Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-6) will face off against the Dallas Cowboys (6-8) on Sunday at 8:20 p.m. EST, broadcasted live on NBC. The betting line from BetMGM places the Buccaneers as favorites by 4.5 points. In terms of performance against the spread, the Buccaneers hold a record of 9-5 while the Cowboys sit at 5-9. Historically, the Cowboys lead their series against Tampa Bay, with a record of 16 wins to 6 losses. The two teams last faced each other in a wild-card playoff on January 16, 2023, where the Cowboys secured a 31-14 victory in Tampa, Florida.
In their most recent games, the Buccaneers achieved a notable 40-17 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, while the Cowboys triumphed over the Carolina Panthers with a score of 30-14. Analyzing the Buccaneers’ offense, they rank third overall, fourth in rushing, fourth in passing, and also fourth in scoring. Conversely, their defense ranks 27th overall, 11th in rushing, 30th against the pass, and 19th in scoring.
The Cowboys’ offense is positioned at 17th overall, with a 27th ranking in rushing, 12th in passing, and 19th in scoring. Defensively, the Cowboys are 26th overall, 29th against the run, 21st against the pass, and 30th in scoring. Both teams have struggled with turnover discrepancies, with the Buccaneers at minus-2 and the Cowboys at minus-5.
One key player to observe for the Buccaneers is wide receiver Mike Evans, who is a significant target for quarterback Baker Mayfield. Evans recently showcased his skills with nine catches for 159 yards and two touchdowns against the Chargers. Despite missing some games earlier in the season, he’s tied for fourth in the NFL with nine receiving touchdowns. The Buccaneers have a favorable 8-3 record when Evans is on the field, and they perform particularly well when he is targeted five or more times. In six matchups against the Cowboys, Evans has accumulated 32 receptions for 444 yards and two touchdowns.
For the Cowboys, edge rusher Micah Parsons is a notable player to watch. Parsons aims to reach 10 sacks for the fourth consecutive year, despite having missed games earlier due to an ankle sprain. Upon returning, he has recorded 7.5 sacks in six games, demonstrating his ability to make impactful plays. He is currently at 8.5 sacks this season and seeks to join an elite group of players who have achieved double-digit sacks in all four of their initial seasons, a feat attained by four future Hall of Famers.
An interesting matchup to keep an eye on is the performance of Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle against the Buccaneers’ run defense. Dowdle has had an impressive three-week streak of rushing for over 100 yards, recently achieving a career-high of 149 yards against the Panthers. The Buccaneers, however, showcased a solid run defense by limiting the Chargers to just 32 rushing yards last week.
In terms of injuries, Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr. (knee) missed the last game and is expected to be sidelined for at least another. The availability of linebacker K.J. Britt (ankle) and safety Mike Edwards (hamstring) will depend on evaluations throughout the week. For the Cowboys, rookie center Cooper Beebe may return from concussion protocol after being inactive last week, while cornerback Jourdan Lewis (elbow) and guard T.J. Bass (thigh) have uncertain prospects following injury issues. Unfortunately for the Cowboys, defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence’s chances of returning this season appear to be dwindling, as he has been out since Week 4 due to a foot injury.
Historically, Tampa Bay’s victory in the 2022 season opener marked just the second win for the Buccaneers in Dallas, where the Cowboys have a strong 12-2 home record against them. Notably, the Buccaneers hold an impressive 8-1 record in regular-season games played in December or January dating back to last year and boast a record of 20-5 in those games since 2020, the first season of Tom Brady with the team. Quarterback Baker Mayfield significantly contributed to the last game with four touchdown passes against the Chargers, marking a career-best season total of 32 touchdowns.
Evans remains on track to extend his impressive streak of securing at least 60 catches and 1,000 receiving yards for 11 consecutive seasons, requiring just eight catches and 251 yards over the next three games. Leading the Bucs’ ground game, rookie running back Bucky Irving showcased his potential with a total of 223 rushing yards against the Chargers. Additionally, the Buccaneers’ defense has limited opponents to a league-low average of 15 points per game during their recent four-game winning streak.
From the Cowboys’ perspective, quarterback Cooper Rush recently set a personal record with three touchdown passes against the Panthers. Although the Dallas offense has struggled with converting red zone opportunities this season, all of Rush’s touchdown passes contributed to the team converting three out of four chances. Running back Dowdle is on the cusp of a significant achievement, needing just 120 rushing yards to reach 1,000 for the season while already surpassing the 1,000-yard mark in combined scrimmage yards.
As a fantasy football tip, keep an eye on Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, who has excelled in prime-time games lately. He has scored three receiving touchdowns in his last three prime-time appearances and is poised to make it four consecutive games with at least six catches and 90 yards.