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Cowboys hopes for ‘26 season cannonball after loss to Bucs

The Dallas Cowboys’ 24-16 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday night exposed persistent flaws in their offense and defense, leaving their 2026 prospects in question after dropping to 2-3. Despite starting with a quick touchdown to take a 7-0 lead, the Cowboys failed to capitalize on early momentum, allowing Tampa to tie the game and eventually pull away.

Rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels played with poise, completing eight of eight passes on a key drive that tied the score, while the Cowboys’ defense struggled to contain Tampa’s methodical attack, particularly against the run. Their second-half comeback attempt fell short, highlighting a pattern of underperformance in close games under head coach Brian Schottenheimer, where they now hold a 4-6-1 record in one-score contests.

The Cowboys also surrendered 165 rushing yards to Bucky Irving, their highest total in a game this season, further emphasizing their inability to execute against the ground game—a critical area of concern moving forward.

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