Cowboys beat Tampa Bay 26-24 as Baker Mayfield and the Bucs lose control of their playoff fate

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Baker Mayfield came home to Texas looking to keep his Tampa Bay Buccaneers on track for the playoffs.

Instead, they'll need some help.

Cooper Rush threw a touchdown pass and Brandon Aubrey kicked two 58-yarders among four field goals Sunday night, boosting the Dallas Cowboys to a 26-24 victory that cost the Bucs control of their playoff fate.

The end of a four-game winning streak left Tampa Bay (8-7) even with Atlanta atop the NFC South with two games remaining. The Falcons have the tiebreaker because they won both meetings with the Bucs, who are on a four-year playoff run.

“We lost, we fell back in the pack,” coach Todd Bowles said. “We’ve got to eat it, can’t spend too much time on it. We had our chances. We’ve got to take care of us and let everything else take care of itself.”

A three-year playoff streak for the Cowboys (7-8) ended when they were eliminated from postseason contention before the prime-time kickoff. Still, Dallas won for the fourth time in five games since a five-game losing streak that put those playoff hopes in peril.

Dallas' hopes officially ended about four hours before the game when Washington scored in the final seconds to beat Philadelphia.

“There wasn’t a whole lot of conversation about it,” coach Mike McCarthy said. “I made the point before the game, `Jjust play the way we always play. We’re playing really dang good football these past four, five weeks. Let’s grind this thing out.'”

Mayfield, the former Texas high school standout playing not far from his Heisman Trophy-winning days at Oklahoma, was in position to lead a rally from a nine-point deficit late when he escaped a sack and shoveled the ball to Rachaad White in the final two minutes.

DaRon Bland ripped the ball out of White's hands before the Tampa Bay running back hit the ground at the Bucs 32, allowing the Cowboys to run out the clock.

Mayfield threw for 303 yards and two touchdowns, including a 13-yarder to Ryan Miller that pulled the Bucs within two with 2:36 to go.

The Bucs got the ball back with 1:40 remaining, but the next play was the big one from Bland, who forced his first turnover in an injury-plagued season a year after the cornerback set an NFL record with five interception returns for touchdowns.

White initially was carrying the ball in one hand away from his body after getting it from Mayfield before pulling it into his body and Bland closed in.

“He had two hands on the ball, obviously you’ve got to be careful,” Mayfield said. “The same thing happened to me earlier in the game. They made some plays when it mattered. It’s all about the ball, and they did good taking it away.”

The Cowboys appeared in firm control when Jourdan Lewis took the ball away from Jalen McMillan for an interception at the Dallas goal line on a deep throw with about six minutes remaining.

Dallas failed to get a first down after that turnover, and again after the Bucs pulled within two. The defense came through again, though.

“When we had to have it with the takeaways there in the fourth quarter, it's remarkable, just to see the bounce-back,” McCarthy said.

A Tampa Bay defense that allowed an NFL-low 15 points during the winning streak had trouble early trying to slow Rush and receiver CeeDee Lamb, who had a 100-yard first half for the second week in a row.

Lamb, who has been battling a bum right shoulder most of the season, came down hard on it again on a 52-yard catch in the second quarter. After going to the bench, Lamb returned for a catch underneath and fought his way inside the 1-yard line to set up Ezekiel Elliott's plunge for a 20-7 Dallas lead.

Lamb finished with 105 yards after getting 100 before the break a week after going for 105 first-half yards, and 116 total, in a 30-14 victory at Carolina. Rush threw for 292 yards with a 10-yard TD to Jalen Tolbert in the first quarter.

Mayfield needed less than a minute on a drive to his 11-yard touchdown pass to Jalen McMillan in the final minute of the first half, but the Cowboys answered with Aubrey's second 58-yard field goal on the final play before the break for a 23-14 lead.

“I’ve said it all along, this group will not quit,” Mayfield said. “That’s the standard that we try to set. It’d be nice to not have to be in that situation, if we’d take care of business earlier in the game.”

