TAMPA - The Tampa Bay Buccaneers head to Dallas for a Thursday night game against the 2-2 Cowboys in Week Five, still searching for their first win of the 2026 season after a 17-14 loss to Green Bay dropped them to 0-4 for the first time in 13 years.
The defeat extended the most remarkable streak in franchise history: 10 consecutive Buccaneers games decided by one possession, dating to last season. That is the longest such streak in team history and the longest active streak in the NFL.
Despite the winless record, Tampa Bay’s defense has been quietly dominant. The Buccaneers have held three straight opponents below 285 total yards and rank in the top 10 in a long list of defensive categories. Most strikingly, opposing runners are gaining just 1.73 yards per carry after contact against Tampa Bay - the lowest mark allowed by any defense this season, with no other team under 2.0. That unit will face a stiff test Thursday against Cowboys running back Javonte Williams, who is coming off a three-touchdown game against Houston and has averaged 2.7 yards after contact per carry this season.
Dallas also presents a significant challenge through the air. Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb recorded 189 receiving yards on 17 receptions against Houston in Week Four, drawing 21 targets from quarterback Dak Prescott. Lamb leads the NFL through four weeks with 37 receptions and 498 receiving yards. The Cowboys have converted 51.0 percent of their third-down attempts this season, the second-best rate in the NFL. Tampa Bay’s defense has been strong in that area recently, allowing just four conversions in 25 attempts over the past two weeks against the Vikings and Panthers. Cornerbacks Zyon McCollum and Jacob Parrish, who have fared well against top wideouts including Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson and Christian Watson, will draw the assignment against Lamb.
Offensively, rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels made his first NFL start against Green Bay and rushed for 55 yards - the most rushing yards in a single game by a rookie quarterback in Buccaneers history. Head Coach Todd Bowles and the team’s offensive coordinator said they want running backs Sean Tucker and Kenny Gainwell to receive more opportunities going forward. Tucker, who scored his 10th rushing touchdown against Green Bay, has found the end zone on 6.5 percent of his 154 career carries, the highest scoring rate in franchise history among players with at least 100 carries.
The kicking matchup adds another layer of intrigue. Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey has made 37 field goals of 50 or more yards since 2023, the most in the NFL in that span, on 49 attempts. Buccaneers kicker Chase McLaughlin has made 29 from that range in the same period and holds the highest success rate on 50-plus-yard attempts in NFL history at 85.2 percent. The two kickers have combined for 63 made field goals of 50 or more yards since both joined their respective teams in 2023.
Kickoff for the Thursday night game in Dallas is scheduled for Week Five of the 2026 NFL season.