Buccaneers 24, Cowboys 16
RB Bucky Irving Drives Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Offense
With Baker Mayfield out of the lineup, undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels wouldn’t be able to carry the Buccaneers’ offense. He didn’t need to when he could hand the ball to Bucky Irving.
Irving led the way Thursday with 165 yards on 21 carries, including a 72-yard run during the first play of the second half, which turned the game in an instant. He added two scores.
When Tampa needed a play late to milk the clock and secure the victory, Irving sealed the deal with a 22-yard run. Thursday’s career-high effort happened at the exact right time for the Bucs to finally get into the win column after an 0-4 start.
Can Jalon Daniels Usurp QB1 From Baker Mayfield?
The short answer is simple: No, Daniels is not going to become the Buccaneers’ starting quarterback. But the undrafted free agent deserves credit for stepping into a difficult situation and playing well enough for Tampa to claim its first victory.
Daniels still isn’t driving the ball down the field, which will be necessary against better opponents. Plus, the Cowboys defense is counted among the league’s worst, which can make anyone look somewhat better, especially when DaRon Bland drops what would have likely been a pick-six.
Still, the first-year signal-caller used his legs to extend plays, completed most of his early throws and continued to get more comfortable in the pocket as the game progressed. At the very least, he showed why he was deserving of being the Bucs’ QB2 this season.
Dallas Cowboys Defense Remains Dismal
Last week’s effort from the Cowboys’ defense turned out to be an aberration.
To be fair, Dallas allowed nearly 400 yards of offense against the Houston Texans. However, the unit played much better during key downs and slowed the Texans’ run game.
Four days later, Tampa Bay pushed past the 400-yard mark and did so with an undrafted rookie making his first NFL road start. The Cowboys’ angles and tackling were abysmal. Dallas couldn’t get a stop when absolutely necessary late in the contest. Clearly, the group is poorly coached, because the unit has too much individual talent to not improve eventually.
Instead, the Cowboys rank 31st in total defense going into this weekend’s action only because the Detroit Lions are the only team in the NFL surrendering over 300 passing yards per game.
WR CeeDee Lamb Goes from Unstoppable to Injured
Lamb obliterated the Texans defense this past weekend. After 17 receptions, Tampa Bay needed to key on him at all times, of course. Lamb finished Thursday’s contest with two receptions for nine yards.
Two things happened along the way.
First, Lamb’s presence allowed others to shine. Specifically, George Pickens posted season-highs with nine catches for 130 yards. Second, the five-time Pro Bowl receiver suffered a quad injury. Lamb tried to play through it during the second half, but he clearly wasn’t comfortable.
The loss coupled with Lamb’s situation make the 2-3 Cowboys for more difficult to buy into as the season progresses.
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