Irving’s 165 yards lift Buccaneers to first win in 24-16 upset of Cowboys

Bucky Irving rushed for a career-high 165 yards and two touchdowns as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Dallas Cowboys 24-16 in a Thursday night NFL game to record their first victory of the season. Jalon Daniels threw a touchdown to Irving and directed a turnover-free offense in his second start.

Daniels completed 19 of 25 passes for 189 yards while filling in for Baker Mayfield, who is expected to miss at least one more game with a dislocated thumb on his throwing hand. The Buccaneers entered the season with expectations of winning the NFC South and finally found some momentum with the win.

Irving broke free for a 72-yard run on the first play of the second half. That run set up Emeka Egbuka’s 14-yard touchdown run on a jet sweep. The score put Tampa Bay ahead for good.

Daniels threw a touchdown pass to Irving in the first half and took advantage of several Dallas miscues while directing a turnover-free offense in his second NFL start. His efficient passing helped sustain drives and set up scoring opportunities.

Irving carried 21 times, averaging 7.9 yards per attempt. He scored on a five-yard reception in the first half and later on a one-yard plunge. Those plays accounted for his two touchdowns.

Dak Prescott completed 24 of 42 passes for 316 yards and led a 99-yard drive that culminated in a 13-yard touchdown to George Pickens in the fourth quarter. Prescott threw two interceptions for the first time this season; they were his first picks since the opener. One interception, off a tipped pass, helped Tampa Bay seal the victory in the final two minutes.

Tez Johnson broke free for a 64-yard reception that set up Irving’s one-yard touchdown run, extending the Buccaneers’ lead to 21-10. KaVontae Turpin fumbled the ensuing kickoff, which led to a Tampa Bay field goal after Daniels found Egbuka for 21 yards on third-and-21 from the Dallas 48. Cornerback Joey Porter Jr was a late scratch ahead of what would have been his second appearance since arriving in a trade from Pittsburgh last week, and the Cowboys continued their inconsistent start to the season, this time with an offense that was at times as sloppy as the defense have been during Brian Schottenheimer’s two seasons as head coach.

The Buccaneers improved to 1-4 with the victory, while the Cowboys fell to 2-3.