With his three field goals of at least 50 yards, Aubrey has 14 for the season, an NFL record. Houston's Ka'imi Fairbairn has 13, so the record remains up for grabs.

Tampa Bay WR Sterling Shepard was ruled out in the second half with a hamstring injury. ... Cowboys LB Eric Kendricks was inactive with a calf injury after going through a pregame workout.

Buccaneers: Host Carolina next Sunday.

Cowboys: At Philadelphia next Sunday.

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Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Linval Joseph celebrates a sack of Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield in the second half of an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter)

Dallas Cowboys' Buddy Johnson, left, and Andrew Booth Jr. (25) celebrate with C.J. Goodwin (29) after Goodwin made a stop on a punt coverage in the second half of an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Payne Durham (87) is uanble to secure a pass as Dallas Cowboys linebacker Marist Liufau (35) delivers a hard hit in the second half of an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter)

Dallas Cowboys place kicker Brandon Aubrey (17) kicks a 53-yard field goal in the second half of an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Jerome Miron)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving celebrates after rushing for a touchdown against th eDallas Cowboys in the first half of an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Jerome Miron)

Dallas Cowboys' Marist Liufau (35), DaRon Bland (26), Nick Vigil (41) and others celebrate Liufau's defensive play as Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Mike Evans (13) looks on in the second half of an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter)

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush looks to throw a pass in the first half of an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (88) catches a pass between Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Jamel Dean (35) and Christian Izien (29) in the first half of an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Dallas Cowboys' Donovan Wilson (6) celebrates with Nick Vigil (41) Wilson sacked Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Baker Mayfield (6) and recovered Mayfield's fumble in the second half of an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Stepping onto the set of “Squid Game” season two, Lee Jong-jae felt like he had never left.

“Including promotion, I'd been living with Gi-hun for about two years," said Lee in a recent interview. “I really felt like I was him," he said in a recent interview.

“Squid Game” follows an underground competition in Korea that recruits people in debt to participate in childlike games for money. Once the games begin, the contestants realize there are deadly consequences.

The show was a global hit when it was released in 2021, becoming Netflix's most-watched series. It also won numerous accolades including Primetime Emmy Awards for acting for Lee Jung-jae and directing for Hwang Dong-hyuk. Lee's career catapulted, taking him to the Cannes Film Festival and giving him his first English-language role in the “Star Wars” series “The Acolyte” for Disney+.

Lee says when Netflix ordered a second season of “Squid Game,” he questioned the timeline because it took Hwang years to work on the first one. "I wondered, ‘How many years will it take him to write season two,’" said Lee. Hwang, in turn, surprised everyone — including himself — by taking just six months to write season two and a third and final season. “I'm not sure I'll ever be able to write something that fast again,” he said.

Creating new characters and their individual stories came easily. The biggest, challenge, Hwang said, was deciding what should happen with Gi-hun. Lee says when he read the scripts he thought Hwang “really is a genius.”

It's rare for even successful TV shows in Korea to have more than one season so it was a big swing, even for the new cast.

“There’s a Korean phrase, ‘there’s not a sequel that does better than its prequel,’ said actor Yang Dong-geong, whose character debuts in season two. "I've been careful because we aren't really sure what the reaction will be.” The outlook is positive. Season two has already been nominated in the best drama series category at the upcoming Golden Globe Awards.

The opportunity to work on a project with worldwide appeal is a dream come true for a performer. Lee Byung-hun, who reprises his villain role from season one, has appeared in big budget English-language films like “G.I. Joe: The Rise of the Cobra” with Channing Tatum and Dennis Quaid and “Red 2” with Bruce Willis. It's “Squid Game” that he credits for taking his career to another level.

“I’ve been an actor for over three decades and ... maybe most people outside of Korea have never seen anything that I’ve been in. If anyone through ‘Squid Game’ wishes to see more of me or becomes more curious about my previous works, as an actor, nothing would be more rewarding or bring me greater joy."

