Dallas is up 10-7 at the half against the winless Buccaneers on Thursday Night Football, but they look like a team still stuck on a tarmac. Honestly, if you just saw the scoreboard, you’d think they were cruising, but anyone watching that first half saw a unit that played like they were jet-lagged, which, to be fair, they might actually be.
Are We Still in Brazil? Because This Isn’t Dallas
Let’s talk about that schedule for a second. The Cowboys have been on a brutal run: a game in Brazil on September 27, a trip to Houston for an early Sunday game, and now this Thursday night showdown with the Bucs. Their offense played 71 and 73 snaps against the Ravens and Texans, respectively, so they’ve been working. But that first half against the Buccaneers? Yikes. They literally played like a jet-lagged team. They were outgained by the winless Bucs 154-146, held the ball for only 10 minutes and 31 seconds, and scored on just two of their five possessions. It was rough to watch. Dak Prescott is 9-of-20 for 114 yards. Javonte Williams got a 1-yard run following the opening kickoff and Brandon Aubrey booted a 41-yard field goal on their last series of the half, but those were the only highlights. CeeDee Lamb has only one catch for 4 yards, and George Pickens snagged three for 36. This offense needs to wake up in a hurry.
The Winless Bucs Are Showing Life
Meanwhile, the Buccaneers are winless, but they played like they had something to prove in that first half. Jalon Daniels is starting his second consecutive game for the injured Baker Mayfield, and he’s looking decent, going 12-of-16 for 91 yards. He even threw a 5-yard touchdown to Bucky Irving, who also has nine carries for 35 yards. Chris Godwin is also contributing with three catches for 37 yards. They’re making plays! They even had Chase McLaughlin kick a 61-yard field goal in the second quarter, which was pretty wild, but it got waved off due to a delay of game penalty. They ended up punting, which just adds to the frustration for Bucs fans, but at least they’re showing some fire out there.
This second half is going to be interesting. Can Dallas finally shake off that travel fog and play like the team we expect them to be? Or will the winless Buccaneers keep punching and try to snag their first victory? It’s all on the line in the next two quarters. Get ready for some football, folks.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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