October 9th, 2026
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Admit it.
The only people who thought the Bucs had a chance to win this game were the ones boarding Wednesday’s charter flight out of Tampa, headed for Dallas (and about 14 percent of Bucs fans).
Vegas oddsmakers had established the Cowboys as prohibitive favorites for good reason. The NFC’s only winless club was on the road on a short week with an undrafted rookie quarterback. Instead, the visitors rose off the mat and delivered a 24-16 knockout punch that stunned a national TV audience.
While Jalon Daniels showed admirable poise under center, Bucky Irving broke loose time and again behind an offensive line that had showed little physicality through four weeks. Special teams supplied a key takeaway and Tampa Bay’s Big D excelled in Big D.
The game was decided in the third quarter, when the Bucs erased a 10-7 halftime deficit by blitzing the Cowboys 17-0. Overcoming 14 penalties on the road, Tampa Bay won the turnover battle 3-0 and may have won back some fans disenchanted by an 0-4 start.
The Bucs now have extra time to prepare for an Oct. 18 home game against the Steelers, hoping to carry over momentum built with a powerful prime-time performance. Tampa Bay dominated time of possession and virtually shut down a high-powered attack after Dallas went up 7-0 on the game’s opening possession.
The Cowboys made things interesting following a foolish decision by the Bucs to bypass a chip-shot FG that would have put them up by three scores in the fourth quarter. Instead, the Cowboys made a fourth-down stop at their 1-yard line and embarked on a 99-yard drive that didn’t use up nearly enough time.
Then the Cowboys showed they weren’t the only club to make a dumb call as they went for a 2-point conversion that failed. Alex Anzalone’s diving interception snuffed out the final Dallas chance, but not before Daron Bland, who posted five pick-6s in 2023, dropped another one in his hands for the Cowboys on one of Johnson’s rare mistakes on the evening.
Here’s why the Bucs deserved to pull off a huge upset that left Jerry Jones enraged and nearly put a smile on the face of Todd Bowles:
* Irving recaptured his 2024 rookie form, dodging defenders and breaking tackles while running for 165 yards on his 21 carries. The highlight was a 72-yard dash that showed every Dallas player and fan that the Bucs came to play.
* Daniels showed marked improvement from his NFL debut a week ago, completing 19-of-25 passes. He found Tez Johnson wide-ass open for a 64-yard gain and stayed calm in the pocket to hit Emeka Egbuka for 21 yards on a critical third-and-21 play. There’s no reason to rush Baker Mayfield back against the Steelers unless the medical staff deems his dislocated right thumb is fully healed.
* Tampa Bay’s embattled offensive line overcame an array of flags to impose its will against a struggling Dallas defense. Johnson was well protected and the group opened gaping holes for a 241-yard ground game.
* Second-year cornerback Jacob Parrish was all over the field in a bravura performance. He registered a team-high nine tackles and broke up four passes as the Bucs took CeeDee Lamb (two catches for nine yards) out of the game.
Game-changing special teams.
* Miles Killebrew, signed primarily for his prowess on special teams, made Danny Smith proud with a forced fumble on a kickoff return. Huge play.
* Zac Robinson turned in his best game as offensive coordinator as the Bucs converted 7-of-13 on third down and kept Dallas defenders off balance. Of course, it helps when Irving is running wild, but Robinson appeared in command all night.
* The Bucs are getting little from top draft pick Rueben Bain, but David Walker is emerging as a dynamic pass rusher. He needs to be on the field on every passing down by the opposition.
* Buc fans craving enthusiasm had to be thrilled with the passion shown by a team that could have mailed it in. Irving, in particular, seemed to be energized from the start and his teammates couldn’t help but notice.
* If the Bucs suffer a fourth consecutive home loss in 10 days, nobody will remember what they just did to the Cowboys. But maybe, just maybe, they will look at the film and realize that 0-4 start isn’t who they are. Wouldn’t it be nice to put a scowl on the face of Aaron Rodgers in front of all those Steelers fans in the house?
* Bowles desperately needed a game like this to quiet his many detractors, at least for a while. The fact is this defense has played well enough to win the past three weeks. The difference on Thursday night was the relentless Irving, who kept the chains moving while providing the Bucs with more than 39 minutes of possession time.