The audition process moved slowly. Jo Yu-ri recalls waiting two months between the first and second-round. When she finally got the part Jo says, “I actually remember crying.” The actors were asked to not speak publicly about their casting to wait for Netflix to make an announcement. “There were a couple of close friends that popped champagne for me when they found out," said Yang.

Netflix's “Squid Game” universe is also growing. A second season of a reality competition show based on the series has been ordered and an English version is in development. Season three of the original has also completed filming and is in post-production.

Season two is not without controversy. The new episodes feature a transgender character played by Park Sung-hoon. Hwang says he understands why hiring a trans actor would have been ideal, but that the casting is a reflection of how the LGBTQ community and gender identity is viewed in Korea.

“To be honest with you, in Korea, when it comes to the LGBTQ and gender minority community and culture compared to the Western worlds, it’s not as widely socially accepted yet. Unfortunately, a lot of the groups are marginalized and neglected from society, which is heartbreaking," said Hwang.

“We don’t have a very large pool of actors that allow for authentic casting when it comes to transgender characters. We did our research. We tried to find someone who we thought could be the best fit. However, we weren’t able to.” Hwang also went on to say that Park's talent and approach to the character ended up making him “the perfect fit.”

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Leslie Ambriz in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

Lee Seo-hwan poses for a portrait to promote the second season of "Squid Game" on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP)

Lee Byung-hun poses for a portrait to promote the second season of "Squid Game" on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP)

Kang Ae-sim poses for a portrait to promote the second season of "Squid Game" on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP)

Im Si-wan poses for a portrait to promote the second season of "Squid Game" on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP)

Lee Byung-hun poses for a portrait to promote the second season of "Squid Game" on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP)

Lee Seo-hwan poses for a portrait to promote the second season of "Squid Game" on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP)

Jo Yu-ri poses for a portrait to promote the second season of "Squid Game" on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP)

Jo Yu-ri poses for a portrait to promote the second season of "Squid Game" on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP)

Lee Byung-hun poses for a portrait to promote the second season of "Squid Game" on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP)

Hwang Dong-hyuk poses for a portrait to promote the second season of "Squid Game" on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP)

Lee Jung-jae poses for a portrait to promote the second season of "Squid Game" on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP)

Lee Byung-hun poses for a portrait to promote the second season of "Squid Game" on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP)

Im Si-wan poses for a portrait to promote the second season of "Squid Game" on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP)

Yang Dong-geun poses for a portrait to promote the second season of "Squid Game" on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP)

Kang Ae-sim poses for a portrait to promote the second season of "Squid Game" on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP)

Lee Byung-hun, from left, Yang Dong-geun, Hwang Dong-hyuk, Jo Yu-ri, Im Si-wan, Kang Ae-sim, Lee Seo-hwan and Lee Jung-jae pose for a portrait to promote the second season of "Squid Game" on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP)

Lee Jung-jae poses for a portrait to promote the second season of "Squid Game" on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP)

Jo Yu-ri, from left, Lee Byung-hun, Lee Seo-hwan, Hwang Dong-hyuk, Im Si-wan, Lee Jung-jae, Yang Dong-geun, and Kang Ae-sim arrive at the premiere of the second season of "Squid Game" on Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024, at Los Angeles City College in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Actor Lee Byung-hun poses during a photo call for Netflix's "Squid Game" season two at Metrograph on Monday, Dec. 16, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Actor Lee Jung-jae poses during a photo call for Netflix's "Squid Game" season two at Metrograph on Monday, Dec. 16, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Lee Byung-hun, left, Hwang Dong-kyuk and Lee Jung-jae pose together during a photo call for Netflix's "Squid Game" season two at Metrograph on Monday, Dec. 16, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

This image released by Netflix shows Lee Jung-jae in a scene from "Squid Game." (No Ju-han/Netflix via AP)