Bucky Irving runs for 165 yards as Bucs beat Cowboys 24-16

A defining second half

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won for the first time this season Thursday night, beating the Dallas Cowboys 24-16 at AT&T Stadium. The game was close through two quarters before Tampa Bay scored 17 unanswered points in the third.

Dallas took an early lead in the first quarter when Javonte Williams scored from a yard out, and Brandon Aubrey's extra point made it 7-0. The Buccaneers answered early in the second quarter. Rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels, an undrafted player making his second career start, found Bucky Irving for a five-yard touchdown pass to tie the score at 7-7.

Aubrey kicked a 41-yard field goal with 21 seconds left in the half, giving Dallas a 10-7 lead at the break.

Third-quarter surge

Tampa Bay needed two plays to take the lead after halftime. Irving broke a 72-yard run, and Emeka Egbuka ran 14 yards for a touchdown on the next snap to make it 14-10. Irving then scored on a one-yard run to push the lead to 21-10, and Chase McLaughlin's 41-yard field goal made it 24-10.

Cowboys come up short

Dallas went 99 yards in 10 plays in the fourth quarter, and Dak Prescott hit George Pickens for an 18-yard touchdown with 5:26 left. The two-point pass failed, and the Cowboys reached the Tampa Bay 22-yard line on their final drive before Alex Anzalone intercepted Prescott with 1:22 to play.

Statistical standouts

Irving finished with a career-high 165 rushing yards on 21 carries and added two catches for 10 yards, scoring once each way. Daniels completed 19 of 25 passes for 189 yards and a touchdown without an interception. Tampa Bay ran for 241 yards and held the ball for 39:21.

For Dallas, Prescott threw for 316 yards and a touchdown but was intercepted twice, and the Cowboys lost a fumble. Pickens caught nine passes for 130 yards and a touchdown, and Williams ran for 45 yards on 12 carries, including the opening score.

The loss drops the Cowboys to 2-3. Tampa Bay improves to 1-4. Attendance was 92,351.

Sources

ESPN