contention earlier in the day.

Buccaneers vs. Cowboys start time

• Date: Sunday, Dec. 22
• Time: 8:20 p.m. ET

This game will end the slate of games on Sunday with an 8:20 p.m. ET kickoff (7:20 p.m. local time) from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

How to watch Buccaneers vs. Cowboys

• TV Channel: NBC
• Streaming: Peacock, Fubo

NBC will have the broadcast of Buccaneers vs. Cowboys, the network’s second game of the weekend. As always, “Sunday Night Football” can be streamed on Peacock, and for viewers looking for an alternate streaming option, check out Fubo.

Buccaneers schedule 2024

Here is the Buccaneers schedule for the rest of the regular season.

Cowboys schedule 2024

Here is how the Cowboys will close out this year’s regular season.