Dak Dunks on the Bucs, Russel Gage Jr. Update, Divisional Round Set, and Other NFL Bullets

We were bound to get one blowout in the Wild Card slate, right? Last night’s Cowboys-Buccaneers game was the laugher of the slate, with Dak Prescott and the Cowboys taking it to the Buccaneers. Prescott had a career night, and Tom Brady and the Buccaneers are heading home for the offseason.

  • Brady spoke to reporters after the game and thanked the press core for their support and professionalism. As you would expect, his comments have sparked a conversation regarding his future.
  • At this point, I wouldn’t read too much into Brady’s comments. It sounded more like a customary end-of-season goodbye to the media. Of course, Brady is a free agent this offseason, so there will be plenty of discussion about what’s next for the future Hall of Fame quarterback.
  • While the Buccaneers are done for the season, the Cowboys will advance and take on the San Francisco 49ers next week in a must-see matchup. But will they be 100 percent healthy? We saw Micah Parsons banged up at the half on Sunday night. We also saw safety Jayron Kearse come off the field in the second half with a knee injury.
  • Parsons returned to the game in the second half, and Kearse told reporters after the game that the knee is “feeling alright,” so good news for the Cowboys on that front.
  • A scary moment in the fourth quarter occurred when Buccaneers wide receiver Russell Gage Jr. was carted off the field. Buccaneers’ reporter Diandra Loux provided an encouraging update after the game.
  • Loux said that, per Todd Bowles, Gage was at the hospital with a concussion and possible neck injuries. However, Gage had movement in his extremities last night. The incident was a scary situation, especially in the wake of the Damar Hamlin injury a couple weeks ago.
  • We have another positive update this morning, this time from the Buccaneers:
  • Prescott dazzled in the victory, logging five touchdowns as he answered the call for Dallas. You can read more about Prescott’s performance here:
  • We’ve got some news on the coaching front this morning. The Chargers have fired offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi in the wake of their collapse in Jacksonville.
  • But if we’re being honest, it felt like a move that was coming, even if they hadn’t bowed out epically. Lombardi’s offense was never something I was a fan of. He didn’t seem to know how to get the rest of the offense (no shortage of talent) clicking. While Justin Herbert padded their offensive numbers through the air, they were a middle-of-the-pack scoring team. They were also bottom third in rushing.
  • That’s just not going to cut it. More on that here:
  • The Cleveland Browns also made a move this morning, hiring Jim Schwartz as their defensive coordinator.
  • Schwartz was previously the head coach of the Lions and a defensive coordinator in Philly, Buffalo, and Tennessee. The veteran NFL coach beat out the likes of Sean Desai and Brian Flores for the job. More on that here:
  • The NFL’s divisional round is now set, and the matchups look juciy!
  • But the real question is, can I go undefeated again? I was a perfect 6/6 on my Wild Card Weekend picks at BN:
  • If you missed it yesterday, I put together a status report of sorts on the who’s, where’s, and when’s regarding the search for new head coaches:
  • CJ Stroud has declared for the NFL Draft, and Luis has the Bears implications covered for us:
  • Also, this seems pretty optimal!
  • written by

    Patrick grew up in Chicago's Bridgeport and Garfield Ridge neighborhoods before moving to the Western Suburbs of Chicago before eventually relocating to the Las Vegas area with his family in 2023. He started with Bleacher Nation in 2021 and has spent time as a Staff Writer and on the Chicago Blackhawks beat. He is currently a writer and editor at Bleacher Nation covering the Chicago Bears and the NFL at large and the author of the Bleacher Nation Newsletter. Patrick is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA).

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