The Tampa Bay Buccaneers got the kind of win that can change the mood around a team in a hurry.
On the road, in primetime, with an undrafted rookie quarterback and a 0-4 record hanging over them, they went into Dallas and beat one of the league’s best offenses, the Cowboys. It took a full fight to the finish, but Tampa Bay finally got its first win.
The final sequence also produced a moment that had people worried for head coach Todd Bowles. After Alex Anzalone’s interception sealed the victory, Bowles was seen down on one knee and crouched over in pain. For a brief stretch, that was enough to set off concern that something more serious had happened.
Jenna Laine of ESPN later reported that Bowles said he was fine and had simply taken a helmet to the gut.
“I’m told that Todd Bowles is OK. Several of you asked.
I was concerned as well. I’m not in Dallas but just heard back.
He said he caught a celebration helmet to the gut but says he’ll be OK. That’s why he was crouched over like this. pic.twitter.com/cDwSSsAETj”
Bowles later spoke with the media after the game, which already made clear that he had avoided anything major. The explanation just put the worry to bed.
And there was plenty for Tampa Bay to feel good about beyond that scare. Bowles coached with plenty of edge, and the Bucs showed a version of themselves that looked more complete.
The offense leaned on the run and piled up 241 rushing yards. The defense still had issues generating pressure, but it did enough to keep CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens in check.
Tampa Bay also won the turnover battle with two interceptions and a fumble recovery on special teams.
That said, the context matters. The Bucs earned this win against one of the worst defenses in the league.
Even so, the result gives them something real to build on. If they can keep that level of execution and confidence, they could work their way back into the NFC South race.
They’ll have more than a week to sit on it before the next one, when they return to Raymond James Stadium to face Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
In Other News...
Dak Prescott Tunnel Confrontation Keeps Stirring Debate After Bucs Win
After the Buccaneers handled Dallas, the conversation around the game quickly shifted from the scoreboard to the tunnel. Dak Prescott was heckled as he walked off after the loss, with the man shouting that the performance was embarrassing, and Prescott stopped to confront him in the moment. The scene added another layer to a lopsided night and drew plenty of attention because it came as the Cowboys quarterback was already dealing with the weight of a frustrating result.
The debate only grew once a TikTok clip began circulating around the confrontation, feeding speculation about what happened next. Prescott acknowledged the criticism, while a local report identified the heckler as a car service driver rather than a stadium employee, complicating some of the early assumptions about who was involved. For Tampa Bay, it was the sort of postgame flashpoint that kept the win in the headlines for reasons far beyond the Bucs own performance. [Read more 🡒]
Baker Mayfield Is Still Driving The Bucs Through This QB Crisis
Baker Mayfield may be sidelined, but he has not disappeared from the Buccaneers quarterback room. With Mayfield out because of injury, Tampa Bay has handed the offense to Jalon Daniels, and the rookie has leaned on the veterans steady hand as he settles into a much bigger role than anyone expected this early in the season.
Daniels has said Mayfield has helped him get ready for games in ways that go beyond a quick tip or two, with support in practice, in film study and on the sideline. That kind of presence matters even more for a young quarterback who was thrust into the starting job, and it was part of the backdrop before Tampa Bay picked up its first win of the season in Dallas. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Rookie Gives Fans One More Reason To Love Beating Dallas
The Buccaneers Thursday night win over Dallas gave Tampa Bay another satisfying layer to enjoy after the final whistle, and rookie linebacker Josiah Trotter made sure fans noticed. Trotter, whose football bloodlines run deep as the son of former Pro Bowl linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Sr. and the brother of Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr., shared his own postgame moment from the victory, leaning into the kind of swagger that follows a surprise win over a marquee opponent.
On social media, Trotter posted photos and a video from the game, including a tackle of Cowboys running back Javonte Williams, and capped it with a pointed nod at Dallas. It was the sort of rookie flex that lands well in the aftermath of a big home crowd win, especially when the opponent is the Cowboys, and it added one more talking point to a night Tampa Bay had already turned firmly in its favor. [Read more 🡒]