Game story
In Week 3 of the 2012 NFL season on 2012-09-23, the Dallas Cowboys took care of business against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, pulling away with a 16–10 final that stayed a one-score game deep into the second half.
The highest-scoring period was Q1 with 14 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.
T. Romo (Dallas Cowboys) paced the passing game, with -6.73 total EPA, and +1.8% completion percentage over expected.
On the individual side, M. Austin (Dallas Cowboys) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +3.48 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.
The momentum swing (-20.0% win probability) landed in the third quarter when Dallas Cowboys changed the game: (2:07) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 9-T.Romo sacked at DAL 32 for -8 yards (71-M.Bennett). Tampa Bay challenged the runner was down by contact ruling, and the play was REVERSED. (No Huddle, Shotgun) 9-T.Romo
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q1 | Q2 | Q4 | — | — | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 7 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.
- 1 M. Austin · Dallas Cowboys · Receiving · +3.48 total EPA · 9 snaps · +0.39 EPA/play
- 2 D. Bryant · Dallas Cowboys · Receiving · +2.15 total EPA · 8 snaps · +0.27 EPA/play
- 3 K. Ogletree · Dallas Cowboys · Receiving · +1.67 total EPA · 7 snaps · +0.24 EPA/play
- 4 D. Ware · Tampa Bay Buccaneers · Rushing · +0.82 total EPA · 1 snaps · +0.82 EPA/play
- 5 D. Martin · Tampa Bay Buccaneers · Receiving · +0.73 total EPA · 3 snaps · +0.24 EPA/play
- 6 A. Benn · Tampa Bay Buccaneers · Receiving · +0.48 total EPA · 1 snaps · +0.48 EPA/play
- 7 F. Jones · Dallas Cowboys · Receiving · +0.46 total EPA · 2 snaps · +0.23 EPA/play
- 8 T. Underwood · Tampa Bay Buccaneers · Receiving · +0.37 total EPA · 1 snaps · +0.37 EPA/play
Player of the game
FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.
M. Austin — DAL · Receiving
M. Austin posted the highest total EPA (+3.48) in the game, making the biggest overall impact on Dallas Cowboys's efficiency. Across 9 counted snaps, they averaged +0.39 EPA per play.
The signature play (+5.92 EPA) came from Dallas Cowboys: (6:28) (Punt formation) 6-C.Jones punts 41 yards to TB 38, Center-91-L.Ladouceur. 12-J.Shipley MUFFS catch, RECOVERED by DAL-58-O.Lemon at TB 39. PENALTY on TB-56-D.Watson, Roughing the Kicker, 15 yards, enforced at TB 3
Who scored touchdowns and field goals
Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.
Touchdowns
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers — L. Stocker (J. Freeman pass)
- Dallas Cowboys — D. Murray
Field goals
- Dallas Cowboys — D. Bailey
- Dallas Cowboys — D. Bailey
- Dallas Cowboys — D. Bailey
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers — C. Barth
How it unfolded, quarter by quarter
A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.
The opening quarter: The quarter finished even at 7–7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers found the end zone from the DAL 1 (Q1 55:56) — (10:56) 5-J.Freeman pass short left to 88-L.Stocker for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. Freeman pass complete to left corner off play action.; Tampa Bay Buccaneers added 1 points from the DAL 2 (Q1 55:51) — 10-C.Barth extra point is GOOD, Center-48-A.Economos, Holder-9-M.Koenen.; Dallas Cowboys found the end zone from the TB 11 (Q1 46:31) — (1:31) 29-D.Murray left end for 11 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Dallas Cowboys added 1 points from the TB 2 (Q1 46:22) — 5-D.Bailey extra point is GOOD, Center-91-L.Ladouceur, Holder-6-C.Jones..
The second quarter: Dallas Cowboys won the period 3–0. Dallas Cowboys connected on a field goal from the TB 13 (Q2 32:53) — (2:53) (Field Goal formation) 5-D.Bailey 32 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-91-L.Ladouceur, Holder-6-C.Jones..
