:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71841715/1245943394.0.jpg "NFL playoff bracket 2023: Who will Bucs play in the Wild Card round?")
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will face the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card round of the 2023 NFL Playoffs. The Bucs secured the No. 4 seed by winning the NFC South in spite of a mere 8-9 record. The Cowboys secured the No. 5 seed by clinching the top wild card berth.
These two teams met in Week 1 and the Bucs won in decisive fashion by a final score of 19-3. They met in Week 1 the prior season as well, and the Bucs won that one 31-29.
The Bucs struggled much of this season, losing five of six in the first half of the season and then another three of four after their bye week. It opened the door for the rest of the division to remain alive even as they too struggled, but Tampa did enough to hold them all off.
The Cowboys finished the season 12-5 and in second place in the NFC East. They started the season 4-1 and 6-2, but the Eagles unbeaten start meant Dallas could never close the distance. Notably, the Cowboys managed four straight wins after losing Dak Prescott to injury early in the season. They closed the season winning six of their final seven games.