Buccaneers 24, Cowboys 16: Jalon Daniels sparks first win on Thursday Night Football
Backup quarterback goes 19 of 25 for 189 yards and a touchdown as Tampa Bay moves to 1-4.
Why this result matters
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are no longer winless. On Thursday night at AT&T Stadium, backup quarterback Jalon Daniels guided Tampa Bay to a 24-16 victory over the Dallas Cowboys. Facing an 0-5 abyss and playing without starting quarterback Baker Mayfield, who continues to nurse a dislocated thumb, Tampa Bay found poise in Arlington.
What actually happened
Daniels delivered a composed showing in his second NFL start. The rookie completed 19 of 25 passes for 189 yards, tossed one touchdown, and scrambled for 23 yards. Running back Bucky Irving supplied the offensive punches, catching a 5-yard touchdown pass and finding paydirt on the ground as the Buccaneers compiled a season-best 419 total yards.
Dallas mounted pressure through George Pickens, who hauled in 9 receptions for 130 yards and a score. Yet Dak Prescott and the Cowboys stalled on their final two possessions, derailed by drive-killing penalties and Tampa Bay’s disciplined pass rush. The final whistle left Dallas at 2-3 and lifted Tampa Bay to 1-4.
Where the league stands
Kansas City, Minnesota and San Francisco remain the only 4-0 unbeatens heading into Sunday’s full slate. Kansas City rests on its bye after last week’s 30-27 victory over the Raiders. Dallas must regroup before next week, while Tampa Bay finally has momentum in the NFC South.
Sources
Every score and ranking on this page is locked to a named source. If it is not here, it is not on the page.