If the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were going to beat the Dallas Cowboys last night, it was going to take a heroic effort from their defense.
Dallas entered the matchup scoring 30 points per game, with Dak Prescott was playing at an MVP level, and CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens forming arguably the NFL’s most dangerous wide receiver duo. Slowing down that offense was going to be a challenge under any circumstances, but the Buccaneers had even less room for error with star safety Antoine Winfield Jr. sidelined with an injury.
With Baker Mayfield also ruled out, undrafted rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels was making his second career start. Tampa Bay couldn’t afford to get into a shootout with Dallas, and the defense needed to set the tone. Luckily, Todd Bowles came prepared with a masterpiece of a gameplan, and his players executed it to perfection, helping the Bucs earn their first win of the season.
Buccaneers defense just proved they’re legit in upset win over Cowboys
Bowles’ pressure scheme had Dak Prescott out of rhythm all night. The Cowboys quarterback went 1-for-8 for just four passing yards against the blitz in the first half.
Tykee Smith was a heat-seeking missile, generating a team-high five pressures as Bowles unleashed his safety near the line of scrimmage. Rather than letting Prescott settle into the rhythm, the Buccaneers consistently made him uncomfortable, and the results showed up in the box score.
Prescott entered the game completing 70% of his passes along with eight touchdowns and one interception. Against the Bucs, he completed a season-low 57% of his passes and threw a season-high two interceptions. The Buccaneers held him not only to his worst game of the season, but one of the worst outings of his career.
Part of their success in disrupting Prescott was eliminating his No. 1 target, CeeDee Lamb.
The same way the Bucs shut down Ja’Marr Chase in Week 1, they did it again to Lamb, who was coming off a 17-catch, 189 yard performance with a touchdown just a week prior. Against Tampa Bay, he finished with two catches for nine yards. In 10 one-on-one matchups with Zyon McCollum, Lamb was held without a single catch.
The other boundary corner, Jacob Parrish, led the team with nine tackles and also had a team-high four passes broken up. The solid cornerback play has been a huge boost defensively.
Preparing for an offense like Dallas on a short week and holding them 16 points – well below their season average of 30 – all without your star safety is an incredible feat. Bowles should take a bow. He had his unit ready to play and they put on a masterclass.
The Bucs might be 1-4, but their defense has been a bright spot. They’re one of only six teams in the NFL allowing less than 300 yards per game, and their run defense remains among the league’s best, ranking second in the NFL.
When the Buccaneers are generating pressure, stopping the run, and forcing turnovers, they have all the ingredients to be one of the league’s best defenses. Thursday night was a reminder of what this unit is capable of when they’re firing on all cylinders, and Todd Bowles deserves plenty of credit for having his players ready for their toughest test yet.
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