Cowboys face shorthanded Buccaneers in Week 5 Thursday night matchup
Dallas, now 2-2, will host Tampa Bay, which is without starter Baker Mayfield and will start undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels, in a Thursday night game that favors the Cowboys.
Dallas will host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday night in Week 5, a game that gives the Cowboys a statistical edge. Tampa Bay entered the matchup 0-4 after losing starter Baker Mayfield to a dislocated thumb and turning to undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels, who became the first undrafted rookie quarterback to start a game before Week 4 since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. Daniels led the Buccaneers to a 17-14 loss to Green Bay, bringing the team to 0-4 overall.
The Cowboys improved to 2-2 with a 34-30 win over the Houston Texans last week and sit behind the New York Giants in the NFC East. Their defense ranks 31st in expected points added allowed per play, while the offense continues to perform well. Analysts note that Tampa Bay’s current roster may struggle to exploit Dallas’ defensive shortcomings.
Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb is leading the league with an average of 124.5 receiving yards per game and recorded 189 yards and a touchdown in the win over Houston. The Buccaneers’ pass defense has not allowed more than 245 yards in a game this season, but Lamb’s recent production presents a challenge for Tampa Bay.
Betting markets have the Cowboys as favorites, with the spread ranging from -7.5 to -8.5 points. The Buccaneers are 0-4 both straight up and against the spread, and Daniels threw for 148 yards with no touchdowns in his previous start. The consensus among public bettors is that Dallas will cover the spread.
Key points to watch include Daniels’ performance in his second start, the distribution of targets among Dallas receivers—particularly the continued dominance of Lamb and the role of George Pickens—and the usage of running back Bucky Irving, who has yet to be featured in the passing game despite a solid rushing performance in the season opener.