Bucky Irving runs for 165 yards as rookie Jalon Daniels and Buccaneers stun Cowboys 24-16 for first win

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are off the mark in 2026. They beat the Dallas Cowboys 24-16 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Thursday night, 8 October, in the Week 5 opener, which was played on Friday morning in Malaysia. Running back Bucky Irving had a career-high 165 rushing yards and scored twice. Undrafted rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels managed his second NFL start without a turnover. Tampa Bay are now 1-4, and Dallas fall to 2-3.

Daniels steps in for Mayfield

Daniels, who played college football at Kansas, is starting while Baker Mayfield is out with a dislocated thumb on his throwing hand. Mayfield is expected to miss at least one more game. Daniels completed 19 of 25 passes for 189 yards and one touchdown and did not throw an interception. One of his biggest plays was a 21-yard completion to Emeka Egbuka on third-and-21 that set up a field goal.

How the game unfolded

Dallas scored first through Javonte Williams on a 1-yard run. Tampa Bay levelled in the second quarter with a 5-yard touchdown pass from Daniels to Irving. Brandon Aubrey kicked a 41-yard field goal to give the Cowboys a 10-7 lead at half-time.

The third quarter decided the game. Irving broke a 72-yard run that set up Egbuka's 14-yard touchdown on a jet sweep, which put Tampa Bay ahead 14-10. Later in the quarter, Tez Johnson caught a 64-yard pass, his only catch of the night, and Irving scored from a yard out to make it 21-10. KaVontae Turpin then fumbled a kickoff for Dallas, and Chase McLaughlin kicked a 41-yard field goal to make it 24-10.

Dak Prescott led a 99-yard drive in the fourth quarter that finished with an 18-yard touchdown pass to George Pickens with 5:26 left. The extra point was missed, so the score stayed 24-16. Dallas got the ball back, but Alex Anzalone intercepted a deflected pass with 1:12 to go to seal the win.

A frustrating night for Dallas

Prescott threw for 316 yards and a touchdown, completing 24 of 42 passes. He also threw two interceptions, his first two-interception game of the season, and both came off deflections. Pickens caught nine passes for 130 yards. Williams ran 12 times for 45 yards.

Cornerback Joey Porter Jr., who had just been acquired in a trade with Pittsburgh, was a late scratch. Owner Jerry Jones said afterwards he was "extraordinarily, extraordinarily disappointed".

The crowd in Arlington was 92,351.

Irving's best day as a pro

Irving's 165 yards came from 21 carries, and he added a 5-yard touchdown catch to his 1-yard rushing score. With Mayfield out, the Buccaneers relied on the run game and a quarterback who did not give the ball away, and it gave them their first win after four straight defeats.

Key takeaways

• The Buccaneers beat the Cowboys 24-16 for their first win of the season and are now 1-4. Dallas are 2-3.
• Bucky Irving ran for a career-high 165 yards and scored one rushing and one receiving touchdown.
• Undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels, filling in for the injured Baker Mayfield, went 19 of 25 for 189 yards with no turnovers.
• Dak Prescott passed for 316 yards but threw two interceptions off deflections, the second sealing the game.

FAQ

What was the score in Buccaneers vs Cowboys? Tampa Bay won 24-16 at AT&T Stadium on Thursday, 8 October (US time).

Why did Jalon Daniels start for Tampa Bay? Baker Mayfield is out with a dislocated thumb on his throwing hand, and Daniels made his second NFL start in his place.

How many yards did Bucky Irving run for? He ran for a career-high 165 yards on 21 carries, including a 72-yard run.

Sources: Sky Sports, FootballDB, Yardbarker