Buccaneers Snap Losing Streak as Daniels Earns First Win

Alex Anzalone’s interception off of a deflection with less than two minutes preserved the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ first win of the season in a 24-16 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night. 

Leading 24-16 late in the fourth quarter, the Buccaneers (1-4) allowed the Cowboys to drive close to the red zone with just 1:22 left to play. On second-and-1 from the Tampa Bay 24-yard-line, Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott threw a pass over the middle but tight end Jake Ferguson was unable to handle the pass, sending the ball high in the air. Anzalone then settled under the deflected ball and made the catch for an interception at the Buccaneers’ 12-yard-line with 1:12 left in the game to end the Cowboys’ threat.

Prior to Anzalone’s game-winning interception the Buccaneers came out swinging in the third quarter to erase a halftime deficit behind undrafted rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels. 

Despite trailing 10-7 at the end of the first half, the Buccaneers didn’t take long to take control of the game. On the first snap of the third quarter, running back Bucky Irving ripped off a 72-yard run to give the Buccaneers the ball at the Dallas 14-yard-line. On the next play, wide receiver Emeka Egbuka took a jet-sweep 14 yards for a touchdown to give Tampa Bay its first lead of the game, 14-10 with 14:00 left to play in the third quarter.

On the Cowboys’ next drive outside linebacker YaYa Diaby picked off a Prescott pass to give the ball to the Buccaneers with 10:55 left in the third. Five plays later, Irving scored his second touchdown of the game on a 1-yard run to extend the lead to 21-10 with 7:31 left in the third quarter.

The Buccaneers would convert on another Cowboy’s turnover as KaVontae Turpin fumbled the ensuing kickoff after Irving’s touchdown. After the turnover Tampa Bay would settle for a 41-yard field goal by Chase McLaughlin to make it 24-10 with 2:58 left in the third quarter.

Although the Tampa Bay defense would force a turnover on downs by Dallas at the end of the third quarter, the Cowboys stuffed running back Sean Tucker at the goalline on fourth down with 8:36 left in the game to give Dallas hope.

Prescott then drove the ball down the field 99 yards in 10 plays to cut the lead to one score, 24-16) after finding George Pickens for a 17-yard touchdown with 5:26 left to play. Although the Cowboys were not able to convert on the two-point conversion, they did manage to force the Buccaneers to punt with less than four minutes left to play prior to Anzalone’s interception.

In his first-career win, Daniels finished the night 19-of-25 passing for 189 yards and a touchdown. Prescott threw for more than 300 yards and a touchdown, but had two interceptions in the loss.

The Cowboys offense got off to a quick start in the first half. Driving 70 yards in just nine plays, Dallas opened the scoring on a Javonte Williams 1-yard touchdown with 10:51 left in the first quarter to take a 7-0 lead.

On the Buccaneers’ ensuing drive, Daniels showed why he won the backup quarterback job as an undrafted free agent. Competing a perfect 8-of-8 passing and extending the drive with several third-down conversions, Daniels kept the Cowboys offense on the sideline with a 15-play drive, eating up nearly 11 minutes, capped by a 5-yard touchdown pass to Irving to tie the game 7-7 with 14:53 left in the second quarter.

Despite the early offensive fireworks, the Buccaneers and Cowboys spent most of the second quarter trading punts. After Tampa Bay’s third punt of the quarter, Dallas was able to drive into kicker Brandon Aubrey’s range with 21 seconds left in the half. Aubrey easily put the 41-yard attempt through the uprights to take a 10-7 lead into half time.

Tampa Bay outgained Dallas in the first half 155-146, but committed eight penalties for 47 yards in the first two quarters.

Irving led the way for Tampa Bay on the ground with 165 yards on 21 carries and had two total touchdowns against Dallas.

Tampa Bay will return home for its next game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at 1 p.m. ET on Oct. 18.