Buccaneers beat Cowboys 24-16 for first win as Irving rushes for career-high 165 yards
In short
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Dallas Cowboys 24-16 on Thursday night for their first win of the season, as Bucky Irving rushed for a career-high 165 yards and scored twice. Rookie Jalon Daniels, in his second start in place of the injured Baker Mayfield, completed 19 of 25 passes for 189 yards with no turnovers, while Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott threw two interceptions.
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Bucky Irving rushed for a career-high 165 yards and scored twice as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Dallas Cowboys 24-16 on Thursday night for their first win of the season. The Boston Globe datelined its report from Arlington, Texas. Irving carried 21 times, averaging 7.9 yards per attempt, according to The Guardian, and scored on a five-yard reception and a one-yard plunge. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
Jalon Daniels, a rookie making just his second start, completed 19 of 25 passes for 189 yards and threw a first-half touchdown pass to Irving while directing a turnover-free offense. The Boston Globe described Daniels as undrafted. He is filling in for Baker Mayfield, who is expected to miss at least one more game with a dislocated thumb on his throwing hand. [ 2 , 3 ]
Irving's 72-yard run on the first play of the second half set up a 14-yard touchdown run on a jet sweep by receiver Emeka Egbuka that put Tampa Bay ahead for good. Dak Prescott then threw his first interception, and the Dallas defense left Tez Johnson wide open for a 64-yard reception that set up Irving's one-yard touchdown run for a 21-10 lead. KaVontae Turpin fumbled the ensuing kickoff, which led to a Tampa Bay field goal after Daniels converted a third-and-21 from the Dallas 48-yard line with a 21-yard pass to Egbuka. [ 2 , 3 ]
Prescott led a 99-yard drive and threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to George Pickens in the fourth quarter, but his second interception, off a tipped pass, helped Tampa Bay seal the win in the final two minutes. The Boston Globe reported that Prescott finished 24 of 42 for 316 yards. [ 2 , 3 ]
The result left the Buccaneers at 1-4 in a season that started with expectations of winning the NFC South, and the Cowboys at 2-3. Both The Guardian and The Boston Globe wrote that the Dallas offense was at times as sloppy as the defense has been during Brian Schottenheimer's two seasons as head coach. The Boston Globe reported that cornerback Joey Porter Jr., one of the pieces Dallas recently added to try to fix its defense, was a late scratch in what was supposed to be his second appearance since arriving in a trade from Pittsburgh last week. [ 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The win was Tampa Bay's first of a season that began with expectations of winning the NFC South, and it came while Baker Mayfield is sidelined with a dislocated thumb on his throwing hand. The loss dropped Dallas to 2-3 in what the reports describe as an inconsistent start to the season under coach Brian Schottenheimer.
Key facts
- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Dallas Cowboys 24-16 on Thursday night for their first win of the season. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Bucky Irving rushed for a career-high 165 yards on 21 carries and scored two touchdowns, one on a five-yard reception and one on a one-yard run. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels completed 19 of 25 passes for 189 yards in his second start, with no turnovers. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Daniels is filling in for Baker Mayfield, who is expected to miss at least one more game with a dislocated thumb on his throwing hand. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Dak Prescott threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to George Pickens and two interceptions. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Tampa Bay is now 1-4 and Dallas 2-3. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Cornerback Joey Porter Jr., acquired by Dallas in a trade from Pittsburgh last week, was a late scratch. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The Buccaneers' win over the Cowboys was their first of the season. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- The final score was 24-16. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Bucky Irving rushed for a career-high 165 yards, including a 72-yard run, and scored twice. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Jalon Daniels completed 19 of 25 passes for 189 yards and threw a touchdown pass to Irving. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Prescott's second interception, off a tipped pass, helped Tampa Bay secure the win in the final two minutes. [ 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- When Baker Mayfield will return. The reports say only that he is expected to miss at least one more game.
- Why Joey Porter Jr. was a late scratch. Only The Boston Globe reports the scratch, and it gives no reason.
- Prescott's full passing line of 24 of 42 for 316 yards. Reported by a single outlet, The Boston Globe.