The Dallas Cowboys get to play meaningful on Sunday. Finally, they will begin their quest to make a second straight playoff appearance against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Both teams are expected to do well and make the postseason in 2022. However, seeing as it's the first game of the year, there will surely be some sloppy play here and there as the kinks get worked out.

When the ball kicks off at 8:20 pm ET, the bright lights of AT&T Stadium will set the stage for some major fireworks, and here are three bold predictions for what will happen.

DeMarcus Lawrence gets two sacks

Lawrence was once looked at as one of the better pass rushers in the NFL after accumulating 25 sacks total for the Cowboys in 2017 and 2018. He hasn't reached double digits in that category since which has caused some people to question if he's still worth his salary.

When the Cowboys took on the Buccaneers in last season's opening game, Lawrence was disruptive with 5 tackles and a forced fumble and showed why he's one of the league's best run defenders. The Buccaneers have issues on their offensive line this time around so it's the perfect time for Lawrence to remind everyone that getting to the quarterback is something he can do at a high level.

What will assist in this is the Cowboys' defensive interior performing well also. Guys like Neville Gallimore, Osa Odighizuwa, and Quinton Bohanna can give Lawrence more one-on-one chances by causing havoc in the middle. If successful, Lawrence will feast.

KaVontae Turpin returns a kick for a score in his NFL debut

Turpin is the new darling in the Cowboys' community. The former USFL MVP was signed in July to a three-year deal, and in his second game of preseason action, ran back a kickoff and a punt for a touchdown.

Flipping field position is vital when it comes to the game of football, and Turpin's speed and elusiveness can help in that aspect. However, the Cowboys need a little more than that in this game.

Against a team like the Buccaneers who have a guy like Brady who can deliver a kill shot at any moment, having momentum is key, and Turpin taking a kick and electrifying the crowd with a score can be a spark that leads to a big victory in the season opener.

Tom Brady will lose his first game ever against the Cowboys

Brady has been a bugaboo for the Cowboys his entire career. He's won all six of his starts against America's Team, including a heartbreaking game-winning drive a season ago in the final seconds.

It's not like the Cowboys haven't come close to beating Brady before 2021. In 2011, when Brady was with the New England Patriots, the Cowboys intercepted Brady twice, but as usual, his late-game heroics came through with a winning touchdown pass with under 30 seconds to go. In 2019, Brady had a sub-par game by his standards with under 200 yards and completing less than 50% of his passes, but the Cowboys only managed nine points and lost a low-scoring affair.

All good things come to an end though, and the Cowboys have the defense to end this streak, led by All-Pro linebacker Micah Parsons. The Cowboys will need to be stout against the run to make the Buccaneers one-dimensional so that they can pin their ears back and attack Brady. I think they do just enough of that to start the 2022 season 1-0.

Feature image via Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports