The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense got a bad rap after several collapses in the second half of the 2025 NFL regular season, but so far in 2026, the defense has actually been the strength of this team. Todd Bowles's unit has been keeping the Buccaneers in games, and it has been the offense that has held them back, especially in games like the losses to the Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, and Green Bay Packers that they should have won.
Well, the Buccaneers offense finally finished the job on Thursday Night Football against the lousy Dallas Cowboys defense, with Bucky Irving running all over them to the tune of 165 rushing yards in the 24-16 win. But while there's been a lot of praise for the likes of Irving, Jalon Daniels, and game breaking wide receiver Tez Johnson, the real star of the show was, again, the defense.
Aside from George Pickens, nobody on the Cowboys offense got going, as the Buccaneers quelled one of the fieriest offenses in the NFL and made franchise quarterback Dak Prescott look surprisingly ordinary in his own stadium.
Josiah Trotter and Keionte Scott were home-run draft picks by the Buccaneers
There are a lot of players worth highlighting, but rookies Josiah Trotter and Keionte Scott were all over the field and continue to prove that they are future cornerstones of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense. Now, there will be plenty of time for the first round pick, Rueben Bain Jr., to make his mark, but it is wonderful to see how Scott and Trotter are already two of the best players on this team.
Trotter had another highly productive day against the Cowboys as the new quarterback of the defense and Lavonte David's heir, recording seven tackles and a tackle for loss. And despite being a defensive back, Scott had the exact same stat line, flying all over the field as a hybrid defensive back who can - and did - play literally everywhere. He had a couple of really nice coverage plays in the red zone, too, making perfect decisions and staying tight to his assignment in man or zone.
Throughout the first five weeks, Trotter and Scott have been standout players. Trotter has 40 tackles to lead the team, a pick six as the side's only defensive touchdown, and three tackles for loss. Meanwhile, Scott has racked up 24 tackles, all but one solo, and has two passes defended. Together, Trotter and Scott are proving that the future is now for the Buccaneers defense.
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