The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are rolling into Week 5’s ‘Thursday Night Football’ showdown against the Dallas Cowboys without their starting quarterback, Baker Mayfield, who’s still sidelined with a thumb injury. Rookie Jalon Daniels is set to make his second start, stepping into a tough spot against a Cowboys squad trying to climb above .500 in the NFC.
Rookie QB Takes the Helm as Bucs Hunt Their First Win
It’s been a rough start for the Buccaneers, who are still winless on the season after falling to the Packers in Week 4. Losing Mayfield is a huge blow, forcing Daniels into the spotlight earlier than expected. This ‘Thursday Night Football’ game from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, kicks off at 8:15 p.m. ET, and it’s a hostile environment for a rookie QB. Historically, the Cowboys have absolutely dominated Tampa Bay at home, winning six of their last seven meetings and holding an impressive 13-2 all-time record against them in Arlington. Talk about a tough road trip for a winless team with a new starter, right?
Cowboys’ Defense a Sieve, Yet Vegas Sees Points
The Cowboys are sitting at 2-2 after grabbing a Week 4 victory over Houston, but their defense has been a serious problem. They rank a dismal 29th in the NFL in scoring defense and dead last in yards allowed per play. Yikes. Despite that, Dallas is favored by 8.5 points, with the over/under set at 48.5 points. What’s wild is that the Over has hit in all four of Dallas’s games this season, showing that even with their defensive struggles, their games tend to be high-scoring affairs. Tampa Bay’s games have been a bit more balanced, splitting 2-2 on the Over/Under.
The Model’s Shocking Call: Prepare for a Shootout
Forget what you think you know about a winless team with a backup QB. The SportsLine projection model, which simulates every NFL game a staggering 10,000 times and has been crushing it with over $7,000 in returns for $100 players since it started, is going big on the Over 48.5 points for this game. Why? That abysmal Dallas defense is a huge factor. They are giving up yards and points like crazy. Even though Tampa Bay’s defensive numbers are a bit better, they’re still in the bottom half of the league in a ton of key categories. Plus, in the Bucs’ only other road game this season, they gave up a season-high 33 points. So, while you might expect a low-scoring slugfest given Tampa’s situation, this model is screaming for a points explosion tonight.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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