The Dallas Cowboys welcomed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Thursday night to open Week 5 of the 2026 NFL season. The 8:15 p.m. Eastern contest pitted a 2-2 Dallas team aiming to secure a winning record against a winless 0-4 Tampa Bay squad attempting to halt an early-season slide.
Tampa Bay entered the matchup without starting quarterback Baker Mayfield, who suffered a dislocated thumb on his throwing hand in Week 3 and is expected to miss three to six weeks, the New York Post reported. Undrafted rookie free agent Jalon Daniels made his second consecutive start in Mayfield’s place. During his first start a week earlier, Daniels completed 19 of 27 passes for 148 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions while adding 55 yards on the ground, according to Yahoo Sports.
Despite their winless record, head coach Todd Bowles and the Buccaneers have remained competitive in every outing, dropping each of their four contests by seven points or fewer, the New York Post noted.
“It’s going to be a tough challenge for us from a talent standpoint,” Bowles said before the matchup, according to the Post. “They’re very gifted.”
Roster shifts for Dallas
Dallas entered Thursday following a dramatic, late-game victory over the Houston Texans in Week 4. Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb spearheaded that effort with 17 catches for 189 yards and a touchdown, Yahoo Sports reported. The Cowboys opened the year with a loss to the New York Giants, defeated the Washington Commanders and fell to the Baltimore Ravens before their victory over Houston.
Hours prior to kickoff, the Cowboys reinforced their offensive line by activating All-Pro left guard Tyler Smith from the Reserve/Injured list, The Big Lead reported. Smith had been sidelined for the first four games after undergoing surgery for a thumb injury suffered during training camp.
Cowboys Chief Operating Officer and co-owner Stephen Jones praised Smith’s return in an interview with radio station 105.3 The Fan reported by The Big Lead, describing the lineman as an All-Pro who gives the offense “that extra second to make” plays down the field. To open a roster spot for Smith, Dallas released running back Emari Demercado.
The Cowboys also dealt with an unexpected absence on defense. Newly acquired cornerback Joey Porter Jr. was ruled out as a late scratch before kickoff because of an undisclosed illness, Yahoo Sports reported.
Series background and outlook
Dallas entered Thursday holding a 14-6 lead over Tampa Bay in their all-time series, though the Buccaneers had won two of the previous three meetings, SB Nation reported. Dallas won the most recent clash between the franchises, taking a 26-24 decision at home.
The Buccaneers’ lineup included running back Kenny Gainwell, who joined Tampa Bay during the offseason after posting career-best numbers with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2025, according to SB Nation.
The game was broadcast nationally on Prime Video with Al Michaels, Kirk Herbstreit and sideline reporter Kaylee Hartung on the call, with Dallas favored by 8.5 to 10 points according to betting lines reported by SB Nation and the New York Post. What remains to be seen is whether Daniels can engineer Tampa Bay’s first victory of the year or if the Cowboys will move to 3-2 before facing difficult upcoming road tests against the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles.
