The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, rolling with a rookie quarterback making only his second start, just rocked the Dallas Cowboys 24-16 on Thursday night. Seriously, Dallas was an 8.5-point favorite playing at home, and the Bucs, without their starting QB Baker Mayfield sidelined with a right thumb injury, just walked into their house and took their lunch money. Rookie Jalon Daniels, a Kansas product, led Tampa Bay to their first win of the season, and man, did he deliver under pressure.
Dallas’s Disastrous Third Quarter Left Them Reeling
After a fairly even first half, the Cowboys went into the locker room with a slim 10-7 lead, thanks to a Javonte Williams touchdown run and a field goal. Dallas’s first score capped a 4:09 drive, but the Bucs responded with a marathon 10:58 drive that stretched into the second quarter, ending with a 5-yard touchdown pass from Daniels to Bucky Irving to tie it up at seven apiece. Then came the third quarter, and let me tell you, it was a nightmare for Dallas.
It took Tampa Bay just one minute to open the second half with a bang: Bucky Irving ripped off a monster 72-yard run, setting up Emeka Egbuka for a 14-yard rushing touchdown to give the Bucs the lead. The Cowboys’ disaster was just getting started. Dak Prescott threw an interception after six plays, picked off by Buccaneers linebacker Yaya Diaby. Tampa Bay wasted no time capitalizing, with Irving recording his second touchdown of the night, pushing the lead to 21-10. And if that wasn’t bad enough, KaVontae Turpin fumbled the ensuing punt return, allowing the Bucs to tack on a field goal and extend their lead to 24-10 before the fourth quarter even started. Talk about a complete meltdown!
Rookie Grit and Irving’s Dominance Overwhelmed Dallas
Rookie Jalon Daniels, in just his second start, played incredibly efficiently, going 19-for-25 for 189 yards, one touchdown, and zero interceptions. That’s how you manage a game on the road against a favored opponent. But the real star for Tampa Bay was Bucky Irving. The dude was an absolute workhorse, carrying the ball 21 times for an astounding 165 rushing yards and a touchdown. He even added 2 catches for 10 yards and another score through the air. Emeka Egbuka also chipped in with a rushing touchdown and 6 catches for 38 yards.
On the flip side, it was a rough night for Dak Prescott and the Cowboys offense. Prescott threw for 316 yards and a touchdown on 24-of-42 passing, but those two interceptions were killers. CeeDee Lamb, their star receiver, was practically invisible with only 2 catches for 9 yards. George Pickens tried to keep them in it, pulling in 9 catches for 130 yards and a late touchdown, but it just wasn’t enough. The Cowboys’ rushing attack, led by Javonte Williams’ 12 carries for 45 yards and a score, barely got going.
Dallas tried to make it interesting in the fourth, with Prescott leading a quick 99-yard drive that ended with a touchdown pass to George Pickens, cutting the deficit to one score at 24-16 after a failed two-point conversion. They even got another chance after a Buccaneers three-and-out. But on the very next drive, a pass intended for Jake Ferguson bounced off his hands and was intercepted by Alex Anzalone, sealing the win for Tampa Bay.
The Buccaneers are now 1-4 and sit at the bottom of the NFC South, but this win is a massive morale boost heading into next Sunday’s 1 p.m. ET home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. For the Cowboys, this loss stings hard. Dropping to 2-3 and third in the NFC East, they’ve got to hit the road to face the Green Bay Packers on Sunday Night Football at 8:20 p.m. ET. They better figure out what happened in that third quarter, or it’s going to be a long season for Big D.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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