Tampa Bay finally got in the win column, and Dallas is left asking what went wrong.
Quick Summary: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Dallas Cowboys 24-16 on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026, at AT&T Stadium. Bucky Irving rushed for a career-high 165 yards and scored two touchdowns, while rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels threw for 189 yards with no turnovers.
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Buccaneers 24-16 Cowboys: What Actually Happened
Dallas looked ready to roll early. The Cowboys scored first on a long touchdown drive led by Javonte Williams. But Tampa Bay kept chipping away, and everything changed once the second half started.
First quarter: Javonte Williams scores on the ground, Cowboys lead 7-0. Second quarter: Jalon Daniels hits Bucky Irving for a 5-yard touchdown pass, tying it 7-7. Halftime score: Dallas leads 10-7 after a field goal.
Third quarter explosion: Irving breaks a 72-yard run on the very first play after halftime. Momentum shift: Emeka Egbuka scores on a 14-yard jet sweep, giving Tampa Bay a 14-10 lead.
The Third Quarter That Changed Everything
This is where the game really turned. Dallas simply could not stop Tampa Bay after the break. A 64-yard catch by Tez Johnson set up another Irving touchdown, this time from 1 yard out. That made it 21-10. The Bucs then tacked on a field goal to push the lead to 24-10, and Dallas even turned the ball over on downs before the fourth quarter even started.
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Why the Cowboys Lost at Home as Big Favorites
Dallas walked into this game as the clear favorite. The Cowboys were trying to climb to 3-2, and Tampa Bay was banged up without its starting quarterback. Instead, Dallas fell to 2-3 after a messy, mistake-filled night.
Two Prescott interceptions: Dak Prescott threw a pick during Tampa Bay's big third-quarter surge, then another late one that sealed the loss. Missed tackles and coverage busts: Cowboys defenders left Tez Johnson wide open for a 64-yard gain.
Red zone trouble: Dallas failed on a fourth-and-goal try that could have cut into Tampa Bay's lead. A costly drop: A Jake Ferguson drop later got tipped and intercepted by Alex Anzalone, ending Dallas' comeback hopes.
Dak Prescott's Late Push Fell Just Short
Give Prescott credit for trying. He led a 99-yard touchdown drive late in the game and found George Pickens for a 13-yard score, cutting the Tampa Bay lead to 24-16. But Dallas needed one more defensive stop or offensive possession, and it never came. The tipped pass to Ferguson, picked off by Anzalone, ended any real chance of a comeback.
Bucky Irving and Jalon Daniels Carry Tampa Bay
This game belonged to two Buccaneers. Irving ran for a career-high 165 yards on just 21 carries, scoring twice on the ground plus once through the air. His 72-yard run right after halftime basically broke the game open.
Irving's stat line: 165 rushing yards, 21 carries, two rushing touchdowns, one receiving touchdown. Daniels' efficient night: 19 of 25 passing for 189 yards, zero interceptions in just his second career start.
Team rushing total: Tampa Bay piled up 241 rushing yards as a team. Clean football wins games: The Buccaneers committed zero turnovers compared to Dallas' two interceptions.
ESPN noted that Irving's second-half burst set up the touchdown that put Tampa Bay ahead for good. Reuters confirmed his 165-yard, two-touchdown performance helped Tampa Bay grab its first win of the season. For a team that started 0-4, this was exactly the spark they needed.