The fourth quarter: Dallas Cowboys won the period 6–3. Dallas Cowboys connected on a field goal from the TB 8 (Q4 11:14) — (11:14) (Field Goal formation) 5-D.Bailey 26 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-91-L.Ladouceur, Holder-6-C.Jones.; Dallas Cowboys connected on a field goal from the TB 4 (Q4 2:47) — (2:47) (Field Goal formation) 5-D.Bailey 22 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-91-L.Ladouceur, Holder-6-C.Jones.; Tampa Bay Buccaneers connected on a field goal from the DAL 10 (Q4 0:44) — (:44) (Field Goal formation) 10-C.Barth 28 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-A.Economos, Holder-9-M.Koenen..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.
- Dallas Cowboys (Q3 17:07) — (2:07) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 9-T.Romo sacked at DAL 32 for -8 yards (71-M.Bennett). Tampa Bay challenged the runner was down by contact ruling, and the play was REVERSED. (No Huddle, Shotgun) 9-T.Romo
- Dallas Cowboys (Q2 36:28) — (6:28) (Punt formation) 6-C.Jones punts 41 yards to TB 38, Center-91-L.Ladouceur. 12-J.Shipley MUFFS catch, RECOVERED by DAL-58-O.Lemon at TB 39. PENALTY on TB-56-D.Watson, Roughing the Kicker, 15 yar
- Dallas Cowboys (Q3 25:35) — (10:35) (Shotgun) 9-T.Romo pass incomplete to 29-D.Murray [93-G.McCoy]. Shuffle pass. Tampa Bay challenged the incomplete pass ruling, and the play was REVERSED. (Shotgun) 9-T.Romo sacked at TB 23 for
- Dallas Cowboys (Q1 59:15) — (14:15) (Shotgun) 9-T.Romo pass short left intended for 19-M.Austin INTERCEPTED by 25-A.Talib at DAL 29. 25-A.Talib to DAL 24 for 5 yards (17-D.Harris). The Replay Assistant challenged the runner was
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Q1 48:32) — (3:32) (Shotgun) 5-J.Freeman pass short right intended for 28-D.Ware INTERCEPTED by 50-S.Lee at TB 23. 50-S.Lee to TB 23 for no gain (28-D.Ware).
Impact plays
Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.
- Dallas Cowboys (Q2 36:28) — (6:28) (Punt formation) 6-C.Jones punts 41 yards to TB 38, Center-91-L.Ladouceur. 12-J.Shipley MUFFS catch, RECOVERED by DAL-58-O.Lemon at TB 39. PENALTY on TB-56-D.Watson, Roughing the Kicker, 15 yar
- Dallas Cowboys (Q3 17:07) — (2:07) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 9-T.Romo sacked at DAL 32 for -8 yards (71-M.Bennett). Tampa Bay challenged the runner was down by contact ruling, and the play was REVERSED. (No Huddle, Shotgun) 9-T.Romo
- Dallas Cowboys (Q3 25:35) — (10:35) (Shotgun) 9-T.Romo pass incomplete to 29-D.Murray [93-G.McCoy]. Shuffle pass. Tampa Bay challenged the incomplete pass ruling, and the play was REVERSED. (Shotgun) 9-T.Romo sacked at TB 23 for
- Dallas Cowboys (Q3 16:03) — (1:03) 9-T.Romo pass deep right to 19-M.Austin to TB 30 for 49 yards (21-E.Wright) [93-G.McCoy]. Pass complete on Deep Post pattern.
Quarterback report card
T.Romo led all passers in efficiency for Dallas Cowboys, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
- T.Romo (Dallas Cowboys) · 45 dropbacks · 55.6% completion · +1.8% CPOE · -0.15 EPA/play · -6.73 total EPA
- J.Freeman (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) · 34 dropbacks · 29.4% completion · -21.5% CPOE · -0.39 EPA/play · -13.40 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.
| Stat | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Dallas Cowboys |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | -0.232 | -0.146 |
| Offensive success rate | 33.3% | 33.7% |
| Pass EPA/play | -0.394 | -0.149 |
| Rush EPA/play | -0.053 | -0.436 |
| Defensive EPA/play | +0.146 | +0.232 |
| Defensive success rate | 66.3% | 66.7% |
By the numbers
Dallas Cowboys held the efficiency edge in offensive EPA per play (-0.15 vs -0.23), even if the scoreboard told a different story.
- Dallas Cowboys: 13 drives, -12.55 total EPA, 3 scoring drives
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 11 drives, -18.81 total EPA, 2 scoring drives
Key takeaways
What to remember for fantasy research, film review, and follow-up box score digging.
