Buccaneers vs. Cowboys Odds, Prediction and Best Bet for TNF

Justin Bales|published: Thu 8th October, 10:33 2026

Sep 27, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (7) carries the ball against the Minnesota Vikings during the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Dallas Cowboys will face off in an NFC matchup on Thursday Night Football. The Bucs are the only winless team left in the NFC, entering the game at 0-4. The Cowboys are 2-2 and sit second in the NFC East.

Dallas features one of the best offenses in the NFL this season. They rank third in the league, averaging 0.488 points per play. They’re averaging 30.5 points per game, and they scored 37 in their only home game of the season.

Tampa Bay’s struggled defensively this season, ranking 25th in points allowed (0.421) per play. They are only giving up 24 points per game, but they’ve also faced some of the worst offenses in the NFL. The Cincinnati Bengals scored 33 points against them, and they were the only high-end offense the Bucs have played.

Jalon Daniels drew the start against the Green Bay Packers last week, and he’ll start again with Baker Mayfield injured. Although Daniels is a drastic downgrade, this is a great spot for him. He’s a mobile quarterback, and Dallas has struggled with dual-threat QBs throughout the season.

Overall, the Cowboys rank 29th in the NFL in points allowed (0.457) per play. They’re giving up 28 points per game this season. They’ve also allowed 28+ points in three of their four games in 2026.

The key is how bad Dallas has been against dual-threat quarterbacks. Here’s how they’ve performed thus far:

Jaxson Dart: 284 total yards, 3 total TDs
Jayden Daniels & Marcus Mariota: 279 yards, 2 TDs
Lamar Jackson: 236 yards, 2 TDs
C.J. Stroud: 359 yards, 2 TDs

Tampa Bay is slowing their games down, but they played slightly faster against Green Bay last week. Dallas is going to push the pace, and they should have a comfortable lead throughout this game. That should force the Bucs to play a bit faster.

Ultimately, the Cowboys should handle the majority of this total. They boast an elite offense, and there’s very little reason to believe they’re going to struggle against this Bucs defense. On the other side, Daniels’ dual-threat ability should be enough to find some points for Tampa Bay.

Where to Bet: Tampa Bay Buccaneers/Dallas Cowboys over 47.5 points

2026 NFL Season Betting Record: 5-7

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