Tampa Bay
Buccaneers
1-3
31
FINAL
24
Dallas
Cowboys
3-1
AI Recap
AI RECAPThe Tampa Bay Buccaneers narrowly defeated the Dallas Cowboys 31-24 in a tightly contested Week 5 matchup of the 2026 season. Both teams were hungry for a win, but it was the Buccaneers who ultimately came through in the clutch, solidifying their position in the playoff race.
Baker Mayfield led the Buccaneers' offense with an impressive 271 passing yards, showcasing his ability to stretch the field when it mattered most. Bucky Irving contributed significantly on the ground, racking up 78 rushing yards, while Emeka Egbuka was a standout in the passing game, finishing with 94 receiving yards. Together, this trio powered Tampa Bay's offense, allowing them to keep the scoreboard ticking.
Defensively, the Cowboys struggled to contain the Buccaneers' dynamic playmakers, but Markquese Bell stood out with eight total tackles, trying to keep the game within reach. The turning point came late in the fourth quarter when the Buccaneers' defense held strong, forcing a crucial turnover that enabled them to maintain their slim lead and secure the victory.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | YDS | TD | INT | RTG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baker Mayfield | QB | 33 | 24 | 271 | 1 | 0 | 107.0 |
| Dak Prescott | QB | 32 | 16 | 186 | 1 | 0 | 78.3 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bucky Irving | HB | 20 | 78 | 3.9 | 1 | 21 | 0 |
| Jaydon Blue | HB | 11 | 51 | 4.6 | 1 | 26 | 0 |
| Kenny Gainwell | HB | 5 | 34 | 6.8 | 0 | 20 | 0 |
| Baker Mayfield | QB | 7 | 16 | 2.3 | 0 | 13 | 1 |
| Sean Tucker | HB | 4 | 14 | 3.5 | 2 | 7 | 0 |
| Ko Kieft | TE | 1 | 7 | 7.0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Payne Durham | TE | 1 | 7 | 7.0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Dak Prescott | QB | 2 | 5 | 2.5 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Javonte Williams | HB | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| George Pickens | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cade Otton | TE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emeka Egbuka | WR | 10 | 94 | 9.4 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Cade Otton | TE | 5 | 79 | 15.8 | 1 | 24 | 0 |
| Jake Ferguson | TE | 3 | 49 | 16.3 | 0 | 25 | 0 |
| Tez Johnson | WR | 3 | 44 | 14.7 | 0 | 29 | 1 |
| KaVontae Turpin | WR | 4 | 42 | 10.5 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| George Pickens | WR | 2 | 39 | 19.5 | 1 | 35 | 0 |
| Ted Hurst III | WR | 3 | 38 | 12.7 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| CeeDee Lamb | WR | 3 | 31 | 10.3 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| Jaydon Blue | HB | 2 | 15 | 7.5 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Ko Kieft | TE | 1 | 10 | 10.0 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Javonte Williams | HB | 1 | 7 | 7.0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Payne Durham | TE | 2 | 6 | 3.0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Donald Parham Jr | TE | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Markquese Bell | SS | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Benjamin Morrison | CB | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jaishawn Barham | SAM | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cobie Durant | CB | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Malachi Lawrence | REDG | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rashan Gary | LEDG | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Lewis Cine | SS | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Shavon Revel Jr | CB | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Quinnen Williams | DT | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalen Thompson | FS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Zah Frazier | CB | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Vita Vea | DT | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tykee Smith | SS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Zyon McCollum | CB | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DeMarvion Overshown | WILL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ifeatu Melifonwu | SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Shemar James | MIKE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kenny Clark | DT | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DaRon Bland | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jacob Parrish | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Antoine Winfield Jr | FS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Josiah Trotter | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Keionte Scott | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rueben Bain Jr. | LEDG | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Calijah Kancey | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Yaya Diaby | REDG | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brandon Aubrey | K | 1 | 1 | 3 | 20 |
| Chase McLaughlin | K | 1 | 1 | 4 | 21 |

