The Tampa Bay Buccaneers finally have their first win of the 2026 season, and they have Bucky Irving to thank for it. After four consecutive losses, Tampa Bay walked into AT&T Stadium on Thursday night and defeated the Dallas Cowboys 24 to 16. W Irving finished with a career high 165 rushing yards on 21 carries, averaging an impressive 7.9 yards per attempt while finding the end zone twice, once on the ground and once through the air. His performance was particularly important considering Tampa Bay entered the game averaging just 106 rushing yards per game entering Thursday. Irving nearly surpassed that total by himself in the first few minutes of the second half.
His biggest play came immediately after halftime, with Tampa Bay trailing 10 to
7. Irving broke through the Dallas defense for a 72 yard run, shedding tackles and racing downfield before finally being pushed out at the Cowboys' 14 yard line. Emeka Egbuka scored on the following play, giving Tampa Bay a 14 to 10 lead. It was the type of explosive play this offense has been missing throughout the first month of the season. Irving was not finished. Later in the third quarter, Tampa Bay extended its lead to 21 to 10 when Irving found the end zone on the ground. Earlier, he had caught a five yard touchdown pass from rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels, helping establish the offense on its opening possession.
Daniels also deserves credit for his improvement in his second career start. He completed 19 of 25 passes for 189 yards and a touchdown without committing a turnover. However, Irving's ability to consistently create yards gave Daniels a much more manageable situation than he faced against Green Bay. For an offense that has struggled with protection, penalties and sustaining drives, Irving provided something Tampa Bay could depend on. His patience behind the offensive line, ability to break tackles and explosiveness in the open field repeatedly punished a Dallas defense that entered Thursday among the NFL's worst against the run. One victory does not erase an 0 and 4 start or the problems that still need fixing. But Irving showed exactly what this offense can look like when the running game becomes its foundation.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Bucky Irving carries Bucs to upset win on TNF
