The Tampa Bay Buccaneers finally have their first win of the season, and they earned it the hard way. On Thursday Night Football, Tampa Bay went into Dallas and knocked off the Cowboys 24-16, turning in its sharpest performance of the year on both sides of the ball.
It was the kind of night the Buccaneers desperately needed. They built a cushion, saw the game start to tighten late, and still found enough to close it out. For a team that had been searching for something to latch onto, this was the response.
Bucky Irving was the engine. He carried the offense with 165 rushing yards on 21 carries, good for 7.9 yards per attempt, and punched in a touchdown on the ground.
He also added a five-yard receiving score. If Tampa Bay gets that version of Irving regularly, the offense changes fast.
Jalon Daniels looked much more settled than he did in his debut just a few days earlier. He went 19-of-25 for 189 yards and a touchdown, added 23 rushing yards, and, most importantly, kept the ball out of harm’s way.
No turnovers. No giveaways.
That kind of clean night matters when you’re trying to steal a game on the road.
The defense had plenty to do with it, too. David Walker kept showing up around the ball and continues to look like Tampa Bay’s best pass rusher. His line won’t jump off the page - two tackles and a QB hit - but he consistently created pressure and even got a hand on a pass that turned into an interception.
Todd Bowles also deserves credit for the game plan. With Antoine Winfield Jr. out, the Buccaneers still managed to disrupt Dak Prescott and keep Dallas from turning its explosive passing game loose. The blitzes came at the right moments, Prescott never looked fully comfortable, and Tampa Bay’s defense delivered under the lights.
That said, Bowles also made one decision that nearly turned a good win into a disaster. Instead of kicking a field goal to push the lead to 27-10, he chose to go for it on fourth down. After that, Dallas had life, and the comeback attempt started to gather steam.
Alex Anzalone ended that threat with an interception that slammed the door on what could have been an all-time collapse. Anzalone has started slowly this season, but he’s beginning to put together some stronger outings.
Tampa Bay also got a huge individual performance from Zyon McCollum, who completely shut down CeeDee Lamb. In 10 one-on-one matchups, McCollum allowed zero receptions on one target, and he looked every bit like the cornerback the Buccaneers committed to with that three-year, $48 million deal in the 2025 offseason.
Jacob Parrish was just as important. He led the Buccaneers with nine tackles and four passes defended, and he handled a tough assignment against George Pickens with a steady, physical effort.
There was still the matter of the flags. Penalties remained part of the story, even in a win that otherwise felt like a breakthrough.
For one night, though, Tampa Bay had enough answers to walk out of Dallas with a result it badly needed.
In Other News...
Antonio Brown Just Reignited One Ugly Buccaneers Super Bowl Feud
Antonio Brown has never been one to let a dormant grievance stay buried, and his latest social media post dragged an old Buccaneers flashpoint back into the light. After Bruce Arians recently spoke on a podcast about Browns time in Tampa Bay, including the idea that defenses could take him out of a game and that he sometimes complicated things for himself, Brown responded with a pointed message of his own.
The post came with plenty of the same volatility that has followed Brown since his Buccaneers tenure ended, and it landed while his legal situation remains unresolved as his case tied to a Miami shooting moves forward. For Tampa Bay fans, it was another reminder that one of the most talented, and most combustible, figures from the Super Bowl run can still turn a conversation into a mess in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
Bucky Irving Just Gave The Bucs Offense Real Life
Bucky Irving gave Tampa Bay exactly the kind of spark the offense had been looking for against Dallas, piling up a career-best 165 rushing yards while helping the Buccaneers erase a halftime deficit on the way to a comeback win. Irving was a factor as both a runner and receiver, finishing with two catches for 10 yards and a touchdown in a performance that gave the Bucs a real rhythm when they needed it most.
The emergence matters because Tampa Bay has been searching for more dependable balance, and Irvings showing suggested the ground game can be more than a supporting piece. The Bucs now head home to face the Pittsburgh Steelers, carrying momentum from a game in which Irvings production helped change the feel of the offense and left even more room to wonder how far that role can grow. [Read more 🡒]
Dak Prescott Left Tampa Facing More Than Just Another Loss
The Cowboys left Tampa with another loss, but the postgame scene added a little extra heat to an already rough night. Dallas has been searching for answers after a sloppy showing against the Buccaneers, and the frustration spilled into the building as the team headed out of the stadium. Brian Schottenheimer acknowledged the struggles afterward and said the organization will take a hard look at everything, including possible coaching staff changes.
Dak Prescott also found himself in the middle of a tense exchange on the way out, one that underscored just how raw the mood was around the Cowboys. He later described the interaction and made clear where he stands on criticism, preferring it to be delivered straight rather than from behind a turned head. For a team already trying to steady itself, even the walk to the exit became part of a longer conversation about accountability. [Read more 🡒]