When the 2026 NFL regular season was first getting started, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had full confidence in their offensive line and felt it would be one of the best units in the league, especially with players like Tristan Wirfs, the consensus best overall player on the Bucs and arguably even the best offensive tackle in the entire league.
But the Buccaneers offense sputtered badly in losing their first four games, and while most of the blame was on the quarterback, particularly Baker Mayfield in the first three games, the offensive line did not do either Baker or backup quarterback Jalon Daniels any favors. And outside of 89 rushing yards against the Cleveland Browns in Week 2, Bucky Irving and the running backs found it difficult, too.
Maybe it was just the Dallas Cowboys defense, which has to be considered the worst in the NFL right now, but the Buccaneers offensive line suddenly looked like it was back to its old self. And the Buccaneers, for all the warts that were still apparent, were able to get their first win of the season, 24-16 against Dak Prescott and the Cowboys.
The Buccaneers offensive line helped Tampa Bay dominate Dallas
It wasn't all down to the offensive line, of course, but it can't be a coincidence that the Bucs played their best game of their season and got their first W when the five men in front of the quarterback and running back finally showed up to play.
They paved the way for Bucky Irving to absolutely trounce Quinnen Williams and the Dallas defense to the tune of 165 rushing yards - and a rushing touchdown, with Emeka Egbuka adding a score of his own on the ground. It was really a career day in primetime for the Buccaneers feature back.
Meanwhile, Jalon Daniels only got sacked once and only took one QB hit from the Cowboys defense. Considering their prior opponent, the Green Bay Packers, had a weak pass rush, the fact Daniels got hit seven times and sacked three times by the Pack was a biting indictment of the Buccaneers offensive line, especially since they could not pin the sacks on Baker Mayfield running into them.
Well, Daniels had clean pockets and an easier time picking apart the Cowboys, and he raised plenty of attention around the NFL landscape with a strong game under center as a rookie. And if the Buccaneers offensive line can keep this up, there will be plenty more to praise about the quarterbacks and running backs in Tampa Bay.
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