Dallas Cowboys’ 26-24 win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers comes right after their playoff hopes were shattered. While this win holds little significance to the Cowboys, what irked fans and analysts like Shannon Sharpe was the intensity the team showed in the game. It made the Nightcap host wonder why they didn’t show this level of explosiveness when the team was still in playoff contention.
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This week, Jerry Jones’ team finally played like the team many expected them to be before the season began. From the first quarter, the Cowboys went ahead 10-0 and continued outplaying the Bucs until the third quarter. They kept their opponents at bay with relentless pressure as well.
This display rightly upset Shannon, though, who questioned the Cowboys personnel on why they didn’t perform like this against the Ravens and other teams when they had a healthy squad. The leading sports analyst brutally reminded the team that their laziness in the first half of the season was the reason for this season’s downfall.
“Had you been playing like this on defense the entire season, who knows what your season could have been? We don’t want to blame it on injuries because guess what, you’re banged up now than you were in the beginning. You didn’t give this effort against the Ravens, you didn’t give this effort against the Saints, you didn’t give this effort against the Eagles… that’s why you taking your a** home…”
Ocho wholeheartedly agreed with Unc’s assessment. The former NFL wide receiver attributed the Cowboys’ newfound success to Cooper Rush’s contribution. Despite the Cowboys continuing their poor running game, Cooper was still able to make a decisive impact [292 passing yards & 1 TD], unlike Dak Prescott at the start of the season.
“The funny thing is the fact that they couldn’t run the ball, which made them one dimensional and then Cooper Rush, when it came to passing, he was still good. He was still good,” Ocho said.
That said, Shannon was surprised at the Bucs’ passive play in the matchup. For a team that hasn’t sealed the playoffs spot, a lack of hunger and intensity presents a poor look, noted the Nightcap host.
Shannon was, however, impressed by QB Baker Mayfield, who gave his all despite the lack of support from his teammates. Arguably, it was Baker’s hunger that fueled the Bucs’ comeback charge in the match — until a game-sealing forced fumble by DaRon Bland ended the Bucs’ hopes.
