Bucky Irving put the Buccaneers on his back with incredible performance vs. Cowboys

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers pulled off an improbable upset over the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night to earn their first victory of the season in front of a national audience.

The Bucs were big underdogs, going on the road in primetime to take on a surging Cowboys team who had been firing on all cylinders offensively. As they looked to keep pace with Dallas’ explosive offense, the Bucs would be trotting out undrafted rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels for his second career game as Baker Mayfield continues to recover from a dislocated thumb.

If Tampa Bay was going to have any chance in Dallas, they needed to establish a strong running game to take pressure off their rookie quarterback, while also controlling the time of possession and keeping the Cowboys offense off the field. They did just that, and they can thank Bucky Irving, who delivered the best performance of his career and led the Buccaneers to victory.

Bucky Irving just gave the Buccaneers offense the spark it desperately needed

Irving rushed for 165 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries, averaging a robust 7.9 yards per carry. He added two receptions for 10 yards and a receiving touchdown.

By leaning on the running game, Tampa Bay dominated the time of possession, holding the ball for 39:21, compared to just over 20 minutes for the Cowboys.

The efficient rushing attack did wonders for Jalon Daniels and the offense as a whole.

Daniels completed 17-of-25 passes for 189 yards and a touchdown. The Cowboys weren’t able to pin their ears back and rush the passer, giving the rookie more time in the pocket to go through his reads and manage the offense.

Tampa Bay's defense also benefitted from Irving's big night.

With plenty of time to rest on the sideline, the defense stayed fresh and was able to get the best of a potent Cowboys offense. Dallas had scored 30 points per game entering Thursday night, and the Bucs held them to a measly 16 points — thanks in large part to a dominant run game that allowed Tampa Bay to dictate the pace of the game.

Irving put on the superhero cape and literally carried the Buccaneers to their first win of the season. His incredible performance provided a boost for the entire offensive and defensive units and gave the Bucs the spark they've been waiting for.

If Irving can continue to play at this level, the Buccaneers could be a dangerous team for the remainder of the season, making everybody forget about the miserable 0-4 start.

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