Buccaneers vs. Dallas Cowboys 
LOSS - Tampa Bay Buccaneers 00 Dallas Cowboys 38
POST-SEASON: NFC Divisional Playoffs Game
Facing a Dallas defense that had allowed its previous six opponents an average of less than ten points per game, the Buccaneers were in immediate trouble.
Doug Williams was sacked on the game's very first play. Field position was a problem, with the Buccaneers' first-half drives starting at an average of the 19-yard line. Tampa Bay was only able to advance beyond midfield four times during the entire game, and Williams was pressured into mistakes by a constant Dallas pass rush. The ground game was held to only 2 yards in the second half, with James Owens starting at running back in place of the injured Jerry Eckwood.
The Dallas front four of Ed "Too Tall" Jones, Harvey Martin, Randy White, and John Dutton dominated the Buccaneers' offensive line, moving them backwards with 59 yards in sacks and forcing two intentional grounding penalties. They batted down several of Williams' passes, and Jones caught one of Williams' four interceptions.
Tom Landry said that it was the best performance by a Dallas front four since their Super Bowl XII victory over Denver in 1978, and credited their intensity for the difference. Interceptions by Jones and Michael Downs set up two third-quarter touchdowns, helping the Cowboys to match their largest-ever margin of victory. Dallas committed no turnovers, and all tipped passes wound up in the hands of Cowboys players.
It was the last time that an NFL playoff team had been shut out since the Buccaneers' NFC Championship loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the 1979 postseason.
McKay had few comments after the game, telling the press, "I want to get the hell out of here".
GAMEDAY BRIEF
OFFICALS
- REFEREE: Jerry Markbreit
- UMPIRE: Gordon Wells
- HEAD LINESMAN: Dale Hamer
- LINE JUDGE: Bama Glass
- SIDE JUDGE: Bill Quimby
- BACK JUDGE: T. Kallcher
- FIELD JUDGE: Adam Terzian
- ALTERNATE: Norm Gereb
SCORING
- COWBOYS: 12:38-2Q Hill 9 pass from White (Septien kick)
- COWBOYS: 00:56-2Q Septien FG32
- COWBOYS: 10:52-3Q Springs 1 run (Septien kick)
- COWBOYS: 01:08-3Q Dorsett 5 run (Septien kick)
- COWBOYS: 00:15-3Q Jones 5 run (Septien kick)
- COWBOYS: 05:27-4Q Newsome 1 run (Septien kick)
STARTERS OFFENSE
- WR: #83 T. Bell
- LT: #74 G. Sanders
- LG: #72 R. Snall
- C: #50 S. Wilson
- RG: #61 G. Roberts
- RT: #73 C. Hannah
- TE: #88 J. Giles
- WR: #89 K. House
- QB: #12 D. Williams
- FB: #32 J. Wilder
- TB: #26 J. Owens
STARTERS DEFENSE
- LE: #65 D. Stalls
- NT: #76 D. Logan
- RE: #63 L. Selmon
- LOLB: #59 A. Hawkins
- LILB: #56 C. Johnson
- RILB: #54 R. Wood
- ROLB: #53 H. Green
- LC: #41 N. Thomas
- RC: #40 M. Washington
- SS: #20 N. Colzie
- FS: #34 C. Brown
SUBSTITUTIONS
- 3 Capece, 9 Swider, 21 Holt, 24 Delaney, 27 T Davis, 43 Eckwood, 44 Cesare, 51 Nafziger, 52 Brantley, 57 Lewis, 62 Leonard, 64 Short, 68 Yarno, 70 Hutchinson, 79 Campbell, 84 Jones, 86 Obradovich, 87 Carter, 90 White
DID NOT PLAY
- 10 Ford, 14 Fusina, 42 R Bell, 75 Reavis
INACTIVE
- none.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING
- BUCCANEERS: Owens 12-40, Wilder 4-23, Williams 3-9, Eckwood 4-2, T.Davis 1-0.
- COWBOYS: Dorsett 16-86, Springs 15-70, Jones 9-32, Newhouse 4-23, Newsome 1-1, Cosbie 1-0.
PASSING
- BUCCANEERS: Williams 29-10-187-4-0.
- COWBOYS: White 26-15-143-0-1.
RECIEVING
- BUCCANEERS: T.Bell 3-36, Owens 3-32, Giles 2-98, Wilder 1-11, House 1-10.
- COWBOYS: Dorsett 4-48, DuPree 3-32, Pearson 2-21, Hill 2-18, Jones 2-15, Donley 1-14, Cosbie 1-5.
INTERCEPTIONS
- BUCCANEERS: none.
- COWBOYS: Thurman 2-50, Downs 1-21, Jones 1-0.
KICK RETURNS
- BUCCANEERS: Owens 3-92, Holt 2-55.
- COWBOYS: none.
PUNT RETURNS
- BUCCANEERS: Bell 1-1.
- COWBOYS: Jones 3-53.
SACKS
- BUCCANEERS: Selmon 1-10.
- COWBOYS: Bethea 1-17, Martin 1-9, White 1-4, Hegman 0.5-4.5, Lewis 0.5-4.5.
