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Mark LoMoglio / Associated press
The 2021 NFL season was already shaping up to be unprecedented. After last year’s bizarre campaign of empty stadiums and football on Wednesday, a return-to-normal measure is a shock in itself.
But if Thursday’s opening of the season to a full house at Raymond James Stadium was any indication, then the 2021 season is going to be even wilder than we thought. The defending Super Bowl champions Buccaneers fought off a Dallas team to mean they wouldn’t give up their throne without a fight. The Cowboys have shown that they are likely to be a force in NFC East this year.
NFL football is back. And he came back with a bang.
There was absolutely no doubt about the dominant offseason storyline for the Cowboys: the health of star quarterback Dak Prescott. After losing most of the 2020 season to a broken ankle (an injury that completely destroyed things in Big D), concern increased when Prescott missed much of camp and didn’t did not play in the preseason due to a tight throwing shoulder.
However, as Jori Epstein pointed out for United States today, Prescott insisted he would be ready to rock and roll against Tom Brady and the Bucs.
“I’m definitely ready,” Prescott said. “I love it the way it is (and) I wouldn’t want it any other way, to be honest. I love night games. I love playing prime time. I think it is. ‘is just for the perfect scene. They’re coming out of the Super Bowl title, and us returning the fans at full capacity, I think that’s what the NFL and the world need. leg going through my mind, I’m good to go.
He wasn’t even joking a little.
If there was a question about Prescott’s readiness for the season, it was answered in the affirmative early on. In the Cowboys’ second practice of the game, Prescott led the team for 75 yards in seven plays before finding wide receiver CeeDee Lamb at 22 yards.
It was kind of the theme of the night.
With the Cowboys completely unable to move the ball to the ground against a Tampa run defense that has led the league in yards per game allowed each of the past two years, he fell on Prescott to guide the Dallas offense. To carry the team.
Wear it, he did – in his first live game since signing a four-year, $ 160 million extension with $ 126 million guaranteed, Prescott shed some light on the best defenses in the NFL for 403 yards and three touchdowns on 42 of 58 passes. Veteran wide receiver Amari Cooper exploded to 13 catches for 139 yards and two scores. Lamb added 104 yards and a score on seven catches. Prescott has only been sacked once, and his only interception was more Lamb’s fault than the quarterback’s.
When Dallas kicker Greg Zuerlein scored a 48-yard field goal with 1:24 remaining, it appeared Prescott may have put together an impressive comeback, a win that could set the tone for an entire season in Dallas.
There was just one problem.
The name of this problem was Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr.
At this point in what may be any player’s greatest career at any position in National Football League history, nothing Brady does should really surprise us. He is the second-oldest quarterback to start an NFL game and the only flagger to make 300 regular-season starts.
But it’s still just amazing to see a 44-year-old quarterback play like he’s 24. To watch Brady hit the wide receiver Antonio brown perfectly in stride with a 47-yard seed in the second quarter.
Brady matched Prescott back to back. Landing for landing. He also landed the final punch, leading the Bucs on an 11-play, 57-yard run that culminated with game-winner Ryan Succop at 36 yards.
By the end of the game, Brady was 32 of 50 for 379 yards and three scores. His two interceptions came on a ball knocked down by the fingers of running back Leonard Fournette and a Hail Mary at the end of the first half. Brown (five catches for 121 yards and one score), broad Chris Godwin (nine catches for 105 yards and one touchdown) and tight end Rob gronkowski (eight catches for 90 yards and two touchdowns) have all had huge games.
After the game, Brady expressed relief that the Buccaneers won and understanding that the team still has work to do.
“Obviously a lot of things to improve,” he told NBC Sports’ Michele Tafoya. “But I’m glad we won it. Ryan gave a huge kick in the end. The defense made some really big saves for us. But turnovers, penalties, a few missed missions… we have to get over it. at work.”
He is right on this point. The Buccaneers can’t be happy to have allowed more than 451 yards of attack. Tampa also returned the ball four times and committed 11 penalties. As the victories went on, it wasn’t particularly clean.
Conversely, the Cowboys must be upset that they’ve been so close that they can’t close the deal. Zuerlein missed a short field goal and an extra point. Dan Quinn’s new defense may be better than last year’s on this side of the ball, but that doesn’t make them good; 0-1 is 0-1.
But the Cowboys have shown they can hang on to the best in the conference on the road. To say the schedule gets lighter from here is an understatement – Dallas isn’t playing against another team that made the playoffs in 2020 until they visit Kansas City on November 21.
Scott Audette / Associated press
The Bucs got off to a tough win and got a reprieve in Week 2 against Atlanta before hitting the road for a possible playoff preview against the Rams in Los Angeles.
If Thursday’s highlight was a mixed bag for the teams involved, it was an absolute delight for the fans – a roller coaster of big plays and phenomenal quarterback play. If this was a preview of what’s to come in 2021, we’re all going to need oxygen by Thanksgiving.
Hopefully this weekend’s big clash between the Bills and Steelers in Buffalo and the Browns and Chiefs in Kansas City is half the excitement.
Of course, these games lack a certain Brady factor.
But hey, you can’t have it all.
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