The Cowboys, who are trying to reconnect with their past glory - they have won five Super Bowls, the last in 1995 - will challenge the 49ers in San Francisco in a week.

In the meantime, the end time may now have come for Brady, who last year reversed his decision to retire, just 40 days after making the announcement.

Nevertheless, at the age of 45, some say he intends to pursue his career in another club (Las Vegas, Miami), his spirit somewhat freed since the announcement of his divorce from model Gisele Bundchen, who wanted to see him stop playing.

"I'm going to go home and get the best night's sleep I can get tonight," he said after the game marking the end of his 23rd NFL season, declining to discuss his future.

"There's been a lot of focus on this game, so it's just going to be one day at a time, really."

If he looks around him, a future of reconquest does not seem to be taking shape in any case for the Buccaneers, whom he had led to the title in 2020. Last year, they had given in with more resistance, in half- conference final, against the Los Angeles Rams, future champions.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers star quarterback Tom Brady (R) and his Dallas Cowboys counterpart Dak Prescott at the end of the NFL playoff game between their two teams, January 16, 2023 in Tampa © Julio Aguilar / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP

A stage logically not reached for this campaign, as the Florida team was dominated by more organized, solid and talented Cowboys.

The contrast even appeared striking between Brady and Dak Prescott, the quarterback opposite, whose audacity resulted in excellence, under the eyes of Tom Cruise present in the stands.

Shock and awe

The Texan was five touchdowns for his team.

He found Dalton Schultz in the area twice, for the first and the third.

Meanwhile, he took it upon himself to go in the race for second, on a combination that feigned the entire defense.

Prescott then hit a decisive throw for Michael Gallup's 4th touchdown in the 3rd quarter.

And if the Cowboys led 24-0 rather than 28-0, it was because kicker Brett Maher found a way to miss all four conversions.

Unheard of in a play-off match!

Brady, who had been intercepted at the start of the match while attempting the touchdown, still managed to find the fault in the second half, alerting Julio Jones then Cameron Brate for two touchdowns.

This only served to save the honor, since Prescott meanwhile launched his 5th "TD" of the evening towards CeeDee Lamb, Maher finally managing to bring an additional point.

Finally, the evening almost turned into a nightmare when the Bucs player, Russell Gage, was evacuated from the field, victim of a terrible shock to the neck.

His coach Todd Bowles said he suffered "a concussion and was taken to hospital for treatment and examination", adding that "he was able to move the extremities of his limbs".

Dallas Cowboys and Tampa Bay Buccaneers players kneel following the injury of a Bucs player, Russell Gage, at the end of the NFL meeting between these two teams, January 16, 2023 in Tampa © Julio Aguilar / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP

A new terrible incident reminding us of the extreme danger of this sport, which is one of the most violent and the most popular in the United States, barely two weeks after the cardiac arrest which struck down Buffalo player Damar Hamlin, on the field of Cincinnati after a tackle.

The latter finally escaped the worst and was able to return to Buffalo to continue his recovery after a week in the hospital.

Program of conference semi-finals:

Saturday:

(AFC) Kansas City Chiefs (N.1) - Jacksonville Jaguars (N.4)

(NFC) Philadelphia Eagles (N.1) - New York Giants (N.6)

Sunday:

(AFC) Buffalo Bills (N.2) - Cincinnati Bengals (N.3)

(NFC) San Francisco 49ers (N.2) - Dallas Cowboys (N.5)

© 2023 AFP