The Cowboys walked into Thursday night already carrying the weight of expectation, then spent the rest of the game getting pushed around by a Buccaneers team that had been winless and was starting an undrafted rookie quarterback. By the end, Dallas had absorbed one of the roughest losses of the Dak Prescott era, a 24-16 home defeat that dropped the Cowboys to 2-3 and lifted Tampa Bay to 1-4.
What turned the game was the third quarter. Tampa Bay, which led 10-7 at halftime, came out and buried Dallas with a 17-0 burst while piling up a 197-59 edge in total yards in the period. The Buccaneers finished with 419 yards overall, and 241 of them came on the ground.
Bucky Irving was the engine. He ran 21 times for 165 yards and a touchdown and also caught two passes for 10 yards and another score. Jalon Daniels, making a second start in place of Baker Mayfield, did his part too, going 19-of-25 for 189 yards and a touchdown.
Dallas did get a late opening when Todd Bowles chose to go for it on fourth-and-goal from the Dallas 1 with 8:36 left. Sean Tucker was stopped for no gain by Jaishawn Barham, and the Cowboys suddenly had life.
They made the most of it, at least for a moment. Dallas marched 99 yards in 10 plays, and George Pickens finished it off with an 18-yard touchdown catch to cut the deficit to 24-16 after a failed 2-point try.
The comeback bid nearly got all the way there. The Cowboys drove to the Tampa Bay 24 with a chance to tie, but Prescott’s pass bounced off Jake Ferguson’s hands and Alex Anzalone picked off the carom with 1:16 remaining.
Prescott finished 24-of-42 for 316 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions as Dallas totaled 366 yards. Pickens was his top target all night, hauling in nine catches for 130 yards and a touchdown.
The Cowboys also took hits in the fourth quarter when CeeDee Lamb left with a quad injury and Tyler Guyton exited with a back injury. Dallas now gets a mini-bye before facing the Packers on Oct. 18.
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 🡒]