The Dallas Cowboys got their second win of the season against their in-state rivals, now they’ll try to start a winning streak as they host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It’s a Thursday Night Football game, so the Cowboys have to move on from their emotional win quickly and build some momentum for the season.
Despite being winless through four games, the Buccaneers are not void of talent, but they are struggling with their performance, and injuries have hit them hard. The Cowboys will try to take advantage of their good fortune and get their heads above water for the first time this season. Here are three reasons to love the Week 5 matchup with the Buccaneers.
Missing leaders on both sides of the ball
Part of the bad injury luck for the Buccaneers means the Cowboys won’t have to defend quarterback
Baker Mayfield. The veteran signal caller hurt his thumb in Week 3 and won’t play. That leaves rookie undrafted free agent Jalon Daniels as the starter, which should benefit the Cowboys.
In Daniels’ first start last week, he threw for just 148 yards and two interceptions. This could be the perfect time for Christian Parker’s defense to get their first pick of the season.
The Buccaneers’ QB of the defense, safety Antoine Winfield, will also miss the Week 5 contest. Winfield has a rib fracture that will keep him out of the lineup against a Cowboys offense that has scored at least 31 points in the last three games.
#Bucs S Antoine Winfield Jr. has a rib fracture and is likely to miss 2-4 weeks, coach Todd Bowles said. pic.twitter.com/wjqi74ATdn
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 5, 2026
Missing two of their best players, on both sides of the ball, gives the Cowboys a big advantage in this game.
They give the ball away
Tampa Bay is next to last in turnover differential this season at -5. The offense has lost four fumbles and thrown five interceptions. They’ve given the ball away at least once in every game this year and had at least two turnovers in three contests.
That bodes well for a defense that’s only taken away the ball twice this year, but they have forced six fumbles, recovering only two. Going up against an inexperienced QB should also help the Cowboys find a way to force turnovers.
The Buccaneers will give the Cowboys’ defense chances to get the ball, they will need to capitalize on those opportunities.
Limited passing game
Even before their offense lost Mayfield, they were struggling to move the ball through the air. The Buccaneers rank 28th in passing offense, at just over 172 yards per game. Mayfield and Daniels have combined for only three passing scores, and no pass catcher has more than 157 yards receiving.
Tight end Cade Otton is tops on the team in receiving yards, while wide receivers Emeka Egbuka and Chris Godwin have 15 and 16 catches, respectively, to lead the offense.
In a league where passing the ball and big plays through the air are what makes offenses go, the Buccaneers lack the explosiveness to challenge defenses.
That’s good news for a Dallas defense that’s banged up in the secondary and has struggled to cover WRs through four games. This is a great time for the Cowboys to finally get their passing defense right and gain some confidence.
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: 3 reasons to love the Cowboys' Week 5 matchup vs Buccaneers