- Dallas Cowboys leaves with the win and the better postgame narrative for Week-to-week momentum.
- One-score margin — fantasy managers should double-check garbage-time stats before drawing conclusions.
- M. Austin (Dallas Cowboys) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
- J. Freeman (TB) finished below expected efficiency — volume may have masked accuracy issues.
Every scoring play
Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers TD (+6) — Q1 55:56 · DAL 1 · Score 6-0
(10:56) 5-J.Freeman pass short left to 88-L.Stocker for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. Freeman pass complete to left corner off play action. - Tampa Bay Buccaneers XP (+1) — Q1 55:51 · DAL 2 · Score 7-0
10-C.Barth extra point is GOOD, Center-48-A.Economos, Holder-9-M.Koenen. - Dallas Cowboys TD (+6) — Q1 46:31 · TB 11 · Score 7-6
(1:31) 29-D.Murray left end for 11 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Dallas Cowboys XP (+1) — Q1 46:22 · TB 2 · Score 7-7
5-D.Bailey extra point is GOOD, Center-91-L.Ladouceur, Holder-6-C.Jones. - Dallas Cowboys FG (+3) — Q2 32:53 · TB 13 · Score 7-10
(2:53) (Field Goal formation) 5-D.Bailey 32 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-91-L.Ladouceur, Holder-6-C.Jones. - Dallas Cowboys FG (+3) — Q4 11:14 · TB 8 · Score 7-13
(11:14) (Field Goal formation) 5-D.Bailey 26 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-91-L.Ladouceur, Holder-6-C.Jones. - Dallas Cowboys FG (+3) — Q4 2:47 · TB 4 · Score 7-16
(2:47) (Field Goal formation) 5-D.Bailey 22 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-91-L.Ladouceur, Holder-6-C.Jones. - Tampa Bay Buccaneers FG (+3) — Q4 0:44 · DAL 10 · Score 10-16
(:44) (Field Goal formation) 10-C.Barth 28 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-A.Economos, Holder-9-M.Koenen.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Dallas Cowboys?
The Dallas Cowboys beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 16-10 in Week 3, 2012 on 2012-09-23.
What was the final score of Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Dallas Cowboys?
The final score was Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10, Dallas Cowboys 16 (TB 10-16 DAL) in Week 3, 2012 on 2012-09-23.
What was the score by quarter in Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Dallas Cowboys?
Q1: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7, Dallas Cowboys 7; Q2: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 0, Dallas Cowboys 3; Q4: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 3, Dallas Cowboys 6; Final: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10, Dallas Cowboys 16.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Dallas Cowboys?
Tampa Bay Buccaneers touchdown — L. Stocker (J. Freeman pass) (Q1 55:56) Dallas Cowboys touchdown — D. Murray (Q1 46:31) Dallas Cowboys field goal — D. Bailey (Q2 32:53, 3 pts) Dallas Cowboys field goal — D. Bailey (Q4 11:14, 3 pts) Dallas Cowboys field goal — D. Bailey (Q4 2:47, 3 pts) Tampa Bay Buccaneers field goal — C. Barth (Q4 0:44, 3 pts) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.
How did the quarterbacks play in Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Dallas Cowboys?
T. Romo (Dallas Cowboys), 55.6% completion, +1.8% CPOE, -0.15 EPA per dropback, -6.73 total passing EPA. J. Freeman (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), 29.4% completion, -21.5% CPOE, -0.39 EPA per dropback, -13.40 total passing EPA.
Who was the most impactful player in Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Dallas Cowboys?
M. Austin (Dallas Cowboys) led the game in total EPA with +3.48 on receiving plays. across 9 snaps. The top single-play swing was (+5.92 EPA): (6:28) (Punt formation) 6-C.Jones punts 41 yards to TB 38, Center-91-L.Ladouceur. 12-J.Shipley MUFFS catch, RECOVERED by DAL-58-O.Lemon at TB 39. PENALTY on TB-56-D.Watson, Roughin. The biggest win-probability swing was -20.0%.
Was Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Dallas Cowboys a close game?
Yes — the margin was 6 points. Dallas Cowboys won 16-10 in a game that stayed a one-score game deep into the second half.
Season records after this game
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Entered 1-1 Now 1-2 L
Dallas Cowboys
Entered 1-1 Now 2-1 W
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