# Cowboys Lose to Winless Bucs

> Cowboys' loss to winless Buccaneers damps hopes for a successful season.
- Title: Cowboys Lose to Winless Bucs · SI | Shortify
- Summary: 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…
- Keywords: cowboys, buccaneers, nfl, jalon danials, dak prescott, bucky irving, at&t stadium, tampa bay offense, sports, Lose, Winless, Bucs
- Source: SI — https://si.com/nfl/loss-to-bucs-dampens-cowboys-hopes
- Published: 2026-10-09T03:33:46+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: cowboys, buccaneers, nfl, jalon danials, dak prescott, bucky irving, at&t stadium, tampa bay offense, sports
## 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.
## Key takeaway

Dallas Cowboys lost to winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a 24-16 game, ending their season hopes.