TAMPA — Stuff happens in the NFL

Good teams lose, bad teams win, and Marcus Mariota keeps getting contracts. If you look at it that way, anything can be explained. Even the Bucs losing to a 6-8 Dallas team with a backup quarterback and a postseason spot up for grabs.

A Painful Loss for the Bucs

As long as Tampa Bay takes care of business and wins its final two games — and the Commanders burst Atlanta’s bubble next week — then Sunday night’s 26-24 loss to the Cowboys can be discarded as a bad night in the course of a long season. After all, home playoff games make a mighty fine salve. But if the Bucs fall short or the Falcons stay hot, then this loss is going to hurt for a long, long time. And it should.

The Questions Remain

How do you lose to quarterback Cooper Rush with a division title at stake? The guy has been in the league for eight years and has never seen the top of a depth chart. His career passer rating is worse than Taysom Hill, and that guy is not even a real NFL quarterback.

Tough Losses and Missed Opportunities

How do you lose to a team that was just eliminated from the playoffs hours earlier? How do you commit two turnovers in the final seven minutes of a close game? How is your pass defense so bad that a 350-pound defensive lineman has the game’s best coverage grade?

Challenges Ahead

All of those close losses have reduced Tampa Bay’s margin for error to nil, but the upset in Los Angeles last week has at least given them a path to glory. If Washington wins, the Bucs are back in business, as long as they don’t have another one of these inexplicable letdowns.

Conclusion

Despite setbacks, the Bucs have shown resilience and talent this season, but inconsistency has plagued them in crucial moments. The upcoming games will determine their fate in the playoffs.

FAQs

Q: How did the Bucs lose to the Cowboys despite having a chance to secure a postseason spot?

A: Various factors, including defensive lapses and turnovers, contributed to the unexpected loss.