From SI · · 2m
Cowboys Lose to Winless Bucs
Cowboys' loss to winless Buccaneers damps hopes for a successful season.
In brief
Cowboys' loss to winless Buccaneers damps hopes for a successful season. Dallas Cowboys lost to winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a 24-16 game, ending their season hopes. Originally reported by SI.
Jerry Jones' Confusion
Jerry Jones, 84 years old next week, watched his team flop after being hyped throughout summer.
Cowboys' Favorite to Win
Dallas was nearly a double-digit favorite to beat the winless Buccaneers, who entered AT&T Stadium reeling.
Jalon Daniels' Struggles
Jalon Daniels, an undrafted rookie at quarterback, threw two interceptions in his first start against the Packers.
Cowboys' Defense Fails
The Cowboys' defense ranked 28th, 30th and 30th since 2024, providing a proving ground for Daniels and Bucky Irving.
Tampa Bay's Offense
Tampa Bay's offense ranked 28th in yards per play (4.7), 28th in total yards (278.2), and 25th in points (19.0).
Bucky Irving's Performance
Bucky Irving rushed for 165 yards and a touchdown, including 165 yards and a touchdown from Irving.
Dak Prescott's Struggles
Dak Prescott missed one open receiver after the next and tossed a costly interception into tight coverage at the Buccaneers' 25-yard line.
Cowboys' Season Hopes
Dallas has a bevy of stars including CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, Quinnen Williams, Javonte Williams, Tyler Smith, Brandon Aubrey, and Prescott.
Coaching Challenges
Brian Schottenheimer is in his second year and has already hired his second defensive coordinator after Christian Parker replaced Matt Eberflus.
Cowboys' Record
The Cowboys are 2-3 with a defense that has ranked 28th, 30th and 30th since 2024.
Jones' Reaction
At game's end, Jones took his glasses off and slapped the shelf before walking out of the box.
Elevator Ride
The elevator ride felt like forever as Jones thought about what went wrong and why his team always draws rave reviews until the curtain comes up.
Season Outlook
Dallas isn't a good team, just as it wasn't the year prior, and so many years before that.
What Happens Next
The Cowboys' ownership and coaches will make the public case that there’s time, but Dallas fans might take that as a threat.
The bottom line
Dallas Cowboys lost to winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a 24-16 game, ending their season hopes.
