Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Yaya Diaby (0) intercepts a pass against the Dallas Cowboys in the second half of an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Bucky Irving ran for a career-high 165 yards, including a 72-yard run to set up the touchdown that put Tampa Bay ahead for good while scoring twice himself, and the Buccaneers beat the Dallas Cowboys 24-16 on Thursday night.
Jalon Daniels threw a touchdown pass to Irving in the first half while directing a turnover-free offense amid several Dallas miscues in just the second start for the undrafted rookie.
Daniels, who completed 19 of 25 passes for 189 yards, is filling in for Baker Mayfield, who's expected to be sidelined at least one more game with a dislocated thumb on his throwing hand.
Irving had 21 carries and a 7.9-yard average while scoring on a 5-yard pass and a 1-yard plunge as the Buccaneers (1-4) finally found some footing in a season that started with expectations of winning the NFC South.
Dak Prescott led a 99-yard drive and threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to George Pickens in the fourth quarter before his second interception off a tipped pass helped Tampa Bay clinch the win in the final two minutes.
The Cowboys (2-3) continued an up-and-down start to the season, this time with an offense that was as times as sloppy as the defense has been in both seasons under Coach Brian Schottenheimer.
After Irving's long run on the first play of the second half was followed by receiver Emeka Egbuka's 14-yard touchdown run on a jet sweep, Prescott threw his first interception and the Dallas defense left Tez Johnson wide open on a 64-yard grab that led to Irving's 1-yard plunge for a 21-10 lead.
KaVontae Turpin's fumble on the subsequent kickoff led to a Tampa Bay field goal, but only after the Buccaneers converted a third-and-21 from the Dallas 48 with Daniels' 21-yard pass to Egbuka.
The Cowboys were missing one of the pieces they recently added to try to fix a porous defense. Cornerback Joey Porter Jr. was a late scratch in what was supposed to be his second appearance since arriving in a trade from Pittsburgh last week.
Prescott completed 24 of 42 passes for 316 yards in his first two-interception game of the season -- his first picks since the opener. Javonte Williams, who led the Cowboys with 45 rushing yards on 12 carries, gave them a 7-0 lead with a 1-yard touchdown run to cap their nine-play, 70-yard opening drive.
Irving's 5-yard touchdown catch capped a 15-play, 73-yard drive that ran the final 10:44 off the clock in the first quarter and had a final count of 10:58. Then his 72-yard run was the first of two plays on an 86-yard drive that took exactly 1 minute.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (7) gets past Dallas Cowboys linebacker Dee Winters (53) in the second half of an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (7) gets past Dallas Cowboys linebacker Dee Winters (53) in the second half of an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Dallas Cowboys' Kavontae Turpin (9) fumbles the ball on a kickoff return and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers recover in the second half of an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Dallas Cowboys' Kavontae Turpin (9) fumbles the ball on a kickoff return and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers recover in the second half of an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (7) dives past Dallas Cowboys defensive back Reddy Steward (27) for a touchdown in the first half of an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (7) dives past Dallas Cowboys defensive back Reddy Steward (27) for a touchdown in the first half of an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jalon Daniels passes against the Dallas Cowboys in the first half of an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jalon Daniels passes against the Dallas Cowboys in the first half of an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)