The Buccaneers beat Cowboys 24-16 on Thursday Night Football, and it was not a fluke — it was a takeover. Tampa Bay stormed into AT&T Stadium, ran for 241 yards, won the turnover battle 3-0, and left Arlington with its first win of the 2026 season behind a career night from Bucky Irving and a composed second start from undrafted rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels.
Dallas, which trailed only 10-7 at halftime, was outscored 17-0 in the third quarter and outgained 197 to 59 in the frame as the game slipped away, according to NBC Sports. The Cowboys fell to 2-3 with what NBC called one of their most humiliating defeats of the Dak Prescott era — a home loss to a previously winless team starting an undrafted rookie quarterback.
Bucky Irving’s Career Night Powers Buccaneers Beat Cowboys Win
Irving was unstoppable. The third-year running back carried 21 times for a career-high 165 yards — a 7.9-yard average — and scored twice, once on the ground and once on a five-yard touchdown catch from Daniels, per Reuters. He also added two receptions for 10 yards.
The tone-setter came immediately after halftime. With Tampa Bay trailing 10-7, Irving broke left for a 72-yard burst to the Dallas 14. On the very next play, Emeka Egbuka took a jet sweep 14 yards for the go-ahead score. Later in the quarter, Irving plunged in from a yard out to make it 21-10. His first 100-yard game since his rookie year in 2024 became his finest night as a pro.
Tampa Bay’s 241 rushing yards dwarfed its season average of 106 entering the night, per Bucs Wire, and the Bucs controlled the ball for 39 minutes and 21 seconds — keeping Dallas’ offense on the sideline and its defense on its heels.
Jalon Daniels Wins His First NFL Start for Tampa Bay
Daniels, filling in for Baker Mayfield (dislocated thumb, expected to miss at least one more game), directed a turnover-free offense and finished an efficient 19-of-25 for 189 yards and a touchdown. Six months ago he was an undrafted rookie out of Kansas; on Thursday he was the winning quarterback in a primetime road game.
Daniels threw three interceptions in his debut — a 17-14 loss to Green Bay — but was mistake-free in Arlington. His five-yard touchdown pass to Irving opened Tampa Bay’s scoring, and he managed the game flawlessly down the stretch, including an 8:14 fourth-quarter possession that bled the clock even though it ended on downs.
As Daniels put it afterward, he went “through every single emotion” on the way to his first win — a quote that summed up a night when Tampa Bay finally finished.
The Fourth-Down Gamble and the Ending That Sealed It
The game nearly flipped late. Up 24-10 with 8:36 remaining, Bucs coach Todd Bowles went for it on fourth-and-goal from the Dallas 1 — and Sean Tucker was stopped for no gain. Dallas then sped 99 yards in 10 plays, with Prescott hitting George Pickens on an 18-yard touchdown with 5:26 left. The two-point conversion failed, leaving the Cowboys down eight.
Dallas drove again with a chance to tie, but Prescott’s pass bounced off the hands of Jake Ferguson, ricocheted high into the air, and landed in the diving arms of Alex Anzalone with 1:12 remaining. Earlier, YaYa Diaby had grabbed his first career interception off a similar carom. The Buccaneers beat Cowboys turnover margin finished 3-0, and the Bucs ran out the clock.
Dallas’ injury report grew longer: star receiver CeeDee Lamb managed just two catches for nine yards before leaving in the second half with a quadriceps injury, and left tackle Tyler Guyton exited with a back injury. Cornerback Joey Porter Jr. was scratched before kickoff with an illness. Prescott finished 24-of-42 for 316 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions; Pickens caught nine passes for 130 yards and a score, and Javonte Williams rushed for a touchdown.
What the Win Means for Both Teams
For Tampa Bay (1-4), it was relief as much as triumph. The Bucs had lost four straight to open a season that began with NFC South expectations, and 14 penalties for 92 yards nearly sabotaged this one too — including a delay-of-game flag that wiped out a 61-yard field-goal attempt before halftime. But the running game, the defense’s takeaways and Daniels’ poise were enough, as our Thursday preview suggested they might be.
For Dallas (2-3), the mini-bye could not come at a better time. The Cowboys get extra rest before facing the Packers on Oct. 18, and they will need Lamb and Guyton healthy. This was Tampa Bay’s 11th straight one-score game dating to last season — and for once, the Bucs were on the right side of it.
Buccaneers Beat Cowboys: Frequently Asked Questions
What was the final score of Buccaneers vs. Cowboys?
The Buccaneers beat Cowboys 24-16 on Thursday, October 8, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, according to Reuters and NBC Sports.
How many rushing yards did Bucky Irving have?
Bucky Irving rushed for a career-high 165 yards on 21 carries (7.9 per attempt) with one rushing touchdown and one receiving touchdown.
Who started at quarterback for the Buccaneers?
Undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels made his second start in place of Baker Mayfield, who is sidelined with a dislocated thumb. Daniels went 19-of-25 for 189 yards and one touchdown with no turnovers.
What happened to CeeDee Lamb?
Lamb left the game in the second half with a quadriceps injury after catching just two passes for nine yards. Left tackle Tyler Guyton also exited with a back injury.
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