DALLAS — The winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers stunned the Dallas Cowboys 24-18 on Thursday night in Dallas to earn their first victory of the 2026 season. The 0-4 Buccaneers, starting Jalon Daniels off his first career start, upset the 2-2 Cowboys behind two Bucky Irving touchdowns and two takeaways that turned a 10-7 halftime deficit into a decisive second-half lead.
Dallas opened the scoring at 7-0 after two Tampa Bay penalties inside the 10-yard line set up a rushing touchdown, though the Cowboys did not find CeeDee Lamb on the drive. Tampa Bay answered with its longest drive since 2007, a 15-play march that lasted more than 10 minutes and featured multiple receptions from Chris Godwin and Emeka Egbuka plus underneath completions to Cade Otton to tie the game 7-7. Daniels started 8-for-8 before his second drive stalled, and a potential 61-yard Chase McLaughlin field goal was wiped out by a delay of game after a Tristan Wirfs false start on third-and-1 forced a punt. Dallas led 10-7 at halftime after holding Tampa's defense scoreless following its opening drive, despite allowing a chunk completion where Alex Anzalone was beaten downfield.
Tampa Bay took control after halftime with a 90-yard touchdown drive capped by an Emeka Egbuka rushing score following a explosive run from Bucky Irving to lead 14-10. The defense then produced complementary football when edge rusher Yaya Diaby dropped into coverage for his first career interception. The offense converted the takeaway immediately on a deep ball to Tez Johnson, whose defender lost his footing downfield, setting up Irving's second touchdown on a five-play, 75-yard drive for a 21-10 lead. A first career fumble by Kavonte Turpin on the ensuing kickoff gave Tampa Bay another short field, converted into a Chase McLaughlin field goal to make it 24-10.
The fourth quarter featured a 10-plus play drive behind Tampa Bay's offensive line to the Dallas 1-yard line, where the Buccaneers turned down a chip-shot field goal and a three-score lead to go for it on fourth down. The attempt failed, and Dallas answered with a 99-yard touchdown drive to cut the deficit to 24-18.
Dak Prescott drove Dallas to the two-minute warning still 34 yards from a game-tying two-point attempt before throwing his second interception of the half, this time to Anzalone, Tampa Bay's most embattled defender through the first month of the season, to seal the upset. The victory came after Tampa Bay ruled out Baker Mayfield and Antoine Winfield Jr. for the Cowboys clash and gives the Buccaneers their first win after an 0-4 start.